Next to you, your oven/cooktop combo is the star of your kitchen, helping you prepare delicious and exciting meals for your family and friends. If the time has come to replace your oven, here is some helpful information about different styles available.
What is the most commonly installed type of oven?
Freestanding ranges are the most common type of oven/cooktop installed in homes today. These ovens are fairly easy to install and can be placed in an opening between countertops and cabinets. Oven controls are found on a back panel. They are often 30 inches in width and provide 2-4 cubic feet of cooking space inside the oven.
Electric smooth-top
These cooktops are growing in popularity. Homeowners enjoy their sleek style. Many of these ranges offer a high-power burner, together with several expandable cooking elements that allow you to choose from dual or triple elements if you are cooking with a large pot or skillet. Also, these styles often offer a warming element to help keep side dishes warm while you are preparing other parts of a meal.
Electric induction
This smooth-surfaced range makes use of an electromagnetic field to generate heat for cooking. When you have this style in your kitchen, you will need to make sure you have magnetic cookware, otherwise the induction process won’t work very well. However, there are some stainless steel pots, pans and skillets that will be able to work with this type of cooktop.
Gas
This is the preferred oven/range style for most homeowners and professional chefs. Many gas cooktops come with four surface burners in three different sizes. The burners’ capacities are measured in British thermal units or BTUs. Many people prefer this type of range since they are able to easily judge how quickly their food is cooking, and can make adjustments from high to medium heat when necessary.
Also, when changing from low to high or high to low heat, the change is very quick. This differs from most electric cooktops, where it takes a few minutes for you to notice the change in heat.
Ready to get cooking? These tips will help your family to make an informed buying decision about your next oven.