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    Best Electric Cooktops of 2023

    The top 30- and 36-inch cooktop models from CR's tests

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    closeup of an electric cooktop
    Electric radiant cooktops cost significantly less than induction cooktops and are easier to clean than electric-coil cooktops.
    Photo: Consumer Reports

    Electric radiant cooktops are the happy medium of cooktop options. They cost a lot less than induction models, and because the surface is a slab of glass, these smoothtops are sleeker and much easier to clean than electric-coil models. And thatā€™s not all that electrics have going for them.

    More on Cooktops and Wall Ovens
    CR's Electric Cooktop Ratings & Buying Guide
    Best Induction Cooktops of the Year
    Best Gas Cooktops of the Year
    Pros and Cons of Induction Cooktops and Ranges
    Gas vs. Electric Range: Which Is Better?

    ā€œMost people think that gas burners boil faster because you can see a giant flame heating your pot,ā€ says Tara Casaregola, who oversees cooktop testing for Consumer Reports. ā€œBut the best radiant electric cooktops are actually faster than the best gas models to heat a large pot of water in our highly controlled testing.ā€

    Electric cooktops are also plenty capable of maintaining a steady simmer. Worth noting: Induction cooktops rate higher overall, so if youā€™re replacing an old electric cooktop, you could also consider induction because the electrical requirements and installation are the same.

    Should You Repair or Replace Your Broken Cooktop?

    CRā€™s interactive toolĀ leverages product costs, depreciation rates, and survey data to help you make the right choice.Ā 

    How CR Tests Electric Cooktops

    In our labs, we test 30- and 36-inch electric cooktops from brands such as Bosch, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool. We test every cooktop at low and high heat. For high-heat cooking, we use a standardized pot filled with about 4 quarts of water on the largest cooktop burner. We jack up the burner to the highest setting and note the speed with which the water heats up.

    For low-heat cooking, we use the smallest burner to melt chocolate and then simmer water and tomato sauce, gauging how well the cooktop holds a steady simmer temperature without dropping too low or scorching the contents of the pan.

    CR members can read on for reviews of six of the best electric cooktops from our ratings. Browse our complete electric cooktop ratings for dozens of more options. And consult our soup-to-nuts cooktop buying guide if youā€™re deciding which kind to buy or debating whether it makes more sense to choose a range instead.

    Best 30-Inch Electric Cooktops

    Best 36-Inch Electric Cooktops

    Paul Hope

    As a classically trained chef and an enthusiastic DIYer, I've always valued having the best tool for a jobā€”whether the task at hand is dicing onions for mirepoix or hanging drywall. When I'm not writing about home products, I can be found putting them to the test, often with help from my two young children, in the 1860s townhouse I'm restoring in my free time.

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