Electric or Gas Cooktop?

[AustinTink]

Thanks for the replies. A lot to consider. I woke up sick and tested positive for covid so I will put the stove research off until I am a bit more coherent. It’s been a fun 24 hours. Not.

 

[summerlyangel]

I've never used a gas stove outside of camping, so I'm going electric. I particularly love my smoothtop stove compared to the ones with eyes, whether gas or electric. So much easier to keep clean!

 

[NotUrsula]

Gas. Always. If a place where I was considering living actually forbade it, then I wouldn't move there.

For me it's a conditioned response, not only do I find gas easier to regulate by merely eyeballing it, but I grew up in a hurricane zone, where it wasn't unusual for power to stay out for a month or so after a storm. Having a gas stove was crucial for being able to eat cooked food and for boiling water to drink if the water supply was compromised. I also keep kerosene lanterns handy for long-lasting emergency lighting. As a consumer, I have much more personal control of the fuel using gas than electric, where I'm at the mercy of the power company's complex infrastructure.

We replaced our stove last Xmas season, after the old one died on Thanksgiving Day. It's a gas GE, with 2 high-BTU burners, one standard, one simmer-only, and an oblong double-burner in the center that is normally fitted with a griddle plate. This is the second one I've had with ultra-high BTU burners on it. I love them, especially when making stir-fry; they get my iron wok truly hot enough to do stir-fry right.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have a glass top electric. I seem to have always had electric of some kind. I have heard that gas is the favored kind however.

 

[soccerdad72]

We have both - an electric range/oven at our primary house and a gas combo at our lake house. I do prefer the gas range for cooking, but it was an adjustment to make. Both have their pros and cons - which a lot of people covered in the other pages of the thread.

 

[Jeannie]

Several people mentioned better control with a gas cooktop. You can quickly turn down a flame. I'd like to note that you also have that control with an induction top.

 

[EllieJedi]

I faced this same dilemma about last spring when my old stove died. I did check into getting an induction stove installed but my electrician told me that I would not only need the dedicated 240V outlet but also a larger panel. So that was going to be a much more expensive endeavor, so I opted to go with gas again and in hindsight I’m happy that I did. I bought a GE Profile slide-in, and I’m super happy with all of the features.

https://www.geappliances.com/applia...tant-Range-with-No-Preheat-Air-Fry-PGS930YPFS

 

[_19disnA]

Several people mentioned better control with a gas cooktop. You can quickly turn down a flame. I'd like to note that you also have that control with an induction top.

With the typical flat surface electric cooktop, you can simply slide the pan a bit to the side of the burner. I have never found the need to instantly have the pan get warmer/colder. All cookware gets hot when heated and will retain some of that residual heat even when using a gas cooktop.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Late to the party, but I used electric for 30 years. Five years ago, we bought a gas stove/oven and I felt like I was in heaven. Moving in 2 weeks, and there's no gas in the house (or HOA neighborhood), so trying to psych myself up to go back to electric. I'm trying to console myself with the built-in microwave, double oven, and refrigerator with an ice machine.

 

[barkley]

Several people mentioned better control with a gas cooktop. You can quickly turn down a flame. I'd like to note that you also have that control with an induction top.

curious-with the full blown tops what are the increments you can adust the temp of a burner up and down? my only experience is with my single burner portable induction and one of the issues i've found is with something like changing from a boil to a simmer in which case the incremental restrictions don't work quite as well for me as gas which i can adjust just a smidge up or down.

 

[disneyseniors]

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!

Definitely a gas stove! We had to use an electric stove when we moved to Tn years ago. I hated it and never seemed to get the hang of it. Now I have my good ole gas stove back and love it

 

[AustinTink]

Update: after getting quotes from electricians to install a 240 outlet, looks like we are sticking with gas. They want a minimum of 3k (others were higher) because it’s “a remodel” at this point. The cooktop is in the middle of our kitchen, not anywhere near an exterior wall. They said the line would have to be run through the ceiling, through the house to the exterior wall, through the exterior stone, yada, yada…

We are in the middle of a costly bathroom remodel so I’m not in the mood to spend 3-5k to tear up my kitchen ceiling and put it all back together. The last 6 weeks have been a nightmare.

I also just found out that I will likely have to stick with the same brand (GE) because the generational fittings match up better with the cut out in my granite. Other brands would be a crap shoot. They are coming out to measure this week. Good Grief.

 

[Simba's Mom]

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

I would be interested to know your reasons for disliking it.

 

[tvguy]

Update: after getting quotes from electricians to install a 240 outlet, looks like we are sticking with gas. They want a minimum of 3k (others were higher) because it’s “a remodel” at this point. The cooktop is in the middle of our kitchen, not anywhere near an exterior wall. They said the line would have to be run through the ceiling, through the house to the exterior wall, through the exterior stone, yada, yada…

We are in the middle of a costly bathroom remodel so I’m not in the mood to spend 3-5k to tear up my kitchen ceiling and put it all back together. The last 6 weeks have been a nightmare.

I also just found out that I will likely have to stick with the same brand (GE) because the generational fittings match up better with the cut out in my granite. Other brands would be a crap shoot. They are coming out to measure this week. Good Grief.

I am assuming your house is built on a slab, otherwise the 220 install would a pretty simple under the floor run.

 

[AustinTink]

I am assuming your house is built on a slab, otherwise the 220 install would a pretty simple under the floor run.

Yes, slab.

 

[AustinTink]

For those of you that voted gas, I’d love to know what brand and model you have. I’ve been researching and it seems most of the newer models have issues with the knobs melting due to the front placement. My 20-year old stove has the knobs on the side and they are still in perfect condition.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just bought a GE slide-in 6 months ago; we like it. The noticeable difference to me is the height of the burner grate; newer ones are built much higher than the one I put in 20 years ago when the kitchen was re-done. I haven't heard anything about knobs melting, but then, it's not a cooktop. (Knobs should be made of bakelite, not standard plastic, but on a gas range all knobs should be interchangeable; the slide-on fitting is a standardized size.) The only issue with have with the stove knobs is that they are too easy to turn by bumging into them; they don't require as much of a push-then-turn motion as our previous stove did, and I've accidentally turned the burner on by leaning against the edge reaching into an upper cabinet.

 

[AustinTink]

Just bought a GE slide-in 6 months ago; we like it. The noticeable difference to me is the height of the burner grate; newer ones are built much higher than the one I put in 20 years ago when the kitchen was re-done. I haven't heard anything about knobs melting, but then, it's not a cooktop. (Knobs should be made of bakelite, not standard plastic, but on a gas range all knobs should be interchangeable; the slide-on fitting is a standardized size.) The only issue with have with the stove knobs is that they are too easy to turn by bumging into them; they don't require as much of a push-then-turn motion as our previous stove did, and I've accidentally turned the burner on by leaning against the edge reaching into an upper cabinet.

The newer cooktops have the knobs position just in front of the grates and apparently high heat and oversized pans combined will melt the knobs.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I love gas. We have a fairly basic Samsung stove/oven combo with 5 burners--it has the oblong burner in the middle for griddle cooking.
If we ever replace it, I want one that has a wok burner.

 

[disneyseniors]

For those of you that voted gas, I’d love to know what brand and model you have. I’ve been researching and it seems most of the newer models have issues with the knobs melting due to the front placement. My 20-year old stove has the knobs on the side and they are still in perfect condition.

Mine is a Maytag and has the controls on the front, above the over door. I've never had a problem with it and love it.
Hope you find what you are looking for.