General Electric's sophisticated 36-inch Monogram gas cooktop ZGU36 comes in a variety of configurations and offers some unique features that may be just what you're seeking.

Available in both natural gas and propane versions as well as in a variety of colors, this cooktop is ready for city or country. You can select a six-burner unit or a four-burner model equipped with either a grill or griddle. This model truly comes in a configuration that will please every type of cook.

Regardless of which combination you choose, the most unique feature of this cooktop is its unusual grates. Each grate is flat on top for the easy movement of heavy pans, but if wok cooking is your wish, simply flip the grates over to reveal a concave surface. The flipside of these grates will hold your round-bottomed pans steady and provide a hot, accessible flame for wok cooking; no special wok grate is needed.

When it comes to power, the ZGU36 packs a wallop on high while offering superior control at lower temperatures. The highest-rated burner pumps out up to 17,000 Btu when using natural gas (up to 15,000 Btu when using propane), while the lowest-rated burner can hold a flame for a 140-degree simmer.

Like the most desirable home-use professional equipment, this cooktop has sealed burners and a sealed burner box for easy cleanup. We had concerns about the lightweight, non-professional-type knobs; they seem flimsy for a cooktop of this quality. The body of the ZGU36 was also found to lack the bulk and solid construction of more expensive professional-type cooktops.


Pros: Reversible grates excellent for wok cooking, burners very versatile, variety of configurations
Cons: Lightweight knobs and construction

Warranty
1 year, parts and labor