Brief History Of The Kitchen Stove
With the invention of central heating there was no need for the house to be heated by an oven. This led to the creation of the stove. A more fuel efficient, reliable and convenient alternative. Previous to this development people were still cooking over open wood fires. The realisation of the amount of fuel wasted by not surrounding the fire added to the need for a more efficient appliance.
The closed door stove came about first in China, Japan and Korea before it travelled to Western part of the world. These stoves were made of clay and were the first to enclose the fire, therefore reducing unnecessary smoke and becoming the most efficient way to retain heat. Before the early 18th century in Europe, people were cooking over open fires fuelled by wood. A construction was made and the fire then built on top of that. Above the fire they would either hang cauldrons or place trivets over the fire to support the weight of the cooking appliance holding the food.
The most common, basic design is the fuel-burning stove, which is still the most commonly used to date. Most commonly heated by gas or electricity, the choice of which fuel is down to preference of the owner. For example, if there is not already a gas supply in the house it would be expensive to get one for only the one appliance, the home owner would choose electricity. Alternatively, professional chefs would choose the gas option as it allows one to control the heat more acutely and quickly. Most modern kitchen stoves are made of two main parts. A heated top, usually split into four small circular sections known as a hob, and of course, an oven underneath. A more simple version known as the cook top, consists of just the hobs and is usually fitted into a counter top in the kitchen.
Be sure to check out our section on countertop ovens!