About Cooktops
Cooking has come a long way since man cooked their food over an open fire. With styles ranging from gas, electric, coils, ceramic, halogen or induction, modern cooks can choose a cooktop that best suits their needs. However, with so many choices comes so many questions. Is there an advantage of gas over electric? What about venting? How quickly do the ceramic cooktops cool down? How does an induction cooktop work? What about clean up? Does this Spark an idea?
History
Cooking with gas and electric cooktops is a recent convention. "Now you're cooking with gas," was the catch-phrase of an ad campaign by the gas companies in the early 1900s to convince homeowners--who were afraid of possible explosions--that it was safe to switch from wood or coal cooking to gas. In 1912, a patent was given to The Copeman Electric Stove Company, for the first electric stove. These methods of stovetop cooking have remained the staple in American homes since then, with only the different styles and features changing over the years.
Significance
Having a variety of cooktops allows for the homeowner to have greater choices in cooking. Because of the greater control over the heat and the ability to prepare certain foods--like roasting peppers over the flame--gas remains the cooking method of choice for many cooks. Other cooks do not want an open flame and prefer electric cooktops. The smooth ceramic cooktops look neater and are easier to clean. Induction cooktops do not leave a hot surface and can even be used with pans of irregular size or shape.
Types
Cooktops can be part of a free-standing range, on top of a built-in range, or can be an individual drop-in counter-top style. They are available as gas or electric. With electric, the choices include coil burners or the ceramic smooth tops which have a variety of heat heat sources under the glass, including halogen and induction. Smooth tops which use halogen lamps produces quicker heat. Induction smooth cooktops uses a high-frequency electromagnetic field that penetrates the iron pan and sets up a circulating electric current to generate the cooking heat. This heat is transferred inside the pan to the food.
Features
Gas cooktops have precise temperature control. Some models have special burners that heat quicker for faster boiling or searing or a burner with an extra low heat for simmering. There are gas cooktops that have sealed burners, which keeps food from being caught under the burner and makes cleaning easier. Open flame gas cooktops necessitate the need to vent the hot air. Newer models have a downward draft, which eliminated the need for the vent or chimney. In standard electric cooktops the coil is either in a recess or rests a little above the surface; with drip pans for easier clean up. Ceramic glass cooktops have the heating elements under the surface, which eliminates food and spills getting under the heating elements. They also provide a cleaner and neater appearance. Some have a simmering feature as well as a double burner feature, which adjusts to heat a smaller pan on a larger burner area without wasting energy.
Considerations
Gas cooktops can use all types of pots and pans but require a natural gas or LP hookup. Some electric cooktops have electronic controls, which allow for a more precise temperature control. Because of the smooth surface, only flat-bottomed pans can be used on ceramic cooktops. Although halogen cooktops produce quicker heat, they also take longer to cool down. Induction cooktops can only use pots and pans that are made of a ferrous metal, like cast iron and cannot use aluminum, copper or glass cookware. However, because the induction cooktop uses an electromagnetic heating method, once the pan is removed or the element turned off, the generation of heat stops.
Warning
There is some concern that, because induction cookware uses electromagnets, there are health risks due to possible radiation. The Induction Site references several studies on this topic. See the Resources section for a link.
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