Household electric stoves for the kitchen: features, varieties, advantages and disadvantages

Household electric stoves for the kitchen are irreplaceable appliances. Each person spends most of his time here. In the kitchen, they prepare holiday pies, arrange gatherings with friends, and gather in noisy companies. On the home appliance market, there is a wide selection of electric cookers that attract attention with their unusual designs, sizes and a variety of colors.

Induction hob

Induction cookers are widely used in European countries. They are harmoniously combined with modern interiors, attract with comfortable use, and help facilitate the cooking process. Induction hob models are available in different sizes and modifications.

They are small-sized, with portable plates, single-ring, built into kitchen furniture. During switching on, a high-frequency magnetic field is generated. As a result, vortex induction flows appear. They help warm up the dishes. The flow of energy is located strictly in the place of contact with the pan, so heat is not transferred to the outside.

Thanks to this heating, heat loss can be minimized. Cookware heats up quickly, so you can save energy. Household electric stoves, with the right and careful attitude, will serve their owners for a long time.

Advantages and disadvantages

Induction hobs are widely used in daily life. They have the following advantages:

• practicality and durability;
• the presence of intellectual features;
• saving electrical energy due to the rapid heating of the metal surface;
• automatic shutdown function after removing the dishes;
• the maximum level of safety (the likelihood of injury, burns is excluded);
• does not require special care (grease and food do not stick to the hob).

When choosing, you should pay attention to the disadvantages of these plates. Cooking requires the use of special utensils. Induction hobs do not react to brass, ceramics, copper, porcelain. Do not place the hob next to a refrigerator or freezer. Over time, the cooker may work less efficiently.

There are models on the market that are equipped with a common frequency generator. Thanks to him, several burners are heated. But this also reduces the power level. When connected to the electrical network, an additional load is created on the electrical wiring. If it is old, there is a high risk of fire and fire hazard.

When choosing, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

• number of power modes;
• the presence of a blocking function, which is located on the side panel;
• you can choose several control options: touch and magnetic buttons, slider;
• location and dimensions of the burners;
• place for the bottom of the dishes (manufacturers indicate the diameter and recommended thickness).

There are models on the market that are equipped with the function of recognizing the size and material of the dishes. As a result, the hob will turn on if the material of the cookware matches the parameters of a certain hotplate.

Electric cooker functions

Electric cookers attract attention with their functionality. It all depends on the model and manufacturer. To make the right choice, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of offered functions.

The following useful settings can be distinguished:

• crockery recognition;
• a screen where the necessary information is displayed;
• indicator that shows the remaining heat energy;
• hole where steam comes out during heating;
• cooling fan;
• memory function to save all information on recipes already used;
• program for easy cleaning of the hob;
• baking sheet guides (they are hinged and slide-out);
• control using touch buttons;
• pizza preparation mode.

There are models on the market that combine stoves, an oven and a machine to wash dishes at the same time. The manufacturer indicates the functions on the packaging or in the technical data sheet.

Oven device

The electric stove has an oven only in stationary models. The inner chamber has a working volume of 14 to 160 liters. In small apartments and houses, ovens are more often bought, the volume of which does not exceed 60 liters. There are several types of operating modes:

• convection;
• grill;
• heating at the top;
• heating at the bottom.

If operating parameters are provided in the mode, a combination can be made. If the grill mode is provided in the oven, then some manufacturers may install an additional spit function. It helps to evenly bake pies, meat dishes. During frying, the food gradually rotates, resulting in an appetizing crust.

Varieties and number of burners

Household stoves, which are of a portable type, are usually equipped with two or more burners. If we take in comparison stationary models, then they can have up to 6 burners. Their number depends on the dimensions and dimensions of the slab. When choosing, it is worth considering the quantity and choosing not too bulky designs.

It is necessary to analyze the frequency of cooking, the spaciousness of the kitchen so that all household appliances can fit in the room. There are electric cookers on the market that are equipped with an enamelled surface. Manufacturers often equip them with classic models of heating elements. They look like cast iron pancakes. Inside there are heating elements of built-in design. There are several varieties:

1. Classic heating elements. They warm up slowly and have a solid black tint.
2. Fast heating. In the central part there is an image of a red circle.
3. Automatic. During heating, a white circle appears in the center. These models are equipped with an automatic boiling water recognition function. At this point, the power is gradually reduced to a minimum value in order to maintain the required boiling point.

One of the main disadvantages is slow heating and cooling. If the power decreases, then the soup will boil for a long time, so its taste may change. But at the same time, such models attract a low cost. If you use such plates correctly, give preference to quality and reliability, then they will certainly serve the owners for a long time.

Another popular option on the market is ceramic slabs. They are equipped with a flexible heating element and are located under the work surface. The heating element has the form of a spiral, it is mounted on an asbestos base. On the ceramic surface, a marking is displayed that indicates the heating zone. They are called hotplates.

There are several varieties:

1. Rapid. Heating is carried out using a spiral. Such models are inexpensive. The ceramic glass hobs heat up very slowly.
2. Halogen. A halogen lamp is used for heating. As a result, they are superior to rapid spirals.
3. Induction. Heating is carried out using the action of an electromagnetic field. The surface of the glass ceramic hob remains cold. The electromagnetic field only affects dishes that are placed on the work surface.

The presented type of plates has some design features and a different principle of operation. If the diameter of the pan is smaller than the hotplate, the appearance of the pan will deteriorate. The cooking zones may stop working. This problem is solved by manufacturers who produce models with the option of expanding sizes. Users can independently expand the area to a larger diameter, and the shape becomes oval.

Induction hobs differ from classic electric models. When choosing, you need to consider several important factors. This is the versatility of the use of dishes, safe operation, minimum consumption of electrical energy. If you choose induction heating, you need to buy special cookware. It is made from a ferromagnetic material. It is allowed to use ordinary pots, but then a special sticker must be glued to the bottom.

There are several main advantages of induction cookers - economical consumption of electrical energy, increased heating power. The burners do not heat the hob body and glass ceramics.

Heating surface material

The working surface of the electric stove can be enameled or glass-ceramic. Enamel is presented in a wide and varied selection. They are inexpensive, attractive for their durability. But there are also disadvantages - difficult cleaning, scratches and chips.

The following advantages of a glass-ceramic surface can be distinguished:

• heating is carried out only at the point of contact with the dishes;
• fast food preparation;
• resistance to external temperature extremes.

Absolutely all plates that have a glass-ceramic coating are equipped with an indicator. He notifies about the remaining heat. And also in many models there is electronic control. In case of mechanical impact or shock, point damage occurs. Such defects also appear with a sharp temperature drop.

The work surface requires regular cleaning after each cooking process. The bottom of the pot must match the diameter of the hotplate.