Question

Why do electric stoves with the glass cook top have burners that turn on and off when in use? Electric stoves with the coil on the surface don't seem to do this but instead the coil stays red hot all the time.

Answer 1

Electric stoves with a glass cooktop use a different heating technology compared to stoves with coil elements. The burners on glass cooktops are typically known as "smooth-top" or "ceramic" cooktops, and they have a unique feature called "burner cycling" or "cycle burners."

The reason for the cycling behavior on glass cooktops is to maintain a more even and controlled cooking temperature. Here's how it works:

1. Radiant Heating Technology: Glass cooktops use radiant heating elements located beneath the glass surface. These elements are designed to heat up quickly and transfer heat to the cookware placed on top of the glass.

2. High Thermal Inertia: The glass surface has high thermal inertia, meaning it retains and distributes heat more effectively than the metal coil elements used in traditional coil cooktops.

3. Temperature Regulation: To prevent the glass from overheating or cracking and to provide more precise temperature control, the burners on glass cooktops are designed to cycle on and off during cooking. The burner cycles between periods of heating (usually indicated by being red or glowing) and periods of no visible heat.

4. Maintaining Temperature: When the cookware and food reach the desired temperature, the burner cycles off to prevent excessive heat buildup. The retained heat in the glass continues to transfer to the cookware, maintaining the cooking temperature. If the temperature drops below the set level, the burner cycles back on to reheat the cookware.

On the other hand, coil element stoves typically lack this cycling feature. The metal coil elements heat up and stay red hot constantly as long as the stove is turned on. The absence of cycling means that it may be a bit more challenging to maintain precise and consistent cooking temperatures, and there's a higher risk of overheating the coil, cookware, or food if not monitored closely.

In summary, the burner cycling feature in glass cooktops helps to ensure more even and controlled cooking temperatures, prevents overheating, and minimizes the risk of damaging the glass surface. Meanwhile, coil element stoves stay red hot continuously, and the heat transfer may not be as consistent or controllable as with glass cooktops.