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Stove tops - what to ask before you buy
Updating your kitchen or building a new home? Not sure what to asks before you buy your stove top? The questions below will help you get the right information when deciding which stove top is the one for you.
Click on a question below for more information.
- Gas or electric: Should I get a gas or electric stove top?
- Induction: What is an induction electric stove tops?
- Safety: What safety features do I need?
- Cost: What about cost?
- Installation: What about installation?
- Preference: What about personal preference?
1. Should I get a gas or electric stove top? 
Often the stove top is sold as part of a package for either gas or electric, or you can get an electric oven and a gas stove top. A gas stove top is quicker to adjust the heat than a standard electric stove top, but an induction electric stove top is possibly more responsive even than gas. An electric oven is often considered to be better as it doesn't dry out food as much.
- Gas is generally considered more responsive (when you want to reduce or increase heat under a saucepan) but new electric stove tops, especially induction stove tops, are getting faster so the gap is reducing.
- Electric glass-ceramic stove tops heat up and cool down quicker than other electric stove tops, but they are also more expensive than the gas equivalent. Also, your saucepans must have flat bottoms to sit on the ceramic top. Ceramic tops are particularly easy to clean as they have no complicated elements; some are even 'touch' operated so there are no clumsy knobs on the stove top. However, avoid spilling/burning sugar on these stove tops as it tends to pit the surface.
- Electric solid plate stove tops are the least responsive.
- Electric induction - these are expensive but are more efficient to run than either gas or other electric stove tops. There are some concerns that they may affect medical aids such as pacemakers. See next question for more about these.
2. What is an induction electric stove top?
- The induction stove top is more expensive.
- The induction stove top looks very much like a glass-ceramic stove top - smooth, and square or rectangular.
- The induction stove top is also more efficient, using 95% of the available energy compared to about 65% for gas and 55% for other electric versions, which means induction stove tops are faster too.
- Because heat is not wasted, the air temperature in the kitchen is not increased as much as with other stove tops.
- Induction stove tops work using magnetism to induce heat in the saucepan (not all saucepans are suitable: if a fridge magnet will stick to the saucepan, it will probably work).
- It's safer, as the surface of the induction stove top only gets hot when a suitable ferric (cast iron or steel) saucepan is on the element when it is turned on.
- It's easier to clean, as any overspills are not metallic, they don't burn onto the glass-ceramic surface,, making this stove top easy to clean.
- There is some concern that the magnetism may affect people with medical aids (for example, pacemakers). Find out about this if it applies to you or your family or visitors.
- As induction cooktops have glass-ceramic surfaces, avoid spilling/burning sugar on the surface, and avoid leaving metallic objects including aluminium foil on the stove.
- Historically induction stove tops have been used in restaurants because of the almost instant control you have over the temperature of the 'element'. And because they don't heat the atmosphere as much as gas or electric stove tops.
3. What safety features do I need on a stove top?
- Whatever kind of stove top you buy, make sure the knobs (or touch operated areas) are easily accessible without risk of your hand or sleeve burning when you reach for them. Some of the glass ceramic and induction stove tops have touch operated controls, so there are no messy knobs to clean around.
- Some stove tops have child proof locks so that little kids can't turn the stove top on accidentally.
- If you buy a ceramic stove top, make sure you can easily tell if the stove is on or off to avoid burns. Some cooktops have warning lights to make it clear when the stove is still hot.
- Some people worry about having a connection to gas and the risk of a gas leak and subsequent carbon monoxide poisoning or a gas explosion. If these issues worry you, you may want to find out more - or buy electric.
- There are specific regulations which apply when you install a gas stove top. Check these out with your gas supplier before you install.
4. How much will the stove top cost?
While gas stove tops may be a little more expensive to purchase and install than electric stove tops (with the exception of induction stove tops, which cost significantly more), they also may be cheaper to run. Check this out before you buy - for example, by adding a number of year's running costs and the cost of installation to the original price of whatever stove top you are considering. Induction stovetops are still pretty expensive.
5. How much will it cost to install the stove top?
Whatever is already installed (i.e. gas or electric) is likely to have an advantage because the connection is likely to be cheaper.
6. What about personal preference?
Your existing personal preference is a valid reason for choosing one or the other. If you perceive that one type of stove top is better or safer than another, that wil influence your choice.
