Is it a cooktop or stove top?

Author: Rashawn Wehner  |  Last update: Friday, February 27, 2026

A cooktop, or stovetop, is a standalone appliance that installs directly into your countertop. Cooktops look like the stovetop on a range but are separate from the oven. A range, on the other hand, includes both an oven and a cooktop in one appliance.

What is the difference between stove top and cooktop?

Some people use the term “cooktop” when referring to the top of a range rather than the standalone appliance, but that can be called a “stovetop” as well. Both ranges and cooktops come in gas and electric options in a variety of sizes, like these gas ranges and electric ranges from Maytag brand.

What do the British call a stove top?

Our answer. Nigella sometimes suggests to leave a pot "on the hob" and a hob is the British term for a stove top or cooktop. This is regardless of whether it is gas or electric and also regardless of whether it is a freestanding cooker or a built in/integrated oven with a separate stove top.

What do you call a stove top?

A cooktop (American English), stovetop (Canadian and American English) or hob (British English), is a device commonly used for cooking that is commonly found in kitchens and used to apply heat to the base of pans or pots.

How do you use cooktop in a sentence?

Two large pots of sauce sat atop a large eight-burner cooktop. Your son is right: The markings would be much more durable if they were stamped into the cooktop.

Cooktop vs Rangetop

Is stove top one word or two?

STOVETOP | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary.

Is a stove a cooktop?

A stove or range is the kitchen appliance with both an oven and a stovetop combined. When it comes to cooking techniques, the oven is where all the baking, broiling and roasting happens, while the stovetop (or cooktop) is where you sear, saute, boil and stir fry.

What are the four types of cooktops?

There are four types of cooktops: gas, electric, induction and downdraft. Each option has features and benefits that you may want to consider when choosing a new cooktop for your kitchen.

What do Americans call the stove?

A kitchen range, also called a stove, is the classic cooking appliance that you'll find in many American kitchens. It combines an oven for baking, roasting and broiling with a stovetop/cooktop for boiling, searing and sauteing.

What is a cooktop stove?

(ˈkʊkˌtɑp ) noun. the upper surface of a kitchen stove, containing the burners or heating elements.

What do British people call the sink?

A sink (also known as basin in the UK) is a bowl-shaped plumbing fixture for washing hands, dishwashing, and other purposes.

What is cooktop in UK English?

A cooktop is called a hob in modern British English.

Which is better, a cooktop or a rangetop?

Cooktop vs Rangetop: Our Verdict

Well, when it comes to performance, aesthetics, and durability, rangetops stand out as the superior choice for serious cooks and kitchen enthusiasts.

What is another name for stovetop?

Technically, "stove," "cooktop," and "stovetop" are synonyms. They mean "the thing with gas/electric/induction units you put pans on and apply direct heat to." I think in Britain they call this a "hob" in addition to these terms.

What cooktop do chefs prefer?

Chefs love induction cooking because of the extremely fast heating and precise heat control provided through a high-performance glass-ceramic surface. Also, induction technology warms the pan and not the surface or surrounding area, so very little heat escapes into the room.

Why do Americans say broil?

In the United States, when the heat source for grilling comes from above, grilling is called broiling. In this case, the pan that holds the food is called a broiler pan, and heat transfer is through thermal radiation.

What is a stove called in England?

A cooker, a stove or a range, but mostly a cooker…

What is the American word for stove?

In American English a “cooker” is called a stove or cooking range. In English country houses, larger kitchens have “ranges” which are usually solid fuel fired.

What is the difference between a stove and a cooktop?

A cooktop is a standalone appliance that is designed to be installed in a countertop or kitchen island. Unlike a range or stove, a cooktop does not include an oven. Instead, it is designed to be paired with a separate wall oven or microwave.

What is the stove top called?

Cooktops, or stovetops, make a great addition to any kitchen. They provide you with a high-quality cooking surface for preparing meals without having an oven directly beneath it. The most common types of stovetops are gas and electric.

Can you use a cast iron skillet on a glass-top stove?

Cast iron cookware can be used on a ceramic glass-top stove without causing damage to the surface or pan itself. Take the stress out of dinner with the ability to cook a variety of different meals in a cast iron pan without damaging your cooktop.

What is the proper name for a stove?

In modern times, the terms stove and range are often used interchangeably to describe the familiar appliance that has an oven cavity for baking and a cooktop above for heating pots and pans.

Is a cooktop cheaper than a stove?

Because cooktops and wall ovens require purchasing two appliances and separate installations, it can be much more expensive overall to put a cooktop in your kitchen. Plus, while bigger ovens mean more room for cooking, they also mean less room for the rest of the kitchen.

What is meant by cooktop?

1. : the flat top of a range. 2. : a built-in cabinet-top cooking apparatus containing usually four heating units.

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