Table of Contents
Introduction
Just how hot does an electric stove get? This is a question that you are probably asking yourself if you are thinking of buying an electric stove. There is a common misconception that electric stovetop cooks slow. Yes, electric stoves are much slower than gas stoves, but that does not mean they are very slow. In fact, the cooking time difference between a gas and electric stove is minimal. In this post, we will tell you everything you need to know about the electric stove temperature.
How hot does an electric stove get?
When a large electric burner is turned on to the maximum temperatures for about 15 minutes, it can reach temperatures between 1470 degrees F and 1652 degrees F.
On the other hand, when a small burner is turned to the maximum for about 15 minutes, it can reach temperatures between 932 degrees F and 112degree F.
The temperature range in electric stove
- Simmer setting
Simmer setting is a medium-low heat with some gentle bubbling in the pot. Simmer setting temperatures usually ranges from 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit and is often used for soups, sauces, braises, and stews. Simmering is less intense than boiling because fewer bubbles and less agitation, but the heat is enough to enable flavors in the food to mix.
- Low setting
Low heat is around 1-3 on the electric stove and is ideal for slow pan cooking of chicken, pork, lamb, and any other type of meat. It is also suitable for faster simmering. Low setting temperatures usually range between 195- 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Medium setting
Medium setting temperatures usually range from 220 -300 degrees Fahrenheit and is ideal for cooking
vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, and onions
- Medium-high setting
The medium-high setting usually ranges between 300 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. It is ideal for cooking meat, donuts, and much more.
- High setting
The high setting usually ranges between 400- 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is ideal for cooking food that needs high temperatures such as heating oil frying tortillas and creating a crispy crust on the meat.
How do electric stoves control temperature, and how does it differ from gas stoves?
How electric stoves control temperature is different from how gas stoves control the temperature. Best electric cooktop are powered by electric current. The current usually passes through a bimetallic strip that detects heat and closes and opens based on the temperature setting. When the bimetallic strip’s temperature exceeds the set temperature, it opens, thus cutting the flow of electric current to the burner. When the temperature falls below, the set temperature it closes, thus allowing current to pass through. On the other hand, a gas stove fitted with a control knob controls the rate of the flow of gas to the burner. The higher the rate of flow, the more heat the burner produces and vice versa.
Why do some electric stoves heat faster than others?
If you are keen, then you must have noticed that some stoves heat up faster than others. Some f the reason why some stove heats up more quickly than others include:
- Type of heat it produces
The type of heat that an electric stove produces determines how fast it gets hot. There are two types of heat that an electric stove makes. They include radiant heat and convectional coils.
Radiant heat uses invisible electromagnet infrared waves that heat the electric stove. It produces heat faster because it does not heat the air.
On the other hand, conventional coils heat both the cookware and the surrounding air. The fact that the heat produced heat both the cookware and the surrounding air means that a lot of heat is lost. As a result, the electric stove that uses convectional coils usually heats at a slower rate than those producing radiant heat.
- Size of the burner
Another thing that determines how fast the electric stove gets hot is the size of the burner. Electric stoves are fitted with different burner sizes. Some are fitted with large-sized burners, while others are fitted with small-sized burners. Large-sized burners produced more heat than small-sized burners. As a result, large-sized burners get hot faster than small-sized burners.
Conclusion
How hot an electric stove gets depends on many factors, as discussed above. The type of electric cooktop that you purchase also determines how hot the stove will get. If you want your stove to get hot fast, you need to buy the best electric cooktop.
