Whether you’ve just moved into a new property and want to make it your own or you simply want to update your current kitchen area, it’s worth investing in a new stove. A brand-new stove will improve your kitchen’s appearance and functionality, making daily cooking simpler and more enjoyable.
However, with so many options on the market, it can be difficult to know which is the best stove for your kitchen. Each stove type has unique aesthetics, features, and benefits, and you will need to consider each of these factors when browsing products.
Below, we’ve covered six types of stoves to consider for your kitchen, including their features and common issues. With the information below, you should find it much easier to identify the best stove for your personal needs and preferences.
Pellet Stoves
A pellet stove is a type of stove that requires compressed wood or biomass pellets to function. It burns this organic matter to heat and cook food in an eco-friendly and efficient manner.
Pellet stove parts are easy to come by if the components of your stove break. Due to their renewable energy source, pellet stoves are more sustainable than other types of stoves but remain energy efficient. They often have automatic ignition and temperature controls, which are easy to use, even for beginner cooks.
The downsides to pellet stoves are their high initial cost and limited heating capacity compared to other stove types. You’ll need a lot of room in your kitchen to store pellets or biomass, which aren’t always widely available.
Gas Stoves
As the name suggests, gas stoves require gas to work, which is both an advantage and a drawback. Gas is an efficient way to cook and offers instant and precise heat, which speeds up making healthy oatmeal, soup, curry, or stir fry. The flame produced on a gas stove evenly distributes heat across the entire pan or pot, cooking food perfectly and preventing it from burning.
However, gas can be costly in the home. Gas stoves require installation by a qualified gas engineer, which can further add to your overall costs. If they break, you will need to hire a professional to fix the stove, as disrupting your gas supply can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Electric Coil Stoves
Electric coil stoves require an electrical supply to function. When switched on, electricity runs through the heating elements within the stove to produce heat that cooks your food. This type of stove is generally more affordable than other options, and the coil elements are easy to clean, maintain, and replace if broken.
The downside to electric coil stoves is that they tend to cook food a little slower than gas stoves. They can take longer to heat up and cool down, and the heat distribution may not be completely even, which could cause your food to burn onto the pan in some places.
Smooth Top Electric Stoves
If aesthetics is your main concern when finding a new stove for your kitchen, you might want to go for a smooth top electric stove. With a modern and sleek design, this type of stove can make your kitchen look beautiful and modern. It has a smooth surface that is easy to clean, and you don’t need to bother with heating coils or drip pans.
However, just like electric coil stoves, smooth top electric stoves can be slow to heat up and less precise. They can be scratched easily due to their smooth surface, so you will need to be careful when choosing cookware and using your stove.
Dual Fuel Stoves
A dual fuel stove uses a combination of fuel sources. Although this offers high precision and even heating, this type of stove can be relatively costly due to requiring both gas and electric components. You’ll need to hire a professional gas engineer to install a dual fuel stove due to the gas connection.
Despite having a relatively high installation cost, the dual fuel is a favorite among avid cooks because it provides the best of both worlds. If you’re unsure whether a gas or electric stove is the best option for you, a dual fuel stove is the perfect middle ground.
Induction Stoves
If you have limited time and like to get your cooking done quickly, an induction stove might be the most suitable type for your needs and preferences. Induction stoves heat food rapidly and at very precise temperatures using powerful heating panels.
Induction heating is energy efficient and easy to get your head around. However, note that you will need special induction-compatible cookware (with magnetic bases) to use an induction hob. Often, induction stoves and compatible pans and pots can be expensive to purchase but can last years of extensive use.
