Choosing the right cooktop for your Adelaide home can be tricky and a bit overwhelming. The market is flooded with new technology and state of the art design appliances, so we at Adelaide Appliance Gallery asked our experts about the top 5 things you should consider when looking for the perfect cooktop. In this article, we look at how to determine the right cooktop size so you maximise your cooking space without compromising on features.
Our Tips for Finding the Perfectly-Sized Cooktop:
1. Determine the Number of Burners You’ll Need
The first step towards finding the right size cooktop is to figure out the number of burners that you’ll need.
For an average-sized family, a cooktop with five burners is enough. This will give you enough flexibility to cater to your daily cooking needs. Have a think about how many burners you often have going at once. Maybe you’ve got a steak in a frying pan, veggies boiling in a pot, sauce bubbling away in another pan and the makings of dessert in another. Having ample burners means that you save time when preparing meals.
The Asko HI1975G Induction Cooktop has five cooking zones which are big enough to fit big casserole pots. Aside from the number of burners the ASKO HI1975G has, you’ll be amazed at its 12 power levels and booster in all zones. The booster option allows for a faster cooking time which means, less time in the kitchen and more time with the family.
2. Operation: Knobs or Soft-touch Panels
Our next tip to consider is the type of operation features you prefer as the location of the controls will affect the overall size of your cooktop, especially if you opt for an induction cooktop.
These days, cooktops don’t necessarily need to be operated with a knob, in fact, some of the newer models actually feature removable control knobs.
Soft-touch panels have allowed manufacturers to expand the overall cooking surface while still maintaining a sleek design and without taking up too much bench space.
The advanced technology of a removable operation knob can be seen in the NEFF T68TS61N0 Flex induction cooktop with Twistpad Fire. Imagine operating your cooktop similar to a turntable– that’s exactly how the Twistpad Fireworks.
Controlling your induction cooktop has never been easier and best of it all you can do it with the tip of your finger. The Twistpad Fire also makes cleaning much easier as you don’t need to worry about food debris getting caught in the controls. You can simply remove your Twistpad, wipe the area of the spill and put it back in its magnetic spot.
3. Aesthetics: Ceramic, Induction or Steel?
Your aesthetic design preference will also come into play when deciding on size. Here at Adelaide Appliance Galley, we offer three main types of cooktops- ceramic, induction and steel.
Ceramic Cooktops
Getting a ceramic cooktop might be the upgrade that you’re looking for to freshen up your kitchen as they are sleek, expensive-looking, and best of all they are often flat.
Even more space can be saved with a ceramic induction cooktop as some have the ability to “bridge” two burners for longer pans, while still being able to achieve even heat distribution thanks to the halogen heat elements that sit right underneath the ceramic glass. Ceramic cooktops are also easier to install as they simply require a 10 amp power source.
Induction Cooktops
Induction technology is incredibly popular and for good reason! The sleek design, intuitive technology and affordable price ranges make updating your kitchen easy– regardless of its size. Like the ceramic cooktops, induction cooktops are also flat and can feature minimal control panels allowing for maximum benchtop space. Induction cooktops are also very hard wearing, in fact Bosch, Neff and Schweigen all use Schott Ceran Glass which is really heavy duty, so don’t need to worry about accidental breakages.
There are a couple of downsides when it comes to the induction option. The first– they require a 35 amp power feed so you may find that you need to update your electrical wiring in the kitchen. Secondly, induction cooktops do require a specific type of cookware. The type of cookware must have a flat bottom in order for the induction plate to activate.
Steel Cooktops
Steel cooktops are the classic choice, however they generally take up more space, are more difficult to clean and are solely available with either a gas or electric heat source. While the steel cooktop may seem to be slightly less fancy, they still a popular option thanks to their affordable price points and cooking flexibility. Unlike the induction and ceramic cooktops, a steel cooktop does not require a specific type of cookware and also has the benefit of being able to cook with rounded pans like woks.
4. Heat Source: Gas, Induction or Ceramic?
The size of the cooktop is also dependent on its heat source. Gas cooktops tend to be heavier and bigger since they require a grill to hold the pans over the naked flame while, electric, ceramic and induction tend to be sleeker in design.
In terms of heat intensity, gas provides a quick heat intensity, however we find that an induction cooktop gives you the most control over the heat. For example you can melt chocolate perfectly using inbuilt temperature controls and have a rolling boiling at 94 degrees which means you won’t have water spitting everywhere when cooking.
Ceramic is similar to induction in terms of heat response, however the technology behind induction in our opinion is far superior.
5. Safety Features
While safety may not directly relate to size, we still think it’s important to mention because extra safety features are generally found in the newer designs.
When it comes to appliances with heating elements, the two main risks to consider are potential fire hazards and personal injuries.
A number of recently manufactured cooktops are equipped with multiple safety elements such as heat indicators and auto-lock features.
Induction cooktops have child safety features and automatic sensors to turn off when they are not in use. Also the actual cooktop does not get as hot like with gas and ceramic because it’s the induction pot or pan that becomes hot so the surface itself picks up residual heat from the pot.
We hope that this article was helpful in guiding you through the vast number of choices in finding your perfectly-sized cooktop. We guarantee that you’ll always be receiving the best assistance from our team at Adelaide Appliance Gallery so if you need a little more guidance or personalised service the pop into the Adelaide Appliance Gallery showroom. We also hold monthly cooking demonstrations so you can see the cooktops in action.