Gas cooking – what to look for when choosing? Looking in the stores, we can make sure that the cooking plates, working on gas, very differently cost – from three thousand Dollars Gefest SG SN 1210, Nodor PGI 40/C INOX, Ardo L 60 N to one hundred and fifty thousand and more Gaggenau KG 291-210 . Naturally, such different prices depend not only on the ambition of the manufacturers, but also on the capabilities of the appliances, materials, design, etc. d. But there is that main thing that is inherent in all truly modern gas hobs in addition to the main function – burning burners – it is an automatic ignition and gas control.
CONGRESS
Automatic ignition is one of the most important factors of comfort when working with gas, and although it was invented quite a long time ago, but it is the built-in has become a kind of educator, managing to show how easily and conveniently you can handle the burners.
This system is simple enough. It consists of a spark plug, installed at the base of each burner as many burners – as many plugs , and an activator. Activator switches on the candle, which produces several discharges, which are usually enough to ignite the gas. A distinction is made between one-handed and two-handed ignition systems, the first refers to the automatic. Their difference is only that in the first version, the activator is built into the regulator, in the second – it is a button installed on the control panel. In both cases, the only thing required from the user – to press the activator. When igniting with one hand we turn the knob at the same time, which means that with the same hand we turn the knob. With a two-handed system, you press the button with one hand and turn the knob with the other.
The one-hand ignition system is considered the most convenient, and is the most common in our appliances. It makes the housewife more free you can hold the phone with the other hand, for example . In addition, control panels without buttons are easier to make spectacular and easy to maintain. One-hand ignition doesn’t make the model too expensive, which is why it is common in all price segments.
Two-hand ignition in this group of products is a newcomer, moreover, it seems that its appearance is obliged exclusively to our domestic buyer. Two-handed ignition is used for the most affordable models, such as, for example, the aforementioned Gefest SG SN 1210. Although for the same money you can buy a cooker with automatic ignition. For example, a two-handed model Ardo L 60 W costs 4500 Dollars. – as the one-handed Zanussi ZGL 646 X. Obviously, devices with two-hand ignition are simpler in design.
NO LOSS
The gas control system is the most important factor in the safe use of appliances. When burning, the flame on the element may go out. The most common cause is an air gust from an open window, a slammed door or escaping liquid from the pot. The attenuation of the flame can occur unnoticed and the user is not able to react quickly to the situation. The task of gas control is to prevent fuel leakage and therefore protect the home from poisoning and fire.
The system is simple and ingenious. At the base of the burner is installed thermoelectric temperature transducer – thermocouple. This sensor is connected to the solenoid valve. When the heating is on, the thermocouple generates a weak current, so that the valve stays open. If the flame goes out, the thermocouple cools down quickly, the voltage drops, and the current stops flowing – the valve closes, cutting off the gas supply. Gas control system rapidly and reliably cuts off the fuel supply to one burner while the others continue to work in the mode preset by the user.
Until recently, gas control was an obligatory attribute of the built-in in general and cookers in particular. But now there are models without this system, apparently for cheapening: Hotpoint-Ariston PF 640 E BK/HA for 4300 Dollars., Zanussi ZGF 640 IX for 5000 Dollars., Ardo F 64 GT X for 6000 Dollars.
NOW THE SENSORS
If the budget class is trying to get rid of auxiliary functions, leaving only the most necessary, the technique of premium class develops new features, trying to catch up with the electric panel, not to concede them in anything.
A fresh trend in recent years has been the introduction of sensor or combined control system, but so far it is not common, and the price of models is high, the most affordable panel will cost 30 000 Dollars. Gorenje GT 7P2, Kuppersberg FQ6ZGS .
The complete sensor unit is exactly the same as the control system for glass ceramic hobs, the only difference being that you do not have to turn on the heating element or induction, but the gas burner. The principle of the assignment can be conventional for gas – a smooth selection Kuppersbusch GKE 6840.0 M . But more often the intensity of the flame is selected by means of the forward/backward buttons and the evaluation can be made both by the intensity of the flame which you can see by sight and by the numerical indication. With all the advantages of this new control there is an obvious disadvantage – the flame settings are not as flexible as the manual ones. For example, the model Gorenje GT 7P2 provides only 7 steps of power, which for gas and the device has a burner for 3.8 kW! not so much. But in some devices including the above you can change the factory settings, selecting the minimum value more or less , corresponding to the first stage.
EVERYTHING IS AS PEOPLE DO
The panel can be equipped with a residual heat indicator, a quick burner shutdown normal shutdown involves reducing the power level by repeatedly pressing the “back” button and automatic shutdown. This mode also works similarly to electric panels: the duration of continuous operation of each burner is limited and when exceeding a certain time interval, for example four hours, there is an automatic shutdown.
To the security system of the device added another – protection against overheating. The burners are equipped with a safety device to prevent overheating of the electronic components, which protects them from damage. When the temperature of the element rises excessively, the cooling fan is activated. But if this proves insufficient, the burner is switched off.
Electronics has enabled the panel itself to monitor its status. Self-diagnostics enables to identify the faults in time and turn off the appliance, informing the user about the problems by an error code on the display.
RETRANSLATION
No less important is the reignition system introduced in the new cookers, when the extinguished fire is resumed without human intervention in the process at the previously set operating power. The flame can be ignited a maximum of 2 times per cooking cycle for the burner. If the flame can not be stabilized, the fuel supply is cut off – as is the case, for example, with the ICS system on DeDietrich hobs.
CAREFUL: CHILDREN’S FINGERS
Fully sensor-operated unit is equipped with a lock function, the so-called childproof lock. When you turn on the mode buttons do not respond to touch, and change the settings – turn on the gas or timer, add fire – the kids will not be able to. It should be noted that the lock can be mechanical – turned on with a button on a conventional control panel, as in Bosch PCP 615 M 90 E.
TIME MANAGER
Sensors added for more comfortable instrument control. Electronic clocks and timers appeared on the hobs for example, on Kuppersberg FQ6ZGS and DeDietrich DTG 703 X . Clock helps control time. And the timer can program the operation of the element, so that at the selected moment to automatically turn off. The gas models do not use programmers yet, that is, the timer can be turned on only for the already operating burner.
Touch buttons can be used along with rotary knobs in a combined control system. This is done again to equip the model with a timer. The device has touch buttons for time selection, digital indication and locking against unauthorized switching on, as, for example, Siemens ER 626 PT 90 E. A model equipped with a timer, you can buy for 11 000 Dollars.
WHICH HOTTERS?
The most interesting burner, which so far has no competition, is the “Triple Crown”, which consists of a tiny burner in the center and a ring around. Ring has two flame circuits: external and internal. It turns out that the element gives three rows of flame, and heating is more even. “Triple crown” has a capacity of 3.2-4.5 kW. The price of a panel with such a burner starts from 5 000 Dollars. Techno Bright-614 . There are devices where such a burner is used two – Kuppersbusch GKS 11742.0-35 F for 90,000 Dollars., Ilve H90CCVX for 40,000 Dollars.
For fans of fried food on the panel set the burner-grill. This is a large burner it can be oval, like Siemens EC 845 XB 90 E for 14 000 Dollars. which is covered on top by a ribbed cast iron griddle. Fry-top burners are used in dominoes, they differ from grill only in the fact that the grill is made of thick stainless steel sheet. Most models with such an element from the Italian brand Ilve, the most affordable model of dominoes costs about 17,000 Dollars. – H30PN/M. Also for frying are oval burners, such as paired on Hotpoint-Ariston PH 760 F IX R or long at Smeg S 809 ADS 3, they can be used to fry meat or fish on a tray.
NARROWLY-NORMALLY-WIDELY
Gas models are made standard – about 60 cm wide, with four, rarely three burners. There are an overwhelming majority of them – and therefore it’s not hard to buy the right one.
Dominoes up to 30 cm are made for one or two burners, cookers on a compact cabinet up to 45 cm – for three. There is a good choice of appliances in the increased width of 65-70 cm, on which four looser or cross-shaped, e.g. Whirlpool AKM 441 TI , three Foster 7017012 Alien , five or six burners or additional elements such as a pan stand Cata L 704 TI , a grill Siemens EC 845 XB 90 E are installed. There are also corner models: Teka VR 90 4G AI AL TR, Gefest CH 2120 K1, Foster Angolare. Unusually shaped devices – linear Barazza 1PLB2T , circular Foster 7052142 Rondo .
BEAUTIFUL
The gas models offer the most impressive design solutions. The prettiest cookers are always gas-powered appliances. This is the family that fully represents all the styles used in home appliances:
Country – in all existing colors: white, milk, brown, copper, anthracite, black, blue, green. Panels are beautifully decorated with elements of gold, brass and steel Ardo HBF 64 B, Hansa BHG63100020, Whirlpool AKM 526 JA .
Retro – with voluminous surfaces and a reference to the style of 60’s Hansa BHGI63100011, Franke PTC 5 BG 4GAV-TC, Smeg SE60SX, Gorenje G 64 AX .
Classic – nice, simple and harmonious Zanussi ZGL 646 X, Ardo GA 40 ME COXL, Kronasteel IGMT 2604 SEG WH .
Techno – with clear lines, perfect surfaces Electrolux EGT 6342 NOX, Bosch PCP 615 B 80 E, TEKA CGC 4G AI AL . There is much to choose from: panels are made of pressed metal covered with enamel in different colors Whirlpool AKM 394 AE , stainless steel Franke FHNE 755 4G TC XS C , tempered glass Smeg P705VT . Beautifully decorated grids for dishes for example, with the center – in the form of rings, as in Neff T 67 S 76 N 0 , control panels, controls, and often the burners themselves.
On forums, you can sometimes read that the automatic ignition can turn into an unnecessary headache. This is not exactly true, more often than not the device stops working:
– If the spark plug is clogged. To remedy the situation, remove the burner cap and clean the candle itself, as well as the hole between the candle and the burner
– If the candle gets wet. This can happen during cleaning or if in the process of cooking “escaped” liquid – broth, milk, broth. A hissing noise may be heard when trying to start the element. If it is just water, it is enough to let the candle dry out or turn on the burner with a match: the moisture will be gone in a few moments. A dirty candle must be cleaned first.
I’ve been researching gas cooktops and noticed that different brands boast about their flame greetings. Can anyone here share their experiences with different brands in terms of the quality and efficiency of their flame greetings? Are there any noticeable differences that should be considered when choosing a gas cooktop? Any insights would be greatly appreciated!