Electric Cooktops

Compared to gas burners, electric cooktops heat up cookware faster and are better at maintaining the low temperatures required for melting and simmering foods. They are also easier to install and safer since they produce no open flames. While they mostly work by applying heat to cookware, electric stoves do come in different sizes and styles. Staples® carries a wide selection of these plug-in cooktops from leading small kitchen appliance brands.

Choose Between Coil and Ceramic Electric Cooktops
Basic electric stoves use radiant coils to generate heat. These resistive heating coils can go underneath metal disks or come encased in spiral steel tubes. Electric cookers with coil-heated disks are also available as hot plates. These are mostly available as single and double cooktops. They heat up slower than models with radiant spiral coils and also take longer to cool down. To deliver more heat to cookware, electric stoves with spiral coil elements heat their steel tubes until they are glowing red hot. Glass-ceramic cooktops also glow red when hot but these get hot and cool down faster than electric hot plates. Since they have recessed heating elements, ceramic electric stoves have flat surfaces, look sleeker, and are easier to clean. However, they require flat-bottomed cookware. Some models use heating coils while others cook with infrared halogen lamps.

Features to Look for When Shopping for Electric Cooktops
Standard sizes for cooktops meant for home kitchens are 24, 30, 36, and 45 inches wide. There are larger professional models that are as wide as 60 inches. The right electric stove size depends on available countertop space and cookware sizes. Shoppers should also consider number and type of burners when comparing electric stovetops. Basic models have two burners while high-end ones can have five or more. Choose a unit with burners of different sizes. Look for one with a high-heat burner for boiling and a low-heat one for simmering.

Some ceramic electric stoves have dual element burners. These sport outer and inner rings for big and small pots and pans. Others have sensors that detect pan size and adjust the span of the heating element accordingly. Another key feature to note in cooktops is the control hardware. Electronic touchpads sit flush with the smooth surfaces of cooktops and are easier to use and clean than knobs. While touch buttons sit on top of an electric cooktop, models with knobs have them in front.

What Is the Difference Between Induction and Electric Cooktops?
Induction cooktops are also electric. However, they heat cookware by generating electromagnetic fields. These electric cookers heat up rapidly and offer precise temperature control. An induction cooktop only heats the part of cookware in contact with its ceramic surface.

Can You Use Induction Cookware With Electric Cooktops?
Yes. This cookware has a ferromagnetic bottom that makes it sensitive to the electromagnetic fields generated by induction cooktops. While users can only use induction pots and pans with induction cooktops, they can also be used with traditional electric stoves.

Are Power Ratings Important for Electric Cooktops?
Yes. Manufacturers quote the heat output of electric burners in watts. A unit with a higher wattage attains higher temperatures and cooks faster than one with a lower power output.