My current cooktop is not great and Im looking to upgrade. I have a 30"space. I am wanting to stay around $1K or less, and want a 5 burner set up.

Anyone know decent brands, or ones to stay away from? When I look online, the validity of the website/recommendations are very suspect.

In-counter, or a combination oven+range?

Just the cook top.

I installed one of these in the kitchen we remodeled in our prior house. I highly recommend it.

When we moved in we had gas run to the kitchen and we dropped in a 30" Kitchenaid cook top.

Pretty happy with it, just wish it was a 36".

The big thing is to make sure the knobs are metal and also that the top of the metal grate is taller than the knobs. You don't want a hot pot sliding over a little and melting the knobs or over heating them.

I have this one, best BTU range in the $1000 category

Your friend has shared a link to a Home Depot product they think you would be interested in seeing.

30 in. Gas Cooktop in Stainless Steel with 5 Burners including Power Burner with Wi-Fi

https://www.homedepot.com/p/306029885

fido00 said:

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Just the cook top.

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This is exactly the cook top we put in our kitchen and it is a good one!!

Oh, and yes, if there's one thing I'd change is to one that has a built in skillet. We place one across 2 burners and it's a PITA. I really wish our KitchenAid had one with a built in skillet. That's my biggest regret from 5 years ago.

Skillet, or griddle?

I thought I wanted one too but after watching my inlaws and my Sister in law all install high grade Thermidor stoves with built in griddles... and watching them NEVER EVER use them, I decided against it. Now I have two small griddle pans, an electric countertop griddle we use twice a year and I have a 17" Blackstone for the heavy lifting.

I'd have never used it either.

YMMV of course.

I'd rather have the two burners and lay a griddle over the top for the flexibility of not having to use it if I didn't want to.

phideaux_2003 said:

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I thought I wanted one too but after watching my inlaws and my Sister in law all install high grade Thermidor stoves with built in griddles... and watching them NEVER EVER use them, I decided against it. Now I have two small griddle pans, an electric countertop griddle we use twice a year and I have a 17" Blackstone for the heavy lifting.

I'd have never used it either.

YMMV of course.

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Agreed. Everyone I know with one of the built in griddles never uses them and regrets selecting that option.

fido00 said:

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Just the cook top.

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I have this model. I really like it. I got it on sale for about $600ish during a fourth of july sale (or was its presidents day? Can't remember.)

Only issue is that those knobs are plastic. Someone sells machined versions of them online for like 50 bucks if you melt them on a pan accidentally.

The color of stainless steel also matches the GE profile series oven and microwave, which I also bought at the same time. All three have been great.

For about four years, I had a built-in griddle (electric). We used it 3 or 4 times a week. Loved it.

We have one but it is used rarely since installing a larger one outside.

The main issue is cleaning it is a PITA. It makes a mess everywhere. I think a 4burner size griddle would probably be better because then you can cook in the middle there's less splash outside of the griddle area.

Having said that - My top is seasoned now and I can use less oil so I'll probably start trying it more to see what does/does not work.

The outdoor griddle gets significantly more use just because cleanup is a breeze.