Best electric cook top for rental property - Coil, Solid Element, or Ceramic Glass???

[propertymistro]

Hi everyone,
Could people please recommend which is the best type of ELECTRIC cook top for a rental property - electric solid element, or electric coil (not sure where to buy these though?), or a electric ceramic glass cook top. This is not a question regarding brands, but rather which type of cook top is preferable for installing in a rental. If you think coil is best please also include where these can be purchased as the usual stores don't seem to sell them. Thank you everyone in advance for your replies. Have a good day!!!

 

[DaveM]

For budget rental, solid element (no icky fat inside the exposed coil). For more upmarket, gas or glass top.

 

[WesternRat]

Just installed one of those new Fenici items at Mitre10 in this property here that I am currently renovating to sell. Electric, solid top. Its about $200, and while it feels cheap as chips, it looks ok and actually works (cooked dinner last night, brekky this morning). Pick it up with the Fenici oven as a combo set for $475 from memory, brand new.

 

[geoffw]

Ceramic can, and does, crack. We had one in ppor which cracked badly- for a number of years we were down to two of four elements. When the third one also stopped working, it was time to change. We did have it for ten years before it cracked, but we could have done without the expense.

However we did replace it with an induction top. It's great. It's still liable to cracking I guess, but less so without kids- and it doesn't get rally hot at all.

A coiled element can get extremely dirty underneath, many tenants don't bother cleaning.

 

[Scott No Mates]

solid elements are usually best. virtually indestructible. looks ok. easy to keep clean.

If you go glass or ceran or induction make sure your insurance covers accidental damage.

 

[beachside]

Solid elements do tend to rust if near the ocean ....unless they have improved them over the years.

Geoff - it is over 10 years since I put my ceramic in and I can't remember what it looked like underneath. Are the elements incorporated in the glass or do they sit under the glass and can be replaced. Looking at the element when hot it looks reasonable deep below the glass, not within 10mm etc of the surface. Mine is Bosch.

 

[handyandy]

Really depends on the demographic of the tenants.

If it's tenant who cook with a wok then electric coil is the only thing to go with. Gas would be better but as you asked about electric there you go.

We have had stoves with the solid elements with Asian based tenants and they actually manage to overheat them and they split.

We have 2 properties with glass tops and they have lasted but only because of Caucasian tenants. They were inherited and simply left in place. Would never install except maybe in very high end tenancies (which we don't have)

Cheers

 

[Heinz57]

I have induction at home but only certain pans work on induction as they need to be magnetic

 

[geoffw]

I have induction at home but only certain pans work on induction as they need to be magnetic

Most of my pans worked, which was fortunate. Not all stainless steel pans work.

The non stick pans they advertise under various brand names work very well.

 

[datto]

Hi everyone,
Could people please recommend which is the best type of ELECTRIC cook top for a rental property - electric solid element, or electric coil (not sure where to buy these though?), or a electric ceramic glass cook top.

I always go for electric coil. They are the cheapest to replace and easy DIY. They are about $80 from a supplier in Clyde NSW. Always use a licenced sparky when electrical work is required

Also, you can buy switches for about 50 bucks (ever had that problem where the element burns red hot even though the dial is on low? Time to change the switch!).

There are a lot of wires attached to the switch so I just take a photo of the switch showing where all the wires go Remember to use a licenced sparky before grabbing that screwdiver

 

[attrill]

I put a glass electric cook top in a rental unit once and I managed to break it during installation (don't ask).

I don't know what was cooked on it, but it never came completely clean and was scratched after the proper cleaning products (supplied) were not used.

Looks nice but for a rental next time I would go with solid rings.

 

[geoffw]

I put a glass electric cook top in a rental unit once and I managed to break it during installation (don't ask).

I don't know what was cooked on it, but it never came completely clean and was scratched after the proper cleaning products (supplied) were not used.

Looks nice but for a rental next time I would go with solid rings.

That's right- I had forgotten about the scratching, which came about well before the cracking.

That won't perhaps be as much of a problem on the induction- it doesn't get really hot, so spills are not burnt in. So far it's looking fine after 6 months- and we cook a lot, not just for ourselves.

 

[handyandy]

I always go for electric coil. They are the cheapest to replace and easy DIY. They are about $80 from a supplier in Clyde NSW. Always use a licenced sparky when electrical work is required

Also, you can buy switches for about 50 bucks (ever had that problem where the element burns red hot even though the dial is on low? Time to change the switch!).

There are a lot of wires attached to the switch so I just take a photo of the switch showing where all the wires go Remember to use a licenced sparky before grabbing that screwdiver

If you don't mind a hike across to Bexley you can buy elements for $20. We buy them in bulk from these guys.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OVEN-STO...170709952406?pt=AU_Stoves&hash=item27bf1b2796

We also buy the dress rings super cheap

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/STOVE-EL...68?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2ebff1cb34

The switches we get from a dude in Auburn. He has more than just the generic's

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SIMPSON-...270813109731?pt=AU_Stoves&hash=item3f0db81de3


Cheers

 

[datto]

Nice info HandyA

You keep Cabra cooking!

Prices of units are slowly on the way up there but not like other suburbs .....Cabra's time will come. I got a one bedder there with a 2 car garage and 2 storerooms..that was a rare find....do you know where it is?

 

[handyandy]

Nice info HandyA

You keep Cabra cooking!

Prices of units are slowly on the way up there but not like other suburbs .....Cabra's time will come. I got a one bedder there with a 2 car garage and 2 storerooms..that was a rare find....do you know where it is?

The 2 garages and store rooms would have to be bigger than the unit

No idea where it is.

Cheers

 

[datto]

store rooms are 33 sq m for both

garage is 27 sq m

living area is 69 sq m

built in mid 70s with 9 foot ceilings (gyprock ceiling - top floor), arched hallway entrance. The builders of today just aren't that generous anymore...if they are you pay big $.

I used to own one on cnr Park and McBurney years ago but sold out...worth a fortune now, so close to shops. There was a time where I practically couldn't give it away.

 

[MelbGal]

We have a black blanco ceramic one with 4 burners in our IP apartment. Still looks good and works well.