A griddle and a cooking appliance having a griddle are provided. The griddle may include a housing having an accommodation space formed therein and an open top, a heating plate formed to have a predetermined width and length and seated on a top of the housing, a burner provided in the housing to heat the heating plate, and a temperature sensor module provided in the housing to measure a temperature of the heating plate. The temperature sensor module may include a cover provided in the housing and having an accommodation space formed therein, and a temperature sensor provided in the housing with at least a portion thereof accommodated in the accommodation space of the cover to measure a temperature of an inside of the cover.

A cooking device and a control method thereof is provided which heating a curved area to a higher temperature than a flat area of a cooking area where food is cooked. A cooking apparatus includes a cooking unit having one side in which a first cooking region and a second cooking region distinguished from the first cooking region are provided; a heating unit configured to heat the cooking unit; and a controller configured to control the heating unit to heat the first cooking region to a first temperature and to heat the second cooking region to a second temperature different from the first temperature.

An isothermal cooking plate assembly is formed from a first plate of high thermal conductivity material having a back surface and an oppositely disposed top cooking surface. One or more heater circuit assemblies are disposed on the first plate back surface for forming a composite having a back surface. A controller is in electrical connection with the heater circuit assemblies for controlling temperature of the first plate of high thermal conductivity material. The first plate can be aluminum Type 1100 or aluminum Type 6061. The first plate can be a laminate formed from a clad bottom metal layer and clad top cooking surface metal layer, where the clad layers formed from the same material and having about the same thickness. The clad material can be austenitic stainless steel. A second plate of low thermal conductivity material can be attached to the composite back surface of first plate.

A wirelessly operable cooking appliance for cooking food products includes a wireless communication device. A computing device, such as a smartphone, can wirelessly communicate with the cooking appliance to control and monitor the cooking appliance.

System and method for improving the performance, safety, and energy efficiency of a cooking appliance with one or more heating elements operably connected with a burner controller controlling an amount of energy flowing to the one or more heating elements. First, a user or a system controller establishes one or more reference levels. The system controller is operably associated with one or more sensors, which measures levels of one or more emissions generated in the operation of the cooking appliance. Afterwards, the system controller compares the measured levels of the one or more emissions with the reference levels and in response to the measured levels of the emissions exceeding reference levels, sends an activation control signal to the cooking appliance. Then, an energy control mechanism associated with the burner controller adjusts the amount of energy flowing to the heating elements in response to the activation control signal.

A cooking appliance includes at least one heating element; a temperature sensor configured to selectively monitor a temperature of a cookware item; and a controller operably connected with the at least one heating element and the temperature sensor, the controller configured to perform a feedback controlled heating operation. The feedback controlled heating operation includes determining a temperature setpoint; retrieving a default set of controller gain values of the feedback controlled heating operation, the set of controller gain values including a proportional gain value, an integral gain value, and a derivative gain value; directing the at least one heating element over a thermal classification length of time; determining a thermal behavior of the cookware item after an expiration of the thermal classification length of time; and adjusting one or more parameters of the feedback controlled heating operation in response to determining the thermal behavior of the cookware item.

A cooktop appliance includes an electric heating element positioned below a ceramic plate. A temperature sensor is positioned proximate a bottom surface of the ceramic plate. The temperature sensor may be offset from a center of the electric heating element. A controller is configured to receive a plurality of temperature measurements from the temperature sensor, determine a change between the plurality of temperature measurements over time, calculate a value of a control criterion with the change between the plurality of temperature measurements over time, and open a relay in response to the value of the control criterion passing a threshold value. A related method for operating a cooktop appliance is also provided.

An apparatus includes a heater with a heating element having a region that does not contain a surface heating portion of the heating element and a thermostat positioned in the region. The thermostat includes a contact surface disposed to make physical contact with an object placed on the surface heating portion and a switch configured to prevent a current from conducting through the heating element when the contact surface experiences a temperature equal to or greater than a temperature limit.

An apparatus includes a heater with a heating element having a region that does not contain a surface heating portion of the heating element and a thermostat positioned in the region. The thermostat includes a contact surface disposed to make physical contact with an object placed on the surface heating portion and a switch configured to prevent a current from conducting through the heating element when the contact surface experiences a temperature equal to or greater than a temperature limit.

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heater comprising a heating element having a region that does not contain a surface heating portion. The apparatus further includes a thermostat positioned in the region. The thermostat includes a contact surface disposed to make contact with an object placed on the surface heating portion. The thermostat includes a switch configured to prevent a current from conducting through the heating element when the contact surface experiences a temperature equal to or greater than a temperature limit. The apparatus further includes a medallion coupled to the thermostat and positioned below a top surface of the heating element, the medallion comprising an aperture shaped to allow the contact surface to extend through the aperture to make contact with the object. The apparatus includes an urging element configured to provide vertical movement of the medallion in response to a downward force applied from the object.