How to choose a gas stove for the house?

How not to make a mistake when buying a gas stove? It is necessary to think through everything to the smallest detail, because a gas stove in the kitchen is a technique that you will operate daily. From this article you will get information about the advantages and disadvantages of various models of gas stoves, about the functions necessary and those without which you can do.

Advantages and disadvantages of a gas stove

Let's look at all the pros and cons of a gas stove and summarize - this will make it easier to choose if you are still hesitating between a gas stove and electric stove.

Advantages of the gas stove:

• fast and efficient cooking;
• instantly changing temperature conditions;
• simplicity and unpretentiousness;
• low cost of operation (gas is much cheaper than electricity).

According to many housewives, the taste of food cooked on fire is more pronounced, and the rapid change in temperature opens up new possibilities in creating delicious dishes.

Disadvantages of a gas stove:

• if improperly installed and used, it becomes a fire hazardous household appliance;
• rearranging is problematic; coordination with gas services is required;
• Only special gas services are eligible for repairs.

Characteristics and options of the gas stove

Before choosing a gas stove, we focus on the main technical characteristics of the device:

• plate sizes;
• work surface and design;
• size and number of burners;
• size and functionality of the oven;
• safety of use.

Sizes. The dimensions of the stove, as a rule, are directly dependent on the size of the kitchen and furniture: 50-60 cm. in depth and 85 cm. in height. Width ranges from 30 to 90 cm. and depends on the number of burners. The most common models that fit perfectly into the size of a small kitchen have a surface of 60x60, 60x50 and 50x50 cm.

Surface and design. The color scheme and the variety of material makes the gas stove an element of the decor of any kitchen. There are four main materials used for the design of gas stoves:

1. Aluminium alloy. Processed by special technologies, this alloy is considered the newest of the materials used. The appearance and practicality of the material is up to date. The surface of the aluminum hob is very difficult to scratch, but easy to clean.
2. Enamel - tested over the years, a durable and inexpensive surface still has its negative aspects: it is afraid of bumps leading to chips.
3. Stainless steel surface. The aesthetic appearance and heat resistance of such a coating proved to be very good, but where without a fly in the ointment. To clean the stove, be it glossy or matte, you need expensive cleaning products. About the rules of cleaning - you will find out here.
4. Glass-ceramic coating gives an ordinary household appliance an attractiveness that lasts for a long time. Glass ceramic colors are usually black or brown, sometimes white. Glass ceramic coating is not only afraid of exposure to liquids containing sugar.

Dimensions and number of burners. The latest gas stoves have basically four burners, some models are equipped with one, two or even six burners. The burner power directly depends on its size (from 1 kW to 2.6 kW). Usually one burner of low power is installed on one stove, medium and large steam.

The size of the burners must be selected taking into account the size of the dishes that you use for cooking. The flame should heat the bottom, not the walls of the dishes, thereby optimizing the cooking process. In new developments of gas stoves, burners are sometimes installed with several lines of flame, which give an especially high power, which makes it possible to cook food in a very short time. On such a multi-circuit burner, a variety of complex dishes are prepared (steaming, smoking, prolonged stewing of meat, etc.).

Recently, engineering has stepped far forward and offers consumers new, unusual hobs designs.

1. Burner "Mijotop", the functionality of which is slow languishing dishes. The flame burns, covered with a lid, under which a “cushion” of hot air is formed that evenly distributes heat.
2. The burner, which provides easy maintenance of the surface of the plate, is a structure closely adjacent to the surface of the plate. This burner heats up well and prevents debris from accumulating.
3. The Pilot burner guarantees a continuous flame and heats the bottom of the cookware in a directional manner. Burning takes place inside a hollow burner, so knocking down or blowing out a fire is very difficult. In the event of attenuation after a few seconds, thanks to the automation, the flame will flash again.
4. Burners in the form of a square, triangle or oval, for non-standard containers (ducklings, for example). With these burners, there is no need for grills - the wear-resistant cover of the burner completely replaces it.

There are models of stoves with one or two additional electric rings - a convenient substitute for a possible gas outage.

The size and functionality of the oven. Gas stoves are equipped with electric and gas ovens. Lovers of food cooked over an open fire propagate a gas oven. But the electric one is far ahead in functionality. In addition to the basic ones, additional functions are offered: control type, arrangement of heating elements, the presence of blowing and grilling.

• An electric oven is inherently multi-functional. Thanks to the heating elements located throughout the entire volume of the oven (top, bottom, back and sides), the fan, providing continuous air circulation and automation of a suitable mode, in such an oven any dish.
• A less perfect, but no less common gas oven requires a little more skill in using it, but this is offset by undoubted savings in operating costs. In the latest models of gas ovens, the function of blowing is already working, this was made possible thanks to the appearance of non-blowing hollow rings.

The grill can also be electric and gas. An electric grill is more expensive in cost, but provides the necessary temperature with sufficient accuracy. High accuracy of the temperature regime is beyond the power of a gas grill, but giving the food a taste fried on charcoal, connoisseurs more than compensate for this inconvenience.

Operational safety. Like any other household appliance, the operation of which is associated with an open fire, a gas stove is a danger to others, but only if you do not follow the rules of use. On the other hand, manufacturers have tried to create security systems that do not require human intervention.

• To date, many models of gas stoves are equipped with gas control. This security system blocks the flow of gas if the fire blows in a draft or floods. Choose a stove model where this system is installed not only on burners, but also in the oven.
• Another safety feature is electric ignition. It replaces flammable matches, ignites with a simple click of a button.
• The option “parental control” blocks the inclusion of gas by children when parents are not at home.

Watch the video on how to choose the right gas stove and what to look for:

What model of gas stove to choose

Let's look at several models of gas stoves and compare their functionality:

Gorenje GN 470 W-E has a standard size of 50x60 cm. It fits even in a small kitchen without redevelopment and furniture rearrangement. Four burners of different sizes and power - two of 1.65 kW, 1 kW and 3 kW. There is a gas oven for 56 liters. with a heating element located below. Self-cleaning EcoClean enamel covers the inside of the oven. The gas-control system is included. Electric ignition of a mechanical type.

Bosch HSF 44K30N9. It has an interesting appearance: the top cover made of glass leans back and serves as a wall protection against splashes of grease and moisture. This stove differs from the previous model by the large volume of the oven (+10 liters) and the presence of a gas grill.

Kaiser HGG 5521 KWs. The dimensions and functionality of the panel are no different from the models considered: the same four burners, the same electric ignition, "gas control" functions, but the design of the oven has differences:

• rotating skewer;
• infrared grill;
• timer with sound notification;

Modern gas stoves have all the options that ensure safety and ease of use and differ only in additional functionality. It depends on you how much you need this or that function and how this will affect the cost of the gas stove.