- July 14, 2019
- Nutrition
- Liubov Berger
A variety of household appliances are used for cooking: microwave ovens, multicookers, steamers, grills, but ovens are considered the most popular. They can be found in every apartment or private house. They come in two types: gas and electric. They are used every day. But how to use an electric stove? To operate this household appliance easily and safely, you need to know the operating principles and safety rules.
Tips for choosing
When purchasing an electric stove, you need to check the package contents. The device itself must include an instruction manual and a warranty card.
Modern models of electric ovens do not come with a wire and socket for connection. They will have to be purchased separately. This can be done in radio stores or service centers that install and repair electric stoves.
Now let's figure out how to properly use an electric stove.
How to choose
The theoretical justification for choosing a particular model is very large-scale, because in addition to the presented characteristics, there are a number of certain little things that rarely anyone pays attention to when purchasing.
Multifunctional device
Among such little things may be a protective coating on the inner surface. It will protect the oven from exposure to temperatures and mechanical treatment when washing the appliance. The question of how the door opens is rarely asked, but over time, users begin to leave reviews indicating that the safest way is to rotate the door relative to the vertical axis.
If there are children in the house, then the “cold glass” option will come in handy. This is a special thermal protective coating installed on the inside of the door. As a result, you can safely touch the glass from the outside.
The presence of an extension cord will allow you to install the electric oven in any place in the kitchen, regardless of the distance from the outlet, but when connecting the plug, a switching phenomenon is inevitable, which results in loss of electricity and heating of the contacts. Therefore, you should pay attention to the length of the device's own cable.
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It is not possible to calculate power consumption. A similar calculation based on the number of family members will help you navigate it. It is believed that you can prepare a full meal for 2-3 people in an oven with a power of 0.6-0.8 kW. Further, this value increases linearly, depending on the number of eaters. The remaining indicators are selected in accordance with the presented list of device characteristics.
Stove from an Italian brand
How to turn it on?
Before turning on the device, it is necessary to inspect it for integrity and correct connection. If you are going to use an old electric stove, such as a spiral model, then you need to inspect the burners for damage and cracks.
If there are no problems with the device, the second step is to prepare it for use: wipe off dust with a dry cloth. If particles of debris remain on the hob or burners, an unpleasant acrid odor may appear after switching on.
The type of hob can affect how the stove works:
- the oven and hob may have a common control unit (found on free-standing models);
- the oven and hob can have independent control units (typical for built-in models).
For electric ovens with a built-in clock, you must set the current time before starting operation. Without this, the oven will not function.
What kind of cookware can be used
Of course, every good housewife has many types of cookware in her home, but not all of them are suitable for cooking on the hobs of your electric stove.
ATTENTION! In no case should you use old pans without copper or aluminum coating, as well as cast iron cauldrons. Such utensils can not only scratch the hobs, but also greatly impair the performance of your stove and even damage it.
Suitable for the oven:
- Ceramic and clay containers;
- Containers made of plain or cast iron.
For the hob you can use:
- New enamel pans;
- Stainless steel containers (the bottom should not be corrugated!);
- Glassware for glass ceramics (Usually has a special marking);
- Cast iron containers with a flat bottom.
ATTENTION! The size of the cookware must strictly correspond to the size of the burner! A difference of no more than 1 cm is allowed.
Temperature adjustment
How to use an electric stove? It all starts with turning on the device. Then, using buttons, a sensor or rotary levers, the desired mode is set. On most ovens, the power ranges from 1 to 9, 1 to 3, or 1 to 6. The higher the value, the higher the heating temperature.
When you turn it on for the first time, it is recommended to preheat the electric stove at its highest setting, but do not leave it on for long and, of course, do not leave it unattended.
Some modern devices have preset oven temperature settings or auto programs designed to cook certain dishes in a certain volume.
Types of hob burners
The temperature of the burners is often determined by the type of burner itself. And how to properly use an electric stove may depend on this. The burners can be as follows:
- Spiral, although a somewhat outdated option, is still popular. They are based on a spiral hidden under a plate. It heats up and cools down quite slowly.
- Burners based on corrugated tape are a more modern type. This option is characterized by greater operating comfort, high performance and safety.
- Halogen burners appeared relatively recently. They operate on the basis of halogen lamps. The surface of such burners quickly heats up and cools down. They are also characterized by economical energy consumption and greater safety.
Touch electric stove: how to use?
Working with this type of device is practically no different from working with a classic oven. The only special feature is that the touch electric stove is controlled using a sensor. In other words, the furnace will be controlled by clicking on a special panel.
The disadvantage of such electric stoves is that they are usually more easily soiled and require more careful maintenance. In some models, the panel becomes slightly warm during operation. Because of this, using the touch plate is both less comfortable and a little dangerous.
The main advantages of the touch plate
The touch plate has many advantages, among which we need to highlight the following:
- stylish design;
- economical energy consumption;
- functionality;
- high quality.
Among the main advantages of such a device, one should highlight the stylish design. The 4-burner electric touch cooker looks very elegant and can decorate absolutely any interior. However, to ensure that it does not lose its attractive appearance, you need to ensure proper care of the product.
Another advantage is low energy consumption. In addition, they have a number of additional functions, as you can prepare food much faster and easier. They are also equipped with a child lock feature, which allows you to block access to any navigation.
Touch cookers with an oven are considered very convenient and functional, since this is a complete set that every housewife can appreciate.
Ovens
equipped with a large number of functions, and there are also several heating modes that can be used either all together or one at a time.
How to use the oven?
Electric stove ovens come in two types: with and without a thermostat. The operating principles of each of them are almost the same. The basic operating rules include the following:
- When stewing and baking, it is necessary to place a baking sheet either in the middle of the oven, or on the second level from the bottom for multi-level electric ovens. It is also better to place the baking dish in the center of the rack, so it will bake faster and more evenly. The lower levels of the oven are suitable for roasting and defrosting vegetables. This allows you to preserve the maximum amount of useful components in them.
- When baking and stewing, you need to change the temperature twice. First you need to cook at maximum power, and halfway through the cooking time, reduce the temperature.
- If there is a thermostat in the oven, it will not be difficult to determine the temperature inside the cabinet, but if it is not there, then you can use a sheet of plain paper to determine the approximate heating temperature. To do this, a white sheet of paper is placed on a baking sheet and it is placed in the oven. At maximum temperature, the leaf will turn yellow in 3-3.5 minutes, at low temperature - in 9-11.
- During the cooking process, do not open the oven door in the first 10-15 minutes, as this may increase the cooking time. When half the period has passed, you can open the door as often as necessary.
Proper operation of the device will allow you to cook delicious food and not spend a lot of time on it. The service life of the hob and oven will depend entirely on correct actions, compliance with safety standards and following the manufacturer’s basic recommendations.
How the device works
The operation of an electric oven is based on the effect of infrared radiation on products placed in the chamber. The emitter is the top or bottom panels of the camera, and in some cases, the side walls. They are heated by heating elements built inside.
In modern models, you can regulate the current flowing through each heating element, thereby controlling the uniformity of baking.
Even if there are TENs located in pairs on opposite panels, it will not eliminate the uneven exposure to IR radiation. Regulation may not be as effective, and it will take up all your free time. Forced convection will help establish the same temperature in the chamber. It is carried out using a fan, which forces air to circulate, evenly distributing heat inside the chamber.
Dishes from an Italian small oven
This effect has several advantages. The uniform effect of heat allows you to cook the most complex dishes that do not tolerate burning. Due to the fact that heat does not accumulate in the upper part of the chamber, it “works” most efficiently, which means cooking time is reduced.
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Safety precautions
In order for the electric stove to work for a long time and without complaints, it is important to use it correctly. Basic safety rules are as follows:
- Check your cookware before starting cooking. Its bottom should be clean, level and preferably dry.
- Before placing dishes on the burner, make sure that there are no traces of burnt food, dust or stove cleaner on the surface of the burner itself.
- If the cookware needs to be covered with a lid during cooking, then you need to use one that fits the size of the cookware. This minimizes the risk of it falling onto the hob, which could cause cracks.
- It is better not to leave the hob unattended, especially if there are no dishes on it or there are empty dishes. You can leave the hob in the on mode only for a short period of time.
- After the cooking process, it is important to turn off the electric stove. Overheating of the device can lead to its breakdown or even fire.
- Do not let small children play with the stove, even if you are nearby. Burns from burners can take a very long time to heal.
Safety requirements
Before starting work, be sure to read the operating instructions. If there is no translation into Russian, then such instructions can be easily found and downloaded on the Internet on the official website of the manufacturer or seller. There are a number of safety requirements when working with an electric stove. Firstly, it is advisable to turn on the hood or ventilate the room before starting cooking. For heating, do not use aluminum cookware or enamel cookware with chipped enamel. If you need to stir boiling soup or porridge, you need to use special spoons or ladles with long handles.
Important! Pots should be filled with liquid no more than three-quarters of the volume to prevent the electric stove from splashing out and flooding. The lids of hot dishes should be opened away from you and use oven mitts for this.
When finished, turn off the stove, wait until it cools down, and wash all contaminated surfaces. After this, you can deactivate the hood.
Final tips
To make the cooking process enjoyable and safe, you need to carefully study the instructions for the stove and strictly follow all safety rules. Neglecting them can result in serious problems both with the device itself and with those who used it.
Remember to turn off the electric stove after finishing cooking. If you forget about this, it will cost you a lot of money in light bills and can also lead to overheating and breakdown of the device. As the most extreme and dangerous option, the oven may catch fire or explode.
Now that you know how to use an electric stove, you can start using it. The main thing is to be careful!