The last three electric ranges I have owned (all with the usual "infinitely variable" surface unit control) have occasionally just shut off on the lowest setting. Normally this setting will maintain a simmer, but when the control decides to screw up, it will let the temperature of the pot drop to 180 degrees or even lower. I have just assumed that there is no solution to this problem, but it is very annoying, and maybe somebody out there has an answer. The old style burner/control with two or more coils hooked in series or parallel at
110 or 220 was a lot more predictable. I guess I don't understand why we can't devise a better control.- posted
15 years ago