Electric Cooktops
POPULAR SMOOTHTOPS have ceramic-glass surfaces that cover radiant-heat electric coils, disks, or ribbons. High-priced, super-fast smoothtops may feature halogen lights or induction elements. Some love the way smoothtops clean and some dislike how easily they show smudges. Electric burners have been beefed up to suit high-heat cooking; the maximum is about 2,400w, which equals a 15,000-Btu gas burner. For safety, an electric cooktop should have indicator lights that show which burners are on or still hot. Look for a bridge element or elongated burners that allow for big containers, such as a roasting pan, and use cast iron pans on these tops with caution, as they can scratch the surface.
Induction cooktops are better known in Europe and restaurant kitchens. An induction cooktop has a smooth ceramic-glass top and uses electricity to generate a magnetic field that reacts with a ferrous pot or pan, which in turn heats the food. When the pan is taken off the burner, only residual heat from the pan remains, so you won't burn your hand on the cooktop. Chefs use induction cooktops frequently for the quick reaction time (rivaling gas), superhigh heat, and low simmer. One drawback to an induction cooktop (aside from a high price tag) has been that only flat-bottomed, ferrous cookware heats properly. That complaint has been addressed with the introduction ofthe wok-friendly induction cooktop, which features a concave burner that heats the whole wok in true stir-fry fashion.
A SMOOTHTOP ELECTRIC COOKTOP IS AN IDEAL look for a contemporary kitchen. Locating it in a peninsula makes it tougher to ventilate, but that job is beautifully handled by a sleek-looking stainless-steel cylinder with glass surround.
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