Open vs sealed gas burners.

[Rob_Roy]

For those who like to cook on gas. Do you ever wish you had open rather than "sealed" burners? As I get older I find myself getting more annoyed by the "cold spot" in the center of the pan. I know some dual-stack power burners still exist on European units but that's quite a bit of $$ for something so simple..

The Differences Between Open vs. Sealed Burners

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Perhaps one day I'll be able to go induction.

Our gas range seems to be a combination of the two designs. It has a large burner with flames from center to edge, with a pan under it to catch anything that spills. If you are getting uneven heat when cooking the first thing I would look at is your cookware. Pans/pots that have an aluminum layer sandwiched between stainless do a much better job distributing heat than stainless alone.

As for the concerns about gas combustion, I think a proper vent hood is necessary regardless of fuel choice.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Our gas range seems to be a combination of the two designs. It has a large burner with flames from center to edge, with a pan under it to catch anything that spills. If you are getting uneven heat when cooking the first thing I would look at is your cookware. Pans/pots that have an aluminum layer sandwiched between stainless do a much better job distributing heat than stainless alone.

As for the concerns about gas combustion, I think a proper vent hood is necessary regardless of fuel choice.

Ya it's typically called clad-cookware and what I have. It's not All-Clad the brand, but the same construction since their patent expired over a decade ago. I don't think it's the pans because I get the same experience with my 10" cast iron (Lodge). The gas flame is thrown out vs up when I increase the temperature. I think the caps are oversized but they seem to be standard on every gas range sold today regardless of the price. My $700 gas range has some of the same burners as a four-figure Miele.

 

[Rob_Roy]

Cast iron holds heat well, but also heats up very slowly and is prone to uneven cooking if you are not patient. Some recipes even recommend heating the skillet in an oven if you want to sear something with it.

 

[JHZR2]

Poor quality cookware I believe is the blame for uneven heating. I never had an issue using my range with sealed burners. Sure beats electric and convection which I do not have the patience to use.

I was going to say. Our heavy bottom all clad copper core pots and pans have no issue. We do have a very thin, old, revere ware thin wall pot which can scorch in certain areas if you run it too hot on the wrong size burner. But with thst comes some fast heat transfer in certain situations…. Right tool for the job…

I suspect a set of quality US made heavy bottom pots and pans is less expensive than a fancy open burner stove.

 

[BISCUT]

Again, as with many emissions it's the duration of exposure which matters. Check the citations. These studies are being used all the time to ban NatGas in residential homes. There could, maybe be an issue at the extremes in a home which is well built, but that's what range hoods are for. Poor people using nat gas ranges in a 20+ yr old leaky home don't have anything to worry about.

Thank you, Sir. Additionally, it is truly unfortunate but science and studies are often not what they were in previous generations. Whether a study proves or disproves, one must not only read with a critical eye but also see the source of funding for the study. The source of funding has become a part of the research; all for the worse IMO.

 

[BISCUT]

Cast iron holds heat well, but also heats up very slowly and is prone to uneven cooking if you are not patient. Some recipes even recommend heating the skillet in an oven if you want to sear something with it.

There are differences between higher quality cast iron and lower quality. With a quality cast iron pan and a quality gas cooktop I see even and not slow heating in my use. I like cast over my standard set of cookware (Demeryere) but it also depends upon the dish and method of cooking.

 

[BISCUT]

I was going to say. Our heavy bottom all clad copper core pots and pans have no issue. We do have a very thin, old, revere ware thin wall pot which can scorch in certain areas if you run it too hot on the wrong size burner. But with thst comes some fast heat transfer in certain situations…. Right tool for the job…

I suspect a set of quality US made heavy bottom pots and pans is less expensive than a fancy open burner stove.

Higher quality cookware often requires less heat to get to the proper cooking temps. There is a learning curve for sure.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

My Samsung Gas range we purchased on sale for $600 has a small dia. burner for small pots - about 1-1/4 in. dia.
It surprisingly sources a medium-quality cast burner made in Italy. The burner caps are not porcelainised and can rust.

Often "home chefs" turn the flame too high; with 24 Bob Bunsen Burner flames around a medium burner circumference - they don't need to be 2 inches long!

But, Yes, you are good to go wail WOT on that giant stuck pot

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

There are differences between higher quality cast iron and lower quality. With a quality cast iron pan and a quality gas cooktop I see even and not slow heating in my use. I like cast over my standard set of cookware (Demeryere) but it also depends upon the dish and method of cooking.

I'm using Demeyere Industry 5. Actually it's branded Zwilling J A Henkel Sensation, but the vessel is made by Demeyere with Zwilling handles. Bought at steep discount.

In-Depth Product Review: Demeyere 5-Plus aka Industry5 aka Industry 5 aka Zwilling J.A. Henckels Sensation Product Line Review – Featuring 11-inch Frying Pan (Skillet)

www.centurylife.org

Cookware Even Heating Rankings (Butane, Propane, Natural Gas, etc.)

www.centurylife.org

In any case I think my burners are simply too large.

 

[BISCUT]

I'm using Demeyere Industry 5. Actually it's branded Zwilling J A Henkel Sensation, but the vessel is made by Demeyere with Zwilling handles. Bought at steep discount.

In-Depth Product Review: Demeyere 5-Plus aka Industry5 aka Industry 5 aka Zwilling J.A. Henckels Sensation Product Line Review – Featuring 11-inch Frying Pan (Skillet)

www.centurylife.org

Cookware Even Heating Rankings (Butane, Propane, Natural Gas, etc.)

www.centurylife.org

In any case I think my burners are simply too large.

I have the same set. Quality all around. I’ve had mine for 2 year iirc.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I have the same set. Quality all around. I’ve had mine for 2 year iirc.

Ya. I purchased mine around 2013/2014.