Some home cooks love gas burners for their precise heat control. Others are willing to sacrifice precision for an easy-to-clean electric ceramic cooktop. Fisher & Paykel's new CookSurface allows the best of both.
Three gas burners retract flush into the black ceramic glass surface when the cooktop is not in use. When you want to cook, a push of a knob lifts the pan supports and burners into place.
Each burner is separately controlled. The burners can handle everything from melting chocolate to stir frying, says the manufacturer.
When the burners and supports are retracted, the surface can be wiped clean. Pan support pins are removable, although seals around the pins are designed to keep liquids from seeping into the cooktop cavity.
Four or five burners are standard on most cooktops, but Fisher & Paykel says its three-in-a-row burner arrangement is more efficient. It also allows for the sleek, narrow design of the cooktop. The cooktop measures 36" x 16" and is 1/2" deep. A 36" x 21" model is in the works.
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