The kitchen stove is a staple in pretty much every home, and for good reason. Different types of stoves come with different benefits and features. Some are more efficient than others, while some might be easier to clean or have better performance. The first thing you should do when looking at stoves is figuring out what your priorities are so that you can find the perfect match for your needs!
Here are all the different types of stoves along with their pros and cons.
Gas Stove
A gas stove is one type of appliance that uses natural gas or propane to burn fuel for cooking purposes. Gas stoves are generally more efficient than electric stoves and can be easily vented to the outside. They are a household essential and something that gets used every day.
Gas cooktops are considered to be more reliable than electric cooktops, and the burners are easier to replace if they should go out or become damaged. They are often the choices of professional chefs.
Pros:
- More efficient than electric stoves
- Can be easily vented to the outside
Cons:
- Can be dangerous if not properly used or maintained
- May require a gas line installed in your home
Electric Cooktop Glass Top
Electric cooktops are ones that use electricity to heat their heating elements. Different types of electric stoves use different methods, like radiant or coil induction heating for example.
There are two types of electric stoves, electric coil cooktops and electric smooth cooktops. Both use an electric source to power the cooktop and stove to generate the necessary heat for the elements.
Pros:
- Easy to clean (no exposed burners)
- Some are energy efficient even though they do not have an on/off switch; this can save you money in the long run
Cons:
- Can be expensive to install depending on your home’s layout/wiring system
- Not as efficient as gas stoves, so they may require more energy use over time than other types of cooking appliances like induction cookers or halogen ovens.
Electric Cooktop Coil
An electric coil cooktop is one that uses electricity to generate heat using coils of metal. The coils are either exposed or covered by a glass surface and the stove is moveable for easy placement. There is usually a removable drip pan underneath the electric coil and a range hood of some kind to provide a proper ventilation system. This stove type has been a staple in homes for decades.
Pros:
- Sometimes cheaper than electric smooth cooktops in some cases (depending on your home’s layout)
- Easily movable if you need to replace it with another appliance
- Easy to repair, just buy a new coil and swap it out.
Cons:
- Exposed coils can be difficult to clean and maintain, especially if they get damaged or burnt.
- Less efficient heat transfer than other stovetops like induction stoves
- This could lead you to replace the entire cooktop instead of simply repairing it which would increase your expenses over time.
Downdraft Cooktops
A downdraft cooktop is one that uses a fan to suck the smoke and steam from cooking up through a duct grate in the ceiling. Downdraft cooktops have a number of advantages over other types of cooktops. The downdraft extractor removes fumes from the central element of the stovetop and removes the need for a range hood above the cooking area.
Pros:
- No need for an overhead hood, so it can save you space in your kitchen
- Keeps your kitchen smelling fresh by removing odors during cooking
- Creates less heat around your cooktop, which can help keep you cool on hot days
Cons:
- Can be expensive to install, depending on your home
- More expensive than other stove types.
- It may require more cleaning if grease and oils get sucked up into the ducts
Wood Stove
A wood stove is a type of appliance that produces heat by burning wood. It can be used to cook food in homes and cabins. They are often used for outdoor cooking or camping, but can also be placed in a home if your electricity goes out and you need an off-the-grid option!
Pros:
- Can be cheaper than other stovetops depending on the source and quantity of firewood available in your area
- Can be a fun and sustainable choice if you have an unlimited supply of firewood!
Cons:
- Requires close attention to prevent the wood from burning out too quickly or smoldering overnight, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Not an adequate cooking surface
Camping Stove/Gas Burner Camping
Camping stoves are a type of stove that is designed for use while camping or backpacking. They come in many different shapes and sizes, but all run on propane canisters for fuel.
Pros:
- Many different options to choose from with a variety of features (auto ignition, windscreens, etc.)
- Small and lightweight so they are easy to take with you on your trip
Cons:
- More expensive fuel than other types of stoves due to special features and canisters required for fuel
- Requires proper ventilation and needs to be outside as a rule
- Smaller cooktop surface
Hearth Stove
Hearth stoves are a type of stove that heats the entire home using wood or gas instead of having an oven in addition to burners. They often have a smaller size than wood or gas-burning stoves so they can fit in the hearth of your fireplace.
Pros:
- Butt Stove/Pot Stove Butt stove is a type of oven that uses hot ashes to cook food instead of an open flame like most other types of wood-burning stoves.
- The pot stove is similar, but it has a small pot that sits on top of the stove to cook food.
Cons:
- Ash must be removed after each use and may require special tools like a poker or brush
- May not be as efficient as other types of wood-burning stoves
- Can take longer to cook food than other types of ovens or stoves.
Induction Cooktop
An induction cooktop is one that uses an electromagnetic field to heat up the stovetop. Different types of induction cooktops are made with different materials and require induction-safe cookware to use it. You can also buy portable induction cooktops if the idea of putting in a new range isn’t what you are looking for.
Pros:
- Doesn’t lose energy through the cooking surface so it is more efficient than other stoves; this can save you money in the long run
- Easier to clean up
Cons:
- Different types of induction cookers are more or less energy efficient depending on the material used for building them
- Requires induction-safe cookware (here are the The Best Induction Cookware Set for Home Chefs)
Related: How to Clean a Black Stove Top
Halogen Oven
A halogen oven uses a quartz bulb that emits infrared radiation to the food. Different types of halogen ovens are made with different materials, like steel or cast iron for example.
Pros:
- Different types of halogen ovens can be very energy efficient; this is great if you want to save money on your electric bill
Cons:
- Can take some time getting used to if you’re used to cooking with other types of stoves
- Different types of halogen ovens are more or less energy efficient depending on the material used for building them
Convection Oven
A convection oven is one that uses a fan to circulate hot air around the food. They come in black, white, and stainless steel. They work by using fans within the oven to move the heat around. This allows for better heating throughout the cooking process.
Pros:
- Cooks food evenly and quickly because of the circulating hot air
Cons:
- Can be expensive to install
- Some convection ovens can be very large, so they might not fit in your kitchen
Solid Plate Stove
A solid plate stove is one that has a flat cooking surface with no exposed burners. They are becoming more and more common and have a nicer aesthetic look to them.
Pros:
- Easy to clean (no exposed burners)
Cons:
- Not as efficient as gas stoves, so they may require more energy use over time than other types of cooking appliances like induction cookers or halogen ovens.
Radiant Heater Stove
A radiant heater stove is one that uses infrared radiation to heat up the cooking surface. Different types of radiant heater stoves are made with different material, like steel or cast iron for example.
Pros:
- Different types of solid plate stovetops can be very energy efficient; this is great if you want to save money on your electric bill!
Cons:
- Can take some time getting used to if you’re used to cooking with other types of stoves
- Different types of radiant heater stovetops are more or less energy efficient depending on the material used for building them.
Pellet Stoves
A pellet stove burns pellets that are made from sawdust or other biomass material to generate heat. They are a newer entry to the marketplace and are an option to wood stoves if you don’t want to use firewood.
Pros:
- They are easy to start,
- Do not give off lots of smoke due to their efficiency
- Efficient and safe to use.
Cons:
- Pellet stoves produce many BTUs for their size and require proper ventilation such as a fan or proper venting.
Features of different types of stoves
Single Burner
A single burner type of stovetop is just what it sounds like- a stovetop with one burner. This type of stove is generally used for small pots and pans. There are induction cooktops that are portable and a great way to try out a new type of cooktops.
2 Burner
2 burner stoves are one of the most common type of stove and are found in almost every kitchen. They have two burners, one on each side, and are good for cooking multiple items at once.
3 Burner
These are harder to find but have a 3 burners that are set with one in the middle and two at the rear so you can cook your main dish plus two sides.
4 Burner
The four burner stove is a larger version of the two burner stove and has four burners, one on each side. This type of stove is great for cooking large items or multiple items at once.
5 Burner
A 5 burner stove has five burners, one on each side, and is even larger than the four-burner stove. This type of stove offers more space for cooking large items or multiple items at once. There are smaller ones on the sides and a larger one in the middle.
6 Burner
A size burner stove is the largest stove on the market and has six burners, one in each corner of its retangular-shaped cooking surface. This stove is very large but can accommodate a lot of items at once or even multiple pots/pans simultaneously for big gatherings. This is the dream of most experienced home cooks.
Types of Stoves Recap
To summarize, there are 8 types of stoves that you can buy. The type of stove you purchase will depend on what your needs and preferences are as well as the space in which it is to be used. All appliances have their pros and cons so do some research before making a decision about which one is best for you!