If you’ve visited a kitchen appliance website or showroom in the past few years you’ve surely been presented with a variety of cooktops, differing in everything from style and size to power and features. The most important factor in choosing a new cooktop, however, is the heating element, and among the various options, two heating systems reign supreme in the modern luxury kitchen: Induction and Professional Gas.

Both these styles surpass the quality of other heating options thanks to their unbridled power and speed, but which of the two is the better choice?

Jenn-Air is a manufacturer of next-generation kitchen appliances, and their forward thinking mentality shows in all of their products, including their luxurious, feature-rich cooktops. For the induction category of our comparison we chose the Jenn-Air 36” Induction Cooktop, and for the professional gas category we went with the Jenn-Air 36” Pro-Style Gas Cooktop. Both cooktops are the same size, 36”, but much contrast exists between the power and features of these appliances.

The Jenn-Air 36” Pro-Style Gas Cooktop can output up to 20,000 BTUs by the turn of one of its oversized stainless steel knobs. Its stacked “PowerBurners” are capable of providing high temperature for the cooking methods that need it most, such as wok cooking and flash frying.

The Jenn-Air 36” Induction Cooktop has five independent burners, including a massive 5000 watt high-output burner in its center. Watts and BTUs can sometimes be difficult to compare, but one simple measure is boiling speed. Unlike the Jenn-Air Pro-Style Gas Cooktop, which takes a few minutes to gradually heat to the point of boiling, the Jenn-Air Induction Cooktop hits the mark almost instantly. Also worth note, the Jenn-Air induction cooktop has a flat ceramic surface suited for easy cleaning, and thanks to the magnetic power behind induction technology, it’s safer than a gas cooktop.

So which option works best for you? The Pro-Style Gas Cooktop is best suited for home chefs who dare to be extraordinary and want to use the tools of the pros. The Induction Cooktop works best for those who want speed, efficiency, ease of use and safety from their appliances.

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