Table electric stoves: description and selection

Our edges, it would seem, are not deprived of gas, which is why most of the lights in houses are blue, all the more surprising that electric table stoves are sold in any hardware store. At the same time, after reading carefully into their characteristics, you can find that the thing is actually very useful and it may turn out that even the owner of a full-fledged gas stove will also find it useful. At the very least, this device is worth exploring in more detail.

The tabletop electric stove in its essence resembles what is today called a hob, only in most cases it is more compact and often does not involve embedding into any surfaces, because one of its main advantages is just easy relocation... All this simple device needs to work is a flat horizontal surface on which it will be installed and an ordinary socket.

Most often, such a unit is used where there is no gas connection at all or such a procedure seems inappropriately complicated and expensive. There is no gas in many small settlements, the same can be said about any small buildings like gazebos (and in summer you really want to cook in the fresh air), but electricity is available absolutely everywhere.

The design of the device is extremely simple. The most important part is the heating element, most often it is presented as metal spiral, which, under the influence of the passage of current, heats up to a significant temperature - they put the dishes on it. The control unit of a portable electric stove is quite simple, it replaces the knobs of the burners on a similar gas stove. All this is hidden in a reliable case, usually made made of stainless or enamelled steel, and the first option is considered stronger and more durable.

If the device is called desktop and portable, then it is most often quite compact - most models have only two burners or even one... This does not allow avid owners to deploy a full-fledged kitchen, but this should be enough for preparing simple food, and in certain conditions even this opportunity turns out to be very useful.

If the use of a small electric stove in the country seems logical, then many do not understand why such a unit should be replaced with a classic gas stove in a multi-storey building. In fact, this simple device is not in vain sold everywhere - it is in massive demand due to a number of advantages that gas installations do not have. Consider why such equipment is worth spending money on.

• Not only that gas is not everywhere, so it is also almost impossible to connect it without calling specialists. In some difficult conditions or for solving short-term tasks, it is much easier to get by with the electric version of the stove - it just needs to be plugged into the outlet.
• The use of gas is much more dangerous for humans... Even if we discard the option of potential accumulation of gas in the room and the subsequent explosion, it should be borne in mind that during the operation of the stove in the room oxygen is burned out, but poisonous combustion products are released. If the gas burns in the kitchen for a long time, a person may feel unwell and nausea, in the most severe cases, even suffocation is possible. The spiral of an electric stove heats up without fire, therefore none of the above disadvantages is inherent in it. For this reason, even the installation of a cooker hood is not necessary.
• Gas stove – the device is purely mechanical, in the process of work, it must be constantly monitored. The electric stove is much more accurate in terms of setting, in this it resembles other devices such as a microwave oven or multicooker - you need to set the temperature correctly when turned on and the device will stably maintain it.
• A gas stove in an apartment is a constant source of danger.... Even if you consider yourself an extremely neat owner, you still can never exclude the possibility that the system is leaking gas somewhere or the fire will be extinguished by escaped food. The presence of gas in an apartment is fraught with a number of potential extremely unpleasant consequences, even if you rarely use it, but to ensure that there are no problems, you just need to unplug the electric stove in a timely manner.
• The design of the electric stove is extremely simple, there everything you need is immediately on the surface, so the owner at any time and without assistance can clean the heating coil, after unplugging it from the outlet and waiting for it to cool down. This contrasts sharply with the principles of caring for a gas stove, which is a rather complex structure, and it is undesirable to disassemble it without the presence of specialists, since depressurization and leakage can be allowed.
• Previously, electric stoves were considered one of the most "hungry" electrical appliances, consuming a huge amount of electricity, and therefore they were used to a limited extent - only where there is no alternative. Progress does not stand still, therefore, more economical models are being produced today, which have not lost their power from this, and although they are somewhat more expensive, over time such an expense will pay off.
• Budget model an electric stove can even cost less than a thousand rubles. Of course, this will not be an ultra-modern piece of equipment - for that kind of money, we will get a primitive mechanism for one burner, but it will at least partially solve the problem in any situation urgently and regardless of the allocated budget. As for gas stoves, even the most inexpensive ones will cost a five-figure amount, and you still have to pay for delivery and connection to the gas system, which will take not only money, but also time.

After all of the above, it might even seem strange why mankind is still fiddling with gas stoves, so let's go straight to disadvantages electrical devices, which, unfortunately, also exist.

• Many models of modern electric stoves require the use of special utensils, which is characterized by a thick bottom. If you have never used an electric stove before, there may simply not be one in the house, and this is an additional cost.
• Yet again, thick bottom heats up much longer, which means that you will have to spend much more time on cooking familiar dishes.
• Installing an electric stove is simple only if we are talking about typical country conditions, when there is only one burner, and even that one is not used very often. For constant home use, it is better to fix the unit, because during operation it still heats up a lot and I would not want to accidentally reset it.To embed it in the worktop, you will have to call a wizard, and with a large number of burners, you should take care of installing a new outlet with wiring that can pull all the burners at once.
• The electric stove is dependent on the supply of electricity and if it is suddenly turned off, you will not be able to cook food or at least reheat it. With all the shortcomings of gas, its disconnection is a huge rarity, which cannot be said about electricity.
• Modern expensive electric stoves it is usually called economical, but many people prefer to save money at the time of purchase, and not in the bright future. By purchasing an inexpensive and uneconomical model, and even one for several burners, you run the risk of upsetting yourself with the next payment for electricity, because gas is a relatively cheap fuel.
• The electric stove will never explode, destroying the entire entrance, but it would be foolish to consider a device with a huge consumption of electricity completely safe. At least careless handling of such a unit threatens with fire and fire, while the danger lies also in the inept installation of electrical wiring.

Despite the apparent simplicity, a typical electric stove can be of different types. It is worth starting to consider its classification with what its heating element looks like.

• Pancake-shaped cast iron burners are one of the more popular options. Plates with such a heating surface are low cost, they are good in terms of durability and ease of use. If necessary, the "pancake" itself can be replaced without purchasing a new stove.

• Spiral burners in the form of a tubular electric heater are also popular. By most criteria, they resemble the cast-iron ones described above, however, taking care of them is a little more difficult, and they consume more energy, however, and cook a little faster.

• Induction hotplates with a glass-ceramic surface are considered one of the most modern solutions. The ceramic surface is much easier to maintain, while the unit as a whole lends itself much better to precise programming and thus slightly resembles a multicooker. In small models, infrared and halogen bulbs are often hidden under glass ceramics, which, while emitting harmless radiation, guarantee faster and safer cooking.

Classic electric stoves are perceived as equipment of the "mini" category, their body should be compact and accessible for easy movement, therefore the 2-burner model has long been considered the ultimate dream. Today, when the load on the power grid has still increased many times over, and the wiring in all houses has been reinforced, the two-burner stove does not always cope with the task - many families choose models for 4 burners, preferring electricity.

Large electric stoves are usually called hobsbecause, unlike their gas counterparts, they remain flat. In such cases, the oven is purchased separately as needed, since it is not provided for by default in the design, however, combined models with an oven are also available. Of course, such a unit can no longer be called portable, but it is able to completely replace the classic gas stove.

Any rating tends to quickly become outdated, moreover, it is often subjective, so that its advice may not be so good.On the other hand, not every person has extensive experience in using electric stoves and knows how to choose them correctly, and therefore we simply have to show readers a few examples of what characteristics their potential purchase may have.

Trying to find a balance between subjectivity and the desire to help, we decided to make rating without allocation of places, simply by offering a list of good (according to most reviews) models that are popular. It will be fair to say that a particular person may disagree with the list as a whole or with its individual items, so carefully read the descriptions and think for yourself to what extent the described model is able to solve your problems.

In addition, given the main field of application of small electric cookers, we started from the fact that most consumers are looking for relatively inexpensive solutions, therefore, the rating contains only cheap plates and models of the middle price segment.

• "Dream 111T BN" Is a good example of the fact that the best combination of price and quality is almost always a domestic product. At a price of about a thousand rubles, this single-burner model with a ribbon spiral assumes a power of 1 kW and can easily fit into any bag, because its dimensions are only 310x300x90 mm. At the same time, the unit looks pretty nice - it is made of brown glass enamel.

• Skyline DP-45 often referred to as budget single-burner electric stoves due to the price of about 2 thousand rubles, but in terms of its functionality it occupies an intermediate position between budget stoves and middle-class appliances. The power of the burner is a decent 1.5 kW, the control is electronic, there is even a small screen. An additional plus is the stylish design provided by the black crystal glass surface on the aluminum body.

• Gorenje ICG20000CP - this is a plate, by the example of which it is good to show how the same devices can cost fundamentally differently. This glass-ceramic model is not induction, that is, it does not belong to the most expensive a priori, and has the same burner, but it costs about 7 thousand rubles. The differences, of course, lie not only in the price: here the power is higher (2 kW), and touch control, and even several preset operating modes, like a good multicooker.

• A-Plus 1965 - a popular single-burner stove based on an infrared lamp, completely harmless for cooking. Has standard features for a device of this class: touch control panel, simple display. In stores, such equipment today costs from 8 thousand rubles.

• "Dream 214" - one of the most budgetary options in case one burner is still not enough for you. In many ways, it is similar to its one-burner "sister", because the power of each heater here is also 1 kW (respectively, in total - 2), and the price has practically not increased - such a device can be bought for about 1.3-1.4 thousand rubles. The model is considered one of the most compact in its class, its width is only 50 cm.

• "Lysva EPCh-2" - another popular domestic product, equipped with two burners. This model is an example of simplicity, because the total power of the unit is only slightly more than 2 kW, and the control is purely mechanical, as in classic gas stoves. Instead, as a bonus, the manufacturer offers a wide selection of cabinet colors, so that the purchase will perfectly fit into the design of the room. The cost of such a stove is about 2.5 thousand rubles.

• Kitfort KT-105 - a sample of what it is worth spending money on, if you have money and you need maximum quality. This glass-ceramic model for 2 burners is not particularly compact, because its width is 65 cm, and its depth is 41 cm, but the functionality is also impressive. With a total power of 4 kW, the unit is controlled by sensors and involves ten factory operating modes at once. The resemblance to a multicooker is further enhanced by the delayed start function for up to 24 hours, which is very convenient for a busy person.

• Midea MS-IG 351 can be a worthy alternative to the above model. There are slightly fewer modes here - 9 instead of 10, but all the other advantages are present, and even there is a function to automatically turn off the device. A good bonus will be the price, which for this model has been reduced to 8 thousand rubles.

• Dream 15M - this is already a whole substitute for a kitchen, since, in addition to two burners on the housing lid, the unit also has a built-in oven. Outwardly, it looks like a slightly strange microwave oven, but this does not affect the cooking quality in any way.

According to the established tradition, this manufacturer does not pursue high technologies, therefore the same temperature control here is purely mechanical and there is no display, which has a positive effect on the price, which is only 6 thousand rubles. For this money, you get two burners, each of which is capable of delivering up to 1.6 kW, and an oven with 25 liters of volume, which can be heated up to 250 degrees.

An electric stove is a simple design, therefore there should not be any special problems with its choice. However, cases of unreasonable waste of money do happen, so let's try to highlight the elementary rules of choice dictated by logic.

The first thing to decide on is intensity and regularity of use electric stoves. For example, for a summer residence, especially if you do not spend a lot of time there and limit yourself to small snacks, an inexpensive single-burner plates or with two burners, if you can spend a family weekend there. The best models for four burners and with thin electronics are usually not needed there, they are created for a full-fledged kitchen with daily culinary exercises and simply will not justify themselves in a country house.

For giving, the best option are models with cast iron discs... This technique usually heats up a little longer (and cools down longer), but it is quite easy to take care of it even where there are no special conditions and time for this. And most importantly - it costs a penny and you, in which case, will not even feel sorry for her. If in the country (or even at home) you do everything on the run, then it is better to choose spiral heater, it is also relatively inexpensive, but heats up much faster. True, with this choice, be prepared to periodically devote a significant amount of time to cleaning the unit, otherwise your purchase will not last long.

The most expensive models, regardless of the number of burners, are usually perceived as a full-fledged kitchen unit. Here you pay not only for quality, durability and fast heating, but also for smart capabilities to accurately maintain the temperature regime, and even for attractive appearance, which will definitely not spoil the exquisite interior. At the same time, one should not think that a significant waste of funds will automatically solve all problems: at least the electrical network of an apartment should be able to withstand the increased load.

In the next video, you will find a story about the Kitfort KT-102 desktop induction cooker.