Are you planning on purchasing a new stove for your kitchen? Are you considering your options? You may be wondering which is best for you – a gas stove or an electric stove.
Each of these types of stoves has their own benefits and drawbacks so the right one for you will depend on your budget and how you like to cook. Below, we will look at the differences between gas and electric stoves to help you decide which type may be best for your kitchen.
Gas Stove vs. Electric Stove – Which is Cheapest to Run?
If you choose an electric stove, you will use fewer units of energy. However, since electricity is more expensive than gas, you will actually end up paying more.
In many cases, you will find that it costs around twice as much to cook with an electric stove than it does to cook with a gas stove. This is due to the higher costs of electricity per unit.
GAS STOVE PROS
Great for Simmering
Gas hobs provide instant heat that is easy to control. This heat tends to spread evenly across the base of your pan, meaning there is less stirring needed in order to get your food properly heated and cooked.
Lower Running Costs
Gas is much cheaper than electricity. This means that you’ll be able to save yourself a bit of money in the long term by choosing a gas stove.
GAS STOVE CONS
Less Heat Distribution in The Oven
Gas ovens don’t tend to have fans in them. This can make it more difficult for the heat to circulate evenly around the space. This often means that a gas oven will be hotter at the top and cooler at the bottom. Some people prefer this as they can cook various dishes at the same time. However, it can often make it quite tricky to get batches of food evenly cooked.
Hobs Can Be Slower to Cook
Gas hobs are typically slower than electric hobs when it comes to heating large pans of food. This means you may be waiting longer for your food to cook.
Difficult to Clean
Gas hobs tend to have raised burners and pan supports. These are quite fiddly and can be difficult to clean. Food can often become trapped and lodged in places, making them harder to maintain.
Installation
As with any other gas appliances, you will need to hire a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit your gas stove. This can sometimes result in higher labour costs.
ELECTRIC STOVE PROS
More Even Temperatures in The Oven
Electric ovens tend to distribute warm air more evenly through the oven space. Most electric ovens have fans to help move the hot air around. This makes it easier to achieve consistent results and is especially helpful when cooking large batches of food.
Multifunctional Oven
Many electric ovens allow you to use different heating functions at the same time. For example, you can use the fan and the grill at the same time. This is helpful when cooking certain types of foods.
Hobs Are Easy to Clean
Whether your opt for an electric induction or an electric ceramic hob, the surface of the hob will be flat. This makes it much easier to clean. Plus, if you choose a model with touch controls rather than dial controls, there will be less areas for dirt, food, and grime to become trapped.
Better Grilling Methods
Electric grills do a much better job of browning your foods evenly than gas grills do. Although some electric grills will be better than others, most perform better than gas grills.
Induction Cooking
If you choose an electric stove with an induction hob, you can achieve much faster cooking times. Induction hobs heat up almost instantly and are quick to heat up the entire contents of a pan of food. Induction hobs are usually also much better at simmering at low temperatures as well.
Easy to Install
Most electric stoves simply need to be plugged in in order for them to work. In some cases, the system may need to be wired in, in which case you will need to hire an electrician. However, in most cases, electric stoves are generally easier to install than gas stoves.
ELECTRIC STOVE CONS
Higher Running Costs
Electric stoves are more expensive to run than gas stoves. This means that you’ll likely see a significant increase in your energy bill if you switch from a gas stove to an electric stove.
Hob Takes a Long Time to Cool Down
Electric hobs tend to hold heat for much longer than gas hobs. This means that if you leave your pan on the hob after you’ve turned it off, it may continue to cook for a while. Electric hobs also tend to be slower to heat up than gas hobs.
Choosing The Right Stove For You
As you can see, there are many differences between gas stoves and electric stoves. When it comes down to choosing the right one for you and your kitchen, it’s worth thinking about which elements are most important to you.
Take a look at the pros and cons of each above and this should help you to determine which type of stove is best for your needs.
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