I have an electric stove in an apartment. The largest burner is smaller than my kettle (not surprising, my kettle is 13.75" in diamter). So when I have the burner on high, the radiating heat basically scorches the stove surface all around the burner. I've tried cleaning it with abrasive cleaner but it's either really baked on there or it literally is cooking the enamel. Does anyone have any suggestions to mitigate this or fix it?
Making beer is wrecking my stove
- Thread starter Calypso
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Schumed
Well-Known Member
buy a turkey fryer and brew outside
Calypso
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Hmm. While I think that's a great idea, the only "outside" my apartment has is a wooden balcony, on which I'm not allowed to have gas, charcoal, or wood-burning cookers. I'm not sure how they'd feel about me setting up shop in the parking lot (plus, then I wouldn't have access to water for my wort chiller).
flars
Well-Known Member
Pick up a stock pot at Walmart. They are usually designed to fit the large element of an electric stove.
That sounds like a defective stove to me, if either the stove or the kettle is damaging the enamel. I've had a few boilovers make a really tricky mess, but never actually damaged the enamel surface itself.
If you're like me, and outside with propane is not an option, then one possible route is to go electric, and build yourself some heat sticks (or go balls to the wall and mount an element to your kettle), and that'll take the load off your stove and probably allow you to boil a larger volume than you are now.
If you're like me, and outside with propane is not an option, then one possible route is to go electric, and build yourself some heat sticks (or go balls to the wall and mount an element to your kettle), and that'll take the load off your stove and probably allow you to boil a larger volume than you are now.
This - along with scaling your operation to the size of the stock pot and cook top. Consider partial mash.
Get something to raise the kettle a little. It will allow more space for the flames to pass keeping them above the stove surface.
He's on an electric stove.
Ah, don't know how I missed that. Maybe it would still help to keep from trapping too much heat against the stove surface.
Though it sounds like the damage is done and it may result in issues with your security deposit, I recommend an induction burner. I can boil 8 gallons easily on a 3500 watt induction burner. The 1800 watt which plugs into a 120 V outlet will handle partial boils. That or heat sticks but you gotta stop using that stove before you ruin it to the point where they make you pay for a new one.
SpeedYellow
Well-Known Member
Why not just put some aluminum foil down underneath your pot? I have a gas stove, but always use aluminum foil just to catch the inevitable boilover. Clean up is a breeze. But if the foil gets too close to the heat source, it WILL char / disintegrate.
Calypso
Well-Known Member
That's a neat idea. My pot is stainless steel, not sure if it's magnetic. But the bigger problem would be getting a 240V connection. Not insurmountable.
I've heard mention of a canning element. Do you think this would help?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YKPAQC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
The problem is the heat actually charring the stovetop (or possibly residual sugar/fat on the stovetop). I don't think aluminum foil would prevent that, but it's definitely worth trying.
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Thedutchtouch
Well-Known Member
Is your stove perfectly clean? I had this happen when I used to put my pot over two (gas) burners and discovered that it wasn't the enamel of the stove it was an almost imperceptible layer of grime that got burnt onto the surface. Scrubbing bubbles and mr clean magic eraser are your friend.
If it actually IS the surface of the stove, I'd call your landlord, tell him you were boiling water and this happened. Express concern that this happened under normal operation (you were using the stovetop as designed, unless there is a time limit that I am not aware of) and it shouldn't come out of your deposit.
Edit:I type too slow! I'd bet its residual grime getting charred. Mine cleaned off with scrubbing bubbles/magic eraser, and soapy 0000 (finest available) steel wool.
If it actually IS the surface of the stove, I'd call your landlord, tell him you were boiling water and this happened. Express concern that this happened under normal operation (you were using the stovetop as designed, unless there is a time limit that I am not aware of) and it shouldn't come out of your deposit.
Edit:I type too slow! I'd bet its residual grime getting charred. Mine cleaned off with scrubbing bubbles/magic eraser, and soapy 0000 (finest available) steel wool.
Calypso
Well-Known Member
I'll give that a try, thanks. The steel wool didn't damage the surface?
sputnam
Well-Known Member
had the same problem. i got a skinnier pot
+1 on the Magic Eraser. If the actual enamel is damaged, you might be SOL, and I would agree with the above, say you were boiling water (I did this after blowing a circuit at my old apartment), and make your landlord replace it.
But after many a boilover or other caked on mess, you'd be shocked what a Magic Eraser will take off.
But after many a boilover or other caked on mess, you'd be shocked what a Magic Eraser will take off.
I use the aluminum foil method and 2 pots. One 8 gallon and one 4 gallon one. I made an aluminum foil base that is bigger then the pot with the center folded back to expose the burner. Its not pretty but it works and protects the stove to some degree. Don't really have to worry about boil overs since pot is only a little over half full.
DaNewf
Well-Known Member
I did basically the same thing with an aluminum foil oven liner. I just drew a circle in the middle of that was just barely bigger than the stove element and cut it out. It works pretty well and I've been using the same one for quite a while.
SpeedYellow
Well-Known Member
Oh like a disposable aluminum baking pan with a hole cut into it? That's really clever. I may need to do something similar. $2 well spent!
I had this happen the one and only time I brewed on the stove. It was cleanable, but it was a b*tch. Even though you're not "allowed" to use a burner outside...use a burner outside. Before I moved to my new house with my nice open sided brew shed, I brewed with a Bayou Classic burner on a wood deck with zero issues.
If they say something to you about it: http://youtu.be/ZaqktZ8N0MQ
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If they say something to you about it: http://youtu.be/ZaqktZ8N0MQ
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DoD_Ales
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I was scorching our range and SWMBO was going to kick me outside, midwinter in northern WI. I bought a canning burner off of Amazon which raised the pot higher. It worked very well, way less cleaning.
sumbrewindude
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Magic Eraser and elbow grease should get the stovetop clean.
If you've got an electric stove, you've got more than enough to run the 3500W induction plate, just unplug the stove and then plug in a spiderbox with a 20A breaker/plug and you're in business.
If you've got an electric stove, you've got more than enough to run the 3500W induction plate, just unplug the stove and then plug in a spiderbox with a 20A breaker/plug and you're in business.
Calypso
Well-Known Member
I ordered some Magic Eraser and steel wool (and Oxiclean while I was at it). I'll probably also look at combining a canning burner with some kind of aluminum shield as some of you suggested.
To security deposits!
To security deposits!DaNewf
Well-Known Member
SOS pads and steel wool needs a light touch. Spray the burnt spots with something like VIM or Spray 9 (or other cleaner of choice) let it sit for a few minutes and then gently scrub away. Stop frequently to see how you are doing. Do just enough and don't get aggressive. Now is not the time to work out your frustrations.
My stove top is white and while I'm sure it's covered in micro scratches they don't show up at all. What color is your stove top?
My stove top is white and while I'm sure it's covered in micro scratches they don't show up at all. What color is your stove top?
fuelish
Well-Known Member
I HATE electric stoves....but not enough to pay to have a gas line run from my basement up to the kitchen, I guess 
I grew up and lived half of my adult life and worked with gas appliances....electric sucks in oh so many ways
I grew up and lived half of my adult life and worked with gas appliances....electric sucks in oh so many ways
Owly055
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I used to have a hot tank in the shop for engine cleaning engine blocks. I did many parts of stoves and barbeques in it. The solution was mostly lye with some strong industrial soaps. lye should not touch enamel....... in my experience. I would probably mix a strong solution of lye in a glass jar, and use a paint brush to apply it to the discolored areas, leave it for a few hours to half a day, then use a plastic abrasive scrubby and water, and start working the area. Human skin doesn't like lye very well, so rubber gloves are the order of the day.
Oven cleaner.......the spray foam stuff is a very strong caustic, and should also take the baked on crap off...... same thing....... spray and leave it, wipe off later and use a scrubby and water..... keep at it.
Oven cleaner.......the spray foam stuff is a very strong caustic, and should also take the baked on crap off...... same thing....... spray and leave it, wipe off later and use a scrubby and water..... keep at it.
Bar Keepers Friend
It works miracles. It is abrasive , but in the rubbing compound kind of way. Just make sure you wear rubber gloves. It will eat a couple layers of skin off with prolonged use.
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It works miracles. It is abrasive , but in the rubbing compound kind of way. Just make sure you wear rubber gloves. It will eat a couple layers of skin off with prolonged use.
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
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