A cooking appliance includes: a gas cooking element; an igniter disposed adjacent to the gas cooking element to ignite the gas cooking element; a gas valve for regulating gas flow to the gas cooking element; a burner control mechanically coupled to the gas valve to vary the gas flow to the gas cooking element; a sensor for detecting the positioning of the burner control in an ignition range of positions; and a control circuit coupled to the igniter and the sensor and to activate the igniter in response to detected movement of the burner control into the ignition range of positions, the control circuit further configured to maintain activation of the igniter for a predetermined minimum length of time once activated.

A high voltage can be applied to a combustion reaction to enhance or otherwise control the combustion reaction. The high voltage is switched on or off by a grid electrode interposed between a high voltage electrode assembly and the combustion reaction.

A high voltage can be applied to a combustion reaction to enhance or otherwise control the combustion reaction. The high voltage is switched on or off by a grid electrode interposed between a high voltage electrode assembly and the combustion reaction.