How to choose a gas stove – Not everyone likes modern hobs and built-in ovens. Some prefer free-standing stoves based on their budget. So, if you’re looking for a gas stove, this article will tell you how to choose the right gas stove so that you don’t make any mistakes with essential functions and do not overpay for unnecessary ones.
How to Choose a Gas Stove?
Despite the growing popularity of electric stoves, the demand for gas models is not decreasing. Practice shows that if it is possible to install a gas stove, most homemakers prefer this option:
- With its help, you can quickly cook food, providing temperature control.
- Gas stoves for the kitchen are famous for their ease of operation.
- They are unpretentious in service.
- There are significant energy savings.
- It is believed that food cooked on fire has a pronounced pleasant taste.
If you are considering buying such household appliances, we recommend reading the following tips on choosing a gas stove.
Types of Gas Stoves
Gas models operate on two types of gas –
- Natural and
- Liquefied.
If you do not understand which gas stove to prefer, first, you need to figure out how these two options differ. The first is methane and a few other components. The second is propane-butane in a compressed and chilled form.
When choosing a gas stove, keep this in mind since natural gas provides for the main gas pipeline. That is, the equipment will have to be connected to it. Liquefied gas is used in a gas cylinder, which must be periodically filled or replaced.
Burners
Gas stoves can have two or more burners. Standard models come with four. Then which model is better to choose? It depends on the number of family members and the cooking frequency, Like:
- A stove with 2-3 gas burners is enough for one or two people.
- For three or four people, buy models of gas stoves with 4- burners.
- A family of 5 or more will need a larger stove.
Choose the size of the burners according to the dishes. The wider its bottom, the larger the diameter of the burner should be. Typically, stoves have burners of 2-3 different diameters.
Consider the power of gas burners. The average is 1–3 kW. If less than 1 kW, the burner will heat the surface of the dishes for a long time. An indicator of more than 3 kW indicates a powerful stove. Gas burners also differ in the type of fire, or rather the number of its rings. The more of them, the faster the dishes heat up.
There are such Types of Flames:
- Double crown: In this case, the flame is cut into two circles.
- Triple crown: 3-rows of fire that evenly and quickly heat the wide bottom of the dish.
- WOK burner: It is designed for conical WOK pans and provides two or three flame circles at different levels. In addition, it has a high grate with a wide opening for dishes;
- Coup de feu – is considered a professional burner. It is used to stew and heat dishes before serving.
Keep in mind that different burners require different kinds of gas. For liquefied, choosing a plate with a smaller diameter of the nozzle holes is necessary.
Plate Surface Material
- The gas hob can be made of enameled steel, stainless steel, tempered glass, or glass ceramic.
- Enamelled steel is most often used since the material is considered cheap and is also resistant to high temperatures. However, defects can form on the enamel coating from heating, as well as from cleaning.
- Rust will not appear on the stainless steel surface. This type of plate is resistant to chemicals and is well-cleaned from burnt food. However, the material does not like abrasive substances and stiff brushes. Scratches may remain on it.
- Tempered glass withstands high temperatures. Though glass is simple to clean, it is essential to remember that it is not impact-resistant.
- Food does not stick to glass ceramics. The material itself is durable and resistant to elevated temperatures but not resistant to abrasive agents. But you won’t be able to burn yourself on a glass-ceramic stove, as it cools quickly.
Grating Material
An important parameter because it is on the grate that the main load falls, and the pans are very heavy.
- The service life of cast iron gratings is about 15 years. They are resistant to high temperatures and weights, so they will not bend. When choosing gratings, prefer lighter ones and those with a more straightforward design. These are easier and more convenient to wash.
- Enamelled steel grills have a smooth surface, making them easy to clean. In addition, they are lighter than cast iron. However, unlike cast iron, they last less, as they are not so resistant to high temperatures, and over time, the enamel chipped off the surface.
- If the grate is one-piece or consists of two halves, this one is more difficult to wash due to its larger size – consider this.
Gas stove dimensions
Before buying, you should measure the place intended for installing the stove – height, width, and depth. If this is not done, you can accidentally buy a slightly wider model that will not fit in the space allotted. Nothing is good in a model that is too small either because you have to move furniture or close ugly gaps.
And it will also become more challenging to clean the kitchen because dust will accumulate in the cracks, and pieces of food can fall there.
An important point:
The surface of the plate must be higher than the adjacent furniture. It is a safety requirement.
The height of standard gas stoves is 85 cm. At the same time, their level can be adjusted using the legs. The width of the plate can be from 50 to 120 cm, and the depth – from 30 to 90 cm.
The last parameter depends on the number of burners and functions. Dimensions are especially important if you choose a stove that should fit a small kitchen, considering furniture and other household appliances.
However, even if the kitchen is impressive, think before buying a large model. You might not need it if you don’t cook a lot or very often.
Oven: Gas or Electric
Gas ovens are more economical as gas is cheaper than electricity. They heat up quickly compared to electric models.
The burner is one and located at the bottom, but some models have an additional function, “Grill,” an extra heating element at the top of the oven (gas or electric). The disadvantage of gas ovens is that they are flammable and emit oily paraffin soot into the air.
In addition, combustion products can get into food that is being cooked. The electric oven heats food evenly. It has at least two heating elements: top and bottom. Often models are equipped with the “Convention” function.
It also includes a back heating element and a fan evenly distributing heat inside the chamber. Electric ovens, unlike gas ovens, have several modes of operation. They are usually defined by a combination of which elements are included (for example, top only, bottom only, or both). There are also automatic programs.
Please note that if you have chosen a gas stove with an electric oven or a grill, you will need to connect it to gas and electricity.
Volume
The volume of the oven is also important. It can be from 30 to 119 liters. Again, focus on family size:
- For one or two people, an oven with a volume of 40–60 l is enough.
- A 60–70 l oven model is suitable for 3 to 4 people.
- A family of 5 or more will need an oven where you can cook several dishes simultaneously.
Oven functions
When buying, pay attention to the oven’s power (if we are talking about a combined model with an electric oven), door glazing, equipment, and additional functionality. The maximum temperature of the oven depends on the power.
Some models heat up to 550°, but usually, this is not required: we cook at 200–250°. Higher values are needed for cleaning. And remember, the higher an electric oven can create temperature, the more power it requires. The number of glasses on the oven door may vary.
The more of them, the lower the door temperature from the outside. And the less risk of accidentally getting burned on it. It is crucial if there are children. Most often, glazing is double-layer, but there are options with a large number of glasses.
A gas stove usually comes with a grate and oven trays. Their number and materials depend on the specific model.
Ovens are often equipped with additional features that can be optional but very useful.
- Smooth closing of the hinged door with a slight push: You definitely won’t accidentally break the glass.
- Telescopic guides that push the trays out: It turns out that the dish “leaves” the oven, and there is no risk of burning your hands when taking out a baking sheet.
- Illumination of the chamber: Internal lighting of the oven. Thanks to it, through the glass, you can see how the dish is prepared, so you do not have to open the door to check if the cake has risen or the meat has browned.
- Rotisserie: A device for frying meat in the form of a rod that rotates during cooking or even roasting. If there is no “Convection” function, the skewer is useful when roasting large pieces of meat or whole poultry.
- Child lock: The child lock is located at the top of the oven. It blocks the door’s opening so that the child is not injured.
- Blow the door to cool it so that you won’t get burned.
- Thermostat: With it, the oven maintains the temperature during cooking.
Do not frequently open the oven door during cooking. It will increase heat loss and the consumption of electricity or gas.
Cleaning the oven
- There are three ways to clean the oven – natural, catalytic and pyrolytic.
- In the first case, the inner surface of the oven will be enameled. After each use, you’ll need to clean it by hand. Alternatively, you may fill a baking sheet with water and cook it in the oven on medium heat. The steam will loosen grease and burnt-on food on the walls, making cleaning easier.
- The catalytic method involves a special composition of the inner walls that absorbs fat during the cooking process. Using a damp cloth to clean the oven and avoid harsh cleaners would be best.
- The pyrolytic method is a separate function of the oven, in which it heats up to 300–500 °, which is why food residues burn out. It remains only to wipe the internal surfaces when the camera cools down. For this, high-power ovens are needed.
Control Panel
The control panel depends on the model of the gas stove. The simplest one provides several handles. If there are four gas burners, there will be five handles. Four are responsible for the burners, and the fifth is for the oven. Handles are of two types:
- Rotary: to turn on the gas supply to the burner, you need to turn the knob;
- Recessed: you need to hold down the handle and turn it. This option is preferable since the control panel will be easier to clean.
- Sometimes, in addition to the handles, there is a display on the front of the stove. It displays additional functions of the model, such as time settings, timer, and oven cooking modes.
Additional functions and elements of the stove
Pay attention to additional functions to make using a gas stove more comfortable.
- Gas control: The function automatically turns off the gas supply when the flame goes out.
- Timer: Thanks to it, you can set the dish’s cooking time. There are two types of timers: the first one beeps when the time is up, and the second one also stops the gas supply.
- Storage box for utensils: It is located under the oven and conveniently holds baking sheets and pans.
- Replaceable nozzles are needed to re-equip the stove when switching from one type of gas to another.
- Electric ignition: It can be mechanical (you need to turn the knob on the burner and press the button) or automatic – it works by itself when you turn the knob.
- Minimum fire: Sometimes it is difficult to make the fire small, for example, for extinguishing – if the flame is reduced too much, it simply goes out. With this feature, you can adjust the knob to produce a tiny flame that won’t completely go out.
- The child protection function is turned on to block the stove’s control.
Final Verdict
The classic gas stove is a relatively familiar and easy-to-learn kitchen appliance. But even with this option, there are nuances that you should be aware of before making a final decision. Perhaps the most critical parameters are the dimensions of the stove, hob’s material, burner numbers, and functionality of the stove.
Hello! I’m Paula Deen, a mother who loves to create memories in the kitchen. As a kitchen enthusiast, I love to do experiment with different kitchenware for daily recipes. This is my blog, where I’ll share my experience, knowledge, and reviews on various kitchenware and appliances.