It seems like there’s a kitchen gadget for everything these days—air fryers, multi-cookers, toaster ovens, oh my! While an air fryer can practically replace your oven and a multi-cooker combines a handful of small appliances, your stovetop is virtually irreplaceable.
Your stovetop is the hub of burners you’ll find on top of your oven or range, though kitchens with wall ovens often have an induction cooktop. This is where you cook with pots and pans atop a heat source, so your stovetop is best used for boiling, sautéing, searing, steaming, stir frying, and so on. There are two main types of stovetops—gas and electric—which refer to the heat source used to cook your food.
While bringing a pot of water to a boil seems simple enough, cooking with a stovetop can be intimidating. Recipes with instructions like “cook over medium-high heat” aren’t so easy to follow when the knobs on your stove aren’t clearly labeled or use arbitrary numbers. What is medium-high heat, exactly? Here’s what each heat level actually means, and other helpful things to know about your stovetop.
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What Is High Heat?
When recipes say to use a specific level of heat, they are refering to the temperature of the heat source, regardless of whether your stove uses gas or electricity. High heat means cooking between 450 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit, though some stoves can reach even higher temperatures.
In case you don’t use a thermometer at your stove (many of us don’t), there’s a simpler way to follow these instructions without ruining your meal. Many stoves use a 10-point dial. The numbers range from one to 10 with one being the lowest temperature and 10 being the highest temperature. Other models use a 6-point dial, while some aren’t numbered at all but may explicitly say “Lo” and “Hi.” All stoves are different, which can complicate things.
On a 10-point stove, turn the knob to 9–10 to cook with high heat. On a 6-point stove, turn it between 5 and 6. If your stove is labeled with the abbreviated “Hi,” that makes it simpler. Essentially, you’ll turn the knob pretty far—close to or at the maximum setting.
What Is Medium-High Heat?
Medium heat means cooking at 350 to 400 degrees or so, but if you don’t use a thermometer, you can simply turn the knob to the middle. This is about a 5 on a 10-point stove or between 3 and 4 on a 6-point stove.
So what’s medium-high heat then? Medium-high heat is the temperature between medium and high. In degrees, it’s between 400 and 450. On a 10-point stove, turn the knob between 7 and 8 for medium-high heat. On a 6-point stove, turn it between 4 and 5. If your stove isn’t numbered, turn it about three-quarters of the way.
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What Is Medium-Low Heat?
If high is the maximum setting, low is the minimum. Cooking on low is pretty straightforward—keep the knob around 1 to 2 for both 6- and 10-point stoves. This will keep the temperature around 250 to 300 degrees.
Medium-low heat is the temperature between low and medium, which equates to 300 to 350 degrees. On a 10-point stove, turn the dial between 3 and 4 for medium-low heat. On a 6-point stove, turn it between 2 and 3. If your stove isn’t numbered, turn it about one-third of the way.
What Is an Electric Stove?
There are a few different kinds of stoves, but in American kitchens, electric stoves are the most common. More than two-thirds of U.S. households have an electric stove. Rather than cook over a traditional flame, electric stoves rely on electricity to heat flat or raised burners, so they require an electrical outlet. The burners are made from different materials, such as metal coils, though in modern kitchens, flat surfaces are preferred. Those are typically made from a blend of glass and ceramic.
Electric stoves have quite a few pros. They’re typically cheaper to buy and install than gas stoves, and you can usually qualify for cash-back rebates when you switch to an electric stovetop. But what’s the cooking experience like? If you go with a flat electric stovetop, you get both a sleek look and functional surface. A flat surface creates a more stable base for your pots and pans, and it’s easier to clean. Some models even beat out gas stoves when it comes to quick heating.
There are some cons to know, however. It requires more energy to use electric stoves, making gas stoves more energy efficient. You’ll also be without a cooktop in case of power outages. Glass cooktops are also prone to breaking or damage from abrasive cleaners. But the biggest con is that electric stoves aren’t always as responsive and precise as gas models, which can impact how you cook.
What Is a Gas Stove?
If you watch cooking shows, you know that professional chefs tend to gravitate toward gas stoves. There’s something satisfying about cooking with an open flame. It even gives you more control over the temperature with a gas stove, and you can still use your stove if the power goes out. Gas stoves take the cake for responsiveness and precision. They’re also less taxing on your utility bills.
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So why are gas stoves less common nowadays? Gas stoves are powered by natural gasses. Therefore, they require a gas line (as well as an electric outlet). Because using them produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs), there are some environmental and safety concerns—and even potential bans in some states.
Many home chefs still use and love their gas stoves, however. You can offset some of the safety risk by cracking a window, using an air purifier, and turning on your ventilation system.