Nowadays, electric stoves are widely used. They are commonly used in almost every household. They are very useful as they remove the harmful material of a gas cylinder.
They are a part of modernization. From using wood to make fires for cooking to using electricity to cook food we have come a long way. Electric stoves are low maintenance but since they are related to electricity it is important to know the suitable voltage.
So here arises a question which confuses many people who prefer this method of cooking. Are electric stoves 110 or 220 volts?
If you have the same confusion you are at the right place. Here is everything you need to know regarding the voltage of electric stoves.
Are electric stoves 110 or 220 volts?
220 volts is the most common and suitable voltage of electric stoves. However, 110 volts of electric stoves can also be easily found. The 220 volts has greater performance compared to the 110 volts electric stove. It is highly encouraged to use the 220 volts electric stove.
The 220 volts stove is capable of generating more power over a short period which allows it to produce and balance heat very quickly. The 220 volts are multi-functional. They have the space and capacity to accommodate larger cooking appliances.
However, some people may be required to purchase the 110 volts due to the 110 volts current in their kitchen. But, this problem can be fixed by installing an outlet for the electric stove.
The 220 volts are more efficient and less time-consuming. 30 inches is the standard size for an electric stove. They are mostly installed in kitchens along with an electric oven.
30 inches electric stoves can accommodate large cooking appliances. The 30 inches 220-volt electric stove is the most ideal size and range for an electric stove.
It has the perfect power range and it does not consume too much space while accommodating necessary cooking appliances.
Do they make a 110 electric stove?
Yes, they do make a 110 volts electric stove. This is because in some kitchens the electric circuit is designed to be only capable of producing 110 volts.
If you plug in a 220 volts electric stove into a 110 volts circuit, it will cause serious damage. The wires will burn and it can also cause a great shock and catch fire.
Hence, some people are unable to install the 220 volts electric stove in their kitchen. Even though the 110 volts is less efficient and functional than the 220 volts but it can easily be used for general cooking.
The 110 absorbs less power and generates less heat. It might be more time-consuming to cook on a 110 volts electric stove.
However, it serves the purpose well. The 110 is also used pretty commonly even though the usage of 220 volts is more encouraged.
Do electric stoves require 220?
The 220 volts electric stoves require 220 volts. The 110 volts electric stove requires only 110 volts.
Some kitchens are designed to only have circuits that produce 110 volts this is why some people need to use the 110 volts stove instead of the 220 volts.
If a 220 volts electric stove gets plugged into a 110 electric volt socket, the consequences are dreadful. A short circuit can take place which will lead to catching fire.
Most of the stoves are 220 volts so they require a special outlet which can produce 220 volts. It can be installed in your kitchen. Be careful not to plug in a 200 volts electric stove into a 110 volts outlet.
So to be precise a 200 volts stove requires a special outlet that produces 200 volts whereas the 110 volts can function with the normal outlets.
What voltage does an electric stove use?
An electric stove most commonly uses between 220-240 volts. However, due to the inability of most circuits to produce 240 volts, there are also electric stoves designed to function between 110-120 volts.
It is advised to install a special outlet that will produce 240 volts because they are more efficient than the 120 ones.
The 220-240 volts stove absorbed more power quickly and generates more heat and balances it for a small period, making it very efficient and less time-consuming.
On the other hand, the 110 volt is less efficient in absorbing power and generating heat. The houses are needed to be wired with split phase 240 and a center-tapped neutral.
This way the 240 volts electric stove can be used easily as it will receive sufficient power to generate heat properly with the help of the specially designed output circuit.
How do you tell if an electric stove is 110 or 220?
There are ways to differentiate between 110 volts and 220 volts electric stove in case it is not mentioned properly or you have doubts regarding getting scammed.
There are both major and minor differences which are discussed below to help you.
Wire:
The 220 outlet is different than the 110 volts outlet as it is larger and is usually brown or black.
The 220 volts stove consists of two hot wires and a neutral wire. This means it can absorb more heat and also convention takes place. The hot wires are red and black.
On the other hand, the 110 volts outlet has only one hot wire and it is colored black. It is very easy to comprehend this difference.
Slots:
The 220 volts are designed to have 3 to 4 slots in the plug. It contains a ground wire which provides extra protection from short circuits and getting injured severely.
The 110 volts does not have the ground wire, it contains 2 slots to complete the circuit. The slots of the 220 volts are designed either at an angle creating a small triangle or horizontally and vertically.
Outlet:
The 110 volts contain a duplex outlet which is installed in pairs as it does not take up much power.
On the other hand, 220 volts have single outlets due to the huge power consumption.
You can easily differentiate by looking at the plugs and outlets. It will clearly show the differences between a 110 and 220 volts electric stove.
Can you convert a 220 stove to 110 or vice versa? How to?
We may often need to adjust between 220 volts and 110 volts. It is possible to convert a 220 stove to 110 and a 110 volts outlet to 220. Some outlets are designed to produce both 110 and 220 volts for users to easily switch between them and control the current consumption.
It is strongly forbidden to plug a 220 volts stove directly into a 110-degree outlet as there will be severe consequences. The outlet will not be able to take the pressure and a short circuit will take place and it may also catch fire.
By following these steps the conversion is possible.
Connecting it to a transformer:
The first step of converting a 220 volt into a 110 volt would be connecting it to a transformer. The transformer needs to be of the same or higher wattage than the stove or else it will not work.
Required to get plugged:
The AC transformer is then required to get plugged into the 110 volts outlet.
There are misconceptions regarding this process. But, it is simple enough as we cannot change the internal mechanisms of a wire.
Plug the 220 volts appliance:
Now you can simply plug the 220 volts appliance into the outlet of the transformer. Now you can easily convert your 220 volts to 110 volts and use it without any risk.
It is possible to do it vice versa as well. It is strongly advised to use professional help from an electrician.
Is there an electric range that runs on a 110 outlet?
Yes, there is an electric range that runs on a 110 outlet. They are very common. However, they don’t serve the purposes of 220 volts appliances.
For example, a kitchen might consist of two burners and an oven. It will not be possible to run them all at the same time due to the 110 outlet range.
On the other hand, the ranges that are solely designed for 110 volts are easily compatible with the 110 volts outlet.
For example a hotplate. A hotplate has two burners that can be used for portable cooking and is easily compatible with the range of 110 volts outlet.
Final thoughts
To sum up, there are both 110 and 220 volts of electric stoves. The 220 volts are most commonly used and are more efficient. They absorb more power than the 110 volts and generate more heat and keep a good balance. 110 volts are also common for households with 110 outlets.