Cooktop Installation

Usually paired with a wall oven, a cooktop is built into a counter and heated with gas, electricity, or induction. Cooktop sizes range from 30″ to 36″. Cooktops require a cutout in the countertop where they can be dropped into the hole, whereas ranges require a break in the countertop, so you’ll have two separate pieces.

In most Canadian kitchens, you will find a range. Cooktops are flat, open surfaces that do not have an oven beneath them but are integrated into countertops. It is common to refer to the top of a range as a “cooktop” rather than the standalone appliance, but it can also be referred to as a “stovetop”. Both ranges and cooktops are available in a variety of sizes and available in both gas and electric options. In addition to buying a cooktop instead of a range, most people also buy a single or double wall oven to bake, roast, and broil.

Cooktops are designed for specialized cooking, frying and sauteeing and are a little more niche than say a range or stove-top. Cooktops also require a portion of the countertop to be custom cut to fit, and this can make cooktops slightly more costly when compared to installing a stand-alone oven with a stovetop.

Cooktops are slightly more expensive to repair due to their relative niche popularity within the home and just based on the nature of their built-in installation. Using the appliance within its means and performing proper maintenance is important for any household appliance but, ultimately especially a cooktop.

There are many reasons why home chefs and kitchen designers choose cooktops. Cooktops provide additional storage space, which would otherwise be taken up by a range oven. Cooktops and ovens are separate, so you can have a true double oven; most kitchen ranges only have a single oven or a small second oven.