BUYING A NEW COOKTOP

1. What is a cooktop?

Terminology can vary, but in Canada, we tend to use the words stove and range interchangeably and we refer to cooktops, warming drawers and grills separately.

To be clear, a cooktop is an appliance that is built into an island or countertop. It faces upwards and is can be powered by induction, electric burners or gas.

An oven or range, on the other hand, has a built in cooktop and an enclosed area where food can be baked, grilled, warmed up or defrosted. An oven can be installed either underneath a cooktop, next to it or as part of the cabinetry in a tower.

2. What is an induction cooktop?

The flat surface allows pots and pans to easily slide on and off the cooktop. AEG’s induction cooktop comes in three sizes: 24 inches, 30 inches, as well as, 36 inches. Each cooktop comes with DirekTouch™ controls for easy and precise use. This feature is unique to AEG and allows for single finger control of the temperature of each burner. Home cooks are also able to adjust the timer, to press the stop and go button or the very important, child safety lock feature.

AEG induction cooktops have 14 power levels including Power Boost, which allows all of the force to be moved to a single burner. Users can also use Power Boost to send power to two opposing burners.

3. Here’s how an induction cooktop works

To shine more light on induction cooktops and how they work, lets look at the different types of cooktops on the market. The first AEG ovens and cooktops launched in the Canadian market and at the same time we were introduced to electric and gas cooktops.

5. How electric cooktops work and the benefits of choosing an electric cooktop.

The electric cooktop uses electric currents to warm up the coils underneath the ceramic top. Once the burners are adjusted to the desired temperature, electric currents heat up the coils, which then heat up the pot or frying pans. To adjust the temperature, a home chef can simply turn the dial to the right or left.

Simply put, electric cooktops are easy to install, easy to clean and are a practical and efficient for home chefs. Pair them with an AEG oven or an AEG steam oven in a space efficient appliance tower and you’ll be ready to prepare fabulous meals for your friends and family like never before.

6. What is an AEG Gas Cooktop and how does it work?

With cast-iron grates, rotary steel-capped knobs, up to five burners and a flame failure safety feature, the AEG gas cooktop is German engineered to provide an easy to use and clean cooking solution.

Gas cooktops are connected with a fixed gas valve that, when ignited, produces a flame. Consistent heat is distributed rapidly and evenly around the burner. Unlike electric cooktops, when the knob is turned off, there is no need to worry about continuous heat being distributed, as the burner is no longer being heated.

7. The benefits of choosing a gas cooktop?

Gas cooktops tend to be a favoured option for many professional and home chefs. Because of the ease in changing the intensity of the flame, many chefs find that it is more practical to change the temperature than an electric or induction cooktop.

The energy efficiency of a gas cooktop is also 40% versus an electric cooktop which is 75% or an induction cooktop which is 85%.

With an exposed flame and a variety of different size burners, cooking possibilities are user-friendly and flexible with a gas cooktop. With a wok burner, stir-fry cooking and rapid boiling are great ways of making tasty, quick meals with a gas cooktop.

Gas cooktops are perfect for extra-large pans and round bottom woks as they heat up more quickly than a large electric burner. This is a nice feature when you have a hungry family waiting for a home-cooked meal.  With a large burner, it’s easy to fry or boil potatoes and pasta. When simmering casseroles or soups and cooking rice, a medium burner is best as temperatures need to fluctuate. Lastly, on simmer or low heat, chocolate and butter can be melted and it’s easy to create a quick sauces and or great gravy.

8. All you need to know about AEG’s Induction Cooktops

All you need to know about AEG’s Induction Cooktops
As mentioned earlier, AEG’s induction cooktops have smooth stainless steel trim. They come in different sizes but are all equipped with proprietary DirekTouch™ slide design touch controls and Power Boost capabilities. Specialty pots and pans that are made with magnetic stainless steel or cast iron are required for induction cooking because the induction cooktop uses electromagnetic energy to produce currents. These currents can only react with metal. From a safety perspective, there are no open flames, which is a feature that some families with young children prefer. From soups and stews to breakfast eggs, induction cooktops offer a clean, energy efficient way to cook.

9. Why choose an induction cooktop?

Induction cooktop’s claim to fame was because of their efficiency and ease of use. A single induction burner can boil a liter of water in less than two minutes. They’re also the safest cooktop around children. Not only is the area around pots and pans cool to the touch, there is a safety mode where the control panel can be locked and none of the burners can be adjusted. Since water boils the fastest on an induction cooktop, it’s the best for melting chocolate, certainly an appealing feature when making a chocolate fondue, special icing or glazes.