Cookaholics Bulletin Board

For the second time in 11 years my ceramic cooktop has chipped on the side and now has a crack running completely through one of the burners. The perpetrator hasn't come forward but obviously it was hit in just the wrong spot with something really heavy. The thought of shelling out another $800+ for a third one, only to have it probably happen again in a few years, is sickening. Plus of course I've always coveted gas. (Now that's a strange sentence )

So I'm at least going to investigate how much it would cost to have a propane tank/gas line installed and get a gas cooktop, and would really appreciate any recommendations for middle-of-the-road priced models (just a cooktop; I have wall ovens).

Thanks!

Emilie

Do you want open burners or sealed?

Amy

I just looked up a Bosch model that's the general idea of what I'd want and it says it has sealed burners. So obviously I have no clue of the difference between open and sealed. Will figure that out now!

Personally, I hate sealed burners.

Amy

I think my only option is sealed -- from what I can tell the open burners only are available in the higher end models (2k+).

I doubt that sealed burners would be a real deal-breaker on a mid-range cooktop. Sealed burners are supposedly easier to clean and most people prefer the look of them, but they tend to push the heat out toward the edges of your pan. They're especially bad about it with disc-bottom pans. Higher-end models usually don't have sealed burners because they are dealing with higher btu's and it would just exacerbate the problem. If you are looking for something in the $800 range, you won't be looking at burners that get hot enough to create a serious problem. On my old stove, it was really only noticeable on my 9000 btu burner. Like any new cook-top, you'll learn its idiosyncrasies after awhile, including remembering to stir around the edges of your pan more often.

Yes, I think you're right JesBelle. After looking through some online forums, there's no doubt that pro chefs (like our Amy!) really notice issues like the flame going outward rather than straight up. But I think I'll just be so happy to finally be rid of the glass and have gas that it will work for my needs. I have a Bosch dishwasher that I love and my Bosch double ovens are great (except for the highly annoying oven light auto turnoff), so I think I'll probably go with the Bosch that's about $900. Thanks all!

Emilie