7 Best 36 inch Induction Cooktop in 2024
A 36-inch induction cooktop is an excellent choice for a piece of cooking equipment as it offers numerous advantages over a regular stovetop. Also known as an induction hob, an induction cooktop allows you to save up to 70 percent of your energy consumption. And since it does not produce flames or ignition, it is also considerably safer than a gas cooktop.
Product | Brand | Name | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Frigidaire | FRIGIDAIRE FGIC3666TB Gallery 36 | Check Price on Amazon | |
thermomate | Electric Cooktop, thermomate 36 Inch Built-in Induction Stove Top | Check Price on Amazon | |
GASLAND | 36″ Built-in Induction Cooktop, GASLAND Chef IH90BF 240V | Check Price on Amazon | |
Empava | Empava 36 Inch Electric Stove Induction Cooktop | Check Price on Amazon | |
thermomate | Electric Cooktop, thermomate 36 Inch Built-in Radiant Electric Stove Top | Check Price on Amazon |
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If you are not yet convinced that a 36-inch induction cooktop is for you, know that this equipment is also incredibly fast and efficient in cooking. The technology is generally 50 percent faster than other types of cooktops. It’s also worth mentioning that because of the smooth and flat surface of induction cooktops, it is also very easy to clean.
While the 36-inch induction cooktops are great for your cooking needs, choosing one is not that easy since the available units in the market greatly vary in features and price. This guide will help you with features to look for and what products are worth considering if you are looking for a 36-inch induction cooktop.
Best 36 Inch Induction Cooktops
1. Frigidaire FGIC3666TB Gallery 36″ Electric Induction Cooktop
If you are looking for a versatile and sleek induction cooktop, the Frigidaire FGIC3666TB Gallery is one of the best options based on induction cooktop reviews. This is an extremely powerful cooktop with a fast-heating capability and even heat distribution at 240 volts. Induction cooking will be a lot more convenient and less messy with this product.
Even if you turn on all five burners of this cooktop, you still get consistent results – it will heat up whatever item on the pot 50 minutes faster than an electric stove. All its five induction elements are designed to handle all your induction cooking needs, allowing you to cook several dishes at once. The heating elements include one extra-large 10-inch burner, two 8-inch burners, and two 7-inch burners.
Apart from its great performance, another notable feature of this cooktop is that it features auto-sizing pan detection and even heating. All the heat coming from the burner will go directly to your pan, heating it evenly across the surface. This promotes better energy efficiency.
Moreover, cleaning this product is a breeze because of its smooth surface. Also, since the size of the pan is auto-detected, the heat only goes to the pan and not to the surface of the cooktop. The area surrounding the pan stays cool and this prevents the spills from burning onto the surface.
Pros:
- Quick and even heating
- With auto pan-sizing technology
- Easy to clean
- Touch control is great
Cons
- It automatically shuts off when condensation drips onto the control function panel, which some customers find this annoying.
Buy it now: Amazon
2. Electric Cooktop, Thermomate 36 Inch Built-in Induction Stove Top
This is another high-end electric induction cooktop with many standout features. What we like most about it are its excellent safety features. The Thermomate 36 inch electric induction cooktop features overheating protection, child safety lock, auto-shutdown feature, and a residual heat indicator. All these four safety features are designed to make your induction cooking experience safer.
With all the necessary safety functions in place, you can now confidently use all its five heating elements which include one 11-inch burner, two 9-inch burners, and two 7-inch burners. The five elements have different power requirements to ensure that your different needs are covered.
You can operate this cooktop model with touch control and from there, you can choose 9 power settings for your precise induction cooking needs. You can cook almost anything with this appliance.
Pros:
- With a scratch-resistant glass surface
- Slim glass takes up minimal space under your counter
- With great safety features
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Just like with some other induction cooktop, it only works with certain stainless steel cookware
Buy it now: Amazon
3. 36″ Built-in Induction Cooktop, GASLAND Chef IH90BF 240V
This cooktop from Gasland is another powerful tool with five zones that allow you to simultaneously prepare different dishes at the same time.
The Gasland Chef electric induction cooktop has a total power capacity of 6,800 to 7,400 watts. It comes with two 7.1-inch burners with a maximum power of 1,800 watts, and another two induction burners of the same size but with a maximum power of 2,000 watts. The middle burner, on the other hand, is an 8.3-inch burner with a maximum power of 2,000 watts. You can operate all the elements using the digital touch control in the front of the cooktop. From the control function panel, there are 9 power levels you can choose from for your different cooking needs, from simmering to boiling.
When it comes to safety and protection, the company designed this cooktop to have reliable safety features for your peace of mind, including child safety lock, auto-shutdown protection, overheating protection, and small particle detection.
What we also like about this 36-inch induction cooktop is that it has a multifunctional timer. So in case you are cooking something that requires a very specific cooking time, you can put that function into good use. You can set the timer up to 99 minutes.
Pros:
- Excellent security features
- With a built-in multifunctional timer
- Easy to clean
- Touch controls allow ease in adjusting settings
Cons:
- Only two sizes available for the induction elements
Buy it now: Amazon
4. Empava 36 Inch Electric Stove Induction Cooktop with 5 Power Boost Burners
What we like about this 36-inch induction cooktop is its well-designed function panel which allows you to easily increase or decrease the temperature settings for a specific cooktop heating element. It’s also a pretty decent induction cooktop for its price.
Imagine being able to boil 1 gallon of water in less than ten minutes! That’s what this induction cooktop can do. Fast and efficient, this induction cooktop comes with 5 elements composed of one 11-inch element with 2,400 watts of power, two 6.5-inch elements of up to 2,000 watts, and two 7.5-inch heating elements with a power rating of up to 2,400 watts. The 6.5-inch elements come with a power boost mode of up to 5 minutes.
We have already mentioned earlier that the function panel of this cooktop model is well-designed. And that’s because it comes with many ergonomic features for your cooking convenience. One of them is the 99-minute timer, allowing you to just leave whatever you are cooking and have the cooktop shut off automatically once the time runs off. From the function panel, you can also select from its 9 heat level settings the temperature that best suits you.
Moreover, this 36-inch induction cooktop has a modern look that will greatly compliment a modern kitchen.
Pros:
- Effortless cleaning
- 2-year factory warranty
- Efficient and heats up very fast
- 3 sizes of cooking elements
- With 9 heat levels
Cons:
- A bit noisy but you can reduce the noise by using a heavier pan
Buy it now: Amazon
5. Electric Cooktop, Thermomate 36 Inch Built-in Radiant Electric Stove Top
This 36-inch induction cooktop from Thermomate is another well-made piece of equipment that will make your cooking experience easier. What we like about this cooktop model is that one of its heating elements has triple zones with 2,300W, 1,600W, and 800W zones for maximum heating power.
This Thermomare induction cooktop is equipped with five heating elements. It is comprised of one burner with triple zones (4.7-inch, 6.9-inch, and 9.11-inch) and another burner with dual zones (6.5-inch with 1,100W and 10.6-inch with 2,000W). There’s also a 7.0-inch 1,800-watt burner as well as two 6.5-inch 1,200-watt elements, for a total of five elements. Moreover, this model offers 9 power settings for braising, frying, boiling, and more.
When it comes to efficiency, it is on par with the other induction cooktops on our list in that it is also equipped with a kitchen timer that has a 99-minute limit.
As for its safety features, it has a child safety lock which is common among other induction cooktops. It also has overheating protection, auto shutdown, and a residual heat indicator which is a feature that we don’t frequently see even in some of the best induction cooktops.
Pros:
- With triple and dual zones
- 9 power settings
- With kitchen timer
- With excellent safety features
Cons:
- A few customers find it annoying that the system locks if you clean the cooking surface with a wet cloth
Buy it now: Amazon
6. GE PHP9036SJSS 36 Inch Cooktop with 5 Induction
The GE appliance brand is known for producing some of the best cooking equipment and this product is one of their best sellers.
The GE Profile PHP9036SJSS 36 Inch Cooktop is one of the most popular induction hobs in the market and it is for a good reason. This model has standout cooking features that are incomparable to other similar products in the market. For one, its center 11-inch heating element reaches up to 3,700 watts of power level which is ideal for rapid boiling. It also has SyncBurners which are designed for evenly heating large griddles or cookware.
Aside from the 11-inch burner, this product has two 7-inch 2,500-watt elements, an 8-inch 3,200-watt element, and a 6-inch 1,800-watt heating element. You can control the heat on these elements with a push of a button on the digital touch function panel. There are also indicator lights on the surface that tells if the surface is hot or if a burner is on.
This sleek and modern cooktop performs efficiently in any situation. It also features a timer that allows you to leave the stove and just return once the food is ready. And we like that the manufacturer made sure to include strong security features for this cooktop such as the control lock, size sensor, and a pan size presence sensor which will not allow the cooktop to turn on until it detects a pan.
Pros:
- With a powerful center burner
- Cooktop stays cool to touch
- Messes are easy to clean
- Comes with a time
- With pan presence and size sensor
- Equipped with a control lock feature
- LED lights display
Cons:
- It’s on the expensive side, but you get the value of what you pay for
Buy it now: Amazon
7. IsEasy Cooktop 36-inch Induction CooktopBuilt-in 5 Burner
This best 36-inch induction cooktop is a good choice if you want a piece of budget-friendly cooking equipment. It has a nice modern look too! And just like the more expensive induction cooktops, this model also offers 9 heat levels from simmering to boiling.
While this cooktop is on a lower price point, it has many features that are comparable with the other more expensive induction appliances on our list. One of these features is the cooking timer with a maximum limit of 99 minutes for all cooking elements. It also has a touch-activated function panel for easily adjusting the heat level. On top of that, the tempered glass cooking surface on this induction cooktop is really durable and easy to wipe clean.
What we also like about this induction cooktop is that it is equipped with reliable safety features such as overheat protection and a child-control lock.
Pros:
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Great safety features
- Automatic timer
- 9 levels of heat
Cons:
- Only 4 elements while the rest of the products on our list have 5
- The plug is not included
Buy it now: Amazon
Buyers Guide: How to Choose the Best 36 Inch Induction Cooktop
The 36-inch induction cooktops come with varying features and bells and whistles, some of which are essential factors to consider when making a decision on which unit to buy. When it comes to essential factors, we have rounded them up to help you.
Size of the cooktop
Induction cooktops are available in various sizes, and the 36-inch is one of the largest available. So before considering buying one, check first if it best suits your needs. While large hobs give you more burners or zones, they are also generally more expensive and require higher power consumption. Also, you need to consider if this size fits your available kitchen space designated for your stove.
Power Rating
When checking the power rating of an induction cooktop, it’s important to note that the higher the power rating of the heating element or burner is, the faster will be its cooking time. So if the 36-inch induction cooktop has a zone with 3,000W of power, it will heat water faster than a burner with 1,500W. Unfortunately, a high power rating also equates to higher electricity costs.
But not all types of cooking require high power, so it’s also good to consider getting an induction cooktop that gives you options to adjust the heat to the lowest level, say for just simmering or melting butter. For this purpose, the induction cooktops with nine or more levels of cooking settings are a great choice.
Glide Touch controls
The absence of knobs is perhaps one of the most distinguishing characteristics of induction cooktops. Instead, you may find touch control or touch display on more expensive models and buttons for the lower-end models.
When checking this feature, the most helpful resource that you can use is customer reviews. By merely checking the product description, you can’t easily tell if the touch controls of a specific product are user-friendly or not. You can get an idea of that by reading the actual experiences of customers. You would want to avoid cooktops with too sensitive controls and no lock functions as they are prone to accidents.
Safety Functionalities
Some cooktops are better equipped with safety functions than others. One of the most important factors to look for in a cooktop is the safety lock or child lock, especially if you have a little kid at home. This feature will prevent accidentally switching on the unit.
There are also cooktops with a pan-on feature, meaning it will not turn on, or it will automatically shut off if it will not detect any pan on top or if you use the wrong pan. This is a great safety feature, but surprisingly, some customers find this safety component a bit annoying.
Other cooktops are equipped with other safety functions such as spill protection, small particle detection, auto shutdown protection, and overheating protection. Some units automatically shut off if it detects small particles or spills on the cooktop. You will need to clean the spill or particles before you can turn it on again.
Timer
A built-in timer that allows you to preset the cooking time offers convenience. You can simply set the time, leave it, and when the time is over, the burner will automatically shut off, preventing your food from burning. Most cooktops we’ve seen have a common maximum timer limit of 99 minutes. If you could find a unit with a higher limit, that’s a plus.
FAQ
Cooktops that use induction technology are generally more expensive than electric stoves but the former has several advantages. First, they are safer to use as the tempered glass cooktop surface doesn’t get hot unlike in electric stoves. They are also a safer option for those with kids because of the child-lock feature.
Moreover, induction also requires less heat emission and less ventilation, so it is ideal for say apartment buildings and condominium units. Cooking time is also faster with induction. And most importantly, cleaning the glass cooktop surface in an induction cooker is really a breeze.
They are about the same. With induction technology, it uses high power to cook food faster. With a regular electric cooktop, typically it has a lower power rating but cooking time is longer.
The average lifespan of this appliance is between five and 10 years, but it still depends on how you care and maintain your kitchen appliances.
Perhaps one of the biggest cons of induction appliances has to do with the price. They are generally way more expensive than a gas or electric stove.
Another con is the fact that this appliance requires specialty cookware such as stainless steel (with magnet sticks) or cast-iron cookware that will work with the magnetic field on the surface of the cooktop. This means that if it is your first time buying an induction cooktop, you may have to replace your glass cookware for something with iron particles. Stainless steel cookware is generally compatible with induction cookers but to be on the safe side, check if your pots and pans have a mark that says induction safe.
For first-time users, another drawback has to do with the learning curve as it may take time before you get used to it. You need to use the right pan sizes and the right positioning on the burner for the cooking element to turn on. The pan can’t be too small, wobbly, or off-centered.
Even with some drawbacks of this type of cooking equipment, getting an induction cooktop is still worth it. Once you are accustomed to using it, you will love the unbeatable cooking temperatures in induction as well as its fast cooking time. You’ll also love the fact that they are very easy to clean.
Conclusion
The hobs that we have included in this review all have great functionalities and durable construction, but our top choice is the GE PHP9036SJSS 36 Inch Cooktop with 5 Induction. Apart from its reliable safety functions, this product has one of the most powerful burners: an 11-inch cooking element with 3,700 watts of power level designed for rapid cooking or boiling. Although from the price perspective, it is one of the most expensive products on our list, going over its features, this model is worth your money and is ideal for those with a penchant for high-end hobs.
Buying an induction cooktop is a major financial decision because this piece of cooking equipment is not cheap. Making a decision on which unit to buy can be challenging, but if you will consider the factors we have shared in this review, you will surely be able to get the best induction cooktop for your needs.
Product | Brand | Name | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Frigidaire | FRIGIDAIRE FGIC3666TB Gallery 36 | Check Price on Amazon | |
thermomate | Electric Cooktop, thermomate 36 Inch Built-in Induction Stove Top | Check Price on Amazon | |
GASLAND | 36″ Built-in Induction Cooktop, GASLAND Chef IH90BF 240V | Check Price on Amazon | |
Empava | Empava 36 Inch Electric Stove Induction Cooktop | Check Price on Amazon | |
thermomate | Electric Cooktop, thermomate 36 Inch Built-in Radiant Electric Stove Top | Check Price on Amazon |
* If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more details, please visit our Privacy policy page.