What Is an Infrared Gas Stove?

An infrared gas stove burns heating gas using advanced combustion technologies that leverage the power of infrared radiation. A stove that employs such technologies to heat gas for cooking purposes may be significantly more efficient, safer, cleaner and less expensive to operate than comparable atmospheric gas or electric stoves.

Infrared gas stoves and all infrared cookware operate using infrared radiation. This is a kind of electromagnetic radiation that has a longer wavelength than visible light and is thus invisible to human eyes. It can, however, be sensed as heat; as a matter of fact, all heat is infrared radiation. Heating using infrared energy transfers the infrared energy directly from emitter to the target using electromagnetic waves.

An infrared gas stove utilizes special components necessary to use infrared energy to heat and cook food. The combustion of the gas these ovens use takes place directly on a radiant-energy board where the infrared energy is emitted, located under the gas burners. This board is capable of heating materials to extremely high temperatures — at least 1,100 degrees Centigrade.

The various types of electric stoves — resistive-coil stoves, glass and ceramic cooktops and induction stoves — transfer heat to objects by direct contact, transforming electricity into heat. Regular stoves that burn gas make use of burners that are lit by sparks from an electrical spark emitter, whether built-in or handheld. By contrast, infrared gas stoves also use gas but make use of infrared radiation to consume the gas. This means that unlike regular gas stoves, the burners of infrared gas stoves do not emit visible flames.

Since infrared gas stoves operate at extremely high temperatures compared to atmospheric-gas and electric ovens, they achieve far higher thermal efficiency levels (up to 69 percent), resulting in lowered infrared cooker power consumption. As a consequence, cooking time can be significantly reduced and cooking expenses lessened. Users can enjoy energy savings of up to 37 percent compared to regular gas stoves. You should be able to get energy cost information specific to any gas stove model that you are considering from the manufacturer.

Another advantage of infrared gas stoves and ovens is that they completely combust the gas they use, which results in low production of such poisons as carbon monoxide (0.002 percent) and nitric oxide (0.0015 percent). Practically no smoke or soot are produced by infrared stoves, in stark contrast to atmospheric-gas ovens. Lastly, since infrared stoves do not use open flame, they can be considerably safer to use than standard stoves.

Several infrared stoves are available in different sizes. Products available include the HomeCare Infrared Healthy Heat Gas Stove and various models from Miaotai Electrical Appliance and Union Chen Industrial Corp.

You also can purchase outdoor and countertop versions of an infrared gas cookers, from brands like Brava and Brentwood. These units are portable and enable you to enjoy some of the benefits of an infrared gas stove while on-the-go or without committing fully to that appliance type.