Commercial gas cooktops: natural gas vs LPG, burners and ranges

A gas cooktop works hard every service, so it pays to get the right one first time. This guide covers natural gas vs LPG, how many burners you need, cooktop or range with an oven underneath, and what to check on site, with our full commercial gas cooktops range to compare as you go.

Natural gas or LPG: start with your supply

Natural gas is piped in from the street mains and runs through a meter. LPG comes in cylinders or a tank on site, and is common where there's no mains gas. The two gases burn differently, so a commercial gas cooktop is set up for one or the other.

That's why many cooktops are sold as two separate models. The Gasmax RB-6E is the natural gas version of a 6 burner gas cooktop, and the Gasmax RB-6ELPG is the LPG cooktop version. Even the ratings differ: the product pages list 144 MJ/h for the natural gas model and 120 MJ/h for the LPG model.

So find out which gas your site has, then order the model or version that matches it. Check the product title and description for the gas type, not the photo, because the two versions often share the same picture. Whether a model can be converted from one gas to the other is a question for the manufacturer and your licensed gas fitter, so don't assume it can be done or that any conversion parts are included.

How many burners: 2, 4, 6 or 8

Count the pans you have going at once in your busiest service, not on a quiet night. Across the cooktops we list, burner count and width go roughly together:

• 2 burners, about 300mm wide: a small hot menu, a sauce or side station, or extra burners beside an existing line.
• 4 burners, about 600mm wide: a smaller cafe or restaurant with a short menu.
• 6 burners, about 900mm wide: a common choice for a busy restaurant line.
• 8 burners, about 1200mm wide: larger kitchens with several cooks on the range at once.

Some cooktops split the top between burners and a griddle plate, such as Waldorf 800 Series models with four burners and a 300mm griddle. If you cook a lot of stir-fry, a dedicated wok burner is made for that job.

Check burner power, not just the count

Product pages list gas input in megajoules per hour (MJ/h), the gas a burner uses at full flame. Use it to compare commercial gas burners: higher means more heat. Add up the total MJ/h of everything you plan to run at once and give it to your gas fitter, because your meter and pipework, or your LPG cylinders, have to keep up with that load. Look for flame failure too, which shuts off the gas to a burner if the flame goes out. The Gasmax cooktops above and the two ranges below all list it.

Cooktop or range with an oven underneath?

A cooktop, also called a hob or boiling top, is burners only. A range, often called a commercial gas stove and oven, puts the burners on top of an oven in one footprint.

A range suits you if you're short on floor space and your menu uses an oven every day. The Gasmax GBS6T puts six burners over a thermostat-controlled oven in a unit 914mm wide, and Gasmax lists an LPG version too. For a narrower spot, the Thor GH100-N has four 32 MJ/h open burners over an oven in a unit 610mm wide.

A cooktop suits you if you already have an oven, or want the space underneath for something else. Many cooktops come as a bench model, or on a leg stand, cabinet base or refrigerated base, as the Waldorf 800 Series and Blue Seal Evolution Series cooktops do.

Some ranges pair a gas top with an electric oven, such as several Blue Seal Evolution Series models, so they need power as well as gas. You'll find gas ovens and oven ranges together in our commercial ovens collection.

What to check on site before you order

• Gas type: natural gas or LPG, then order the matching version.
• Gas supply: can your meter and pipework, or your LPG cylinders, handle the total MJ/h? Your gas fitter can tell you.
• Connection: give your gas fitter the connection details from the product page. The Gasmax RB-6E, for example, lists a 3/4" regulator size.
• Space: width, depth and height, including the splashback, plus any clearances listed in the manual.
• Ventilation: commercial gas cooking normally needs an exhaust canopy. Check yours covers the new unit's full width, and ask your canopy installer or local council what's required.
• Power: if the model has an electric oven or other electrical parts, make sure the right power point is in place.
• Getting it in: the Gasmax RB-6E has a net weight of 84kg and the GBS6T 167kg. Our standard delivery is kerbside, any item over 22kg arrives on a pallet, and it doesn't include moving items through doors or into the building, so plan who will help.

Installation and warranty

Gas equipment must be installed by a licensed gas fitter. Our Warranty & Service page asks that electrical and gas equipment is installed by a licensed technician and in line with the product manual. The Thor GH100-N product page goes further: it must be installed by a qualified commercial gas fitter, or the warranty will be voided.

Confirm your gas type before you order. Our returns policy treats an incorrect product purchase like a change of mind, with a minimum 25% admin/restocking fee of the purchase price, and the exact fee is set by the supplier.

Questions we get asked

Can I run a natural gas cooktop on LPG?

Not as it comes. Each model is set up for one gas type, so order the version that matches your supply. Talk to the manufacturer and your gas fitter before considering any conversion.

Is a commercial gas stove the same as a cooktop?

People use "stove" for both. A cooktop or commercial gas hob is burners only, while an LPG or natural gas stove with an oven underneath is what we call a range or oven range.

Not sure which version to order?

Contact our customer support team before you order: email info@commercialequipmentonline.com.au with the model you're looking at and the gas type at your site.

Ready to compare models? Browse our full range of commercial gas cooktops.

More buying guides

• Commercial deep fryer buying guide: gas or electric, and what size
• Measure before you buy: getting equipment into your kitchen