Gas vs Electric Stove – How to Choose Your Stove?

When it is time to go in for a new stove, you are often caught between choosing a conventional gas stove or the electric one. Each has its own set of pros and cons. A lot depends not only on your budget, but also your personal preference, the kind of food you cook, kitchen space, and so on.

Let us first understand the difference between the two types of stoves before we go into the factors that one should consider before making a choice.

Understanding the Difference: Gas Vs Electric Stoves

Pros and Cons of the Gas Stove

Pros	Cons
Can see the flame level.	Unsafe, especially with kids around.
Helps in even cooking.	Could be hazardous to health if there are people with asthma or allergies.
Allows cooking multiple things at once.	Operating the stove can be a bit tricky.
Works even during a power cut.	Requires installation of expensive gas lines.
Cheaper than electric stoves.	Cleaning and maintenance of the gas stove can be time-consuming.

Pros and Cons of Electric Stove

Pros	Cons
Modern, sleek and contemporary looks.	Electric stoves are slow in heating and cooling.
Very convenient, especially in cleaning and maintenance.	When the performance is compared between the gas and the electric stoves, the former works out better.
An excellent choice for people who love to bake.	You need to invest in separate quality cookware to be able to cook properly. You cannot use your old cast iron cookware.
These stoves are more energy-efficient compared to gas stoves.	Ned to have a power line with the required voltage.
The heat level, especially the low heat, is maintained steadily. Hence, suitable for simmering food.	Need to remember to switch off the stove once cooking is completed. On low heat it does not glow and appears to be off.

Factors To Consider

Evaluate and assess these factors thoroughly before deciding the type of stove that is best for your kitchen. 

Kitchen Space

The space available in your kitchen is an important consideration to choose between either of these stove types. Electric stoves usually have some storage space below. Both the gas and the electric cooktops come in various sizes – regular, small, medium, big, and mini. Choose the size of the stove based on the availability of space.

Price

Electric stoves cost more than gas stoves, upfront. But you should also compare the operating costs of both the stove types when deciding. Since in most parts of the country electricity rates are substantially high, the operating costs of gas stoves are comparatively cheaper – this means, going in for gas stoves works out to be less expensive in the long run. 

Durability

When it comes to durability and energy efficiency, you should consider which of these stove types will be able to support you for a longer period. In this context, gas stoves are clear winners. It has been seen that gas stoves survive 2 to 5 years more than the electric ones.

Energy Efficiency 

Study and compare the energy efficiencies of both types of stoves. As per data, gas stoves are 40{68721ff3a34cef4588a3636c0c1136425ee753f42509b1aa572427d14617ce03} energy-efficient, whereas electric stoves are 74{68721ff3a34cef4588a3636c0c1136425ee753f42509b1aa572427d14617ce03} energy-efficient. This means that 74{68721ff3a34cef4588a3636c0c1136425ee753f42509b1aa572427d14617ce03} of the energy gets transferred to the food when using electric stoves compared to only 40{68721ff3a34cef4588a3636c0c1136425ee753f42509b1aa572427d14617ce03} when using gas stoves. Thus, expect the food to cook faster with electric cooktops.

Temperature Control 

Electric stoves can be activated with a simple push of a button. However, in a gas stove, the flame heats the base of the pan faster compared to the electric stove. Also, with the different knob conditions, it becomes easy to control the temperature or the heat in a gas stove. Let us just say that the gas cooktops are faster to respond to temperature changes vis-a-vis the electric ones.

Safety

If you have a growing family, with kids and aged people around, it is best to go ahead with the electric cooktop. Why? Because it is safer! There are no risks of a gas leak. The chances of fire-related incidents have been found to be more prevalent with the gas stoves. 

Maintenance

When it comes to cleaning the stoves, the electric stove is a boon for the cook. Newest models of electric stoves come with smooth ceramic tops. You simply need a damp cloth to clean. Regularly wiping it clean using a soft cloth will keep it gleaming and looking like new for a long time.

The choice between the electric and the gas stove is completely based on your comfort quotient. There is no right or wrong choice here. Simply weigh the pros and cons of both stoves and match it with your need to get home the right one. For any assistance, get in touch with our experts at HomeLane.