Many apartment kitchens are equipped with gas stoves, but you might come across some with electric stoves. These stoves can often be found in partial kitchens and are easy to use, but there are a few things you should know before getting started. If your first apartment’s electric stove is the first you’re ever using, below, learn how to get used to it.
Be careful not to burn yourself
Since gas stoves use a fire and electric stoves don’t, the latter may seem innocuous. However, electric stoves can also reach extremely high temperatures. Some electric stoves have “hot surface” indicator lights to warn you when the surface is hot, whether during or shortly after cooking. 
While you’re cooking with an electric stove, it’s safer not to lean over the stove. You should also carefully place your pots and pans on the burner so its handles aren’t hanging off the side to prevent them from possibly knocking over. Lastly, turn off the stove when it’s not in use – forgetting to do so is easier when there’s no visible flame.
Preheat your burners
Electric stoves can get very hot, but it can take several minutes for a burner to properly heat up. In fact, some electric stoves take up to 15 minutes to heat. That’s why you should preheat your stove while you’re prepping your ingredients.
To properly preheat your electric stove, place your pot or pan on the burner, add any cooking oil or water you need, then turn the burner on. By the time your ingredients are prepped, your stovetop should be properly preheated.
Use two burners
Electric stoves take a longer time for the temperature to adjust compared to gas stoves. Since electric stoves are slow to change temperature, you may want to use two burners while cooking.
This need comes into play with recipes that require you to start with high heat but then reduce to a simmer. If you use one burner, your food might get burnt during this transition. However, if you use two burners, you can transfer your food from one burner to another to maintain a more consistent, even temperature and properly cook your food.
Keep the lid on while cooking
While you’re cooking in your apartment’s kitchen, keeping the lid on your pots and pans while cooking is especially important for dealing with the temperature concerns of an electric stove. Covering your food while it cooks will prevent heat from escaping, allowing you to cook your food more evenly. Additionally, you can substantially speed up your cooking time when you use a lid for dishes that require a long amount of time to cook.
Clean it using special materials
One great thing about electric stoves is that they can be easily cleaned. To start, rub down your electric stove with a sponge soaked in warm soapy water. If grease buildup remains after this rubdown, you can clean it with a scraper and glass cooktop cleaner. After you clean your burners, use a paper towel or a soft cloth to wipe them. The goal is a dry surface with no grease or streaks.
Have you seen any additional tips for using an electric stove? Share them in the comments!
