History of the utilizing of stove and its shift from time to time

One of the three basic needs of human is food or could be called as the necessity of

eating. In the Middle Age, almost every human always ate something edible uncookedly. But

nowadays, human has found many better ways to have a meal. There are many ways to

process something edible into a better and tastier food, including fry, boil, bake, grill, stir,

steam or even smoked. All of them is called as the ways of cooking. While we are cooking

something, we mainly need heat and we can use fire to produce the heat.

In the ancient times, people would use wood to make a fire. And we could make fire

over a stove. To find the origin of the stove, we have to go back to dynastic China. The first

known cooking apparatus that completely enclosed a fire was built from clay during the Qin

dynasty (221 - 207 B.C.). A similar design of this stove was known as kamado (かまど )

appeared in the Kofun period (3rd - 6th century) in Japan. These stoves were fired by wood

or charcoal through a hole in the front. In both designs, pots were placed over or hung into

holes at the top of the knee-high construction. Raised kamados were developed in Japan

during the Edo period (1603 - 1867).

A few thousand miles to the west, the first record of a stove in Europe occurs in 1490

in the town of Alsace, France. This stove was made entirely of brick and tile, including the

flue.

Benjamin Franklin invented a wood-burning

stove made of iron in the mid-18th century. The

‘iron furnace stove’ or the ‘Franklin stove’ (named

after its inventor, Benjamin Franklin) is a metal-

lined fireplace with baffles in the rear to improve the

airflow, providing more heat and less smoke than an

ordinary open fireplace. It is also known as the

circulating stove. Although in current usage the term

"stove" implies a closed firebox, the front of a

Franklin stove is open to the room. Although a genius by any standard, he made a major

design error in routing the smoke out through the bottom of the stove. Eventually fumes were

eliminated through a tube atop the stove that reached outside. Variations of the Franklin

model were the standard for several decades.

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While Franklin is often credited with its invention, some historians believe the

circulating stove was actually invented 70 years prior to Franklin's experimentation with

stoves. The metallurgy at the time, however, required that it be made of cast iron, which

cracked when fired. This caused smoke to pass through the cracks and into the room: as a

result, the original inventors did not patent or sell their device. Franklin designed a similar

stove with more advanced metallurgy and was successful in making it work—at some point

in 1742, according to his own account.

In Franklin's original design the opening to the flue (behind the baffles) was in the

floor of the stove, requiring the hot exhaust gases to flow downward before going up the

chimney. However, others soon improved the design and Franklin himself made a much

improved version with better fume extraction and a provision for the use of coal, sometime in

the 1770s. Variations of the Franklin model were the standard for several decades. Frans

Wilhelm Lindqvist designed the first sootless kerosene stove. Jordan Mott invented the first

practical coal stove in 1833. Mott's stove was called the baseburner. The stove had ventilation

to burn the coal efficiently.

But, as the time go on, it was found that we can also make fire by using natural gas.

So, eventually, gas stoves started to replace coal or wood burners as many customers found

them easier to use. The first gas stoves were developed already in the 1820s, but these

remained isolated experiments. And eventually, an English inventor, James Sharp in

Northampton, patented a gas stove in 1826 and opened a gas stove factory in 1836. At the

World Fair in London in 1851, a gas stove was shown, but only in the 1880s did this

technology start to become a commercial success. The main factor for this delay was the slow

growth of the gas pipe network. The first gas stoves were rather unwieldy, but soon the oven

was integrated into the base and the size reduced to fit in better with the rest of the kitchen

furniture. In the 1910s, producers started to enamel their gas stoves for easier cleaning. A

high-end gas stove called the AGA cooker was invented in 1922 by Swedish Nobel prize

winner Gustaf Dalén. It is considered to be the most efficient design and is a much sought

after kitchen "must have" in certain circles—despite the hefty price tag.

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By the start of the 20th century gas ovens were commonplace in households due

mainly to their ease of operation and nominal space requirements. They were found in most

households for they solved the problem of both cleanliness and space at the same time. It was

usually in the form of a windowed, vertical cylinder made of thin steel. It could have up to

four burners and sometimes contained an oven as well. Its one disadvantage was that the

flames on the burners had to be watched very closely. If the flames suddenly turned from

blue to red and yellow, the room would soon fill up with black smoke, leave a residue on

everything it came into contact with and, generally speaking, make it a good idea for whoever

lived there to think about moving. The AGA, and similar products such as the Rayburn

Range are examples of ‘always-on’ stoves which continue to burn fuel even when cooking is

not being performed. Stoves (or ranges as they are also known) such as these are often used

instead of boilers or furnaces to supply hot water and central heating to the rest of the house.

Numerous breakthroughs set the stage for the next step in the evolutionary process of

how people cook their food. Canadian executive Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric

cooking range in 1892. He installed one in the Windsor Hotel in Montreal. The electric stove

was showcased at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, where an electrified model kitchen was

shown. But like the gas stove, the electrical stove had a slow start, partly due to the unstable

technology, and partly because first cities and town needed to be electrified. Due to the fact

that the technology was new and still unstable, and the fact that many towns hadn't yet been

electrified, it took a while to catch on. By the 1930s, the technology had matured and the

electrical stove started to slowly replace the gas stove, especially in domestic kitchens.

On June 30, 1896, William Hadaway received the first patent for an electric stove. He

also went on to design the first toaster in 1910, a horizontal combination toaster–cooker

manufactured by Westinghouse. Due to the long integration of electricity supplies and the

high initial expense, it took some time for these stoves to be common among households.

By the late 1920s, these stoves had begun to compete with their gas counterparts.

Electric stoves became more fashionable and popular because they were easier to clean, less

expensive, more efficient to use and had automatic temperature controls. In some ways, the

electric stove took the craftsmanship out of cooking, making saving time and money more

important than a meal lovingly and painstakingly prepared. Some cooks at the time

complained the electric stove took the art out of cooking, sacrificing loving preparation for

the saving of a few minutes and dollars.

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Types of Electric Stove; their own advantages and drawbacks

Today, there are more oven types than ever. From convection to induction ovens, and

glass to ceramic rangetops, the choices are limited only by your pocketbook!

Electric stoves, for the most part, all have the same primary parts. They all have a

thermostat, bake and broil elements, burners, a clock/timer, and a light switch for the light

inside the oven.

Most stoves have a rangetop with four burners on it. Usually two are larger and two

are smaller. They are shaped in a coil and when turned on, they become extremely hot. The

burners are controlled by dials on the stove's control panel. They are usually very well

marked to display which dial operates which burner. For safety reasons, you usually have to

push the dial in before you can turn it. When turned, the dial sends electricity to the burner,

causing it to heat. The way the controller works is similar to the way a dimmer switch affects

a lightbulb: the higher you turn the dial, the more electricity gets sent to the burner, and the

less you turn it, the less hot it gets. It's all a matter of current control. Depending on the type

of stove you have, the burners may be wired directly to the controller, or they may be the type

that have connectors on them, which can be pulled out of the terminal.

An electric range's element is basically just a resistance wire suspended inside of a

hard metal alloy bent into various shapes, separated from it by insulation. When power is

applied to it, the resistance wire generates heat which is conducted to the element's outer

sheath where it can be absorbed by the cooking utensil or the air inside the oven cavity.

- Electric Coils Stove

The first technology used resistor heating coils which heated iron hotplates, on top of

which the pots were placed. Though the technology is slowly fading into obsolescence, coil

ranges still provide the best durability out of all electric cook top implementations. Many

companies began manufacturing electric ranges, nearly all of them resistor heating coil

models with the same basic components. Each has a thermostat, burners, separate broil and

bake rods, a timer and an oven light. The burners are typically made up of circular metal

cylinders of nichrome-alloy resistance wires. Electricity is sent through the wires, producing

heat that comes out of the elements, which turn red when the control knob reaches the highest

level. The levels of voltage allowed through the wires determine the different heat settings.

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Inside the oven are the cooking racks – a bottom element used for baking and a top

element for broiling. As is the case with the burners, once the flow of current is turned on,

resistance materials allow each to heat to the pre-set temperature. When the oven reaches that

level, a thermometer gauge signals the thermostat to turn down the heat. When the oven

begins to cool, it signals it to resume heating.

We are probably already familiar with the traditional coil burner electric range: the

coil sits above the surface of the range top. It's reliable, fairly easy to clean and replace, and

the elevated elements accommodate a wide variety of cookware. The open exposure of the

heating element makes it vulnerable to spills from over-boiling pots and other cooking

messes, but drip pans capture spills and are generally easy to access, remove, and clean.

Some models have deep porcelain drip pans, which will retain their luster longer and improve

the appearance of your cooktop. Drip pan accessibility and ease of cleaning are important on

coil- burner electric ranges, so make sure you are comfortable with the style of this feature

before you buy.

Traditional coil burner ranges are the least expensive to buy. If a coil is damaged, you

will often be able to replace it yourself — a quick and inexpensive alternative to a service

call. Unlike smooth top ranges, which work best with flat-bottomed cookware, coil burners

work well with any style of pot or pan. So, you don’t need to worry so much about the

material your pan is made of. And it is also known that traditional coil burners provide

excellent low-temperature performance.

- Glass Ceramic Burners/Stove

Glass ceramic burners were the next major innovation. In the 1970s, glass-ceramic

cook top’s started to appear. Glass-ceramic has a very low heat conduction coefficient, but

lets infrared radiation pass very well. Electrical heating coils or infrared halogen lamps are

used as heating elements. Because of its physical characteristics, the cook top heats quicker,

there is less afterheat, and only the plate heats up while the adjacent surface remains cool.

Glass-ceramic cooking surfaces feature electric coil elements directly under translucent glass.

When the element is turned on, heat is transmitted directly up (not sideways) to the pan. A

red glow from the coil element can be seen through the glass. The red glow will cycle on and

off as the element cycles to maintain the selected heat setting.

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The elements of a glass-ceramic cooking surface will not respond to changes in heat

settings as quickly as conventional coil-type elements. Start with a lower heat setting, then

gradually increase the setting until the optimum temperature is reached. The glass-ceramic

cooking area retains heat for a period of time after the element has been turned off. Energy

can be saved by turning off the element early and finishing the cooking on the retained heat.

For safety reasons, there are "Hot Surface" lights on the cooktop to remind users that one or

more of the cooking areas is hot. The light(s) will remain on until the area(s) is cool to touch.

It’s a good idea to use special cookware on glass-ceramic cooking surfaces. When the

proper cookware is used, cooking times are comparable to a conventional coil cooking

surface. To achieve optimum cooking performance, use heavy gauge, flat, smooth bottom,

metal pans.

Another advantage of these cook is a smooth and flat surface that is simpler and easier

to clean. It was a pity because they only work with flat-bottomed cookware and is markedly

more expensive. Compared to conventional kitchen stoves, glass-ceramic cooktops are

relatively simple to clean, due to their flat surface. However, glass-ceramic cooktops can be

scratched very easily, so care must be taken not to slide the cooking pans over the surface.

Food with a high sugar content (such as jam) should never be allowed to dry on the surface if

it spills, otherwise damage will occur. Cleaning is best carried out by using a soft cloth along

with a special glass-ceramic cleaner that applies a thin protective film on the glass. However,

the burners themselves should be cleaned frequently. Be sure to allow the burner to cool

before cleaning. (Cleaning a hot burner may cause the porcelain burner head to craze or

chip.) For best results, all cookware should be flat-bottomed with no warps or dents.

- Electric Induction Stove

The third innovation of electric range was called as electromagnetic induction stoves.

They were developed first for professional kitchens, but today also start entering the domestic

market. These heat the cookware directly through electromagnetic induction and require pots

and pans with ferromagnetic bottoms. Induction stoves often have a glass-ceramic surface.

An induction cooker uses induction heating for cooking. This heat is the result of

magnetic field hysteresis loss. A conducting pot is placed above an induction coil for the

heating process to take place. This type of cooktop does not work with cooking vessels that

are constructed from non-magnetic materials. Unlike alternatives such as electric hotplates,

an induction cooker creates no heat; only the vessel used for cooking is heated.

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Electric induction cooktops use a magnetic field to heat cookware. An induction stove

heats a metal pot's bottom directly through electromagnetic induction. James Dulley, a

nationally syndicated newspaper columnist on efficient homes and appliances, describes it

this way: "When a metal (iron or steel) pan is placed on the cooktop, this magnetic field

passes through the pan causing the molecules to move, which creates heat in the pan, not the

cooktop." Magnetic waves are not harmful to skin or other non-magnetic items. Induction

cooktops are energy efficient because there's an immediate response when you turn the dial

up or down. They're also safer: If a child accidentally moves a pan, the pan heat immediately

decreases and the cooktop element is not as hot as other non-induction electric or gas

elements would be. Induction cooktops make a slight humming sound when in use.

Induction cookers are faster and more energy-efficient than traditional cooktops.

Unlike traditional cooktops, the pot itself is heated to the desired temperature rather than

heating the stovetop, reducing the possibility of injury. Skin can be burned if it comes into

contact with the pot, or by the stovetop after a pot is removed. Unlike a traditional cooktop,

the maximum temperature in the system is that of the pot, which is much less capable of

causing serious injury than the high temperatures of flames or red-hot electric heating

elements. The induction cooker does not warm the air around it, resulting in added energy

efficiency.

Since heat is being generated from an induced electric current, the range can detect

when cookware is removed or its contents boil out by monitoring the voltage drop caused by

resistance in the circuit. This allows additional functions, such as keeping a pot at minimal

boil or automatically turning off when the cookware is removed.

This form of flameless cooking has an edge over conventional gas flame and electric

cookers as it provides rapid heating, vastly improved thermal efficiency, greater heat

consistency, plus the same or greater degree of controllability as gas. In situations in which a

hotplate would typically be dangerous or illegal, an induction plate is ideal as it creates no

heat itself.

The amount of time that it takes a pot to boil depends on the power of the induction

cooktop. Thus, the time can be from three minutes for 3600 watt induction stove tops, to

around ten minutes for 1200 watt ones. However, boiling water is a process largely dependent

on the amount of water; the speed benefits of induction cooking are most often seen when

stir-frying: a thin pan with 3 tablespoons of oil may heat up to stir-frying temperature in as

little as 10 seconds.

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Induction cookers are safer to use than conventional stoves because there are no open

flames and the "element" itself reaches only the temperature of the cooking vessel; only the

pan becomes hot. Induction cookers are easier to clean because the cooking surface is flat and

smooth, even though it may have several zones of heating induction. In addition, food cannot

burn onto the cooking surface as it is not hot.

Induction cookers have some drawbacks. For example, cookware must be made of

ferrous materials; they do not work with non-magnetic materials, such as aluminium, glass or

ceramic.

Since the heat up time is almost instantaneous, cooking with thin-bottomed pans

requires additional attention to avoid burning food. The temperature is controlled by

switching on and off the magnetic field, rather than changing its intensity. Hence, the

cookware heats up and cools rapidly, causing temperature extremes.

An induction cooker works well with a flat-bottomed pan. Curved pans, such as woks

(despite companies selling 'induction compatible' ones), required a curved surface Chinese

Style Induction Cooker.

Pans placed on an induction cooker must contain oil or a liquid to absorb the heat;

otherwise, the rapid increase in temperature will cause food to burn.

Induction cookers are getting popular and less expensive than traditional cookers, it

consumes half as much electricity as electric-resistance elements and are more efficient in

heat transfer, achieving an absolute efficiency of 84% in US Dept of energy tests (compared

to a typical 40% for a gas cooker). According to CEG Electric Glass Company, "[Induction

cooking] power savings of 40-70% are realistically achievable in comparison to conventional

cooktops." CEG Electric Glass Company also states induction cooking has an efficiency rate

of 90%, while Electric and Gas have efficiency rates of less than 50%.

There are cheaper single-induction-zone cooktops available largely from Asian

suppliers. This is due to Asia's more densely populated cities, therefore making this type of

induction cooker popular where living space is at a premium.[citation needed] Single-zone induction

cookers are available only in few in retail outlets in North America, but are widely available

through online stores and auction sites; some induction hobs sell for as low as $60 USD in

supermarkets. Twin Zone Cookers also made available these days and they gradually taking

up the momentum in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong.

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Most induction cooking is done on stovetop units, which may be built into a

countertop or may be a portable unit. In this style of cooking, the electromagnet is usually

sealed beneath a heat-resisting glass-ceramic sheet that is easily cleaned. The pot is placed on

the glass coating, and begins to heat up along with its contents. In Japan, a large percentage

of rice cookers are powered by induction heating. In Hong Kong, power companies

recommend a number of models for ready selection which are safe, clean, energy efficient

and easy to install.

Induction stoves work with high frequency magnetic fields, rather than resistance. A

coil made of copper tubing is mounted underneath the cooking surface. Alternating Current in

this coil produces the varying magnetic field that is responsible for hysteresis loss heating of

the pot material.

Pots made from electrical insulators or aluminum will as a rule not heat up on

inductive cookers. Only cookware of ferromagnetic materials with the correct skin depth can

sufficiently absorb the magnetic field and produce hysteresis loss. The materials in this type

of cookware have a ferritic structure; iron, including cast iron, carbon steel, and some

stainless steels can be heated by magnetic induction. However, many stainless steels (having

nickel in their alloy causing an austenitic structure) and other materials that are non-magnetic

will not heat up on an induction cooktop. It only works on magnetic cookware.  That means

cast iron, enameled cast iron, and stainless or enameled steel with an iron core or base is

great, and in the other hand, aluminum, copper, stainless steel (without an iron

component), glass, etc. will not heat properly.  So first, you get all new cookware to use with

it, because the old time cast iron will scratch the cooktop, so you need nice new cast iron with

a smooth bottom.

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Contrary to popular belief, the principle of electric heating via eddy current loss does

not require magnetic materials, as any conductor is capable of heat generation via eddy

current heating. Theoretically it is possible to make an induction stove that works with

aluminum pots via Eddy current loss. In practice however it is easier to build one that uses

magnetic hysteresis loss, and this is therefore the most common type of induction cookware.

Comparation between Gas Stoves and Electric Stoves

Gas and electric stoves are the most common today in western countries. Both

varieties of this important kitchen appliance are reliable and offer consistent, even heat

sources. Both come equipped with many helpful features and options to make life in the

kitchen easier and more efficient. Both are equally mature and safe, and the choice between

the two is largely a matter of personal preference and pre-existing utility outlets: if a house

has no gas supply, adding one just to be able to run a gas stove is an expensive endeavour. In

particular, professional chefs often prefer gas cook top’s, for they allow them to control the

heat more finely and more quickly. On the other hand, chefs often prefer electric ovens

because they tend to heat food more evenly. Today's major brands offer both gas and electric

stoves, and many also offer dual-fuel stoves combining gas cook tops and electric ovens.

The smoothtop electric range is a step more advanced and easier to clean than the

traditional coil. It encases the radiant elements beneath a sheet of ceramic glass and the

radiant elements have unique conducting properties that heat quickly to evenly cook foods.

Radiant elements are generally available on mid- to high-range electric models, so you will

spend a little more for this feature.

In most models, both the coil and smoothtop radiant coil heat quickly and evenly.

Electric ranges have constant, even heat, and no open flame. They allow you to maintain very

low heat, which is not always possible on some gas models. Some elements, compared to gas

range tops, heat up and cool down more slowly and it can be somewhat difficult to regulate

temperature with electric than with a gas range.

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Electric ranges are generally less expensive than their gas counterparts Performance

levels are consistent and you can use them for a variety of cooking purposes. Electric ranges

are excellent when you want ver low heat (not always possible on gas ranges). Standard coil

burners and smooth-top electric ranges are the 2 electric range options. Coil burners are more

suspectible to spills (drip pans can eliminate cleaning hassles) and generally less expensive

than smooth-top models. In smooth-top electric ranges the radiant elements are installed

below a glass surface that is relatively seemless which makes cleaning these units easy. The

radiant elements heat up fast and evenly.

One of the most beneficial features a gas range top offers, is the ability to quickly

adjust the temperature with an easy visual gauge. Gas ranges allow you to cook with any type

of pot or pan and offer the added reassurance that when the burner is turned off, it is

completely off — unlike coil burners, which require time to cool down. Gas range burners

allow you select different levels of heat, cool down or heat up cookware almost instantly, and

offer precise temperature control. They retain little heat when the burner is off, so cooking

stops almost immediately. If you're shopping for a gas range, consider a model with

electronic ignition, an automatic system that instantly lights burners.

Gas ranges give you more precise temperature control, are more expensive than

electric models to buy, but are cheaper to run. Gas range burners let you heat things up in

minutes while top quality gas ranges have special burners offering higher, faster heat

production for quick searing and boiling. Many gas ranges also have burners specially

designed to hold a low heat that will simmer liquids/sauces. Look for a gas range that has

sealed gas burners because they are much easier when it comes to cleaning up. Dual fuel gas

and electric ranges are the best since you get the immediate response of gas burners and the

even heat of an electric oven.

The iron hotplate technology is still in widespread use, although newly equipped

kitchens nowadays usually get a stove using one of the later technologies.

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Pictures

a b c

d e f

a. Kamado, the early stove from Japan

b. Wood coal stove

c. Benjamin Franklin’s Stove

d. Sootless stove

e. Gas stove

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f. Portable gas stove

a b

c d

e f

g

a. Coil stove

b. Coil stove

c. Coil stove

d. Coil stove

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e. Glass ceramic stove

f. Induction stove

g. Hot plate induction stove

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