Looking at your stovetop keenly shows that each control knob has numbers. Most stovetops have knobs numbered 1 to 10, but others can range from 1 to 6. The availability of multiple stove brands on the market means they operate differently. The rule of thumb; Use, Observe, Adjust, and Learn should be applied to any model you get.
To get perfect results in cooking, you should use the correct temperature. However, cooking terms like “medium-high” or “medium-low” leave more room for you to make errors. Since the terms have no particular temperature setting, you can try and err until you find the best temperature for cooking future dishes.
The term stove top numbers to degrees mean that every number has a matching degree value. For example, 1 being the lowest equals 275 degrees Fahrenheit, while 10 being the highest number equals 500 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the numbers on your stove knob, a high temperature will be the highest value, and a low temperature the lowest number. Lastly, the medium temperature will be the middle number.
Describing Stovetop Numbers to Degrees
Since the stove doesn’t have a thermostat that can regulate the temperature, you must do it manually by turning the knob. So, if you choose a high number on the knob, your food will get hot faster, while a lower number will cook your food slowly.
The intensity of heat differs from one stove to the other. This means that even though two stoves can have the same knob numbers, the temperatures may not match. For instance, stoves with knobs named 1-9 or 1-6 have six similar numbers. But the equivalent temperature for number 5 for a stove with controls 1-9 will vary from that with dials of 1-6.
Similarly, the knob numbers may mean different gas or electric stove temperatures. If you do it practically, you can easily find out that the intensity of heat produced by gas and electric stoves is quite different. The presence of many manufacturers of stove tops means that the model isn’t the same. However, each model provides a broad temperature range for each knob number. This should be your point of reference if you are unsure of the right temperature.
Notably, all stove tops can’t have a universal temperature guide due to the difference in the knob numbers and heat intensity. Hence “2” can be 300 degrees on one cook stove and still represent 345 degrees on another model. Therefore, experimenting allows you to know the specific temperature range for the corresponding numbers on the stovetop.
What Do Numbers on a Stove Top Mean?
As long as stove top knob numbers are concerned, despite the brands, the lower the number, the lower the temperature, and vice versa. Simply put, the numbers calibrated on the knob directly correspond to the heat produced.
You can adjust the knobs on your stovetop easily by turning clockwise or anticlockwise to find a suitable number that matches the temperature of your dish. The knob numbers are 1-6 or 1-9 or 10. Although 1 is not usually the lowest number, a stove with 9 digits on the dial knob has its first 3 numbers representing low heat. A stove with 6 numbered knobs will have 1 and 2 to signify low heat.
Since many recipes only mention the level of heat, like low, medium, or high, but don’t mention the knob number, here are some tips;
Low Heat (1 to 3)
Although 1 to 3 represents low heat on a stovetop with 9 numbers, many recipes are well-cooked between levels 2 and 3. This is because level 1 alone may be too low to cook anything. If your stove knob reaches number 6, the lowest heat would be between 1 and 2. You can use low heat for most recipes that need simmering, like vegetables, soups, or stews.
Medium Heat (4 to 5)
Medium heat is excellent for browning meats or cooking vegetables. Adjust your stove knob to 4 or 5 or in between to get medium heat for perfect results. For stove tops with 5 or 6 cook settings, the medium heat setting could be 3 or slightly lower.
Medium-High heat (6 to 7)
3 and 4 are the Medium-High levels for cook stoves with six numbers. For stovetops with 10 numbers, the Medium-High heat should be between 6 and 7. This level is ideal for cooking meats, vegetables, quick sears, scrambled eggs, and so on, as it allows even heat distribution.
High Heat (8 to 10)
Notwithstanding the knob number, you can get the High Heat by turning the knob to the highest number. Of course, you can’t start cooking food on high heat because your food will burn, but instead, start from around level 8 and then work your way to 9 and 10.
What’s the Corresponding Stove Number for 375°F?
Many dishes are cooked mostly at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 150 degrees Celsius. This is the recommended standard setting for Medium Heat. The knob number for medium heat will differ across different stove brands. This temperature corresponds to the number 5 on stove knobs with 10 numbers.
What Stove Number is Equivalent to 160 Degrees Celsius?
160 degrees Celsius is the same as 320 degrees Fahrenheit. The knob number 3 is the standard value for 160 degrees Celsius, even with different stove models. This number signifies medium temperature, which is good for cooking most kitchen meals.
What is 300 Degrees Fahrenheit on a Stovetop?
Recipes that demand 300 degrees Fahrenheit need you to cook at Low Heat or Medium-Low heat, which might vary on different stoves. 300°F is equal to 150 degrees Celsius, a temperature represented by 2 on many stovetops. The temperature is ideal for cooking dishes like steaks, chicken, and vegetables because it preserves nutrients and retains flavor.
The numbers on your stove knobs have a strong connection with cooking temperatures. While the stoves may differ based on the design or knob numbers, 1 and 2 show low heat. The medium and high heat numbers may vary across different stove brands. Therefore, for convenient cooking, you must experiment, learn, and understand your stove numbers with their relative temperature.