Stainless Steel Range

Stainless steel range hoods – A complete Shoppers guide

2009-05-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Are you planning to buy a Stainless steel range hood? Or for that matter just a range hood and are not sure that which one to go for. Then the good news is that you have just landed at the right place. Buying a stainless steel range hood may not be a big brainer of sorts but definitely it requires some amount of research before you actually go for one. Let’s take a structured approach in towards choosing the right quality of range hood.

It’s so much to read here…

That does sound tedious, but then I’ll repeat my favorite phrase, “Better be aware, than ending up in despair”. Also in case you are just off without initial research then remember that you’ll always be taken for a ride and with so many options available you’ll end up choosing the costliest one which may or may not suit your actual requirements.

What are the functions of a range hood?

That’s a good question. A range hood is used not only to remove the heated air including poisonous gases like carbon monoxide coming out from your preparations but also remove the moisture laden air right out of your kitchen. Also with time there is a lot of grease that accumulates on the filter. So one function that can be looked for is the proper disposal of grease. Keeping this in mind, we should define the features that we should look for in a range hood.
Features of a good stainless steel range hood

This can be discussed under following heads:

The right Size

The first and the foremost thing that should be kept in mind is the size of the hood that you are purchasing. Hoods come in typical size in range 30, 36 and 42 inches in width with 12-inch depth which is designed to fit in with typical upper cabinets. However, you need to make sure that in case you have cabinets right over your cook tops then it has sufficient room for the range hood you are looking to buy.

The type of range hood

Based on functioning, range hoods can be divided into two types, one that ventilates air out and the other that recirculates the air through filter. A range hood that ventilates the air out is recommended. The recirculation type range hoods may be a cheap buy but it does not serve the purpose of removing moisture. So it should be avoided.

Range hood fans

The most important component of a range hood is the fan. The unit of ventilation is CFM which indicates Cubic Feet per minute of air movement. The higher the CFM, better is the ventilation provided. Here once again you need to take in consideration your cooking habit and the size of your kitchen before selecting the power of fan. Coming to the number of fins, a multi fin fan, also known as centrifugal fan is much more effective than the traditional one because it’s proven that a centrifugal fan has higher CFM as opposed to traditional fan at same motor speed. One more thing that needs to be kept in mind is the control knob of fan. One should prefer Range hood with control knobs at the bottom with three control speeds.

The right Filter

Filters are in for removing the poisonous gases. But with time they start collecting lot of grease. If not6 cleaned at right intervals, the grease just starts to drip off from it! Some brands of range hoods come with catchment which is in the shape of bowls to prevent such dripping, but then they definitely attract good cost. While taking filter into account, one thing that should definitely be kept in mind is cleaning of filter. Also, we should insist for carbon filters made up of metal mesh preferably of stainless steel. Also the filters of your stainless steel range hood should be easily replaceable.

“Noiseless” consideration

With heat already getting to your nerves, you may not want the noise created by fan to become yet another irritating factor. Noise is usually measured in sones. You can always ask for the right sones specification for your grill. To give you an estimate, normal talking is 4 sones. For your information, the noise created by the fan is in direct proportion to CFM.

Light up

Stainless steel range hoods with integrated lights are fun to work with. However, the lights should be of optimum intensity. High power lights may just end up hurting your eyes and create unnecessary heat.

Stainless steel quality consideration

Usually 430 series stainless steel is used to construct the body of stainless steel range hood. This is because of the ductility offered by this series. Another feature is the gauge, which indicated the measurement of its thickness. The best one for range hood is 18 gauge (and costliest too). Be careful of those brands that bend the steel to serve the purpose with lower quality steel. The issue with bending is that it allows moisture and grease to infiltrate into the cracks and the body of range hood.

Maintenance

Something that maintains your kitchen well needs to be maintained as well. This is where stainless steel range hoods score. With stainless steel exteriors and filters, the maintenance of exteriors is almost left to your discretion. However, the filter needs to be cleaned in regular interval. If your range hood is ventilating type, you should also make sure that the open end of ducts are not accumulating lot of grease.

Coming to the maintenance of Fans. The blower tends to develop grease deposits on the fins. These should be cleaned regularly. However, the centrifugal fans are nearly immune to such deposits and thus your task is really cut short.

A word of caution here is that before you actually get down to cleaning of your range hood; make sure that the appliance is unplugged. Also do not spray the cleaner in at sensitive parts like sockets, etc.

So currently that was all. I did intentionally drop topics like installation and few more cause I have tried to keep the article as concise as possible and of course free of fluff!!! Do let me know in case you have any suggestions on the article and if my research was helpful to you!

Stainless steel range - Kitchen utensils

2009-05-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well my love with kitchen just keeps growing on me. It’s not that I am a great cook, but yes I am an avid food junkie! Talking about stainless steel range of kitchen utensils, one can’t just ignore the variety of models and shapes they come in for the variety of purposes they serve. To strike the conversation (between us of course) let us talk about why prefer stainless steel range of kitchen utensils over other others.

The “Steely” advantage…

The Chromium content in stainless steel makes it resistant to corrosion by creating a protective layer chromium oxide over the steel surface. Thus the stainless steel range kitchen utensils require minimum care and maintenance and yet loyally serve you for years.

The stainless steel range kitchen utensils have very “Hygienic” surface, as explained in my first post on stainless steel range. This makes it suitable for cooking and easy to clean.

The metal is highly inert in nature and it does not react with the food irrespective of its acidity or alkalinity at any temperature. It because of this that stainless steel range kitchen utensils are also recommended in hospitals.

It does not by any means contribute or spoil the taste of food that is being prepared in it and is absolutely safe to use.

Stainless steel range kitchen utensils are also dishwasher safe, however in case you are possessive about retaining the luster of your utensils, you should use hand wash either.

On the flip side of it…

Pure stainless steel range kitchen utensils tend to develop “Hotspots” due to non uniform distribution of heat. This can be avoided by having the base of utensil made of metals like aluminum and copper. This ensures uniform diffusion of heat throughout the surface of utensil.

Also at times due to overheating, the utensil surface develops a rainbow like coloration. However this can be taken care of by steel stainless steel cleaners.

And in case you have just been demotivated by these features on the flip side then take into consideration the fact that a properly handled stainless steel range kitchen utensils may have a life span lasting over 100 years!!! That’s huge right???

Steel is good but better be cautious about…

Now there are definitely some things that you should keep in mind to get the best out of your stainless steel goodies:

As said, a pure stainless steel range kitchen utensil tends to develop hot spots and that you can use metals like copper and aluminum as a workaround for this issue. Not only does it help in uniform diffusion of heat but also minimize sticking of food to base of utensils and help making food tastier by uniformly heating it.

One big “No No” with stainless steel range kitchen utensils is storing food in it. You may temporarily use it for storage purpose, however any long time food storage should be avoided.
And in case you are in love with your new stainless steel set that you have purchased this Christmas, then avoid using abrasives or just about anything harsh with your utensils. We’ll take the cleaning of stainless steel range products in greater detail soon. For now, just be careful while you wash off you utensils.

Before you set out for buying, take a note of…

Stainless steel range kitchen utensils come in different variants of shape, size, stainless steel composition, weight, appearance, etc. Now the one you are going to buy should not entirely depend on the purpose but also the medium and the environment that you are going to cook your food in. In case you cook most of your food in oven, then you can do with cheaper stainless steel stuff that may be heavy or may have the issue of developing hotspots. As inside the oven walls, uniform distribution of heat is taken care by the oven. In case you are using cook tops, the you definitely need to have the best in class 18/10 grade stainless steel range utensil with thick bottom made of copper or aluminum that can diffuse heat well.

One more factor that affects your purchase is the number of people that you are going to cater on a day to day basis. People who leave without families may not be so insistent on quick heating and ease of cleaning, but when you need to cook for a family of four or more on a daily basis, you definitely need to have these features in. For professional chefs… no comments, as they can best judge what they actually require.

For the health conscious ones…

Across the world, Stainless steel range kitchen utensils are hailed for their hygiene and inertness and thus they are the most preferred choice for healthy cooking.

Now taking one at a time, Hygiene factor is being taken care of by the tough stainless steel surface that is resistant to scratches. The problem with scratches are that they are home for microbes and unhealthy bacteria. As a user we can also do our bit by not cleaning the utensils with rough objects and abrasives or ammonia.

Coming to inertness, the Stainless steel range kitchen utensils are not all that inert. However we can take a look at following before we jump into any conclusions:

Iron: There is always some amount of Iron that dissolves in food while cooking. However, It is beneficial for our body as it helps in production of RBCs in our body. Also, it just constitutes for less than 20% of our daily iron intake and thus it’s totally harmless.

Chromium: It also beneficial in small quantities, i.e. somewhere around 50 to 200 micrograms per day. And guess what each meal prepared in a stainless steel pot gives somewhere around 40 to 45 micrograms of chromium and that is not at all a concern.

Nickel: It is the most poisonous metal, but once again it’s just too less in amount. However, people allergic to nickel should better avoid using stainless steel range kitchen utensils altogether.

While buying your utensils, you should be extremely careful of the fact that it’s the inner surface of the pot that matters and not the outer surface. When I said that Aluminum helps to diffuse heat better, I did not make a mention of the fact that it can be extremely dangerous to health as it accumulates cumulatively. So we should take care to make sure that it’s actually the steel base in the inner surface and not the aluminum.

Finally…

Nothing more!!! I am not left with anything else to talk about and I’ll switch off!!! But will definitely revert back soon with some more quality stuff on stainless steel range.

Stainless Steel Range Gas Grills - Cooking redefined

2009-05-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Kitchen is one place that’s so close to us, as long as you know how to cook! And even if you don’t, just reconfirm it from your mom!!! So the blog on stainless steel range had to start off from the application of stainless steel in Kitchen.

For those who have never been to kitchen...

Gas grills are constituted of a grill box, burners, stainless steel cooking grates and a hood at the top. That sounds like a complete package isn’t it? It’s not over here, the latest gas grills are now armed with electronic ignition with a facility for temperature control. The fact is many people in India are accustomed to those two burner gas stoves which are sufficient for preparing meals for a family of four or even six. But gas grills are now fast catching up, for their added utilities such as roasting along with cooking. And amongst the various types of grills present in market, gas grills have emerged as winners owing to its efficiency imparted from the fact that the food is kept directly over the source of heat. Also, the overall control that a cook can get on cooking is way better in Gas grills than its charcoal and electrical counterparts. The gas grills usually use natural gas or propane as a source of fuel.

Why a Gas Grill from stainless steel range?

Before you think I am trying to hit a sales pitch here, FYI, the blog is not connected to any of the stainless steel range retailers online or offline. The very purpose of the blog is to make customers more aware of how stainless steel range of products are placed and helping them do a nice research so that they get the best value for money. Enough said, lets get to point...
The stainless steel qualities such as durability, ability to retain its property over large temperature range and at high temperatures, resist rust and get quickly heated makes it the best contender for gas grills than its counterparts in the form of cast iron and Aluminium. That said, gas grills that have burners made from cast stainless steel are the most efficient, also the inner oven walls should be made of stainless steel in case sturdiness is desired.

When you buy, beware of getting “grilled”...

Now, when you are off for buying a stainless steel range gas grill, you should actually buy one from true stainless steel range and not the ones which have parts made of inferior metals like cast iron, etc. Well this may sound a good bargain to start off with, but in long run it turns out to be costlier than you have actually imagined. Always remember, an expensive stainless steel range gas grill of higher quality will be more value for money, especially when you take maintenance along with speed and efficiency into consideration.

Thus as an informed buyer, you should make sure that the metal used is stainless steel, which in turn will decide the life span of your gas grill and thus your investment. However a notable thing here is not all stainless steel grills are same stuff, so figuring out the best could be quite some task. However a heavy gauge material and folded or for that matter reinforced edges are the signs of a good make.

Things about burners that you should keep in mind...

The quality of heating elements is vital for making cooking a pleasure in addition you should insist for high quality knobs. Off the track, one should also take a keen interest in the quality of burner. Ideally a cast stainless steel burner does the trick, but a stainless steel range gas grill with brass burners just forms an enviable combination. One more feature associated with burners is to get from simmering mode to rapid boil mode in a fraction of time compared to other burners. A quality that cannot be right away tested, but can off course for asked for. Going on a technical front, just for your information, the perfect simmering temperature ranges between somewhere around 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Also to avoid the ignition issues, you can always ask for electronic ignition, the one that reignites automatically in case it gets extinguished while cooking or a spark ignition (am not sure of the terminology here) that ignites as you turn the knob on. Knobs like this would definitely keep your ignition woos on the bay.

What more?

Well I understand its too much of tips at one go, but then I need to live up to a promise I just made... making you aware and getting you the best value for you money. So there I go on further factors that you should keep in mind as you shop for this stainless steel heavy weight.

The cooking surface that suits you best...

On a stainless steel range gas grill, cooking surface is generally created of one or more removable grates; the thickness of which varies. In this case the decision is taken based on you requirements and how you would love to cook it up.

Size it up...

This is definitely a concern in case you are not a Hollywood or a Bollywood superstar living in a bungalow that can accommodate one full village. You definitely need to figure out the space that you will have in hand to fit your super griller in!

No. of burners...

This is again a matter of what you require, for four or lesser number of people you would not require stainless steel range gas with more than two burners. And you can expand from here on based on your requirements.

Last of all you may also want to take a brief look at the accessories that these grills come along with. To name a few, Consoles, Shelves , side burner and rotisseries. You may choose them based on how well you are able to connect yourself with the requirements of these stuffs.

Well, that is what you actually call a guide. I think you owe me for taking so much pain to put down so much in black and white. And please pardon my English. I am into too much of slang English, so I have tried my level best to make it suitable for larger audience.lol
Well, much more is yet to come, just remain hooked on stainless steel range....

Stainless Steel Range- The "Did You Know" facts

2009-05-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know!!!

Stainless steel is also known as ‘inox’
Stainless steel was discovered more than 70 yrs back
Stainless Steel has Nickel, which is poisonous in nature (now before you fall off your bed, the amount of Nickel in Stainless Steel is too less to actually effect our health, I was just scaring you)

On a serious note...

Stainless steel range of products has always been an essential part of life. Right from the handy screw that bolts the hinge with the door to the mighty bars on which our sweet home stands, the stainless steel range products are omnipresent. But how many of us are really bothered to find out what stainless steel actually is?

Knowing your metal!

A metal that is so well knitted with our lives has some of the properties that sets its apart from its counterparts. But before going into details of features of stainless steel range products, let us quickly find out the types of Stainless steel and their compositions:
There are different types of Stainless Steel based on the composition. But before we get into too much of Chemistry, the two major types of steel are ferritic and austenitic. The differentiation is done based on the percentage composition Carbon, Chromium and Nickel. The austenitic stainless steel has nickel and a greater amount of Chromium compared to Ferratic stainless steel. Talking of quality in terms of corrosion resistance, durability and strength, the Austenitic steel is a clear winner. Austenitic steel, also known as 300 series comprises of more than seventy percent of steel production.

Why use Stainless Steel Range of products:

The answer to this question is this full blog. The stainless steel can be tailor made for the purpose it is meant to serve but in nutshell, the reasons for using stainless steel range of products are:

It offers a high resistance to heat and fire. Thus finding application in cooking utensils. To top it, stainless steel is a good conductor of heat, there by minimising heat losses incurred during cooking.
Corrosion Resistance: Corrosion is measured by the decrease in thickness of metal every year. Corrosion is characterised by rough greenish layer on the surface of metals. Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion.
The strength-weight parity: The Stainless steel range of products offers a good strength and durability owing to its composition without imparting much weight to the product.
Ease with which the Stainless steel can be fabricated is definitely much better than other metals. The alloy can be easily welded, cut, machined easily.
Stainless steel range of utensils also takes care of hygiene owing to its inertness and thus finds application in kitchen, hospitals and food processing industry.
High toughness and Impact resistance from high temperature to a very low temperature.
Cost vs Time equation: The amount invested on Stainless steel may at first look feel too much, but when compared with other metals in terms of total life that Stainless steel range products have, the cost factors out to be the cheapest of all metals.

There is much more to stainless steel and its range of products. We’ll take a look at them at a greater detail as we deal with various applications of Stainless steel range of products.

Application of Stainless Steel Range of products:
Home & Garden
Home Appliances
Both Austenitic and Ferretic breeds of steel can be used for Home Appliances and Kitchen wares. These alloys not only impart Durability to the appliances, but also provide a longevity to it.
Home Improvement
Whether it be an outdated kitchen or a depleted roof top, Stainless Steel Range of products find its application just about anywhere and every where.
Cookware
Knives and cooking utensils are mostly made from Austenitic steel owing to properties such as toughness, resistance to scaling and heating at high temperature. The toughness to austenitic steel is provided by the subjecting it to heat and cold alternatively.
High quality knives usually have higher carbon content with traces of molybdenum and vanadium in their composition.

Industries
Construction & Maintenance
Construction Industry can not survive without stainless steel range of bars. However the composition of steel used for construction material is much different and is out of scope of the blog.

Metals & Mining

Food & Drink
Canned foods and beverages make extensive use of Stainless steel cans and containers. Primarily it’s the Austenitic steel that finds use in this industry as it is corrosion resistant and easy to clean

Automotive
Stainless steel range of products used for Auto Parts should are required to show resistance to changes in the environments they are deployed to. Stainless steel is chosen in auto parts due to their properties such as corrosion resistance, ability to retain its properties over various ranges of temperature, ability to absorb energy and high temperature oxidation. Once again, Austenitic and Ferretic are the two most used breeds for almost all the auto parts purpose.

In my following posts, I’ll take you through some of the must know properties of Stainless steel range of products before you buy them, why buy them and how to take care of them...
Remain tuned!!!

Privacy Policy

2009-05-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

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