When choosing between a gas stove and an electric stove, the electrical variant increases more and more as a beneficiary from the ring. It is considered to be more economical, is much easier to assemble and is, above all, less dangerous. Hot plates are a danger, especially in households with children. Gas plates are an even greater risk because of the open flame and the odorless gas, which can become life-threatening in the case of permanent outflow. But the purchase of an electric cooker must not be thoughtless. There are some things that need to be considered.
Worth knowing about cooking range
Electric ovens have been around for over 100 years. In 1859, George B. Simpson received a US patent for a coal hearth with a plate incorporating a wire which was heated with electric current. Since at that time very few households had a power connection, this concept could not be implemented at once. It was not until the 1920s that the electric stove became more and more popular and became a widely used household appliance in Europe.
The current most popular form is a combination of the hob and the oven, but the two functions are now spread over two separate devices. In Europe, an electric cooker is normally supplied with power via a 400 V three-phase alternating current connection. With a fuse of 16 Ampere, which corresponds to a quite high current strength, the large electrosurgical devices can be supplied with up to 11 kW connection power. Since power lines or high currents flow in the lines, a kitchen stove should only be connected by competent experts, ie by a professional electrician. The self-assembly is much too dangerous!
Various types of cooking ranges
Not only at the food, but also with the equipment, every cook has his personal preferences. Accordingly, there are various types of electric cooking ranges, namely
- Classic stove tops,
- Infrared glass ceramics and
- Halogen glass ceramic
Classic hotplates consist of two or four different sized hotplates, into which heating spirals are integrated. By heating the spirals, the plate and thus the pan located thereon are heated electrically. The energy requirement is around 260 Wh when boiled with water, which takes about 10 minutes. The heat of the cooking plates is set by means of switches located at the front of the cooking plates. They are suitable for all types of pots with flat ground, they are also very robust and can be cleaned, for example, with coarse sponges. The prices for good products start at about 230 euros.
In the case of infrared glass ceramic flocks, better known as ceramic panes, this is already faster. The water boils already after 8 minutes and the energy requirement is at a lower 220 Wh. Under the glass ceramic, which conducts heat better, there are heating coils that are heated electrically. If the glass ceramic cooker additionally has a cooking and frying sensor, the energy requirement increases by 10Wh. The stove tops are not operated via switches, but directly on the ceramic hob via fingertips. The sensitive surface, however, has the disadvantage that it must be cleaned very gently and can easily scratch. Above all in the case of baked food residues, cleaning can become a very lengthy and annoying procedure. Moreover, it is not possible to exchange individual plates,
Halogen-glass ceramic plates consist of a gas-filled glass body in which a tungsten wire is heated. Above that is the glass ceramic or the hearth plate. Water starts to boil after a good 7 minutes, the energy requirement is on average at 230 Wh.
The prices for good cookers with ceramic hob start at 350 euros and are on average at 450 euros.
Pots of enamel are the hotest on ceramic plates.
Induction plates as the latest trend
Ceramic panes with induction plates are becoming increasingly popular, but they are relatively expensive with an average price of about 900 euros. This is the energy requirement for boiling water at just 180 Wh and the water is in just six minutes for the noodles or similar. ready. Induction plates require pots and pans, which are explicitly labeled “suitable for induction”. They have a magnetic floor made of steel, cast iron or steel.
In an induction furnace there is a coil underneath the glass ceramic, through which current flows and which thereby generates a magnetic alternating field. Now induction occurs, that is, an electric field is produced. However, this is no longer done in the oven, but in the magnetic bottom of the pan or the pot, which is thereby heated.
The advantages of induction plates are that:
- Only a very small part of the electromagnetic radiation remains unused,
- In comparison to other types of energy generation with cooking plates, much less energy must be expended,
- A maximum of energy is used as far as the pots and pans cover the entire cooking field,
The oven
There are also different types of heat generation in the oven or the oven. These are:
- Top and bottom heat,
- Grill,
- Circulating air and
- Hot air.
In the case of overheating and underheating, the oven is heated by heating coils which are located on the floor and ceiling and can be switched on separately. The natural flow behavior of the air transfers the heat to the interior of the furnace.
In the case of a grill, the oven is heated by a heating coil mounted on the ceiling, which has no additional concealment.
A recirculation furnace functions like a backpipe with top and bottom heat, only the hot air is distributed evenly and quickly in the pipe by a fan.
A hot air oven also works according to the same principle, but it has an additional ring radiator, which allows the air to be evenly distributed evenly and no preheating is necessary.
Two types of technical implementation. The heating element or the heating coil as well as the fan can be located inside or outside the cooking chamber. If they are inside, the oven is less suitable for baking because of the high surface heat. If they are installed outside, the heat is more evenly distributed. However, devices with external installation need more space since the heating rods etc. are attached to the back of the device and therefore have a larger installation depth.
Stand-up or built-in
If there is enough space, a built-in cooker is surely the more chic version. The standard is four-burner cookers, but there are also narrower models with two plates. The cooker can be adapted to the design of the kitchen and integrated into the kitchen line unobtrusively. Apart from specially designed kitchens, the majority of the kitchens have a free space for the stove, usually they are also part of a complete offer. The built-in hearth can be accommodated in a space-saving manner, which can be of decisive importance with a large kitchen appliance.
In comparison, freestanding are more cost-effective than built-in heaters. They are set free. With an average width of 60 cm, this can lead to space problems. When buying a stand, you should check in advance whether the necessary connections are available and if not, how complicated the laying would be. It is also important to remember that the oven has enough room even when the door is open. Freestanding have the great advantage that they are easier to maintain and easier to exchange.
What you should consider when purchasing electric stove
First and foremost, you should focus on energy efficiency, power consumption and performance. In addition, you should also inform yourself about the fact that customers who have already tested the product you have already tried in everyday life will evaluate the model. To do this, check out a forum, read the reviews that are attached to Internet order houses, or ask about Facebook to see if there are already reports. Some ovens or, above all, the ovens give, for example, a great deal of heat to the outside, which of course can not be gathered from the technical data. For this reason, the stove should not be located close to the refrigerator.
If your stove is not an integral part of your kitchen line, make sure that it fits into your kitchen and that all necessary connections are available. It should be remembered, in particular, that the stove has enough space even when the oven door is open. What seems self-evident at the first moment, has already posed many challenges for a hobby cook.
Especially if you order the stove via a shop on the Internet, it is advisable to think that it should also be mounted. If this task is not carried out by the supplier, the costs for a dedicated electrician can be unpleasantly high.
The most popular manufacturers of electric heaters
Electric heaters are constantly being tested by well-known institutes such as Stiftung Warentest and a note is given for their test results. In the search for a stove, you should compare the current offers and get as much information as possible about your first selection. The most popular dealers of e herds in Germany and Austria are:
- Bosch
- Siemens
- Bauknecht
- AEG
- Gorenje
- whirlpool
- Beko
- Fagor
- Bomann
An electric stove or two separate appliances?
More and more, household appliances are used instead of a combination unit. This decision is usually based on grounds. In some households there is simply no need for an oven. The separated products are generally more space-saving, mainly because flocks with only two hotplates are common. In addition, there are models with much lower capacity in the ovens, which is mostly sufficient in small households.
If you buy two separate devices, these are naturally cheaper in the purchase, but in sum they can be more expensive than a stove-oven combination. However, they have the decisive advantage that only one element needs to be replaced or re-purchased if it breaks down.
The decision is yours
For which kind of stove you decide depends ultimately on your personal needs. If you often bake or often make casseroles or the backpipe regularly, you should decide on a model with many different types of heating.
If your current equipment on pans and pots is not suitable for an induction cooker, you might prefer to buy a cooker with a ceramic hob. A new, good equipment can be quite expensive.
However, you should think in the long term. One of the most important criteria should therefore be energy consumption. In the long term, you can save money and protect the environment by using devices from a high energy efficiency class.