Kitchen Range Question

[RedAngie]

Earlier this evening House Hunters International was in Thailand, and the U.S. couple were disappointed to learn than most apartments there only had a two-burner stove.

That got me thinking......do I really NEED more than two burners???

I have a 5-burner gas range with a double oven, but it's rare that I use more than two burners at once. And maybe two or three times a year I use both ovens simultaneously.


Not my kitchen, but I have the same range.

Does anybody actually use all the burners at once? Even at Thanksgiving?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Earlier this evening House Hunters International was in Thailand, and the U.S. couple were disappointed to learn than most apartments there only had a two-burner stove.

That got me thinking......do I really NEED more than two burners???

I have a 5-burner gas range with a double oven, but it's rare that I use more than two burners at once. And maybe two or three times a year I use both ovens simultaneously.


Not my kitchen, but I have the same range.

Does anybody actually use all the burners at once? Even at Thanksgiving?

Yes. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, boiling water (for coffee/tea), some other veggie (usually corn). Big family, lots of food for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.

Meanwhile the double oven has turkey, ham, and tofurkey.

 

[tcufrog]

I unfortunately have to share a kitchen with my mother-in-law and she cooks her own dinner every night for cultural and religious reasons. We don't use all 5 at once because the cooktop would get too crowded but having 5 enables us to spread out our pans enough to fit what we're both cooking on there at the same time.

 

[Elle23]

I usually just use 2. I have an electric skillet I use if I need to. The back 2 burners just aren't big enough.

Tonight I made chicken alfredo. I cooked the pasta on one big burner, the sauce on the other big burner, and cooked the chicken in my electric skillet. Worked great.

 

[jevs]

I have a 4 burner and I think the most I've ever used at one time is 3.

I'd LOVE a double oven though.

 

[wenrob]

My previous stove and this one both have five burners. It's not so much that you need five at once but that different burners are for different things. The big one for "power boil," a regular size, a small for simmering, a tiny one to just keep things hot and the center is usually used for the grill plate. I might only have two pans/pots going but I'll often switch them to the simmer and warm burners as I go.

 

[fly girl]

I use 3 quite frequently: big skillet for chicken meal, pot for pasta/rice, and one for sautéing vegetables.

I really can't remember (other than holidays) using more.

 

[mnrose]

I use three fairly often. Large pan for a meat product, medium fry pan for potatoes/rice and a sauce pan for veggies.

 

[design_mom]

I rarely use more than 2, but I also have an electric skillet that I frequently use on the countertop. At my MIL's house, she has a 5-burner stove/double oven in the kitchen and a "kitchenette" in their basement with an additional 4 burners/single oven. I've seen her have stuff on/in ALL of them at Thanksgiving.

 

[alex9179]

With a gas cooktop, the burners usually have different ranges. One or two will have a higher BTU output for quick/hot cooking. One will be better for holding a simmer with low output. So, function is a consideration.

To answer your question, no I don't. Normally I use 1-2, occasionally 3. Very rarely 4 but when I want it I'm glad for it! I had a 5 hob, 36 inch, radiant heat (hated it) and went to a 4 hob, 30 inch, induction when the former started to malfunction. I don't regret it, at all.
Having 5 on a 30 inch slide-in range isn't ideal because the footprint isn't as usable as a drop-in cooktop, which is often wider. You run out of room if your pans are large.

Two ovens, though, I love. I have a moderate sized wall oven and a Breville smart oven. Both are used frequently. I like that the smaller one heats up quickly, it's convenient for the kids to use, and great for heating leftovers. I can cook two pizzas at once if one is 12 in or less and it's handy for a side/casserole dish when my main oven is in use. It's also my "warming drawer".

 

[tvguy]

Yes. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, boiling water (for coffee/tea), some other veggie (usually corn). Big family, lots of food for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.

Meanwhile the double oven has turkey, ham, and tofurkey.

Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas baking, and Christmas dinner are about the only times we use more than 2 burners. DW manages to do the turkey, ham and tofurkey in our single oven.

 

[tvguy]

Earlier this evening House Hunters International was in Thailand, and the U.S. couple were disappointed to learn than most apartments there only had a two-burner stove.

I watched one episode, don't recall if it was in Italy or Spain, renters there have to have their own oven/stove. No appliances are included in apartments normally. No fridge either.

 

[prprincess]

I have a five burner and I used two burners and the oven at the same time the other night. I even thought to myself that it was odd since, at the most, I only use two burners.

 

[soccerdad72]

I frequently use at least three burners. Last night, as an example, I had a pot of soup on one, a grill pan for steaks and another pan for potato pancakes.

 

[mickeyboat]

I keep reading the thread title as "Kitchen Rage." I could definitely comment on that topic.

 

[Squirlz]

Rarely use more than one.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Earlier this evening House Hunters International was in Thailand, and the U.S. couple were disappointed to learn than most apartments there only had a two-burner stove.

That got me thinking......do I really NEED more than two burners???

I have a 5-burner gas range with a double oven, but it's rare that I use more than two burners at once. And maybe two or three times a year I use both ovens simultaneously.


Not my kitchen, but I have the same range.

Does anybody actually use all the burners at once? Even at Thanksgiving?

Well on that one, one cannot use all 5 at once because a griddle on the center burner would block the other four. I rarely use all four at once but do use them all frequently. Mine has a very small burner for sauces and gravy and the like up to a very large one for larger frying pans. Even on Thanksgiving, different things use the burners at different times so no. I'm not using all four at once even then.

One of my Girlfriends when I was young was Thai and the way she cooked, she'd never need more than two. Usually she'd need just one.

 

[powellrj]

I have a four burner and I often have all 4 going at once. Potatoes, gravy and 2 vegetables.

 

[leebee]

When we bought our house, it came with an old JennAir stove that has a griddle set-up on the left (which I never used) and 2 burners on the right. I used it this way for years, juggling pots and pans around. We finally bought the 2-burner insert to replace the griddle, and guess what? I hardly EVER use them! Nice to have them, but rarely used. I guess you grow accustomed to using whatever you have.

 

[ronandannette]

Earlier this evening House Hunters International was in Thailand, and the U.S. couple were disappointed to learn than most apartments there only had a two-burner stove.

That got me thinking......do I really NEED more than two burners???

I have a 5-burner gas range with a double oven, but it's rare that I use more than two burners at once. And maybe two or three times a year I use both ovens simultaneously.


Not my kitchen, but I have the same range.

Does anybody actually use all the burners at once? Even at Thanksgiving?

All.The.Time. Unless we're bbq'ing or having a roast, I've always got the protein sauntering, poaching or braising on the stove-top and at least 2 sides going as well. And don't even get me started on juggling all the pans for bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns and pancakes...