Tool Reviews

In today’s market offer a wide variety of modern kitchen appliances. Each of them has a unique design and technical features, which leads to confusion and difficult choices.

The demand for glass-ceramic stoves is growing, so the home appliance market is gradually filled with modern glass-ceramic products. Before making a purchase, it is important to determine the main aspects: what stove is needed, what functions it performs, for how long it is intended.

How does a glass ceramic hob work?

Kitchen appliances, which are equipped with a glass-ceramic coating, are a type of electric stoves. It differs from others with a smooth and mirror surface on which electric burners are placed.

They are divided into two types: ordinary and double-circuit. On double-circuit, the heating level is controlled, for a large pan – a larger diameter, for a small pan – a smaller one, and uniform heating is regulated for non-standard shaped dishes.

The main working elements of this model are heated instantly by a tubular electric heater, from which the heat passes through the glass and heats the pan.

The glass-ceramic hob is made of a material – ceran, which is durable and able to withstand the fall of heavy objects. In electric stoves with such a panel, either halogen burners with heat-emitting lamps or High Light type are mounted, which are heated from a special alloy tape in the form of a snake.

The principle of operation of the glass-ceramic panel is similar to the usual one, with cast-iron pancakes. The heating element instantly heats up itself and conducts heat in the right direction, to the dishes. It also cools down quickly, so after a few minutes after being turned off, the panel can be safely touched.

Instant and uniform heating makes it possible to cook food easily and tasty. In addition to the hob, the appliances are also equipped with an oven that works with 2 or 4 heating elements. The glass-ceramic cooker with a stylish design will successfully fit into a modern kitchen interior.

Functions

The combined hob is three gas and one electric burners or two gas and two electric. This model is designed for those places where power outages often occur, and even in such cases, hot food will be prepared.

Functional characteristics of burners:

• Thermostatic functions – temperature sensors, which the panel is equipped with, control and maintain the required heating temperature. This function is helpful in cooking dishes that require a constant temperature for long cooking times.
• Variable cooking zone function – makes it possible to cook or heat food in non-standard shaped dishes, for cooking in patches, or oval-shaped roasters. In such cases, an auxiliary heating segment is used, which contributes to uniform heating of the bottom along the outlines of the contours.

Glass-ceramic electric cookers are characterized by the equipment of burner indicator lights and residual heat indicators.

Helper functions can be built in, such as:

• an infrared sensor for measuring the temperature of dishes, which controls the increase or decrease in the degree of its heating;
• automatic boiling, which is aimed at turning off the partial heating power of the burner;
• security system – is responsible for blocking a stove that is accidentally turned on, so when small children grow up in the house, this function becomes useful;
• automatic cooking – allows food to cook on its own, you just need to set the mass of the product and turn on the desired mode. When the food is ready, the electronic timer will give a signal. Such a technical characteristic of kitchen appliances will greatly save the time of the hostess.

Advantages of glass-ceramic stoves

• A distinctive feature of glass ceramics is thermal conductivity. It only heats the hob vertically. Therefore, the heat energy is only distributed to the bottom of the cookware and not to the hob.
• The glass-ceramic hob instantly cools down, therefore, by reducing the heating power, the temperature decreases at the same rate.
• Burners operate at different temperatures. For example, automatic heat reduction – the power automatically decreases during the cooking process.
• The size and diameter of the heating elements are subject to change, as a result of which the heating zone changes. Cookware with different bottom diameters is placed on the same burner. This results in saving energy.
• The shape of schematic pancakes is also subject to change, so food is cooked in oval-shaped pots, made of heat-resistant glass, duck or goose.
• Boil control burners significantly reduce the time spent near the stove. To do this, initially turn on the low power of the burner and the tracking mode. Having heated up to the boiling temperature, it automatically decreases to the programmed one.
• Ovens of such models are made with backlight, temperature sensor, ventilation, electric grill and catalytic cleaning system.
• The smooth and matte surface transforms the interior of the kitchen, gives it a neat appearance and ennobles.

Equipment

To choose the right stove with glass ceramics, you need to take into account the main factors in terms of technical features, set of functions and cost.

Glass-ceramic electric stoves, with 4 conventional burners, are equipped with a mechanical or electronic type of control. Switches are rotary and touch with a timer and a display.

Usually there are only heating indicators, there are no boiling indicators. Safety shutdown, blocking of switches and control panel is not present.

Electric oven – from 50 to 80 liters with lighting and a hinged door consisting of two glasses, cleaning is standard. A spacious drawer for dishes is located under the oven.

This model is not equipped with variable heating zones. The disadvantage may be that the temperature is not shown on the display, although there is a temperature indicator.

With dual-circuit burners, they are usually equipped with mechanical control. There are indicators for heating the burners, a clock and an alarm clock.

A capacious electric oven with a volume of over 60 liters is equipped with a hinged door, lighting, electric grill and convection. Such models of household appliances have a spacious drawer for dishes, adjustable legs, standard cleaning and steam cleaning.

Operation of the glass-ceramic stove

• To clean the equipment, it is necessary to use special products, because the use of conventional products can spoil its appearance.
• To remove difficult dirt from the hob, you need to have a special scraper for glass-ceramic surfaces. It is recommended to purchase a steel scraper, but not a plastic one.
• If drops of fusible materials fall on the glass-ceramic, they must be removed as a matter of urgency. If they are frozen, heat the stove and remove the dirt with a scraper.
• To clean the surface, use a lint-free cloth, paper towels or special wipes for glass ceramics.
• To wash the hob, you must first wash it with a damp cloth, and then wipe it dry with a dry towel or napkin.

What kind of cookware should be used on a glass ceramic hob?

• Do not use pans with an aluminum or copper base for the glass-ceramic coating. If they leave traces, they can burn on the hob and ruin the whole look.
• An enamel pan can be used if it does not stand empty on the switched on burner.
• The best option would be stainless steel cookware with a flat and thick bottom.

For uniform heating without heat loss, the bottom of the cookware must match the diameter of the burner. Those pans that were used for gas stoves are not suitable for glass-ceramic ones. Due to uneven heating by the flame of a gas stove, their bottom becomes uneven, which is not suitable for glass ceramics.

When purchasing dishes, you need to choose the one on which it is written that it is intended for glass ceramics. The inscription “for electric stoves” is not suitable, because. this speaks of the purpose for enamelled worktops. Glass and glass-ceramic dishes are inconvenient to use, as they heat up for a long time and the heat does not quickly decrease.

Security

• Do not test the plane for impact resistance. Any durable material will burst under frequent impact.
• It is important to avoid scratches. Otherwise, this will lead to the inoperability of the hob.
• If the glass ceramic hob is equipped with an infrared sensor, do not leave the cooking process unattended. If the liquid escapes from the pan, then on a smooth surface without sides, it will spill onto the floor or fall on other burners, which will cause problems in operation.
• For cleaning, do not use abrasive cleaners, washcloths, metal sponges. Scratches may occur.
• To avoid cracks on the surface, you can not put wet dishes on it. Over time, it may happen that the glass-ceramic coating will not withstand.
• With bulk materials, accuracy is important, they should not fall on the surface, especially sugar.
• Glass-ceramics withstand heavy loads, but cracks appear from point impacts.
• Do not clean with dirty and dry rags, it will become even dirtier.
• It is impossible for the bottom of the dishes to be with the remnants of food. If they burn to the surface, it may cause scratches, stains or deposits.
• You need to turn on the burner after the dishes are already on the stove.

Even if the appearance of a smooth glass-ceramic surface is spoiled by scratches, stains, deposits, stains, the hob can still be used.

If something is burnt on the hob, the first thing to do is turn off the hob. Then, the main contamination is removed urgently on the still hot surface with a metal scraper.

When the surface has cooled down, you should use a special product for cleaning glass ceramics. Then, using a paper towel, remove the rest of the contamination in a circular motion. Wipe the hob with a clean and soft towel.

Glass-ceramic stoves are becoming kitchen appliances, which are being improved and manufactured using high technologies. Gradually displacing enameled ones and capturing new market spaces.

The main advantage, which was appreciated by all housewives, is the instant heating of the hob and, accordingly, the dishes standing on it. At the same time, it is worth noting an important feature – only the burner is heated, the rest of the surface remains cold.

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