Are you fed up with the limited cooking output capacity of your stove? You need the gas cooktop with a griddle. We’re going to give you five gas cooktops with griddle reviews to help you choose. We know that a cooktop with a griddle can help you cook in style and with ease. After reviewing various options, we decided upon five. Let’s take a look.
Best Gas Cooktops with Griddle
1. Empava 48 in. Pro-Style Professional Slide-in Natural Gas Rangetop
This pro-style Empava 48-inch range top may be the high-end gas cooktop with a griddle for large families.
This spacious cooktop’s 15,000 and 18,000 BTU burners provide high-level cooking power. Infrared technology makes them efficient. Auto reignition and the deeply recessed gas range top design assure continuous flames, while blue LED lights help you monitor burners.
This no-crevice stainless steel cooktop is easy to clean. The continuous cast-iron cooking grates and black porcelain drip pan are dishwasher safe. A griddle also comes with this model.
Do a simple in-home slide-in installation or take it on camping trips. A gas regulator is included.
Consumers love this cooktop, especially the sophisticated blue LED light, the high BTU, and the flame control. But the front-facing knob placement bothers mothers with young children.
Features
- Infrared technology
- Electronic pulse ignition
- Automatic reignition
- Blue LED lights on control knobs
- Sealed, power, and simmer burners
Pros
- Efficient heating
- Continuous flame is assured
- Control panel LED lights for remote monitoring
- Easy to clean
- Resistant to heat discoloration and stain
Cons
- No LP conversion kit
- Not kid-safe
2. THOR KITCHEN Gas Rangetop/Cook Top
This Thor 48-inch professional gas cooktop with griddle has slightly fewer bells and whistles than the Empava 48-inch model has.
The Empava 48-inch cooktop we just reviewed and this Thor model are nearly identical. The main difference is that the Thor does not have infrared technology or electronic pulse ignition. These differences make the Thor nearly $200 cheaper than the Empava.
The Thor provides the same cooking power, easy-clean stainless steel cooktop finish, metal knobs, LED lights, continuous iron grates, drip pan, and griddle.
It also has the automatic reignition safety feature and is an LP convertible.
Consumers say that this cooktop is easy to install. They notice its quality construction and they consider it easy to clean.
Features
- Stainless or black, easy-clean porcelain drip pan
- Stainless steel control panel with blue LED lights
- Automatic reignition safety feature
- Six sealed burners
- 18,000 BTU stainless steel griddle
Pros
- Has the capacity to cook various foods
- Continuous flame is assured
- Control panel LED lights to let you monitor burners from afar
- Easy-clean
Cons
- Knob location, not kid-safe
3. FRIGIDAIRE Professional 30-Inch Gas Cooktop
If you don’t have a lot of counter space to donate to cooking, this versatile 30-inch gas stovetop with a griddle is just maybe what you’re looking for.
The continuous cast-iron grates optimize space, as does the included reversible cast-iron griddle/grill. These cast iron items are dishwasher safe.
This beautiful stainless steel-finished cooktop features genuine metal knobs, an electronic ignition, and Precision Pro controls. The five dedicated burners include one Power Plus Burner.
You’ll need a 120v outlet. This cooktop arrives with an LP conversion kit and offers a warranty.
Consumers love this model’s overall quality, including its cooking power and the fact that the control knobs are made of metal rather than plastic. One professional chef said this cooktop was the closest a person could get to having a restaurant-style gas range at home.
Features
- Dedicated burners
- Maximum 18,200 BTU
- Precision controls
- Electronic ignition
- Reversible griddle/grill
Pros
- Accommodates most pots and pans
- Meets most cooking needs
- Enables perfect outcomes
- Easy to install
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Hard-to-remove protective film on knobs
4. GE JGP5036SLSS 36 Built-In Gas Cooktop
If you have just a little bit more room to spare, you may prefer this GE 36-inch gas cooktop with griddle.
This easy-to-clean stainless steel stovetop features electronic ignition and five dedicated burners for various heat outputs. The continuous cast-iron grates accommodate various pot sizes. It is easy to install and it comes with an LP gas conversion kit.
Customers say that this cooktop is easy to install and convert to propane. They comment that it is easy to clean and that it looks great when it’s new.
However, some customers have stated that the plastic knobs either melt or chip within a short time. Grates and harsh cleaning sponges scratch the stainless steel finish. There are no lights to indicate that a burner is on, which is mainly an issue when a low flame is needed.
Features
- Easy to clean
- Five dedicated burners
- Electronic ignition
- Stainless steel finish
- Easy to install
Pros
- Gives precision flame control
- Cooks a wide range of foods
- Easy to install, convert, and clean
Cons
- Has plastic knobs
- No controls light
- No griddle included
5. Samsung 30″ Fingerprint Resistant Black Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop
If you are into the IoT (Internet of Things), you may want to consider this wi-fi-enabled stainless steel gas cooker.
This model’s wi-fi feature, which lets you control the cooktop remotely, is this cooktop’s most unusual feature. The fingerprint-resistant black stainless steel finish, coupled with blue LED lights behind the knobs, makes the model attractive.
The wok grate fits over the large burner. This model comes with a griddle. The black porcelain burner areas are easy to disassemble to clean.
Consumers complain about the discoloration of the grates, iron disks, and gas distributors. You cannot wash aluminum gas distributors in a dishwasher because the detergent oxidizes them. Customers also say that the griddle isn’t quite large enough and that the grease trap is too shallow.
On the positive side, customers say the LED lights are stunning.
Features
- Non-stick flat burner
- Low (5,000 BTU) and high (21,000 BTU) burners
- Wok Grate
- Blue LED-lit knobs
- Wi-fi connectivity
Pros
- Versatile
- LED lights to enable monitoring from afar.
Cons
- Parts discoloration
- Not entirely dishwasher-safe
- A griddle is too small
FAQ
What’s the difference between a griddle and a grill?A grill has bars or ridges that leave “grill marks” on the steaks, pork chops, hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, corn on the cob, or foil-wrapped veggies that you cook on them. Its openness allows grease to drain off. Indoor grills may have raised ridges instead of bars. Both grill types catch the drained-off grease for removal later. Indoor grills require an adequate exhaust system to remove the smoke that the hot grease creates. Conversely, a griddle provides a flat surface to cook breakfast foods like pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausages. You can also cook home fries, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other foods on a griddle - anything that you would normally cook in a frying pan. A griddle provides more cooking area because of its rectangular shape.
How much cooking power do I need at home?BTUs give you a measurement of how hot a burner can get and how quickly it can reach that temperature. But cooking performance is also affected by the heat transfer efficiency of the pan used. Pro-style ranges for homes offer between 15,000 and 25,000 BTUs. However, the highest BTU levels are really only needed for high-volume, high-speed cooking in professional cooking environments. One New York Times article said the most important home cooktop requirement should be the ability to cook with BTUs as low as 200 or 300. Cooking power of no more than 15,000 BTUs is necessary for a home environment.
What about ventilation?One tradeoff of having high BTUs is an increased ventilation requirement. As a basic rule of thumb, you’ll need to have an exhaust fan that can remove 100 cubic feet of air per minute for every 10,000 BTUs that you’re using.
Factors to Consider
Dimensions
Cooktops are generally between 30 and 48 inches long. Naturally, the cooktop size determines how many burners can fit into it. Large cooktops are usually not put into small kitchens because small kitchens already lack sufficient counter space.
However, cooks can create the volume and range of food entrees on a smaller cooktop if the cooktop offers high power and versatility. The goal is to have a cooktop that has an output capacity that suits the family size using it.
Materials
The materials that a gas cooktop is made of affect the cooktop’s performance and longevity. You’ll get the best results from a stainless steel model that has stainless steel burners and cast iron grills.
The griddle
Ah, this is where all of the sizzling, searing, and sauteing happen. You’ll want the griddle to be made of strong cast iron and have side handles.
You place the griddle over the front and the rear left burners, middle burners, or right burners. The placement you use should depend on the level of power output you want.
Design
Gas cooktops offer between four and six or seven burners. If you can find a cooktop that suits your cooking needs and is pleasing to the eye, you’ll be most happy with it.
For starters, you’ll want your cooktop to match, or at least fit in visually with, your refrigerator and dishwasher. You usually can’t go wrong with a stainless steel cooktop. Stainless steel cooktops have a sleek appearance and blend in with typical kitchens.
You’ll also want it to be visually pleasing by itself. Some cooktops have stunningly beautiful blue LED lights that shine from under-control knobs whenever the knobs are turned on.
Features
The beautiful blue LED lights also serve as a safety feature. These lights let you see from across the room whether or not you turned off the burners.
You would likely appreciate a cooktop that has an automatic shutdown safety feature that kicks in when it senses renegade flames. Some gas cooktops have also joined the Internet of Things, letting you control them remotely through Wi-Fi connectivity.
The most important feature, however, is the cooktop’s ability to cook. Look into its power and its range of power output.
Cooking Power and Range
Maximum heat capacity is measured in BTUs. BTU is the acronym for British Thermal Unit.
The hottest that a household cooktop gets is about 20,000 BTU. But you’ll also want your cooktop to be able to emit extremely low levels of heat. After all, you’ll want to simmer some foods and melt others without burning them.
Some cooktops have specialized burners that are meant for particular cooking uses. Other cooktops feature burners that can handle everything from low, simmer temperatures to extremely high temperatures.
Reliability
Cooktop manufacturers will only offer long-term warranties when they build a reliable cooktop that won’t bring about many customer complaints. Look for models that come with a long-term warranty.
Summary
When it comes to the gas cooktop with griddle in our line-up, the Thor Kitchen 48-inch Gas Rangetop/Cook Top wins.
Of the two high-end, 48-inch options in our line-up, the Thor is bargain-priced, yet offers most of the same features that the Empava does.
Naturally, you’ll need to consider whether or not your kitchen can spare 48 inches of counter space. You would also need to budget for the kind of ventilation that a high-BTU cooktop requires. These cooktops do not come with downdrafts.
Be sure to visit us again here at daddycookingtips.com for more kitchen appliances, food, and cooking tips.
