Choosing the best gas cooktop could mean the difference between burnt and uneven steaks and a crisp, well-rounded concoction to be proud of. Our evaluation focused on size, number of burners, heat energy (BTU), design, safety, and usability. We also explored auxiliary features such as downdraft ventilation and ease of cleaning. These gas cooktops are some of the best kitchen products you can have in your home.
After more than 15 hours of research, our top pick goes to the Thor Kitchen HRT3618U Gas Cooktop. It offers a list-best six sealed burners ranging from 650 to 18000 BTU, along with a simmering function and easy to clean service. Keep reading to learn more about the Thor Kitchen HRT3618U Gas Cooktop and five others that met our strict grading criteria.
Top 5 Best Gas Cooktops
#1 Thor Kitchen HRT3618U Gas Cooktop
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the best gas rangetop thanks to 6 sealed burners and a black porcelain drip pan, users can enjoy different cooking temperatures from 650 BTU (melting butter for pancakes) up to 18,000 BTU for cooking steaks.
- Very durable, heavy dute cast-iron grates
- Large surface (36″)
- Burner caps are not dishwasher-safe
- No continuous grates
- So-so customer service & high cost
We love this 36″ gas cooktop’s burner distribution, with three rear burners hitting 12,000 BTU, two front burners reaching 15,000 BTU, and a single burner reaching 18,000 BTU. It also comes with an extra-low simmer function which works great to keep food warm while preparing for the table.
Another bonus with this best gas cooktop with griddle is how easy it is to clean. A black porcelain drip fan collects all oils and residue for easy removal. Even its alloy knobs are stain-resistant and easy to wipe down when not in use. A good cooktop is as essential as the best cold brew coffee maker.
#2 Frigidaire FFGC3012TS Gas Cooktop
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best gas cooktop with downdraft is very easy to use thanks to five angled front controls and larger burners up front and smaller burners in the back.
- Best ventilation
- Easy to switch angled front controls
- Works with propane/natural gas & electric ovens
- Slipper metal grates
- Flimsy plastic knobs
This 30″ gas cooktop has plenty of power, featuring five sealed burners, with a middle burner clocking at 15000 BTU, followed by two pairs of left and right burners ranging from 9500 to 12000 BTUs. We like this gas cooktop’s burner positions, with the larger ones in the front, helping people better maneuver heavier pots.
We like this gas cooktop’s compatibility with propane and natural gas. Fumes are also minimized with a downdraft ventilation system that sucks fumes from within and expels them outside, unlike a range hood that lifts smoke above the stove. For that, we love it in households with children and pets. You can use the best air fryer for things like making healthier snacks, and this cooktop will do the rest.
See Also: If you want a clean countertop then check out our best countertop cleaner.
#3 Empava EMPV-30GC5B70C 30″ Built-in Gas Cooktop
Award: SAFEST FOR FAMILIES
WHY WE LIKE IT: Thanks to this gas cooktop’s child proof, locking burners, it is a great choice for families with small children.
- Child proof, locking burners
- Easy to switch angled front controls
- Control labels are a bit hard to read
- Narrow depth & not fingerprint resistant
- Sensitive lock button
This 30″ gas cooktop comes with several burners to accommodate all cooking temperatures, including dual 12,000/6500 BTU burners and a single 1000 and 4000 BTU “simmering” burner. It is more than capable of broiling and searing steaks or keeping food warm before serving.
We enjoy this gas cooktop’s auto shut-off protection, which detects flames to shut off or turn on the gas. This is critical in households with small children who pry on occasion. There is even a child lock option that forces users to hold a button for ten seconds to activate the cooktop. Bonus points for an easy to clean stainless steel surface and dishwasher-safe iron grates. It is as easy to clean as the best hand mixer.
#4 GE JGP3030SLSS 30-inch Gas Cooktop
Award: BEST FOR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 30″ gas cooktop comes with 4 burners and ADA-compliance for easy reach of operating controls making it work well for people with disabilities or limited mobility.
- Intuitive right-hand side controls
- Great for disabled
- ADA-compliant
- Grates could use a thicker gauge
- Flimsy plastic knobs
This best gas rangetop’s 4 burners vary in temperatures, with the two front burners hotter at 12,000 and 15,000 BTU respectively, with the two rear burners clocking in at 9500 and 5000 BTU. This provides a balanced cooktop with sauce & butter heating or all-out steak fests.
Aside from the GE name, continuous grates also make it easy to slide pots and pans from one burner to the next without lifting. We like this, especially for people with limited arm and hand strength. Right hand side control knobs also make it easier to reach each burner. Bonus points for its ADA (Americans with Disabilities) compliance, evident with its easy-to-reach controls and wrist-friendly operation (no twisting or pinching needed). This and the best countertop microwave are all you need. And with that in mind, be sure to check out our best speed cooking microwave as well.
#5 GASLAND Chef GH60SF Gas Cooktop
We’re sorry, this product is temporarily out of stock
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 24″ gas cooktop works well in small kitchens with a natural gas/propane connection and comes to ETL certified, a third-party testing program that vouches for its safety.
- ETL-certified
- Small (24″)
- Great for RVsand small homes
- May be too small for larger household meals
- Front control knobs tricky to decipher at first glance
- Lower BTU compared to other models
This gas cooktop has four burners – two double 5,000 BTU burners, a single 2,800 BTU burner, and a 9,50 BTU triple ring burner. Like our #2 pick Frigidaire FFGC3612TS Gas Cooktop, it also works with natural gas and propane. Combined with its small profile (24”), we love this gas cooktop for a camper or mobile home.
Thanks to its ETL-certification, this gas cooktop is very safe to use, adhering to quality standards set by Edison Testing Laboratories, an equipment safety certification organization. Its gas regulator is also CSA-certified, another standard of safety by a Canadian third party for electrical, mechanical products. Racking up all of these certifications definitely inspires confidence this gas cooktop works as intended. You may also want to read about the best oven cleaner for your oven needs.
How We Decided
In determining the best gas cooktop to buy, we explored size, number of burners, heat energy (BTU), design, safety, and usability. Our recommended picks have size options as small as 24″ (#6 pick GASLAND Chef GH60SF Gas Cooktop ) as large as 36″ (Thor Kitchen HRT3618U Gas Cooktop and Frigidaire FFGC3612TS Gas Cooktop). As for portability, the Empava 30″ Built-in Gas Cooktop wins with propane and natural gas capability, needing no electricity to operate.
The number of burners, as well as burner output, is very important. We aim for a minimum of 4 burners that vary in terms of power. BTU, or British Thermal Unit, is a measurement of heat, The higher the number, the higher the flame. Gas cooktops generally carry single or dual-burners that vary between 9000 and 18000 BTUs, making them effective for heating sauce/melting butter or cooking thick slabs of meat.
Design is a key consideration. We generally like larger burners in the front and smaller burners in the back, as larger pots and pans should be closer to us for easier maneuvering. Continuous grates with no spacing help to prevent lifting pots and pans and sliding them across instead. Other gas cooktops, like the ADA-compliant GE JGP3030SLSS 30 Inch Gas Cooktop, have burner knobs integrated on the right-hand side to save space. If your cooker is made of glass then you may want to check out the best glass cleaner.
Lastly, safety is key. We like gas cooktops with ADA-compliance or various third-party certifications from UL, ETL, and CSA. All enforce strict manufacturing and product standards that we trust.
Best Gas Cooktop Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Size
Our recommended gas cooktops range from 24″ to 36″. Our top pick, the Thor Kitchen HRT3618U Gas Cooktop, measures 36″ with six burners, which makes it more than ideal for large households. The larger your household, the larger your gas cooktop should be. - Number of Burners
Gas cooktops range anywhere from 4 to 6 burners. We like single and dual burners to accommodate small and large pots and pans, along with BTUs in the 9000 to 18000 range to suit melting butter and concocting well-done steaks. Note, BTU is a measurement of heat energy. The higher the BTU number, the higher the flame. - Heat Energy
Look for gas cooktops with 4-6 BTUs ranging from 9000 to 18000 BTU which covers the entire spectrum of heating types (e.g. searing to baking). - Safety
Our picks have obtained some pretty impressive certifications. On the usability side, we like ADA compliance, which means a product like gas cooktops was designed for people with disabilities. Our ADA-compliant pick, the GE JGP3030SLSS 30 Inch Gas Cooktop, wins for its user-friendliness, including right-hand side control knobs that allow those with limited mobility (e.g. wheelchair users) to sit closer to the burners. Other winning certifications for product safety come from the ETL (Edison Testing Laboratory) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association). Look for them and you have yourself a winner.
