Posted by This article was updated in November 2022 to ensure all top-rated and previously vetted picks from the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab were in stock. We also added a new best wipes for stovetops from Weiman.
You don’t have to do much cooking to know how quickly a stovetop goes from clean to caked-on. Fry a little bacon or simmer a pot of tomato sauce, and you’ll be scrubbing greasy splatters and burned-on bits shortly thereafter. And the longer these messes sit, the more they bake on and the harder they are to remove. What’s more, any buildup or residue can impact the performance of your appliance — particularly if you have a flat electric or induction stovetop. It may seem like a daunting task (especially if it’s been a while), but with the right stovetop cleaner, it can be done in no time. From our years of extensive testing, we’ve found that using a moist towel or pad to gently work the product into the stovetop messes is the most effective method, plus doing daily cleanups after cooking dinner.
We test hundreds of products in the Cleaning Lab every year, including kitchen cleaners, the best oven cleaners, stainless steel cleaners for all your kitchen appliances and so much more. When we test stovetop cleaners in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we dirty our gas, electric and induction cooktops just the way you would at home. We fry bacon and hamburgers to make grease splatters, spill and bake on pasta sauce, and let pots bubble over. We also have the benefit of testing cleaning products in the GH Institute Test Kitchen and Labs where recipes are developed and appliances are evaluated daily. We assess how well the products clean, how neat or messy they are to use, how easily they rinse off and how much residue they leave behind. Finally, we review the labeling for how complete the directions are and for any safety precautions that may be required based on the ingredients they contain.
Our top picks:
At the end of this guide, you’ll find more about how we evaluate stovetop cleaners in our Lab, plus everything you need to know to shop for the right kind of cleaner for your stove. Looking for more innovative products to help keep your cooking appliances sparkling? Learn how to clean a glass top stove, the best way to clean an oven and check out our guide for the best grill cleaners.