Maintaining drip pans on coil oven hobs
The drip pans under the coil hobs on my standard GE Oven don't look as bas as others I've seen in other apartments but I'd like to keep them functioning well. They are the solid black kind, not the metallic looking ones. I am certain these have a use beyond just catching drips and that it's one of those things people just don't know about.
Can someone tell me... 1. Should liners be used at all? (I've read several times that tin foil should never be used. 2. I know there are also the metallic shiny ones, are they any better than these shiny black ones?
Thanks!!
Best Answer
I missed your point about heat completely until you pointed it out.
If you have a textbook-perfect black-body of a drip pan (totally non-reflective, thus not shiny), it will radiate heat in all directions once itself is heated by the coil above it.
If you have a perfect reflector of a drip pan, it would not absorb any heat and simply reflect any heat back up.
A silvery tray is much nearer to being a perfect reflector (still a long way off) than a shiny black one to a perfect black body.
I have no measurements or data of any kind, just as an educated guess, I would lean towards having a shiny silver tray rather than a shiny black one if you are concerned about efficiency. Besides, a silvery foil tray is most likely going to get less hot itself, less heat absorbed. However I am questioning how much of a difference is actually there between the two. I could be wrong on this without any data, but I suspect that would not be your main heat loss, convective losses around the coil (spaces under and along its circumference) and your sauce pan and radiative losses would far outnumber that.
You said they are non-shiny black metal trays. Could they be coated with a catalyst to self-clean any food residues like you have inside self-cleaning ovens?
Edit: you might want to check with the manufacturer about using shiny liners just in case if the coils are not designed to cope with reflected heat.
Pictures about "Maintaining drip pans on coil oven hobs"
How do you clean coil drip pans?
Steps to clean drip pansPlace the drip pans in the sink in very hot water and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain the water from the sink and pour in distilled white vinegar to cover the baked-on food and grease. Let them sit in the vinegar for 30 minutes.How do you keep stove drip pans from rusting?
The best way to keep your stove drip pans from rusting is to keep the pans clean and dry. To do this, wipe the drip pans clean when you're cleaning the kitchen after cooking. Use a paper towel or a dry cloth to dry the pans.Can you use oven cleaner on drip pans?
Spray a thick, even layer of oven cleaner over the drip pans. Allow the drip pans to sit in the sink covered in oven cleaner for another full hour. Any lingering grime should be removable with a scrubber or scouring pad. If not, repeat the process.How do you clean stainless steel stove drip pans?
How to Clean Drip Pans With Vinegar and Baking SodaHow to Clean Your Stovetop and Drip Pans
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