Electric or Gas Cooktop?

[AustinTink]

What’s your preference and why? My 20-year old gas stove decided to go out tonight ending with a super fun house call from the gas company. Major leak, filled the house with gas.

Anyhoo, I’m so used to cooking with gas. I love the precision of gas cooking relating to temperature control. But now, I’m thinking about shopping for an electric cooktop to replace the troublemaker.

So, my question is electric or gas? What brand do you have and why do you like it?

Happy Friday, y’all!

 

[Mamabun]

We’re replacing ours too, going with electric/induction from Bosch. I love gas for cooking, but the health concerns over the indoor air quality and the safety of induction made the decision for me, I’ve used this cooktop at other homes and really like it - heats up quick, is precise on temp, and cools down quick enough. All my pans work on induction so no problems there.

Interested to hear what other people are liking,

 

[tvguy]

I think it really depends on what you are used to. Other than 3 years in College, all of my 67 years were in houses with electric stoves. For me, I never could never regulate the flame to not burn food. To me an electric stove is more precise.
Also I live in an area with natural gas is much more expensive than electricity so all electric subdivisions are common.
There are other issues with natural gas, environmental, health, and political which is why natural gas appliances are being phased out in new construction here in California, and in 2030 folks wanting to replace a natural gas appliance will have to convert to electricity.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Love my gas stove!

 

[AustinTink]

We’re replacing ours too, going with electric/induction from Bosch. I love gas for cooking, but the health concerns over the indoor air quality and the safety of induction made the decision for me, I’ve used this cooktop at other homes and really like it - heats up quick, is precise on temp, and cools down quick enough. All my pans work on induction so no problems there.

Interested to hear what other people are liking,

I’m reading about induction right now. Wish I could try one out though before I make the jump. I’ve never used one before.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

For me, I never could never regulate the flame to not burn food. To me an electric stove is more precise.

I'm glad to see someone else has issues with heat levels on gas stoves. I like my electric stove(s) I've had over the past 60+ years for just that reason - I can regulate the heat more precisely than on a gas one. I do have a gas stove in our RV and I generally just keep the flame on the lowest I can and it still burns stuff.

We're also in CA and we have added solar to our house, and are switching to electric appliances (those that weren't already).

 

[cobright]

What’s your preference and why? My 20-year old gas stove decided to go out tonight ending with a super fun house call from the gas company. Major leak, filled the house with gas.

Anyhoo, I’m so used to cooking with gas. I love the precision of gas cooking relating to temperature control. But now, I’m thinking about shopping for an electric cooktop to replace the troublemaker.

So, my question is electric or gas? What brand do you have and why do you like it?

Happy Friday, y’all!

Long time traditionalist in region where gas is cheap … get electric range gas oven.

But not any electric. Get induction. It’s far more precise control and everything heats so much faster.

 

[disneychrista]

Electric. I find it much easier to control the temperature. Lived in an apartment with gas for about 5 years and never quite figured it out.

 

[LoveDaisy]

My stove died in the fall. I replaced it with another gas one. I never considered going to electric. I prefer the control I have with gas. I am also a canner, before I moved to gas I had an electric oven. I was burning out the burners left and right with the weight of the canning pot. It was crazy how often I had to replace the burners, like 1-2 burners per summer canning season.

 

[amcnj]

I have had long stretches of each type during my life and thus got used to both electric and gas. One difference I noticed was the sealed top electric stoves were easier to clean afterwards. As mentioned in the post above, I too did replace some burner elements. Over an 18 year period I replaced the oven element once and one of the stovetop elements too. That was on a GE electric stove.

 

[tony67]

I've had both and prefer gas.
My parents have induction and I really dislike it, and so did they.

I see no difference in controlling the temperature with gas or electric once you get used to it.
This is an issue even between different models, you just have to get used to the different stoves.
With the gas oven I keep a large pizza stone in it and that really help regulate and maintain the temp IMO.

The only place I prefer electric to anything else is my smoker. You set the temp and its very well regulated.

 

[Christine]

I have a electric wall ovens, but always a gas cooktop. I've lived in homes with electric and I just think gas is superior for precision. But if you don't cook much, precision doesn't matter, etc. than it probably doesn't matter. But I'll always use a gas burner whenever I get the choice.

 

[firefly_ris]

Gas. There was an electric stove here when we bought the house; we ran a gas line to the kitchen and got rid of it.

Electric rates here have skyrocketed over the last couple of years too.

We also have frequent power outages so gas is pretty priceless there, I can still cook.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I’m so used to cooking with gas. I love the precision of gas cooking relating to temperature control.

This is me as well. I grew up with gas, so that's what seems normal to me. A couple of people I know have electric, and I'm more prone to burn things at their houses because there are no "in between" settings.

(Plus, if you know how to light it manually, a gas stove still works when the power is out.)

I'm also emotionally influenced by the fact that my niece once burned her hand on an electric stove that was "off" but not cooled down. With gas, even little ones and pets can see that it's on.

(Of course, I'm sure I'd have a different gut fear if I knew someone who'd had a fire because a dish towel got too close to a gas flame. - They can both be dangerous.)

All said, though, I get that you're torn. I would consider a glass cooktop in my next home, because of air quality concerns I didn't know about when I made the decisions for this home, and because they're definitely easier to clean.

 

[Kitty 34]

I like my GE electric stove.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I’m reading about induction right now. Wish I could try one out though before I make the jump. I’ve never used one before.

I just saw a "Chronicle" episode the other day about libraries, and it featured one that added a kitchen in their latest renovation, for cooking classes. Maybe someplace near you also does them (community center, junior college, fancy gourmet shop...) and has the kind you want to try out.

 

[cvjw]

KitchenAid electric cooktop. No complaints. Heats up fast and has consistent temps for cooking. Has a red light that stays on if an eye is hot. No burners to replace - top surface is smooth. Cleans easily and looks great.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Once upon a time I would have told you gas and nothing to think further on the subject. Then induction came along and what a mind blower!

Been using an induction burner and convection toaster oven to cook with exclusively for about six years. Came about when my Mom’s gas range died and for a variety of reasons a temporary solution was needed. Once I had my stroke the solution became permanent as from a height POV it made better sense.
The only thing I can’t do is char roast peppers over the eye of a gas burner.

I’m now sold on electric cooking and who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

 

[barkley]

we replaced our stove/oven a year ago. gas-i prefer it to electric. i like controlling the flame height. we replaced our kitchenaid double oven (which i loved and would reccommend) with a thermador single oven. we went with the model that had the least electronic componants (old school dials, no digital clock...) to reduce the potential for repair issues. one of the BEST features is a broiler that extends across the entire depth and width of the oven (so no moving items around to get even broiling). i also like that the entire cooktop is flat so i can fully utilize the rear burners (my larger pots and pans always were always prevented from being entirely centered on previous cooktops due to the portion that was raised in the back for the clock/electronics).

I’m reading about induction right now. Wish I could try one out though before I make the jump. I’ve never used one before.

if you want a semi trial you could get one of the portable induction single burner cooktops-they sell for around $50. i have one and while it's convenient on the occasions i use it i still prefer my gas b/c i am much more adept at eyeballing a flame height vs. picking out a temperature.

 

[leebee]

Electric, because it's what I am used to. I had a gas stove for about 3 years in a rental and didn't like it. It was too hot for making things like rice. I had to double stack the grates so I could get the rice pot "cool" enough to steam properly. That meant dedicating 2 burners for one pot of rice. I found gas annoying, but as I said, I am used to using an electric stove, so that's what I prefer. I also don't like the smell of gas.