Gas Or Electric?

[cabinetman]

Do you have 1/2" or 3/4" gas supply at the kitchen? If you have 3/4", look for higher btu burners.

Our house was piped for gas when we bought it, but the stove was trash. To answer your question, I'm not sure the size of the piping, but it's code approved as we had to have inspections. I was all ready to hook it up, but the gas company wouldn't allow it. We decided at that time to go with all new appliances...a gas stove, water heater, and dryer, and ordered a 120lb horizontal LP tank. We have no complaints about the stove, except LOML thinks that the gas burners for the stove heat up the kitchen too much.

She's thinkin' that a smooth top electric might be better, or one that doesn't get hot. Is that an induction type?

.

[tommyt654]

Smooth top electrics Do get HOT

[Charlie R]

When the electricity is off in the winter you'll be glad to have a gas stove. You'll be warm in the kitchen, maybe keep the pipes from freezing, be able to cook, and heat water to bathe. Although modern stoves don't have pilot lights you can light the burners with a match. The ovens light with an electrically controlled glow coil, so that's not functional without electricity.

[tommyt654]

Charlie, Cabman lives in S. Florida, doubt he'll be worryin about any cold weather

[JimD]

I have a smooth top, I think it is glass, that is black (the rest of the range is white). My son has baked enough stuff on the burner he likes that it isn't completely clean (need to try a razor blade scraper) but if he would clean up his messes before cooking on it again I doubt we would have the problem. When we had coil type ranges, I wasn't the one cleaning them, but it doesn't look easier to me.

I personally would prefer a gas range but mine is not vented and I worry about indoor air quality in my tight house with a gas range. I use the side burner on the gas grill on the screened porch a lot in the summer time. It heats quicker and the heat is not inside the house.

Jim

[cabinetman]

Charlie, Cabman lives in S. Florida, doubt he'll be worryin about any cold weather

It can get in the low 30's in the winter.

.

[pelligrini]

That's pretty chilly, which day would that occur on.

[Mr__Bill]

She's thinkin' that a smooth top electric might be better, or one that doesn't get hot. Is that an induction type?.

The induction that I have seen do have a smooth top, but not all smooth top stoves are induction, some have coils under the top that get hot. The induction top does not get hot except for what heat is transferred to the top by the pan being heated. I have only cooked on one once and as I remember that pan had to be magnetic, the pans I used were cast iron. If a magnet will stick to the pan the induction will heat it. I was also told that it had to be reasonably flat on the bottom, woks did not heat well.

If you are a messy chief I think the flat top stoves are easier to clean, burners, drip pans and that mysterious space under the top are all a pain to clean, at least I think so, on a regular electric stove. On gas you can at least burn it off

Bill
on the left ocean

[cabinetman]

that's pretty chilly, which day would that occur on.

.

[cabinetman]

The induction that I have seen do have a smooth top, but not all smooth top stoves are induction, some have coils under the top that get hot. The induction top does not get hot except for what heat is transferred to the top by the pan being heated. I have only cooked on one once and as I remember that pan had to be magnetic, the pans I used were cast iron. If a magnet will stick to the pan the induction will heat it. I was also told that it had to be reasonably flat on the bottom, woks did not heat well.

If you are a messy chief I think the flat top stoves are easier to clean, burners, drip pans and that mysterious space under the top are all a pain to clean, at least I think so, on a regular electric stove. On gas you can at least burn it off

Bill
on the left ocean

I'm thinking I have to talk her out of electric, especially ones that need cookware with flat bottoms/magnetic or whatever. If I have my way, we're keeping the gas stove. There's just something about a flame that tells me I'm cooking.

.

[Mr__Bill]

There's just something about a flame that tells me I'm cooking.

.

Seems you cook like I do.....



Bill
over here where it's still light out

[jking]

Not to get OT here, but why would electric be better for baking?

The reasoning is electrics give more even heat. I don't know if I buy the argument, though.

What was mentioned above about moisture from combustion makes more sense.

[leehljp]

If you are a messy chief I think the flat top stoves are easier to clean,

Bill
on the left ocean

I want to clear up something about this. Flat tops have easier and more simple access of course. Easier to clean - not necessarily, and absolutely not for the un-initiated. Getting to it, yes, but cleaning off - no. Grease and other liquid/food spill over items get trapped between the pan and the flat top. It has been harder for us to clean the bottom of the pans since having the flat top. Gas flame and electric elements did not create as difficult "cook on' residue as we are experiencing with the this flat top. The "cooked on" residue has no place to go but the flat top or pot/pan.

Spills were harder to get to on element and gas tops but at least they (spills) were not confined to the top and pot. AND when there is a boil over, you can't just pick up a cleaning towel and wipe it off when the flat top is hot.

I like to cook, so I am not looking at this from a "wife's" want or wish but from practicality. I don't have the induction type and it might be different. Still, the lack of having a place for "spill over" to go to creates a mess when it can't go anywhere.

[Knottscott]

I've never seen a chef or a cooking show use an electric stove...always gas.

[jking]

I've never seen a chef or a cooking show use an electric stove...always gas.

I've seen cooking shows use both. It seems to depend where the show was filmed. Restaurants will have gas, some studio settings go with electric.