Got my washer so now I need to replace my cooktop. I’m basically curious if people find that five burners are worth it. And if there are preferences for the knobs being on the front versus the side.
I love the continuous grates and I think I will like the 5 burner option. I’m curious what people who have used this type IRL think
Don’t have room or $$ for a big fancy brand - due to the cut out in my granite, a GE replacement will do me just fine. They have models from basic to luxury, so I just need to narrow down what I want and how much I want to spend.
I have a range not a separate cooktop but I cook a lot and don’t think I’ve ever used all 4 burners at once. I do like the look of that GE cooktop and the idea of the continuous grates.
I have a 5 burner and really like the big burner in the middle. I don’t necessary use all of them at once, though I have used 3 at at time before. I also have a cooktop grille that fits nicely on the big one in the middle and the heat distributes evenly.
I have a Bosch gas cooktop and love it.
Oh, and knobs are on the front, and I like them there.
Knobs in the front are nice and convenient but a PITA if you have small children in the house. The front knobs are easy for kids to reach up and twist…
I have a 36" cooktop with five burners. I don’t use all of them at the same time, but it’s nice to know they’re there.
That said, may I suggest you take your pots and pans to the store and try them out on the cooktop? I’m concerned there might not be enough space on a 30" cooktop for five pots and pans to actually fit on there at the same time. The burners may be too close together. If that’s the case, why not get the four burner and save some $$$?
I think it’s really up to your personal preference and cooking style. We have a 6-burner rangetop and even when W and I are cooking at the same we rarely use even 4 burners. But what I appreciate is having the space to spread out when using larger pots and pans. I also like that all my burners are identical (i.e. not a mix of small and large). We use the front burners primarily, so if the small burners were in front it would be a lot less convenient for us.
For the cooktop you linked, personally I would much prefer having the large burner in front vs in the middle, since it’s one I’d probably use 95% of the time. Also, if you’re using a wok or other large pan right in the middle, would there even be room for pots on the outer burners? But if the wok was to the left, then you’d have room on the right.
I also sometimes will have stuff right up against the sides of the rangetop, e.g. cutting board, Tupperware, spices, etc, so I think I’d prefer controls in front vs the side.
Really, the overlap of pans is going to preclude any chance of using the 5 IMO. That knob placement is awful, SIngle grate idea is terrific. If you have a big pan on the biggest most used burner, it might cause all the other burners to be useless. You should be able to just assess this by the measurements IMO. My big lodge would be a problem on that set up.
I have a 5-burner cooktop. Love the continuous grates but hardly ever use more than 3 burners. My cooktop is 36" wide so there is almost always room for the pots. My power burners are the two in front, and they get used the most. I think center placement on the one linked is OK if there is still room for pots on the adjacent burners. I did melt one of the plastic knobs by putting a big pan up against it - oops!
@surfcity - What size cooktop will your countertop accommodate, 30” or 36”?
We have 5 burners in 30”. I like the configuration but it means the knobs are on the front, which i wouldn’t recommend if there are small children in the house.
Sounds like appliance manufacturers need to design a safety feature to childproof these knobs. Not something you add on but built into the system. Does it exist? Seems like it wouldn’t be hard to do.
I have a 5 burner Bosch in a 30” cooktop. I do use all burners during canning season. I have the big pot on the center burner and can still use the other four with no problem. I won’t keep the cooktop forever - we will remodel eventually- but I love the compact efficiency of the Bosch.
My space is 30" and can’t be enlarged unfortunately (without a kitchen remodel). I don’t have small children so the knobs in front aren’t an issue in that sense, I was just wondering if there was anything I wasn’t considering about that placement. I have read that they can get dirtier because they are closer to the burners but I think this cooktop will be easier to clean than the current one.
Good advice to bring pans to the store. I am shopping at a small independent store so they don’t have a lot of models actually in the store however. They have some larger ones so I can see the heft of the grates and see what the material looks like, but I won’t be able to see my particular model in person. I may go to a big box store just to look at their items for that reason.
I don’t care for knobs in the front. To me, they are “in the way.” Hubby and I cook all the time and entertain often. He has a two-burner unit to the side of his grill, and we often have all our burners going at once, inside and out. It just depends on your cooking needs, but I really don’t like the knob configuration on that model; it takes up too much prime space.
My Thermador cooktop is the only appliance we haven’t replaced since we remodeled our kitchen 15 years ago (two new refrigerators since then!!). We were at Best Buy recently and were just looking at the new cooktops. Have you tried lifting those single grates? They’re very, very heavy. I’m constantly taking mine (two) off to clean underneath.
One thing we did when we bought a new stove was pull off the knobs and check they were metal on the inside bit that secures the knob to the stove. May sound strange (the sales people probably thought so ), but the previous stove top we had (a maytag - never again!) the insides of the knobs were plastic and ALL of them broke and were replaced at least twice before we got sick of replacing them and just used a little metal thing we moved from one burner to the next. When we were looking at a replacement any with plastic knobs were immediately off the list.
@MaryBarbara58,
The continuous grates are not one piece, but sections (I have 3) that fit like puzzle pieces so there are no spaces between and all diameter pots/pans can be placed anywhere on the stove top.
I have a GE Profile range very similar to the cooktop referenced by the OP. I have never used all five burners at once. I have the griddle for the middle burner and love it. It makes awesome pancakes. It’s really easy to control the temperature. This is not a single grate. It is three grates that looks continuous. Very simple to pop them in the DW for cleaning.
Like MaterS, I have a 30” range with griddle in the middle. Mine is from the GE Cafe line (dual fuel). I keep the griddle in the middle at all times, though there is a grate that can be switched out (good for making gravy in a roasting pan from a turkey or roast). I mostly use my two front burners but occasionally will use a back burner for something simmering. I would not want a regular big burner in the middle as I think it would crowd any other pots being used at the same time. I also use the griddle as extra counter space for resting a spoon or spatula while I’m cooking since it’s a flat surface (versus having the grate in). I have never used more than 3 burners at once. Actually, maybe one time.
), but the previous stove top we had (a maytag - never again!) the insides of the knobs were plastic and ALL of them broke and were replaced at least twice before we got sick of replacing them and just used a little metal thing we moved from one burner to the next. When we were looking at a replacement any with plastic knobs were immediately off the list.