23 Different of Kitchen Types of Stoves You Can Find Nowadays

One of the most used appliances in the kitchen is the stove. The frequency of using kitchen stovetops can vary from homeowner to homeowner. This also applies to the style of the stove as well. In this article, you’ll learn about the various types of stoves so you can spruce up your kitchen with new features and gadgets.

Whether you are a traditionalist who loves the four-burner gas stove, or a trendy homeowner with a griddle stovetop and digital touch controls. You’ll be able to compare the pros and cons of special features and designs in order to help you choose the most efficient stovetop for your home.

How to Choose the Best Stovetop

When renovating your kitchen, you may be faced with the task of deciding what kind of floors and countertops to purchase or even deciding if you need to install more cabinets. Out of all of the decisions you make, shopping for your type of stovetop is a crucial step to your kitchen renovation project. You’ll need to decide if you have the right structure to have an overhead vent or if your house can power a gas stove or electric stove. Take a look at some of our options below that can help make these decisions easier.

Ways to Power Your Stove

Gas

The gas stovetop is one for the traditionalists. There are several reasons why the gas stove still has loyal fans. One reason for a legion of fans is that these stoves immediately provide heat once turned on. The gas stove is also one of the more budget-friendly options when compared to an electric stove or more advanced heating technologies.

Gas stoves use propane or natural gas for power and users can manually control the level of heat being used. Some of the cons of using a gas stove include the tedious task of cleaning them and the smell.

Homeowners with queasy stomachs and with a heightened sense of smell, they may worry about a possible gas leak in the house. If you aren’t too thrilled about getting your hands dirty with the stove, cleaning a gas stove can be extremely tasking. You should definitely opt for the next stove type instead!

Electric

Although electric stoves don’t allow you to manually control the amount of heat being emitted, the biggest benefit to using them is that they keep your kitchen at a cooler temperature. For seasoned cooks who love spending their days concocting new recipes, this will bring you comfort.

Electric stoves are also more consistent with the amount of heat they put out. If you’re making queso or melting chocolate, you’ll have no worries about burning anything while cooking on a low heat setting. Some common disadvantages of having an electric stove includes the cost and delicacy.

These stoves cost more than gas stoves, so you may want to have a payment plan or save up before buying one. Since these stoves are powered by electricity, they are sensitive to any power outages that might occur in your area.

Induction

What is induction? Induction stoves use magnetic currents to heat your cookware. These stoves are easy to clean, heat quickly, and are easy to control. These advantages make induction stoves have a level up when compared to gas or electric stoves.

Other characteristics of induction stoves that set them apart from other types of stovetops include allowing you to cook faster and consistency. The heat on the stovetop adjusts to the size of your pot or pan and allows your cuisine to cook in half the time it takes to cook on a gas or electric stove. This special technology allows for more consistency with the final result of any recipe you cook.

How to Care For Your Stovetop

Depending on the surface of your stovetop, you’ll need to research the best ways to care for it. If you have a coil surface, you’ll need to learn how to dismantle the parts of your stovetop in order to effectively clean every part of the surface. If you prefer a smooth stovetop, cleaning is a much easier process. You will be able to have more flexibility with the cleaners you use since the stovetop is flat and there aren’t any parts to dismantle in comparison to a coil stovetop. Learn about the different stovetop surfaces below so that you’ll know what to expect!

Different Stovetop Surfaces

Coil 

Stovetops with coil surfaces are usually cheaper than other types of stovetop surfaces, but you can research to compare prices to see which type can give you the best pricing deal. Coil tops come in a spiral pattern and are heated by electrical wire.

You’ll notice the orange glow when they heat up and you can easily control the temperature settings by using the appropriate stove knob. The drip pans are also fairly cheap to replace if needed. This is something to consider if you cook frequently because they can be difficult to soak or scrub all of the grime off. These can be purchased at popular houseware stores or online.

Smooth

Smooth stovetops use coils to heat the burners, but the coils are located beneath the surface. They can also be pricey to replace if the glass or ceramic surface cracks. If this unfortunate incident happens, you’ll need to search for an appliance repair service, which could drastically eat into your home maintenance budget.

Smooth stovetops may look sleek, but it will also take longer for your pot or pan to heat up since the coils aren’t in direct contact with the surface of your pot or pan. The greatest advantages of using a smooth stovetop surface are the ease of cleaning them and the ability for them to cool down faster. The smooth surface allows you to clean across the surface without worries of food particles falling inside the coils. The glass or ceramic surface also helps the stovetop cooldown faster due to the separation from the coils.

Copper 

Copper burners provide a beautiful aesthetic for any electric stove. Using these burners add to the design of your stove while also diffusing the heat of the stovetop so that your meals can hold a steady temperature. These features make copper burners ideal for simmering food or cooking sensitive items like desserts or pasta. Copper transfers heat quicker than other metals, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your dish, but you can also use them as effective cooling plates once the heat is off!

Stovetop Feature Options

Downdraft Extractor

A downdraft extractor is a sleek, modern alternative to using a traditional hood for your stove. The extractor pulls in the steam and smoke that rises from your cooking and releases it all out of your kitchen. Having an extractor is beneficial because you’ll be able to breathe cleaner air while you cook. The coolest thing about having an extractor installed is that it can be hidden in a slot behind your stovetop when not in use. Downdraft extractors are pricey, but they give you a huge bang for your buck!

Overhead Hood

If you decide to use a traditional overhead hood, the pricing can vary. You’ll have budget-friendly options in addition to more expensive options to choose from. Similar to the functions of a downdraft extractor, overhead hoods protect you, your family, and guests from dangerous fumes or excessive smoke being emitted from your stove or your cooking.

The blower in the hood pulled in the pollution and the metal grease filters catch any greasy particles flying in the air. The overhead hood then filters the polluted materials outside or converts the air into clean air and returns and pushes the new clean air back into the kitchen. Another added benefit is that the overhead hood provides lighting while you cook.

LED Display 

Having an LED display only has several pros. You can set a timer for when you cook or bake to make sure your dishes don’t burn. You can also keep an eye on the time if you have other commitments after you’re finished cooking. Depending on the stove options available, you can also set the appropriate temperature for your oven and broiler if needed. The only downside would be setting the timer or clock manually. The user experience for these functions can be frustrating.

Speed Heat

If you purchase a stove with a speed heat element, you’ll be the hero of dinnertime! Speed heat allows you to heat up anything from boiling water to cooking pasta, quickly and efficiently. The knobs on the stovetop allows you to easily transition between low and high heat temperatures without missing a beat.

Safety

Safety features add more cost to your stovetop, but it is definitely something to consider when shopping for your kitchen. These features are beneficial if you have small children in your home or if you are a multi-tasker that forgets you are cooking. Choose a stovetop with child lock or automatic shut-off safety features to ensure a safer home for you and your family.

Portable

Portable stovetops can come in handy if you are catering events like weddings, community events, or even trying to cook a meal in a shoebox-sized apartment. The portable stovetop is lightweight and easy to pack when moving. It gives you the option of having a hot meal versus the re-heated, microwaved leftovers. For safety reasons, it’s best to go with an electric portable stovetop that can regulate temperatures and shut off automatically.

Stovetop Griddles

Griddles are the stovetop saviors. Griddles were initially created for gas stoves, but still have the same benefits when used on an electric stove. A stovetop griddle can be used as a convenient spot to let dishes cool if all of your burners are in use. Use the griddle to cook pancakes or omelettes on the smooth surface. Your breakfast cuisines will be made with ease and with a lower chance of burning. You can also use the burner to cook items in pots or pans on low heat. Depending on the dish, you may need to research the necessary steps to take so that you are using the correct heat temperatures.

Wifi

Our lives are becoming more synced to technology year after year and kitchen appliances are no exception. There are several options to making your life more productive and one of those options includes using wifi features on your stove. If you are used to an LED display with manual buttons to set the time, you should consider purchasing a stove with wifi so you can get rid of any manual tasks. Stovetop brands now have apps you can use to communicate directives to your appliance through wifi.

Continuous Grates

Continuous grates allow you to easily maneuver across the stovetop. These are used on gas stoves to lift cookware above the flame and allow heavy dishes to move seamlessly from one burner to another. More space is provided by continuous grates since pots and pans can sit partially off the flames without risk of falling off the stovetop and spilling your meal on the ground.

Automatic Reignition

The automatic reignition feature is an extra precaution for stovetops to have in order to lower the chances of having gas leaks. This feature’s purpose is to keep the cooker safe in cases where the knob is turned past the initial flame ignition position without the burner’s flame igniting. The gas could be released into the air at this point and the automatic reignition corrects this misstep.

Knobs

Stovetop knobs can give warnings to ensure safe usage of your stove top as well as provide useful information for the temperatures to set for your burners. If you have anyone suffering from illness in your household or busy toddlers running around, you can shop for smart knobs. Smart knobs can be controlled using your phone and you have the freedom to operate your stovetop using bluetooth or wifi. There are also many different types of covers you can order for your knobs for added safety.

Digital Touch Controls

For a continuous, sleek kitchen design, no-knob digital touch controls are ideal. The digital controls are along the edge of the stovetop and lights up in LED when the controls are in operation. This can be hazardous if you have little ones in the kitchen, so this stovetop type might be more for the empty-nesters or bachelor and bachelorette homeowners. The no-knob feature creates a more seamless aesthetic for the contemporary-styled kitchen.

Burner Count Options

Two Burners

The two-burner stove is perfect for cooks who love to go camping or have impromptu date night at campgrounds or even in your backyard. These stoves are fueled by propane tanks, so they are definitely made for the outdoors. Choose to have a standing double-burner stove or a tabletop option based on your needs.

Three Burners

Choose a triple burner if you have an older home with limited kitchen space. With three burners, you’ll be able to use different sized burner plates to cook stew, vegetables, or rice at the same time. The three-burner creation can be used indoors if you use an electric stovetop, but the propane-powered options should be used outdoors.

Four Burners

The most common number of burners is the quad-burner setup. These burners are seen in most homes and provide convenience to the cook when they are busy at work. The four different options are familiar and easy to use to prepare a feast for your family!

Five Burners

For those who dive deep into their recipe adventures or who want to pretend they are professional chefs, the five-burner setup might be for you. You will get the same familiarity as the four-burner system, but with an added bonus. One thing to monitor with this type of stovetop, is to make sure you don’t leave any kitchen towels or other flammable items sitting in the center of your stovetop.

Six Burners 

Six burners are perfect and, possibly, a need for chefs, bakers, and other food guru professionals. The six-burner setup will allow you to work on several dishes at once. If you have a five-course meal to make, this stovetop is sure to help you get the job done. If you are taking on a large meal order, the continuous grate is recommended to use for this stovetop.

Conclusion

When you begin shopping for the stovetop you want, be sure to keep in mind the safety of you and your family, your kitchen’s design, and the most affordable options available for powering your new stovetop. You’ll also want to read the associated manuals for the one you purchase so that you will know how to care for your new stovetop. Have fun shopping for your new kitchen appliance!