Gas Cooktops

There are three Cooktop types: Electric, Induction, or Gas. Electric Cooktops can either have Hot Plates or a Ceramic surface for easy cleaning and a seamless look on a budget, however they take longer to heat up and are slower to adjust to temperature changes, increasing cooking time and consuming more energy.

Induction Cooktops use electricity to create magnetic field-based heating. They’re the safest and most energy efficient of all Cooktops seeing that only the Cookware itself is heated very quickly for reduced cooking times but not the surface. Induction is the most expensive to buy initially and requires induction-friendly pots and pans.

Gas Cooktops have the quick heating and responsive temperature adjusting of an Induction Cooktop and are generally cheaper to buy. A Gas burner is the most obvious, visual indication of the level of heat which directly corresponds to the size of the flame being produced. A Gas Cooktop will work well with almost any existing Cookware. Gas Cooktops generally have control knobs while Induction or Ceramic mostly have touch controls.

The installation connections and requirements differ for each type, check out our Cooktop Installation Services for more info.

For safety reasons it is a legal requirement in Australia that Gas and all other types of Cooktops are professionally installed by a licensed electrician or gas fitter. With that in mind, there are still some things you can do to help ensure your installation process goes smoothly.

Gas Cooktops run on Natural or Mains Gas while other models can run off bottled LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas). For the former, the home needs a Mains Gas connection available, and keep in mind that choosing the latter will significantly increase the running costs of the Cooktop. For LP Gas, simply look out for models called out with LPG in the title. Many Cooktops also come with an LP Gas conversion kit included.

Before you purchase a Cooktop, ensure the bench space has been adequately measured so the Cooktop fits with enough space underneath for proper ventilation. Most Gas Cooktops come in 60, 70, 80, and 90cm widths. If you have a larger household or like to do lots of Cooking, consider selecting your Cooktop first to ensure your new kitchen build caters to your preferred size. To replace an existing Cooktop, consider a matching Rangehood with a matching size.

Whilst modern Gas Cooktops are safe to use, there are some things to consider for a Cooktop to always be operated safely and efficiently. All home Gas appliances need to be installed by a licensed professional to ensure they're in safe working order.

Since the 1st of July 2017, the Australian and New Zealand standard for Gas Cooktops has required all Gas Cooktops be fitted with a flame failure device, ensuring Gas supply automatically cuts out if the flame goes out. This prevents gas from filling your kitchen to keep it safe.

If you have asthma or other respiratory conditions you may find the some of the particles released by burning Gas like nitrous dioxide might negatively impact your condition, but a Rangehood and proper ventilation will help with this. Also consider the stability of Cookware on a Gas Cooktop, with many brands such as Westinghouse or Bosch featuring specialised cast iron trivets for improved support.

Once you know which Cooktop size is needed, look at the number of burners and their configuration offered. If you want to cook multiple dishes, check how much space is between them, for example a 90cm Cooktop with 4 burners will have more wiggle room over a 60cm four burner Cooktop.

Also think about the types or sizes of burners you’d need and potentially how many of each type of burner. There are generally four types of burners available on Cooktops. The auxiliary (small burner) is best for simmering and providing gentle heat for delicate cooking tasks which is great to be at the front for frequent stirring. Medium burners are best suited to soups, curries and casseroles where quick temperature adjustments are key. Large burners are best for sustained, high heat frying or boiling. For stir frying or the highest heat outputs a wok burner is great, usually found either in the centre or to the side. Some brands like selected Artusi Cooktops even have two wok burners which are handy for simultaneous high flame cooks.

For aesthetics there are a fair few options from easy stainless steel to sleek black Gas on glass models from Fisher & Paykel, Miele or Smeg offering easier cleaning. Make sure to consider the right Gas Cooktop to suit either the existing or new planned kitchen design and aesthetics to avoid disconnects in the layout.