Back in my “hippy days” my first wife and I lived, for four years, in a Ferro-cement dome-house-----a quarter of a mile off the main road----without electricity. Our means of cooking and heating the home was a stove much like the one pictured on the left. You could cook just about anything with the thing----there was just a significant “learning curve” is all. One safety concern that often gets overlooked with kitchen ranges is making sure that the surface of the range is higher than the surrounding countertops----especially when those countertops are made of materials that will burn and/or melt. The idea is that if the top of the stove is lower than the adjacent countertops any big pots or pans that extend past the edge of the stove can come in contact with the countertop surface (as can be seen in the picture below). This next picture shows a gas stove. One can see where the flames have spread out under a large pot or frying pan and have charred the countertop. Charles Buell
Kitchen ranges have always had safety issues associated with them----whether they were old style wood or coal burning units or modern gas and electric units.
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Wow - never noticed this in a home before - but doesn't mean it hasn't been present - interesting. You catch the things most of us overlook, Charles!
Debi
Nice call, Charles. While I have found it uncommon in stock cabinetry (unless the counter top is shimmed too high), I have seen some custom cabinets that are taller than stock for the comfort of the taller individual. The builder or handyman needed to exercise a bit more "big picture" thinking. Could you imagine the lawsuit if the house burned?
Rich
Good catch on a critical issue Charles. Another case of common sense being in short supply.
Charles, I also had never thought of nor had noticed this before! Thanks again for the great information!
Debi, this is one I probably miss on occasion----it happens a lot more than one might think---if the stove just gets slapped in the opening without lowering the feet at all.
Rich, custom heights often create problems
Frank---without a huge over sized pot around----most people would just look at how nice the top looks:)
Tony & Darcy, thanks----and keep looking.
Mr Charles,
When I think of home on the range, I have a totally different perspective.
Nutsy, your buddy
Nutsy you are probably thinking more "rotisserie" than "range"
Charles and Steven-
We should move out to the northwest, you still have a sense of humor:)
RE
Rich, I think that is ALL we have out here :)
Good stuff Charles. I've never thought about this.
Reuben there is this community kitchen I work at sometimes----I will try to get a picture of the counter-top next to the big commercial gas range there----the Corian top looks like a burned and melted marshmallow.
I'll bet that learning curve had a lot of movement to it! And charring a counter top gives it more character.
Jay, for sure---cooking on these old stoves requires LOTS of movement :)
Charle,
Let's be honest here. There is a community kitchen you dine at three meals a day, seven days a week. You do not work there....you inhabit the place.
Steve, it could happen I suppose---but so far it is just a figment of your imagination.