For many, the cooktop can be the heart of the kitchen and essential to the creation of many delectable treats and eats. An electric cooktop is great for shoppers on a budget and looking for little to no-hassle installation and cleaning. As you go on your search for a new electric cooktop, you’ll find a variety of sizes, styles, cooking elements, and advanced features to make cooking more convenient and entertaining.
But before you start browsing online or window shopping at stores, check out our guide to learn more about what to expect when you are on the hunt for the best electric cooktop for you and your kitchen.
At a Glance:
Benefits of an Electric Cooktop
Best Overall: Whirlpool® 30” Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop
Best Budget: Frigidaire® 30” Black Electric Cooktop
Best Splurge: GE Profile™ Series 36” Black Electric Cooktop
Best with Downdraft: KitchenAid® 36” Stainless Steel Electric Downdraft Cooktop
Best with Griddle: Maytag® 36” Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop
What to Look for When Buying an Electric Cooktop
Benefits of an Electric Cooktop
Out of all the types of cooktops, an electric cooktop is the most economical option for shoppers on a budget that don’t want to cook with gas. The electric cooktop offers a smooth ceramic-glass surface with a hidden element or a coil heat element on top. When you purchase a new electric cooktop, you can expect a continuous surface with the ceramic-glass models for an easy to clean and makes for the best cooking option when simmering, slow cooking, melting food.
Types of Electric Cooktops
Wondering what’s the difference between the glass and coil surfaces of an electric cooktop? Let’s find out!
- Heat Conductivity: Coil burners have a more efficient heat conductivity than glass cooktops. Still, the coils may not always be adequately leveled, resulting in uneven heating. Glass cooktops have a much more modern appearance and use heating elements that radiate heat. But these cooktops do take much longer to heat thoroughly.
- Cost: Between the two, coils are the more inexpensive choice compared to glass cooktops in price, since coil cooktops operate with much simpler technology.
- Cleaning: Smooth surface cooktops are much easier to clean since these cooktops have one continuous flat surface with heating elements concealed underneath. Coil cooktops have drip pans under the heating components to catch any mess, but the pan can be hard to clean, and eventually, it would be easier to replace.
Pros & Cons
As you look for your perfect electric cooktop to fry, boil, sauté and melt for some of your favorite recipes, you need to know before buying.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Provide residual heat to keep food warm
- Simple installation
- A Flatter surface is more stable for cookware
- Energy efficient
Cons
- The surface can take too long to heat up
- Longer cook times
- Newer models with advanced features are more expensive
- No longer functions during a power outage
- Easy to burn yourself
Shop Our In-Store Selection Today
Best Electric Cooktops
Take a look at some of the top-quality electric cooktops we have to offer!
Best Overall: Whirlpool® 30” Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop-WCE55US0HS
Make breakfast, lunch, and dinner on this Whirlpool electric cooktop in conjunction with your wall oven. This 30-inch electric cooktop has an easy-wipe ceramic glass cooktop that’s easy to clean and sturdy enough to withstand a drop or two to the surface. Also, enjoy cooking with multiple heating elements of your choosing, whether it’s the 8” or 6” extra elements or the specialty FlexHeat dual radiant element that offers a two-in-one ring burner (6” and 10”) for the larger and smaller pans you use. But best of all, you won’t have to spend a ton of rewiring your kitchen with the 30 & 40 amp hookup features.
Features
- Hot surface indicator
- FlexHeat dual radiant element
- 8” extra element
Best Budget: Frigidaire® 30” Black Electric Cooktop-FFEC3025UB
With our Frigidaire electric cooktop that offers easy drop-in installation, you won’t be disappointed in quality or price. Cook your favorite recipes on the ceramic glass cooktop with a powerful 3,000W quick boil element and a SpaceWise expandable element that can accommodate various cookware sizes for fast, hot, and ready meals for everyone to enjoy. Additionally, these Frigidaire cooktops are capable of installation above any electric wall ovens for a nice range combination.
Features
- SpaceWise expandable element
- Ready-select controls
- Hot Surface Indicator
Best Splurge: GE Profile™ Series 36” Black Electric Cooktop-PP9036DJBB
Cook foods with speed and precision on the even, sleek surface of our GE Profile electric cooktop. The controls allow for custom settings as you easily swipe to your preferred cooking temperatures of the three burners with an 8”/5” 2,400W power boil element and the two SyncBurners. And with the control lock capability, you won’t worry about your dishes being ruined by someone’s accidental tampering with your cooktop. But the icing on the cake is the multi-element timer that makes you feel like a culinary professional as you manage multiple pots or pans with various cook times for the perfect meal.
Features
- Control lock capability
- Custom settings
- SyncBurners
Best with Downdraft: KitchenAid® 36” Stainless Steel Electric Downdraft Cooktop-KCED606GSS
Cook all the aromatic dishes you can eat without fear of the lingering smell with this KitchenAid electric cooktop. This 36” electric cooktop with downdraft has an integrated ventilation system with a 3-speed fan control in the cooktop’s surface to filter out all the smoke and odors and recirculate fresh air inside — so make all the grilled and fried fish you want. Enjoy cooking at high and low temperatures on one of the five heating elements like the 12”/9” double-ring element, 8” round element, 6” Even-Heat element with melt setting, and more for a variety of elements to try on your culinary journey.
Features
- Downdraft ventilation
- 10” Even-Heat ultra element with a simmer setting
- Stainless steel knobs
Best with Griddle: Maytag® 36” Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop-MEC8836HS
Last but not least, crank up the heat with our electric cooktop with griddle from Maytag with a reversible grill and griddle feature. Enjoy the exclusive reversible grill and griddle to boil, pan-fry, grill, and then flip for the griddle to make some of your best dishes that your family will cheer for. This cooktop also offers heavy-duty, die-cast metal knobs to control five of your burners including the 12”/9” Dual-Choice element. Another feature you’ll love is the quick preheat and precise cooking coverage; it can evenly distribute heat across its large surface for quick and delicious meals.
Features
- Reversible grill and griddle
- Hot surface indicator
- 12”/9” Dual-Choice element
What to Look for When Buying an Electric Cooktop
As you shop for a new electric cooktop, it’s all about the features before contemplating the brand you want. Our experts have researched and named just a few features for you to consider before taking home a new cooking appliance!
Size
After you have decided on the type of cooktop you need, it’s essential to consider counter space and the size of the appliance. The availability of kitchen space will determine the size of your cooktop, so it is vital that the right size for your cooktop is chosen so there won’t be any unnecessary inconveniences during installation. Our cooktops come in various sizes that fit most countertops, ranging from 12”–46 ", with standard sizes being 24”, 30”, and 36”.
Cooking Elements
Some cooktops are equipped with a single burner or cooking zone, while models have as many as six burners for cooking various dishes simultaneously on one cooktop. So, depending on how often you cook and the number of family members or guests you cook for is an excellent way to decide the number of heating elements your cooktop needs. If you are a culinary enthusiast who regularly cooks for family or friends, this KitchenAid® 36” stainless steel electric downdraft cooktop can keep up with your cooking.
Extra Features
After figuring out the basics for your new cooktop, what else do you look for when cooking? What finish do you want for your cooking appliance? Do you want a smart appliance? Do you need cooking modes? If you aren’t too sure, take a look at our Maytag® 36” stainless steel electric cooktop with exclusive reversible grill and griddle for an example of excellent additional features you might want for your future cooktop.
Best Electric Stove FAQs
Q: What is the difference between induction and electric cooktop?
A: The biggest differences between induction and electric cooktops are their cooking methods and pricing. Of the two, electric cooktops are the more affordable option that offers centralized heating for your cookware. Running an electrical current through a metal coil, it then heats up and glows, transferring its heat through the glass (or ceramic) surface using infrared energy.
Induction cooktops are considered the more expensive choice and use induction cooking to heat food. Using electromagnetic radiation to heat the copper coils under the surface, a magnetic field is created as an electric current passes through the coils directly to the cookware, heating the pot and pan and cooking your food without heating the entire cooktop.
Q: Is there a glass cooktop that doesn’t scratch?
A: Although a scratch-proof glass cooktop is rare, GE designs cooktops with a glass-ceramic material that is tough enough to withstand scratches with normal use. The best thing to do is to set countermeasures to prevent scratches and know to remove them. For instance, here are a few tips:
How to avoid glass cooktop scratches
- Keep the bottom of your cookware clean.
- Clean up messes and spills immediately.
- Pick up cookware instead of sliding them across the cooktop.
Q: What is the difference between glass and ceramic cooktops?
A: The main difference between a ceramic and a glass cooktop is how they create heat. But most cooktop surfaces nowadays use a glass-ceramic blend that is much strong, less susceptible to breaks, and better adapts to temperature fluctuations than an all-glass or all-ceramic cooktop.
Q: Do glass top stoves break easily?
A: Yes, glass top stoves are very fragile and prone to breaks and cracks. The cracks in your stovetop can be a hazard and may even render your stove inoperable if the breakage is deep enough.
Tip: Don’t dry cookware on the stovetop; this can cause breakage or fusion to the glass surface.
Q: Do you need special pots for ceramic cooktops?
A: No, ceramic cooktops don’t need a particular type of cookware, but if you are worried about scratches or stains, we recommend looking into stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, or copper-bottomed cookware to maintain the surface.
Why Trust Spencer’s TV & Appliance?
Since 1973, Spencer’s TV & Appliance has grown to 10 locations throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The secret to our longevity is simple: personal service. Customer satisfaction has always been the focus of our business, and throughout the years, we have been able to work hard with our suppliers to bring you the best prices. After all, getting customers the best price and personal attention is how we compete with big-box stores, day in and day out.
Not only do we offer top-rated appliances, name-brand electronics, and the best mattresses on the market but we also provide water treatment solutions and perform kitchen design services. Stop by your nearest Spencer’s and see what you’re missing!
Shop Electric Cooktops at Spencer’s
At Spencer’s TV & Appliance, we provide high-quality, name-brand products at great prices — check out our catalog to shop for electric cooktops online today. Your friends in the business are always happy to help you find the best electric cooktop for you. Call us, or better yet, stop by at one of our locations in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Glendale regions. Visit us today!
Learn More: How to Clean Your Glass Cooktop