Comparing Smoothtop and Coil Cooktop Styles

One of the major factors that influence people’s choice with regards to a cooktop is the cooking surface. Modern stove styles include smooth and coil tops for cooking. Both styles have their own advantages and disadvantages with regards to convenience, ease of cleaning, cost, and efficiency.

Smooth surface cooktops can function on gas, electricity or induction mechanisms. They are usually made of glass and ceramic, and are very pleasing to the eye. Smooth surface electric cooktops conceal heating elements beneath the surface. When turned on, the heating elements radiate heat, which is transferred to the cooktop, and then the cooking utensil. Smooth surface cooktops are the most popular in terms of increasing the attractiveness and value of a kitchen. They are easy to clean and maintain. You do not have drip trays or coils in between which food and liquids can become lodged, making cleaning quite effortless.

Coil cooktops have been around for a long time, and continue to be popular because of the high heating efficiency that you get for a comparatively lower price. The coils are metal tubes that contain electric wires, covered by insulation. The coils heat up when the cooktop is turned on, and transfer the heat to the cooking utensil. The chief drawback of coil cooktops is that they are harder to clean. Food or liquids, when spilt in between the coils can burn, sending out unpleasant odors. Burnt food can also be more difficult to clean.

Cookware

All cooktops ideally require the use of flat bottomed cookware, which matches the size of the heating element underneath. However, coil cooktops are the most adaptable to all shapes and sizes of cookware. Smooth surface cooktops use up additional energy if non-flat cookware is used for cooking. The bottom surface of the cookware must be smooth, if it is to be used on glass ceramic cooktops. You might have to invest more money on new, compatible, flat-bottomed cookware. After a long period of use, the bottom may not remain as flat anymore, resulting in lower efficiency, and more wobbling on the cooktop surface.

Handling

Smooth surface cooktops, especially glass ones, must be handled with care. If the surface color is light, it is prone to staining from spilt liquids and food. Also, heavy utensils must be handled with care, so as to avoid accidents. Never slide cookware on top of the cooktop, as it may result in scratches. Damages on the smooth cooktop surface can result in costly replacements. Cookware with colored bottoms is not recommended on smooth cooktops, because in case of overheating, the color may meld with the cooktop surface, resulting in more expenses by way of replacement. In this regard, coil cooktops are definitely hardier, and can survive a lot of wear and tear.

Additional Features

Smooth surface cooktops generally have more sophisticated features that make their use easier and safer. Touch pad controls, sensors, timers, and thermal protectors are all features that make some models of smooth surface cooktops very popular. These cooktops can also be installed flush with the kitchen counter, making the kitchen space even more attractive.