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An essential part of any kitchen, a stove
can be nothing more than a single-coil hot plate or an elaborate 6-burner
professional range. When involving a kitchen stove, the main decision to
make purchasing a stove is whether to buy gas or electric. Most cooks
prefer gas because the heat can be adjusted more quickly. With Gas, you
can take the heat from its very highest setting down to a low simmer in
seconds simply by turning the knob.
Electric coils, on the other hand, retain
heat and take longer to cool down. Gas stoves are also preferred because
they have the ability to cook foods faster than electric stoves. Gas heat
is measured in BTU, or British thermal units. Gas stoves with higher BTU
will deliver more heat, thereby boiling water faster and searing meat more
quickly.
Whichever stove you choose, make sure that
the burners are far enough apart to accommodate your largest pans. Measure
the distance between the centers of the burners. A distance of 12" will
allow you to cook with several big pans at any one time.
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