Often one of the most used appliances in the kitchen is a stove. Having a good, high quality stove is very important to anyone that spends much time cooking. The most common type of stove found in homes today are electric stove tops. While stoves once were only powered by wood, most stoves today make use of electricity or gas. Electric stove tops use electricity to heat the elements within the stove. These stove tops can be used to boil foods, simmer foods, fry foods, and more. They are used by adding foods to pots, pans, and other stove compatible food cooking containers.

While all electric stove tops use electricity to operate, there are three main styles or types that exist. These are heating coil electric stove tops, glass/ceramic electric stove tops, and induction electric stove tops.

Heating coil electric stove tops were seen in the first electric stoves created. The burners on these stove tops are coils that are heated by the electricity. The coils may be removed and stand up from the stove top itself. Liquids and other debris may fall under the coil into the stove area.

The next invention of the electric stove had a glass or ceramic stove top. These tops have burners that are flat and even with the top of the stove. Rather than coils, they use halogen lamps. These burners are not removable from the surface of the stove and are often preferred due to their easy ability to be cleaned.

The last type of electric stove is the induction stove top. These stoves are not as common in household use. They work from electromagnetic induction for heating. These stove tops do not operate with typical pots and pans used on the other two types of electric stove tops. Cooking containers must have a special bottom in order to be used with induction stove tops.

Each electric stove top type is usually found available in a variety of styles. Some tops have four burners while others have six. Basic electric stoves have knob controls and settings while others are touch operated with digital displays. The exhaust for the stove top also varies in style and function. In addition, many accessories are also found to compliment an electric stove top.

While the type of electric stove and the features it has vary, so does the style and color and material. Electric stoves are found mainly in the basic colors of white, ivory, black, and stainless steel.

There are many options available when choosing the perfect electric stove for your kitchen needs. Stoves serve different purpose depending on if you are a light cooker, cook many meals, or wish to use your stove for commercial cooking needs. Before making your choice in a stove purchase, examine all other features including appearance that you desire or need. The discuss these with your appliance center salesman.