Small stoves are growing in popularity. At the same time, some people are spreading into bigger kitchens and buying huge stoves. More of us live in small homes and apartments where kitchen space is at a premium. More of us are ramping up home-based food production and need an extra burner or two. Whether double induction burners or a hot plate, a small electric stove easily fits your lifestyle.
In this post, you will learn:
- Sizes and Types of Stoves
- Stove Features
- Brands of Stoves
- From Electric Stove to Electric Fireplace
What is the smallest electric stove size?
Electric stoves come in several types and sizes. They can be as small and portable as one burner or stand alone in your kitchen, offering the full features one would want from a kitchen stove.
Portability is a bonus that many people desire from a small electric stove. From caterers to campers, being able to pull out an extra burner and then pack it away later is handy. If buying a portable stove, look for one with a handle so you can carry it around.
20” electric ranges
Freestanding electric ranges commonly come in a 20” size (generally taking up 2.3 cu. ft.). These are smaller than the smallest common gas stove, which is 24”. The small electric ranges are available in all contemporary colors – including stainless steel and black stainless. This type of range is usually an electric cooktop with four burners paired with a small oven. The smallest induction cooker I have found is a 24” model – which is still plenty small.
These are made by major electric range brands: Frigidaire, GE, LG, MagicChef, Blomberg, Whirlpool, and more. And being small does not make these stoves less featured – although you can get your hands on a basic model inexpensively.
Electric hot plate
Electric hot plates are even smaller, comprised of one or two burners. Hot plates come as small as 9” x 9” x 3” and cost as low as $20. They can weigh as little as 2 ½ pounds for portability. You can buy a model with a coil burner or a flat cooking surface. Some of these are as good at cooking as built-in cooktops, but some don’t reach the power needed to cook; instead they just reheat or warm.
Single induction burners
The hot accessory is a single induction burner. NuWave makes a highly praised model. An induction heating element heats faster and cooks more thoroughly than regular burners. They can shut off when you remove the pan from the burner, and the heat goes away immediately. They are also effortless to clean. The downside is that the induction burners need special cookware to be used, so you need to buy that as well.
An induction cooktop is also available in two-burner editions. One of the nicest features of these is that you can choose the exact size of burner that you want to use, cooking efficiently and losing no heat. This small electric stove provides flexibility and reliability to your kitchen.
Portable electric stove
You can buy a burner (or two) that you can carry around with you to make any place with an outlet into a mini-kitchen. You can buy these with many top features – including an induction cooktop. If you need the portability, look into exceptionally light-weight burners with handles. You can purchase portable electric stove tops that use an old-fashioned electric coil to heat food or get an easy-to-clean smooth electric burner.
Countertop electric stoves
Counter stoves are almost interchangeable with the portable versions. The fundamental difference is that the designer makes portable stoves to move, and the stoves are more difficult to take with you. They may be sturdier, heavier, or designed to hold a permanent place in the kitchen. An induction stove is a pleasant addition to a regular set of burners, turning a standard electric range into a buffet range in a heartbeat.
Cooktops add utility to your kitchen. These are larger to sit on your counter and hold 1-4 burners. Regular electricity is available, but induction burners are a favorite. These stoves are excellent for small kitchens when extra cooking capacity needs to be brought out quickly and put away just as quickly. In some homes, particularly tiny homes, a cooktop may be all the range you need. Make sure that your extra burner has the power you need from it.
Slow cookers, Pressure cookers, Electric skillets, and more
If your cooking needs are more specific, electricity is versatile and probably fuels a product that can meet your needs. You can get slow cookers to cook or keep something warm, pressure cookers to cook more quickly, and electric skillets instead of a portable one-piece burner. A burner may not do what you need extra cook space to do, and it’s hard to beat a crock-pot for moving around and reheating food.
Toaster ovens
Toaster ovens are not cooktops, but they offer a range of cooking outcomes in a tiny box. They are best at toasting and reheating, but you can cook meals from scratch using a toaster oven. These are especially attractive for warming up crisp or textured foods in a way a microwave cannot.
Convection ovens
Convection ovens are another set of standalone ovens that can claim some counter space or even be on the go. A convection oven has both a fan and a vent. It blows the hot air into and around the oven and then back out as it cools when it cooks. This process cooks faster and more evenly, using less energy.
Stove features
These small stoves have features, whether a portable electric stove, a burner, or a freestanding electric range. Here are some of the more popular or interesting features you can get for your small electric stove.
Wi-Fi
Today, everything has Wi-Fi, even your cooktop. You can turn the soup on as soon as your friends enter your door. You can shut off heat across a crowded room while you make it over to the stove.
Non-slip rubber feet
One of the top requested features on a portable burner is rubber feet. These stop the burner from sliding around on slick surfaces. They give you stability while you cook.
Stainless steel
In today’s kitchen, most appliances are available in stainless steel. You can even buy a smooth burner clad in a stainless shell for easy cleaning and to match the rest of your kitchen. Stovetops can be stylish and functional.
Overheating protection
Many burners and stovetops come with protection against overheating. If the burner gets too hot, it can trip a sensor that turns it off. With induction burners, that turnoff is immediate.
Make sure your burner is right-powered for your use. You may want a dorm room burner to turn off if it hasn’t been monitored for a few minutes. Or you may cook with high heat at an outdoor event and want your burner not to shut off so easily. A safety lock can also be helpful.
Temperature settings
Some basic hot plates have just one temperature setting – on or off. Some small electric stoves offer vague temperature ranges, like Lo and Hi. Others give you as much or more adjustable temperature control as a regular burner with numbered temperatures.
Energy settings
You can buy an electric burner with power from 500 to 1500 watts. A 500-watt machine is a basic reheating hot plate. A 750-watt machine will provide the most regular cooking functions. A 1000-watt machine and higher will cook with big pans, woks, and high-heat cooking. An indicator light showing when the burner is heated is another useful feature.
Cast-iron burner
Some small stoves come with cast iron burners. These add strength and weight to your burner setup. If you are slapping pots and pans around like on a cooking show, you need a cast iron burner. These also heat up evenly and deeply and can be a bonus even for careful cooks.
Double burner
Sometimes one burner is not enough. Many compact stoves come in two-burner models, adding a lot of extra usefulness for a little excess weight. If your small electric stovetop is your primary cooking method, a second burner will expand what you can cook.
LED or LCD display
If you want to receive information from the burner and send information to it, an LCD or LED display can come in very handy. It can communicate time, temperature, and other relevant information to you. Connected to your phone, you can get much more information at your fingertips.
Warranty
A strong warranty is something you want if you are going to invest $75 into a one-burner electric range. (You can choose models below $20 as well). For most models, a three-month warranty will get you past any lemons. However, if you pack it away until camping next summer, you might want a full-year warranty.
MagikFlame is ideal for small spaces and apartments
Brands of stoves
Here is coverage of the different brands and models that are stand-outs in their field. These mini-reviews cover different types of models and distinct features as well. These models mentioned are much more than a hot plate, offering features such as a thermostat or automatic shutoff.
As mentioned above, most of the leading stove and oven makers create small quality ranges—however, the Premium 24-inch 2.6 cu. ft. Freestanding Electric Range stands out for its retro-cool design. It comes in a snappy white with coil burners and a bottom storage drawer beneath. This small electric stove complements any 20th Century kitchen design plan.
The Cuisinart Cast-Iron Single Burner leads the single burner models in function. Its cast-iron flat-top heats evenly without the hot spots that often appear in lesser models. It’s also easy to clean. This burner has a whopping 1300 watts, so it is ready to cook any dish, large or small, that you throw at it. It looks brilliant on your counter, a picnic table, or in a dorm room.
The best double burner is also a Cuisinart, the Cuisinart Cb-60 Cast-Iron Double Burner, in Stainless Steel. This model is a scaled-up version of the Cast-Iron Single Burner (above). As a stand-alone, this is all the cooktop most people need in a working kitchen. It is also one of the best (with non-slip feet and an easy-to-clean surface) to take on the go with you.
If it’s the style you are aiming for, check out the Cusimax electric countertop burner. It looks more like a DJ’s turntable than an electric cooker. Its black stainless steel finish is a hit at any party. It has an electric shut-off, rubber feet, and other essential features. If the Cusimax overheats, the burner will automatically shut off and turn on when heat is required.
Suppose you are looking for an infrared stovetop, the Ovente Electric Glass Infrared Countertop Cooking Burner. This 1000-watt burner heats differently than standard burners, heating faster and more evenly than other models—the Ovente heats from 50 to 640 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Duxtop 8100mc 1800w Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner is the best induction model. It holds a whopping 1800 watts while also highly efficient using that wattage. The burner only heats when you set special cookware on top – so buy a pot and a pan. The Duxtop has ten temperature ranges, many timer settings, and an LED display to precisely tell you what is going on.
The Rosetto Countertop Induction Heater is one of the best-looking small electric stoves with single burners on the market. It looks like a gift box with a single circle etched on top, but hidden controls turn it into a stove burner. It’s ultra-clean and stylish.
From electric stove to electric fireplace
If you like the benefits an electric stove brings to your life, look into an electric fireplace insert for heating and creating a cozy atmosphere. An electric fireplace is a valuable home accessory that will improve your quality of life. Imagine coming in out of the cold and turning on a fireplace that instantly heats your skin to a cozy warmth. The crackling flames dance and twinkle, just like a real flame.
Sometimes people want an electric stove for heating, but, remember, the stoves for heating and cooking are different creatures. Most electric stoves and most electric fireplaces are designed NOT to be hot on their surfaces but instead to heat the room in which they sit.
Bring in the architect and interior design; an electric fireplace can have a high design added to its warmth and atmosphere. But you can install most models yourself as easily as a home builder can. And a fireplace can fit nicely in most styles of home décor. Whether buying a new home or remodeling, an electric fireplace can add warmth and value to your home.
About MagikFlame
MagikFlame is a premier maker of the highest quality electric fireplaces. The flame itself is fantastic. It uses projection and holography to create a unique dancing flame. It creates 30 dancing flames for you to choose from. This flame sits atop a glowing bed of embers and comes with crackling sounds and scents to enhance its realism.
The heater in a MagikFlame is an infrared quartz model, the state-of-the-art. This technology heats a room without ever warming the heater itself. Infrared light flows throughout the room, instantly warming everything it touches. This is a highly efficient and effective method of heating.
An infrared quartz heater has no moving parts, making it less likely to break down. It also lacks a noisy fan or motor, making the only sound you hear is the crackling of the flames. Our top electric fireplaces are quiet and effective.
A MagikFlame fireplace as a heater is even more efficient when used as part of a smart thermostat zone-heating model. Here, your home is divided into different zones based on your temperature needs. Your bedrooms are generally cooler and your living room warmer. An electric fireplace allows you to pinpoint your warmest areas that can use supplemental heating, allowing you to heat the rest of the house less.
MagikFlame is safe for pets and children.
You can use our remote control to turn the fire up or down and pick which flame design suits your mood. You can also integrate it with your smart thermostat to balance your heating needs. Besides an occasional cleaning, you will not need to kneel down in front of your fireplace to mess with anything.
MagikFlame fireplaces are safe. They have no hot parts, so children and pets are safe. Even piles of papers next to the fireplace are safe. You can set a timer to shut off the unit when you need to. You can even direct wire your fireplace into your home’s electricity, so you don’t even have to worry about a cord.
For more information about MagikFlame, read the MagikFlame story and how MagikFlame is built to get an eye on the design process and our Made in the USA manufacturing. Our customers have posted MagikFlame reviews, telling you about their experiences. You can lower your monthly costs through our available payment plans and financing. Finally, anything you want to learn about electric fireplaces is covered in the MagikFlame best electric fireplace buying guide. You can find MagikFlame on Amazon, paired with several small electric ranges and burners.
You can also find any cookware and accessories you need on Amazon. MagikFlame is unique in the best electric fireplace world. They design their fireplaces to become a lasting part of your home’s architecture. You can find an insert to include in an existing fireplace or purchase an entire mantel to decorate a blank wall. We even have a model that fits in a corner. From traditional to contemporary, our fireplaces match a variety of decorating styles. Moving from a small electric stove to a large fireplace only requires a shift in how you look at electricity.
