FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - "Variable heat" electric range available anywhere?

Peter A

In article >,
says...
> Does anyone manufacture a "variable heat" electric range, where when you
> select the heat setting, it would have a constant heat at a certain
> temperature? (Like you can do with a gas range...)
>
> This would be sort of like a dimmer switch for a light where you can adjust
> how much light is output from the bulb.
>
> The way electric ranges work now is they go on and off, on and off.
>
> Less heat means the "burner" goes on for a little while, then off for quite
> awhile. Then with more heat, the "burner" is on for a long time, then off
> for a little amount of time.
>
> With a gas range, you can adjust the heat so it is constant - no off and on.
> Seems they could do this with an electric range as well....
>
>
>

Why do you want this? The on/off technique works just fine in my
experience. The thermal mass of the burner and the pan even things out.
For example, when I am simmering a soup on low, the soup simmers at an
even, constant rate even though the element is on for 2 seconds then off
for 10 (more or less).

Microwave ovens work the same way, although I have some vague
recollection that some fancy models have variable power.

--
Peter Aitken