How to fix uneven stove burners? (2 important steps)

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Page last updated: 22/03/2023 | Next review date: 22/03/2025
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In this brief guide, we will answer the question “How to fix uneven stove burners?”, discuss answers to other related questions like how to level a stovetop, and is it dangerous to place the stove below the countertop.

How to fix uneven stove burners?

To fix an uneven stove burner, it is important to level the range first by screwing the legs of the range appropriately. Once the range is at a good level, move toward leveling the individual burners. The fixation of uneven stove burners is important to avoid any kind of food spillage or potential burns.

2 important steps to fix uneven stove burners

Fixing the uneven stove burners is not a tough task to do. It only requires some smart work, some tools, and a few minutes. For better results, you can split the task into two steps:

  1. Firstly, level the range.
  2. Secondly, level the individual burners. 

Leveling the range

To level the range, you can use a good 8’’-10’’ carpenter level. Place it in the center of the top, front-to-back, and side-to-side. Screw the legs somewhat in by uplifting the range a bit and turning the legs in or out once or twice to adjust. When all four legs are adjusted, make sure that the range doesn’t rock. If it rocks, try to screw a short leg in or a long leg out until the level of the range is adjusted well.

Leveling the individual burners

Once the range is leveled, the next thing to do is to level the individual burners. The burners may be bowed or misplaced while leveling the range. To level individual burners, you need to know that each burner has three supporting legs beside the connector. This three-legged stool prevents wobbling while you carry out the adjustments. Now, place the level on the burner above each leg and determine which is the high one. Remove the burner and remove some metal from the high one by using a file or a grinder. Try to remove it little by little at a time and test fitting after each pass. 

One thing that you need to keep in mind is that you should remove the metal from the bottom of the leg where it rests on the burner pan. Since you have customized each burner to its spot, don’t mix them up. If you want to remove the burner for cleaning purposes in the future, never remove more than one burner at a time so that they don’t get mixed up.

Other FAQs about Stoves which you may be interested in.

How to fix orange flame on the gas stove?

How to level a stovetop?

If your stovetop is not adjusted at a good level, cooking the simplest meal on such a stovetop can be a dangerous activity for you to perform. Sometimes, there is no issue with the stovetop itself, but low-hanging cabinetry or crooked floor is the culprit of creating an illusion that the stovetop is not placed at a level. So first carry out the necessary adjustment to rule out such issues. And still, if the stovetop is not adjusted to an accurate level, you need to use some tools to deal with such an issue.

To level a stovetop, turn off the circuit breaker to the stove. Examine the edges of the stovetop. Push down on the cool stovetop to make sure the lid is bound. Place a level at the center front of the cool stovetop. Look at the level to see which way the bubble floats. Ideally, the bubble should rest in the center of the level. If the bubble inclines to the left, adjust the left side of the stove. If the bubble inclines to the right, adjust the right side of the stove. For this, open an adjustable wrench and clamp it onto the front left or right leg. Compress the clamp to raise and lower the stove. Look at the level to see where the bubble rests. Place a flat washer under the crooked stove leg. Look at the bubble to verify that it is resting in the center. Once the bubble rests at the center, it confirms the level of your stovetop.

Is it dangerous to place the stove below the countertop?

If your stove sits below the countertop, then a short wall will be formed to the side of the countertop. The continuous exposure of this wall to the lateral radiations of the flame’s heat may get damaged. 

In the case of gas burners, the countertop edge that sits above the cooktop surface can obstruct airflow and prevent the flames from burning as hot as they should. So, it is dangerous to place the stovetop below the countertop.

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we answered the question “How to fix uneven stove burners?”, discussed answers to other related questions like how to level a stovetop, and is it dangerous to place the stove below the countertop.

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