# "Medium Heat" on a stove **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852 "2013-12-08T22:11:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/1 "2013-12-08T22:11:27Z")
Are there dopers here who refrain from using temperatures greater than “medium” heat on their stove? (For example if you have cookware that may warp otherwise?) If so–how long does it take for you to boil water? (Per unit of volume…) I ask because I’m trying to calibrate just exactly what “medium heat” shall mean in my household on my stove… ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/2 "2013-12-08T22:26:25Z")
I admire your scientific method, but doesn’t yours have numbers? Mine goes OFF-LO-2-3-4-5-6-HI, implying that there are 7 settings and thus 4 is medium. But I assume you’re operating under the assumption that it’s not necessarily linear? Another variable might be pot or pan material, shape, or type. Also (physics question), would 1 cup heat twice as fast as 2 cups? But if cookware will warp on high, then I don’t want its delicate ass. I crank it. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/3 "2013-12-08T22:36:16Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I admire your scientific method, but doesn’t yours have numbers? Mine goes OFF-LO-2-3-4-5-6-HI, implying that there are 7 settings and thus 4 is medium. > > But I assume you’re operating under the assumption that it’s not necessarily linear? That, and that the highest setting might not be the same from stove to stove. > [@](#): > > Another variable might be pot or pan material, shape, or type. Also (physics question), would 1 cup heat twice as fast as 2 cups? Good questions. But if cookware will warp on high, then I don’t want its delicate ass. I crank it. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/4 "2013-12-08T23:39:17Z")
it may never boil before it evaporates (uncovered). there is very good heat transfer into a pot of water, give it heat until you get a bunch of bubbles. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/5 "2013-12-09T01:44:09Z")
My stove takes a long time to heat up, so I’m not sure you can compare them that way. On my stove, the settings go from 1-6 and I know that 2 will not quite boil a litre of water, and 3 will keep it simmering (it’s a pretty crap stove). To measure higher the higher settings, I thought about making a saturated sugar syrup and using a candy thermometer to see how hot it will get, but I haven’t got around to that yet. Medium is a good heat for pancakes, so find the setting pancakes cook nicely at, and that’s medium for your stove. (Though I’m not sure if I’m actually addressing your point or not.) ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/6 "2013-12-09T02:01:46Z")
There are some informal/formal standards that have been used/tried - but generally your stove goes to whatever the max the manufacturer set it at - and then included a dual with marks around it. > **[Gas mark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_Mark)** > > The gas mark is a temperature scale used on gas ovens and cookers in the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth of Nations countries. > The draft 2003 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary lists the earliest known usage of the concept as being in L. Chatterton's book Modern Cookery published in 1943: "Afternoon tea scones… Time: 20 minutes. Temperature: Gas, Regulo Mark 7". "Regulo" was a type of gas regulator used by a manufacturer of cookers; however, the scale has now become universa... Different burners on even the same stove will act differently. Copper heats up much faster than cast iron - for example. And it wouldn’t surprise me if some substances such as glass (which I use for a tea kettle) would break at higher temps. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/7 "2013-12-09T03:01:05Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > That, and that the highest setting might not be the same from stove to stove. Ah, absolute temperature. Another variable is of course electric vs. gas, as well as the type of those, e.g. electric w/ coil element or glass-ceramic top. > [@DataX](#): > > And it wouldn’t surprise me if some substances such as glass (which I use for a tea kettle) would break at higher temps. Some glass can take high temperatures and much kitchen glass might be intentionally resistant. Just don’t immediately put it in the sink or somewhere where it will immediately cool down! Rapid temperature changes are bad. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/8 "2013-12-09T03:27:08Z")
A good stainless doesn’t need to be turned past medium; it gets hot enough at that temperature to sear meat easily. Same with cast iron or the clad cookware. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/9 "2013-12-09T03:34:33Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > A good stainless doesn’t need to be turned past medium; it gets hot enough at that temperature to sear meat easily. Right, but my problem is I’m trying to figure out what “medium” means. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/10 "2013-12-09T05:21:24Z")
I thought “Medium Heat” was a TV show and “on a stove” a metaphor for cancellation. Always keeping up with the hep jive, I am. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/11 "2013-12-09T14:38:43Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Right, but my problem is I’m trying to figure out what “medium” means. I am actually mystified by your question. Medium is the middle point between the two extremes of high and low. Since there is no thermostatic control on stove burners, it’s likely to vary from stove to stove as to how much gas is allowed through the jets, or how much juice is flowing through the variable resistor, combined with the size of the burner. If I were to guess at temperature, I’d say ‘medium’ is likely in the 200-220F range, but the effect of that temperature is going to depend on the type of pot being used and the substance in the pot. ---
**Author:** ![Floyd\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Floyd\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floyd_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/12 "2016-12-19T04:25:23Z")
Everyone seams to miss the point of Frylocks question. Medium Heat is considered 325 to 374. For most of the time 350 degrees is safe. Why? Its all about the Smoke Point of different Oils (point you burn the oils) such as Extra Virgin Olive oil for cooking. For instance EVO has a Smoke Point of 374 degrees, whereas most other oils and butter are 350 degrees. If you want to understand more read about the Leidenfrost effect. Also read the Water Test for cooking ---
**Author:** ![pseudograph](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pseudograph/32/19768_2.png) [@pseudograph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudograph)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/13 "2016-12-19T15:17:05Z")
Thanks **Floyd Burke**. Surprised I hadn’t heard of the water test before (could also be that my dodgy memory just hadn’t retained it). Here’s an [instructional video](http://rouxbe.com/cooking-school/lessons/173-the-water-test-heating-the-pan), if anyone is interested. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/14 "2016-12-19T16:08:44Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > A good stainless doesn’t need to be turned past medium; it gets hot enough at that temperature to sear meat easily. Same with cast iron or the clad cookware. You’re the chef and all, so it’s hard for me to question, but I have five different sized burners on my stove. Which one is the one which will sear meat when I put it on medium? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/15 "2016-12-19T16:20:14Z")
> [@Floyd\_Burke](#): > > Everyone seams to miss the point of Frylocks question. Medium Heat is considered 325 to 374. That’s some great info. But it’s hardly relevant to my stove. _My_ stove goes up to 11. That’s one better than most stoves out there. And OP, if you’re boiling water, the pan will be less than or equal to 212 degrees Fahrenheit until the water has all boiled away, no matter what you set the dial to. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/16 "2016-12-19T16:27:19Z")
The inside of the pan will be at most 212 degrees, but the outside can get hotter. The inside is in contact with the 212-degree water, but the outside is in contact with the thousandish-degree burner. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medium-heat-on-a-stove/675852/17 "2016-12-19T16:44:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The inside of the pan will be at most 212 degrees, but the outside can get hotter. The inside is in contact with the 212-degree water, but the outside is in contact with the thousandish-degree burner. True, but the pan itself transfers that heat pretty quickly from the outside to the inside. That’s its job. Someone who is afraid of harming their fragile cookware should not be afraid of using it to boil water if they are open to cooking with it at all. Boiling water will be the easiest on your pans and the punishment they take from the heat will only go up from there. Interesting (if short) discussion that just came up during a google search on this topic: [Temperature of a pot with boiling water?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=520914)