Stove (disambiguation) facts for kids

A stove is a useful machine that makes heat. People use stoves for many things, like cooking food or keeping a house warm. They are a very important part of homes and kitchens all over the world. Stoves have changed a lot over time, from simple fires to modern electric or gas appliances.

What is a Stove?

A stove is a device that creates and controls heat. It usually has a closed space where fuel burns, or where electricity heats up elements. This heat can then be used for different purposes. For example, a stove can boil water, bake cookies, or warm up a room on a cold day.

How Stoves Work

Most stoves work by using energy to create heat. This energy can come from burning things like wood, coal, or natural gas. It can also come from electricity. When the fuel burns or the electric elements heat up, they make the stove hot. This heat then transfers to whatever you are trying to warm, like a pot on the stovetop or the air in a room.

Parts of a Stove

While different stoves look very different, many share common parts. A cooking stove often has a flat top with burners for pots and pans, and an oven underneath for baking. Heating stoves usually have a firebox where fuel is placed, and a chimney to let out smoke. All stoves need a way to control the heat, like knobs or digital controls.

Types of Stoves

There are many different kinds of stoves, each designed for a special job. Some are made for cooking, while others are just for heating.

Kitchen Stoves

A kitchen stove is a common appliance found in almost every home. It is used for preparing meals.

• Cooktop: This is the top part of the stove where you place pots and pans. It can have gas burners that use flames, or electric burners that glow red when hot.
• Oven: Below the cooktop, there is usually an oven. This is a closed box that gets very hot inside. It is used for baking things like cakes, roasting vegetables, or cooking casseroles.

Kitchen stoves can run on different types of energy:

• Gas Stoves: These stoves use natural gas or propane. They have open flames that you can see. Many chefs like gas stoves because they can change the heat level very quickly.
• Electric Stoves: These stoves use electricity. They have heating coils or flat ceramic surfaces that get hot. They are often easy to clean and can be very precise with temperature.
• Induction Stoves: These are a newer type of electric stove. They use magnetism to heat only the pot itself, not the cooktop. This makes them very safe and energy-efficient, but you need special pots and pans.

Wood-Burning Stoves

A wood-burning stove is a special type of stove used to heat a room or a whole house. It burns wood as fuel.

• How they work: You put logs of wood inside a metal box, called a firebox. When the wood burns, it creates a lot of heat. This heat warms up the metal stove, which then radiates warmth into the room.
• Chimney: Wood-burning stoves need a chimney to carry the smoke and gases safely out of the house.
• Benefits: Many people enjoy wood-burning stoves because they provide a cozy warmth and can be a good way to save on heating costs if wood is available. They also look nice and can be a focal point in a room.

Other Kinds of Stoves

Besides kitchen and wood-burning stoves, there are other types:

• Camping Stoves: These are small, portable stoves used for cooking outdoors. They often use small gas canisters as fuel and are great for making hot meals when camping or hiking.
• Pellet Stoves: Similar to wood-burning stoves, but they burn small, compressed pellets made from wood waste. They are often more efficient and easier to use than traditional wood stoves.
• Coal Stoves: In some places, stoves that burn coal are still used for heating. Coal burns hotter and longer than wood.

Safety Tips for Stoves

Stoves get very hot, so it is important to use them safely.

• Always have an adult supervise when using a stove.
• Be careful not to touch hot surfaces. Use oven mitts or pot holders.
• Keep flammable things like curtains, paper, or towels away from the stove.
• Make sure there is good airflow around heating stoves and that chimneys are clean.
• If you smell gas, tell an adult right away and open windows.

See also

• In Spanish: Estufa para niños
• All pages with titles containing "Stove (disambiguation)"