An electric stove, with its glowing red heating elements and sleek surface, can be extremely useful for everyday cooking. However, like any electrical appliance, improper use can also make it hazardous. Burns, shocks, and even fires can occur if you are not careful while using an electric stove.
Fortunately, with some basic safety knowledge and a few precautions, using an electric stove can be perfectly safe. We have compiled this list of the 10 most important safety guidelines you should follow when cooking with an electric stove. Adhering to these electric stove safety rules and tips will help avoid accidents and make cooking much more pleasant.
1. Supervise at All Times
One of the cardinal rules of electric stove safety is to never leave your stove unattended when it is switched on. It takes just a few moments for spilled ingredients or overflowing food to catch fire. Always remain in front of the stove when cooking, boil overs and spills if they occur.
If you have to leave the kitchen even for a minute, make sure to:
- Switch off all active burners and the oven (if it is on)
- Keep all pot handles turned inwards to prevent accidentally knocking them over
- Set a timer to alert you if something boils or steams over
Stay alert and avoid distractions like phones and TVs. Be prepared to react immediately if the food boils over or a fire occurs. Keeping your eyes focused on the stove can prevent irreparable damage.
2. Keep It Clean
While most electric stoves may look seamless and smooth, they have a lot of nooks and crannies where spilled food and grease can get trapped. Allowing too much grime to build up is a major fire hazard.
Follow these tips to keep your electric stove clean:
- Routinely wipe away food spills as soon as they happen. Don’t allow them to get baked on.
- Every week, do a thorough cleaning with hot soapy water. Pay attention to the edges, burner bowls, drip pans, and the areas where the backsplash meets the counter.
- Look for stubborn grease build-up. Use a specialized stove cleaning spray and non-scratch pad to remove them.
- Pull out the drip pans under the burners and thoroughly scrub them to remove all baked on residue.
A clean, grease-free stove ensures that fire risks remain low during daily cooking.
3. Use Proper Cookware
Not all cookware works well on an electric cooktop. Using appropriate pots and pans that make full contact with the stove heating elements is important. Cookware materials like glass, ceramic or cast iron work best.
Pay attention to these aspects when choosing pots and pans for your electric stove:
- Flat bottoms: Curved pan bottoms may not conduct heat properly on an electric stove. Opt for completely flat bottoms.
- Same diameter as burner: Using a 5-inch pan on an 8-inch burner wastes heat, while using a 10-inch pan on a 6-inch burner is unsafe.
- Weight: Heavier utensils like cast iron and stainless steel make better contact. Lightweight pans may lose heat faster.
- Tight fitting lids: Lids trap heat allowing food to cook faster while using less electricity.
The National Fire Protection Agency advises against using aluminum foil or any aluminum cookware on electric stove cooktops.
4. Routinely Check Cords and Plugs
The electric cables and plugs used for stoves undergo a lot of heating and cooling cycles. This can cause wear and tear over time resulting in exposed wires and cracked plugs.
Visually inspect cords and plugs periodically for the following:
- Brittle, cracked or frayed cords
- Melted plastic on plugs
- Scorch marks or burn signs
- Broken or loose prongs
If the cords feel excessively warm or you notice an unusual smell, immediately stop using the stove and call an appliance repair technician. Use portable stoves judiciously keeping the cords away from heat zones and traffic areas. Damaged wires can easily cause fires or electric shocks.
5. Use Adequate Ventilation
Most electric stoves require being positioned away from cabinets and walls for airflow. Ensure that clearance is maintained behind the stove when installing it. Proper ventilation prevents the controls and internal components from overheating during usage.
If using a cooktop or portable induction cooktop, place it in an open area on a safe, non-flammable surface. Avoid operating it while stored inside cabinets. Slide it out to keep airflow unobstructed from all sides and prevent dangerous overheating.
6. Don’t Overload the Stove
A common mistake is to utilize all burners and the oven simultaneously in an attempt to finish cooking faster. This seriously stresses out the electric stove due to the shared circuitry between the cooktop and oven.
Stick to the following tips to avoid overloading your electric range:
- Use just 1 or 2 burners at a time for routine cooking
- Operate the oven and just 1 cooktop burner simultaneously
- Prevent the internal wiring from overheating by allowing adequate intervals between heavy usage
- Upgrade to a higher voltage line if needed for a stove supporting multiple appliances
Doing everything at once on a stove not designed for the load can risk tripping breakers at best or cause permanent motor damage at worst.
7. Position Handles Properly
Carelessly oriented handles are extremely dangerous as they become knocking and spill hazards near a hot stove. Be diligent about properly positioning the handles.
Follow these guidelines for pot and pan handles:
- Always turn the pot and pan handles inward, aligned with the backsplash or wall
- Use the rear burners if the pan handles are exceptionally long or loose
- Never place handles over adjacent burners that are switched on
- When lifting pans, make sure handles do not extend over other burners
Properly positioning handles is important for preventing accidental burns. Use potholders if required when maneuvering hot cookware.
8. Ensure Proper Installation
Improperly installed electric stoves can malfunction or pose serious risks like gas leaks (in hybrid models), electric faults or tipping accidents. Always employ a certified appliance repair technician to install your electric stove.
Some aspects to evaluate during electric stove installation:
- Check if the unit is perfectly level with solid underpinnings to prevent imbalance
- See that the wiring connections to the terminal blocks are secure and used heat protective sheaths
- Evaluate if the isolation valves, regulator and gas hose are properly hooked up for hybrid models
- Ensure anti-tip fittings at the rear have been properly installed
- Test appliance functionality – baking, broiling, simmering etc. after hooking up
Don’t make DIY adjustments to the wiring or gas fittings (if applicable). Improper handling can cause lethal electric shocks or gas leaks.
9. Exercise Caution Around Children
Children must be kept clear of the stove area both during and after cooking. The hot surfaces retain heat long after they have been switched off. Kids can easily burn themselves by accidentally touching the stove.
Practice these precautions if there are kids in your home:
- Facing the stove outward rather than having a rear/side orientation makes monitoring easier
- Educate older kids on risks and set strict guidelines for stove avoidance
- Ensure appliances like microwaves, toasters and electric kettles are placed out of reach for toddlers
- Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothes with hanging strings or sashes while cooking
- Use knob covers or in-drawer safety latches if the stove is easily accessible for infants
Supervise! Accidental contact with hot surfaces causes serious burn injuries in thousands of children annually.
10. Shut Off Properly After Use
People are often in a hurry to eat after slaving over the hot stove and neglect to shut it off properly after use. This is an extremely dangerous oversight and a common cause of residential fires.
Follow this shutdown sequence at the end of cooking:
- Switch OFF all active burners
- Set burner dials back the OFF position
- Allow residual heat to dissipate before further handling
- Clean up any spilled food once surfaces have adequately cooled
- Unplug portable induction cooktops and let them cool before storage
- Verify the oven, broiler and warming drawers are turned OFF
Taking a few minutes to properly secure your electric stove after cooking goes a long way toward home safety.
Also Read: 6 Electric Stove Safety Tips
Practice Safe Cooking Practices
Electric stoves are extremely useful appliances that make daily cooking convenient. Like any powered appliance, they need common sense safety handling to prevent hazards. We hope our set of 10 safety guidelines gives you all the knowledge needed to prevent accidents while cooking with your electric range.
Here is a quick recap of the crucial tips worth remembering:
- Never leave food cooking unattended
- Ensure the stove area is kept clean and grease-free
- Use proper cookware that makes complete contact
- Routinely check cords and plugs
- Provide adequate airflow and ventilation
- Prevent overloading the cooktop and oven
- Properly position handles
- Get professional installation
- Exercise caution around kids
- Shut OFF fully after finishing cooking
Incorporating these simple but important electric stove safety rules into your cooking process will give you years of safe and trouble-free operation. Stay alert in the kitchen and enjoy hundreds of delicious meals with total peace of mind!