What kitchen equipment would you use to brown or glaze the top of items?

Using a salamander is ideal for browning or glazing the top of items due to its design and function. A salamander is a type of broiler that operates with intense, radiant heat sourced from above, allowing for quick and efficient browning. This makes it particularly well-suited for tasks like melting cheese on a dish, caramelizing sugar on desserts, or achieving a golden crust on items like gratins.

The salamander's adjustable rack positions enable chefs to control the distance from the heat source, ensuring precise results in caramelization or browning. Its convection capabilities can also aid in even heat distribution, allowing for consistent results across various dishes.

Other kitchen equipment, while useful for different cooking methods, do not provide the same level of control or effectiveness for browning and glazing. For instance, a fryer is designed for immersing foods in hot oil and isn’t suited for surface cooking, a griddle provides a flat cooking surface for frying or grilling but lacks the intense overhead heat needed for proper browning, and a stovetop oven generally operates as a standard baking appliance without the specific function of browning the top of foods effectively in the way a salamander does.