Types of Cooking Appliances

Cooking appliances make our lives easier. With the wide variety to choose from, it can be a little confusing choosing which appliance is right for you. There is basically one type of cooking appliance, the stove. However, stoves come in many different styles and design. Knowing the differences will help you decide which cooking appliance is a good fit for you.

Kitchen Range

A kitchen range is the most popular style of cooking appliance. These have cooking burners on the top of the stove with an oven below them. Some ranges have glass top burners for a smooth surface while others have cast iron or electric burners. Newer models on the market offer double ovens below the cook top. Energy sources for kitchen ranges can be propane gas, natural gas or electricity.

Cook Tops

Cook tops are the surface of the cooking appliance that has burners. These can be separate from an oven. Many cook tops are built into a kitchen counter to utilize space. Often times, these are used in combination with wall ovens. Cook tops are powered by gas or electricity.

Wall Ovens

The wall oven, commonly known as a built-in oven, saves space in the kitchen. These are built into an existing wall. Special wiring is required as there is no plug to plug into an electrical socket. Wall ovens come in either gas or electric for power sources.

Microwave Oven

Microwave ovens are very popular. They don't take up much room and can easily be set on a counter. Some microwaves are built into a kitchen wall to save space. Microwaves offer speed in cooking and the convenience of not heating up the kitchen like traditional ovens.