Cooktops and Rangetops

Looking for a versatile cooking appliance to add to your countertop? Abt has just the cooktop or rangetop for you, including the best sellers from brands like Bosch, Whirlpool, Frigidaire and KitchenAid. To begin your shopping journey, you should first consider all the different variations of these stovetop appliances.

Cooktops vs. Rangetops: What's The Difference?

Typical cooktops are usually only 2-6 inches tall which gives kitchen users the power to install a built-in oven or even cabinetry underneath the cooking surface. On the other hand, rangetops have the ability to slide into your counter or cabinet as they have more height, 7.5-10.5 inches, and depth. This kind of depth prevents a rangetop from being installed above an oven. One simple way to tell the two apart is the knob placement; rangetop knobs will always face the front, parallel to the cabinetry below. While higher-end cooktops can have front-facing knobs, most models have knobs sitting atop the counter.

Heat Sources: What You Need To Know

Before installing your choice of appliance, it's also vital to consider the kind of heat source you desire or that your kitchen supports. Cooktops and rangetops can support three different heat sources: gas, electric and induction. Each heat source has its advantages and disadvantages. Gas gives you instant control over the temperature and can be used with any type of cookware. Since gas doesn't depend on electricity, you can cook with ease even in a power outage. At the same time, grates and burners are harder to clean and open-flame cooking poses more of a danger. While an electric heating source can utilize coil burners, the more popular choice is the ceramic glass top. Electric cooking surfaces with ceramic glass are crack resistant, easy to clean, can accommodate any flat bottom pan, heat up faster and offer a sleek and modern style. While these are crack resistant, they are not scratch resistant, so users have to be careful when moving pots and pans. They also take longer to cool down than gas heating. Meanwhile, induction heating shares most of the same advantages as ceramic glass electric except the user must only cook with magnetic-flat bottom pans. If you're looking for more information on some of these heat sources before purchasing, take a look at our guide to induction vs. gas cooktops.

No matter which cooktop or rangetop you choose, you must always think of exhaust and ventilation. Each time you cook on any kind of stove, your food will release steam, smoke, residue, grease and more. Getting these substances out of the air not only keeps your kitchen clean, but helps preserve the health of the cook, as you won't have to breathe it in. Take a look at our downdraft exhaust and range hoods to learn more about what kind of filtration your cooktop or rangetop will need. For further assistance in making a decision on your newest appliance, speak to our team at 800-860-3577 and we'll be happy to share more information. For further information, see our cooktop buying guide.