chef’s choice

The Vario 200 Series of modular appliances from Gaggenau allows adventurous chefs with limited workspaces to mix it up at will. The line of 12-inch cooktops includes a deep fryer, an in-counter steamer, an electric grill, and a gas wok, as well as more traditional pieces, among them a two-burner gas cooktop and a two-zone glass-ceramic cooktop. Each unit is crafted of stain-resistant, glass-shot-blasted aluminum panels for hardiness and enduring good looks. Gaggenau USA/Canada, 800.828.9165; www.gaggenau-usa.com.