Praised as a more affordable alternative to gas ranges, electric ranges are long-standing kitchen staples. They can be as simple as four cooking surfaces on a stovetop or decked out with interchangeable accessories like grills for steaks, griddles for pancakes and woks. Whether you keep it simple or outfit your range with a lot of fun features, you'll get plenty of use from this kitchen workhorse.
Heating Elements
Four types of heating elements are commonly available: coils, disks, radiant and magnetic induction. Fuses for individual elements are located in the back panel, below the range, or in a separate fuse-breaker panel.
Coils
The most popular range heating elements are electric coils. Coils are flat metal spirals and come in various sizes and wattages. Some high-quality models have two side-by-side elements in a continuous spiral or one element wound in the center portion of the burner with a second ringing the perimeter. In these models, you can use part of the element for small pots, or the whole for large pots. The coils heat and cool quickly and glow red when hot, clearly indicating when they are unsafe to touch. Coil ranges have metal or porcelain drip pans under each element to catch food debris. You must remove and clean them periodically to prevent buildup. Usually, a combination of soaking and scrubbing does the trick, but if the drip pans won't come clean, you can purchase individual replacement pans.
Disks
Solid disks are flat, heavy iron plates with embedded heating elements. The disks have twice the surface area of conventional coil elements and distribute heat more evenly. Because disks have more surface area in contact with cookware, they're more efficient than coils. An added bonus: You don't need drip catchers for disks, which simplifies cleaning. Solid disks are equipped with protective limiters that reduce wattage to stop overheating when a pot can't properly conduct heat away from the element's surface, as happens when it's accidentally left on or when a pot boils dry. Although they're more efficient, disks' greater mass means they heat up and cool down slower than coil elements. To prevent overcooking, remove the food from the disk. Disks also don't glow when hot, increasing the risk of touching a hot element.
Radiant
Radiant ranges feature smooth, ceramic tops with elements below the surface. They usually have several elements and might include one long bridge element that accommodates casserole-sized cookware, or adjustable elements that fit small or large pots. For any configuration, patterns on the ceramic surface show where the elements below are centered. The elements gradually heat up and glow, cycling on and off to maintain your desired temperature. Often, radiant cooktops have a light on either the control panel or on the surface itself that tells you when the surface is hot. One advantage of a radiant range is the sealed cooktop, which stops spills from falling into the burner. These cooktops are extremely easy to wipe clean.
Magnetic Induction
Magnetic induction ranges are the newest cooktop style. Cooks appreciate the precise heat control of this range. And because they heat and cool more rapidly than traditional ranges, magnetic induction elements are more energy efficient than either coils or disks. Be warned — use only magnetic iron or steel cookware with induction elements. These ranges usually have a one-piece surface with several defined cooking areas so you can center pots for maximum efficiency. The elements create high-frequency, fluctuating magnetic fields that conduct heat to the pot where it's absorbed and reflected. Magnetic induction ranges don't spread heat across the cooking surface, and while they might look cool, their glass surface could be hot from residual heat transferred off the cookware. Like radiant ranges, magnetic induction cooktops feature a heat indicator light, either on the surface itself or near the control panel to let you know when it's un-safe to touch.
Control Knobs
Depending on the model, range control knobs are either above the heating elements on the back panel where they're easy to see, but out of the way, or in front so you don't have to reach across hot surfaces to adjust the controls. A range knob usually has a light that identifies which element it controls and whether or not it's on. Some range knobs turn only when you push them in at the same time — a good safety option for families with small children.
Caring for Your Range
You can clean the cooktop of most electric ranges easily with mild solutions as long as you clean spills quickly. Never clean range surfaces with abrasive materials, which can cause scratches. All electric elements are relatively self cleaning since spills burn off quickly. Never soak electric elements in water. If your range has drip bowls under each element, clean them periodically, but never cover these bowls with aluminum foil. This can cause a shock, hinder cooking and damage the elements. Some cooktops have a built-in exhaust system to carry steam and odors outdoors. These units include a filter, a fan, metal ductwork and an external vent. Some models have downdraft venting systems that pull fumes and steam down and out of the kitchen, eliminating the need for a hood. Clean the exhaust filters regularly; check your manual to see if your model is dishwasher safe.
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