Kitchen Appliances: Double-duty cooktop

Reviewed by:
Rosemary Thornton

This ceramic glass, scratch-resistant cooktop has surface-flush infrared controls, allowing it to double as workspace when you're not cooking. The unit has six burners, including a bridge burner, which connects two regular-sized elements to accommodate oversized cookware. Each element has variable cooking zones for small or large pans. The individual heat rings are well insulated, so the adjacent cooktop area remains cool. Residual heat indicators warn when the turned-off element is still too hot to touch. Price is $1,799 (November 2004).