BEST WAYS TO DETECT ENAMEL COATING ON STOVE GRATES
For every gas stove, the grates are considered to be the most important thing. They are used to help you to cook on a heavy utensil without scratching or damaging your gas cooktop. The majority of the gas stove grater are either cast iron or enameled coated.
Both of these types of grates have alike but have their own attributes. Therefore, sometimes it can become difficult for you to differentiate them.
But need not worry, here in this article, we have tried to provide the best possible ways to help you tell if your gas stove grate is enamel coated or not:
You can easily check if your gas stove grates are enamel coated or not with these 8 Methods:
- By checking if it feels smooth on touching;
- If the stove grate is rusted or not;
- Changing its color to grey;
- Feel greasy upon touch after washing;
- Have chips or crack on its coating;
- The grate is sticking to the magnet;
- Check in the manual;
- Call the manufacturing company of your gas stove
Keep on reading to have a detailed guide about how to check the enamel coating available on your stove grates.
One of the best approaches to understanding whether the gas stove grate is enamel coated or otherwise is to check it by rubbing on it. When rubbed with fingers if you feel the grates to be smooth and slight sheen with a soft luster on a surface then your stove grates are enamel coated.
Stove grates are coated with enamel to protect them from rust. So, if your gas stove grates are old and there is rust on them, then they are only cast-iron grates without any coating of enamel.
If your gas stove grates have changed their color to grey, then they are also not enamel coated.
The discoloration from black to grey happens only in stove grates without enamel coating due to oxidation and rough scrubbing.
Another thing you can do to check the enamel coating on your stove grates is by washing with hot soapy water along with a scrubbing pad.
If they are greasy in essence that you can feel the smoothness on your gas stove grates then these are enamel coated. Because coating makes grates less frictional and greasy.
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A sturdy porcelain enamel coating is applied to stove grates. Porcelain is easy to clean, however, dropping them can cause a crack on them.
Moreover, the sudden temperature change on stove grates from hot to cold and vice versa does also cause this kind of chip or crack.
If there are these types of cracks or chips then your stove grates are enamel coated.
You can check whether your stove grates are enamel coated or not with the help of a magnet. The cast iron grates are conducive with resistance close to 0 Ohms. While on the other hand, the enamel is an insulator with almost infinite resistance.
So, with the help of a magnet that you use to stick the paper on a fridge or magnetizing needle, you can check it easily. Just place it on stove grates if its sticks, it’s not enameled surface and if it doesn’t then there’s a film of enamel on your stove grates.
You can also check on the manual whether your cooktop’s grates are enamel coated or not. If you do not have the manual then you can download it online by searching for your cooktop’s Make and Model.
Sometimes, the manual for a certain type of cooktop cannot be found online. Therefore, the best approach in this regard is to call the manufacturing company of your gas stove makers and ask them if your stove grates are enamel by telling them the make and model of your cooktop.
There are many advantages of preferring an enamel gas stove grate over a cast iron one, but the basics of them are stated below:
They can be cleaned easily just with the help of a scrub and a detergent solution. Not only this but the enameled coated grates can also be used in the dishwasher without any fear of damaging them.
Since stove grates are coated with enamel to save them from rust and erosion this adds further to their life and makes them long-lasting and durable.
Other than its two major pros, another good thing about enamel stove grates is that they look stylish and beautiful on cooktops as compared to cast iron grates.
Their matte-like texture adds further glamor to your kitchen.
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To help you have a clear view of the subject, the first thing is to understand what enamel coating is. Enamel can be described as a glassy, and typically opaque substance used as a coating layer for protection and decoration on metal, glass, and ceramic items.
Enamel is usually and majorly uses for coatings; however, this material may also be used for varnishes and paints.
It dries to a firm, glossy finish with an enamel-like appearance and a dazzling sheen.
This ceramic coating is applied to the metals, usually to enhance their beauty and make them colorful & glossy-smooth.
Therefore, whenever you touch it, you can feel them be having a ‘velvety texture’.
A sturdy porcelain enamel coating is applied to stove grates. Porcelain is easy to clean, however, dropping them can cause a crack on them.
Moreover, the sudden temperature change on stove grates from hot to cold and vice versa does also cause this kind of chip or crack.
If there are these types of cracks or chips then your stove grates are enamel coated.
You can check whether your stove grates are enamel coated or not with the help of a magnet. The cast iron grates are conducive with resistance close to 0 Ohms. While on the other hand, the enamel is an insulator with almost infinite resistance.
So, with the help of a magnet that you use to stick the paper on a fridge or magnetizing needle, you can check it easily. Just place it on stove grates if its sticks, it’s not enameled surface and if it doesn’t then there’s a film of enamel on your stove grates.
Porcelain enamel, also known as vitreous enamel, is a substance created by burning powdered glass to a substrate at temperatures ranging from 750 to 850 degrees Celsius (1,380 to 1,560 degrees Fahrenheit).
The powder melts, flows, and hardens to a smooth, long-lasting vitreous coating that may be applied as a liquid or powder and fused to metal substrates such as mild steel, cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum, or copper.
Raw cast irons are black and matte in appearance, their unseasoned surfaces are rough to the touch. Hence, to increase their durability and longevity grates are furnished with enamel coating so they can be protected from getting rust when cooking and washing.
No, enamel coating cannot be taken off that easily and it won’t be scratched off just with a fingernail. However, if you use a metal tool then it can scratch the enamel off.
Finding whether your gas stove grate is enamel coated or not is very easy with the above-mentioned steps you can either check with one method or can also try all of them that is up to you.
Hope it helped!