Cooktops, Considered

Gas or induction, your cooktop shapes how you cook and how your kitchen feels. We asked the experts at JennAir Luxury Appliances what to consider before making the choice.

By Charlotte Bushnell-Boates

At the heart of every kitchen is the cooktop. Both a daily workhorse and a visual focal point, it shapes how a space performs and how it comes together. With options ranging from sleek induction surfaces to traditional gas burners, finding the right fit goes beyond preference alone; it comes down to how you cook, how your kitchen is laid out, and how you want to use the space.

“Choosing a cooktop is a personal decision, so we’d recommend first considering your own culinary style,” explains Jacqueline Probert, head of brand experience at JennAir Canada, a luxury kitchen appliance brand recognized for its high-performance, design-forward products. “For example, are you a hands-on, intuitive cook? Or are you someone who values precision and efficiency above all?”

“Choosing a cooktop is a personal decision, so we’d recommend first considering your own culinary style.”

For those drawn to speed, control, and a more streamlined aesthetic, induction cooktops have become an increasingly compelling option. Rather than heating the surface itself, induction technology uses magnetic energy to heat cookware directly, resulting in faster response times and precise temperature control. The surrounding surface remains relatively cool, providing an added layer of safety. The JennAir RISE 48-inch Induction Professional-Style Range exemplifies this approach, pairing sensor-powered pan detection with a sleek black glass surface that lends a distinctly modern, design-forward edge to the kitchen.

Gas, by contrast, delivers a more hands-on and time-honoured experience. “Gas offers that classic, intuitive, and tactile control and is great for those who appreciate the visual feedback of a flame and the exploration of different techniques, like charring or wok-style cooking,” explains Probert. Its versatility also accommodates a broader range of cookware materials, from copper to aluminum.

“JennAir brand’s downdraft technology is engineered for quiet, efficient performance, supporting a more seamless flow between cooking, entertaining, and everyday living.”

Yet beyond cooking style, the physical layout of a kitchen can be just as influential in determining the right cooktop. Long shaped by ventilation requirements, kitchen design is now beginning to shift. “For decades, kitchen design has been constrained by the necessity of a large, view-obstructing overhead hood,” says Probert. “Our JennAir NextGen Downdraft Induction Cooktop integrates powerful extraction directly into the cooking surface, capturing smoke, steam, and odours right at the source.” 

The result is a new level of flexibility, with the downdraft cooktop able to be placed more freely—on an island, beneath a window, or within open-concept layouts where sightlines matter. Available in 30- and 36-inch sizes, JennAir brand’s downdraft technology is engineered for quiet, efficient performance, supporting a more seamless flow between cooking, entertaining, and everyday living. 

This shift reflects a broader movement within kitchen design, one that prioritizes integration as much as performance. “The most significant trend we’re seeing is the desire for appliances that deliver high performance without compromising on design—specifically, the move towards open-concept, integrated living spaces,” says Probert.