Choosing the Right Cooktop (Hob)

Cooktops offer you much more placement flexibility, and you can customize them to fit your cooking needs. To figure out what cooktop is right for you, think about how you’d like it to function as well as the type of heat you prefer to work with.

Size - Dimensions and Capacity

The first thing you should consider, is the size, especially if you are replacing an existing cooktop, as you will already have a hole cut out in your benchtop, of which your new cooktop must fit. If you are building a new kitchen, size is still important as you don't want to to take up too much of your valuable bench space, or sell yourself short of the ultimate cooking surface!

Most cooktops come in widths of 60cm, 75cm or 90cm.

60cm cooktops are the standard size and are designed to match and sit nicely between a 60cm rangehood and a 60cm wall or underbench oven. If you have the space and like to cook with more than one or two pots at a time, consider the 75cm or 90cm versions for greater flexibility.

Cut out size: 

Which ever size you choose, make sure that it is going to fit in your existing cut out, if you have one. On each of our cooktops you'll see an image of dimensions similar to the one on the right. To be sure the cooktop you select will fit, simply make sure the size of your cutout falls between the 2 measurements on the diagram.

Eg: If your cut out is 500mm x 760mm, then this cooktop will fit. the hole is big enough to accommodate the mechanics of the cooktop that sit down into the benchtop, but small enough that the cooktop itself hangs over the endges without exposing any gaps.

Type - Gas, Electric, Ceramic or Induction

Gas cooktops: Gas cooktops create quick and controlled heat. While they’re often more expensive upfront, they tend to be cheaper to operate. Surfaces commonly come in porcelain-enamel, tempered-glass and stainless-steel, and try to seek out sealed burners to prevent cooking debris from getting below the cooktop. 

Electric cooktops: Available in coil, radiant or solid disk heating elements, electric cooktops provide a wide range of heat levels. Coil elements heat up quickly, radiant elements are hidden beneath a sleek glass ceramic surface, and solid disk elements provide consistent heating by being embedded in a cast-iron burner. Flat bottom cookware offers the best results when using electric cooktops. 

Ceramic cooktops: Featuring glass ceramic surfaces, halogen cooktops glow when they’re turned on to indicate they’re ready to cook. They’re easy to clean and cook quickly. 

Induction cooktops: These energy efficient cooktops never get hot to the touch; they emit a magnetic field that only heats compatible magnetic cookware. These cooktops get hot fast and clean easily, yet they’re often a more expensive option. 

Colour and Style - Matching existing appliances

If you have a stainless steel oven and rangehood, it makes sense to have a stainless steel hob. Likewise if you have a beautifully retro country kitchen, you may choose a more homestyle hb such as a gas unit in white enamel, as opposed to a sleek bevelled glass induction number that would be well suited to a modern minimalist kitchen.