"Dee Dee" > wrote:
> I just don't like that 'extra' heat showing, although I'm not exactly
> sure why? Burnt fingers, burnt rag? Wasting fuel?; i.e., would it be
> more economical or a more efficient way to cook using a smaller
> burner? Does anyone else feel that way?

I haven't had an electric stove in about 15 years, so this might be
outdated. When I did have one, and had the user manual to go with it, I'm
pretty sure it said not to cook with a burner smaller than the pan. I
believe it puts extra thermal stresses on the burner which shortens its
life.

Electric burners of the coil type can definitely "wear out". I've got an old
element from my parent's stove that failed after about 20 years of use. The
coil is broken through at a few points, I presume from being overheated
repeatedly. Anyway, they wouldn't be selling replacement coils as widely as
they do (in local hardware stores, etc.), if they didn't fail with some
regularity.

I'm not sure how all this applies to other types of electric cooktops, but I
would think they are similar in it being a bad thing to do.

Another issue you mention... wasting fuel is also true, but personally I
don't think it amounts to much compared to one's overall electric bill.

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