I've always been under the impression that gas stoves are generally favored more than electric stoves for a variety of reasons. But I'm curious if those of you who have used both regularly really do favor one over the other, and if so, why? I was recently without a stove at all for a couple months, and had to make do with a portable electric burner temporarily, and it was definitely a challenge. The temperature would shoot up and drop down dramatically, and it was near impossible to maintain a consistent cooking temperature. This was especially true when cooking pasta, as one moment the water would be a gentle simmer and the next moment it would be bubbling over, then drop down to a simmer again - even when I didn't change the dial. However I never had issues this severe when using a traditional electric stove - sure there was some minor up and down of the temperature on the burners, but it was barely noticeable. I guess the portable models just aren't built as well. As popular as gas stoves are, there are still some drawbacks with them as well too. One of the biggest is getting them hooked up properly, and that there's always a potential for a gas leak, which can lead to an explosion. Another problem I've also encountered with them is dealing with drafts/breezes in your kitchen. If I had the windows open to let some air in, and/or have the ceiling fan on overhead, it can greatly increase the amount of time it takes for something like a pot of water to come to a boil on the stove. I've also run into issues with flare ups, when using the broiler and some grease begins to splatter and ignite due to the open flames. However it is nice that with gas stoves, you can shut a burner off, and the heat stops pretty much instantly - whereas with electric you need to transfer the pan to an unused burner or to a heat safe surface.
I've used a portable electric stove for a few months as well when I once stayed in an apartment temporarily. I did end up appreciating my gas stove a lot more but the electric one was also not that bad. I mostly just prefer gas stoves probably because I've gotten used to it. I'm guessing that electric stoves would just take a bit more getting used to but after a while probably you can get a good technique going. I also wonder if more expensive electric stoves end up giving better performance.
When I was young, I remember that all stoves are electric. When I was in high school, the so called LPG tank emerged which prompted some households to try using LPG gas by buying gas stove. As years passed, I noticed that housewives have been shifting to LPG gas for cooking. And their reason? It is cost effective than electric stoves. Besides, electric costs are always fluctuating and increasing. We have an electric stove but for emergency use only. Our stove is a gas range.
They both have their pros and cons, but overall, although I grew up in a house where we used gas, I prefer the electric cooker. I know what you mean about the temperature being hard to control on electric cookers. It can be very frustrating. Where I live, we are also subjected to regular power cuts, so that can be a nightmare. Luckily for us, electricity is not that bad in terms of price. But I think the main thing that makes us wary of gas is the health and safety aspect. We used to hear of so many explosions all over the UK, that petrified me LOL
Having moved around a lot and used all kinds of different stoves powered by quite a variety of fuels - if given the choice between that of electric or natural gas - I would for sure always choose the latter. As apart from the fact that electric stoves are generally extremely expensive in terms of running costs and gas stoves - although initially more expensive to buy - are way more efficient and much more cost effective in the long term - I find the cooking experience and more importantly the results to be far superior with gas. Especially as - not only does the instant heat make cooking time much quicker - but as you have better temperature control and food cooks more evenly - as I do a lot of roasting, pizza making and bake my own bread - this is a bonus for me - particularly as out of the two - I have found that gas very definitely excels when it comes to roasting and baking - why I'm not altogether sure but think it may have something to do with the fact - that food cooked in a gas oven retains more moisture than when cooked in an electric oven.
Advantages of an electric stove (this is what we've been using for years now): 1. Easier to assemble. You just plug it in and you can cook immediately. 2. No need for gas tanks. You don't need to buy gas tanks every month or so. There is also no risk for flammability accidents. 3. The bill is already included in your electricity. 4. Cooks the same way as traditional gas stoves. The disadvantages: 1. You cannot cook when there is no electricity. 2. Some say that is more expensive than using gas stoves. 3. The electric stove is hard to clean actually. It has stained parts now.
I have had gas stoves most of my adult life when I lived in apartments. That changed when I rented a house which had a hook up for an electric stove with self cleaning. That I liked. It took some time to get use to cooking on it. Now we own a house which had a hook up for an electric stove. I've learned over the years that there are certain types of cookware that cooked much better with the electric stove. Copper bottoms and T-fal are two. Whereas with the gas stove I could use anything.
I've used both gas and electric stoves, microwave ovens and toaster ovens too. I prefer electric stoves and electric everything because it's safer always. I am a tobacco smoker and I light up outside our apt. and maybe someday in the near future I'll quit. When I was growing up we had only a gas stove. I also had a gas stove in a lunch wagon we operated for a time till we sold it. I lost my eye brows in the lunch wagon gas stove. You never quite forget the flames coming straight for your face and luckily only thing that got singed was facial hair. Whew! Now we have only electric stove and you're right that you got to transfer your pot to another burner if you don't want it to cook any longer...the trick is to turn it off and let it simmer until the burner cools. Electric is the safest way to go because you can turn off the electricity fully and save money. Gas on the other hand is not that easy. You got to constantly watch the stove to be sure the flames are on or you'll get an explosion, you got to make sure the pilot is on and well it's just not that safe for you got to light it all the time you want to use a burner. No thanks to gas anything...give me an electric stove please.
When I was a little child, I remember my mom cooking with a petroleum-powered stove, looking much the way those using gas, but it had a glass tank to fuel it up. Still being a kid, the so then new LPG stoves became a household standard and my mom switched to this. At my parents' home there was always an electric stove for emergency cases (when gas ran out) but it was never used to cook regularly. Nonetheless, since I'm living on my own, I have never have a gas stove, but a portable electric burner or an electric stove at most. So, in my own experience, I have found truly hard to make my dishes look or taste the same way they used to do when using my parents' gas stove, which cooks evenly, as opposed to electric ones. Despite my electric appliance has a temperature control, it never cooks within the heat range the gas stove does, and therefore it makes me feel like wanting to consider the investment of a gas range. Even though, I'm considering to try first one of those electric stoves that use flat hot plates rather than tubular heating elements, if not an induction range; they say induction ranges are the best of all stoves you can get.
@MyDigitalpoint, you hit a nostalgic chord in me. We also had that gas stove which uses kerosene that we buy from the store by the bottle. That stove has a small pump so you could pump in air that would push the kerosene upward the burner. When pumped properly, it works like an LPG stove because there is pressure that pushes the kerosene which produces blue flames. But I tell you, it is a messy stove so we are just glad when the LPG stove came to fore.
I have had both gas and electric stoves. I prefer the gas stove. We have an all electric house, the problem is when ever the power goes out we do not have a stove. The gas stove would still be working during the power outage.
We use gas stoves because electric stoves consume a lot of electricity, and our neighbor who uses an electric stove pays a lot for electricity because of their electric stove usage. So for me, I would only use gas stoves.
I prefer an electric stove because it saves me a utility bill. The electric stove adds a little more to my electric bill, but at least I don't have to have a gas bill, which is one less headache for me deal with every month.
I think electric stove is cheaper for me as well. I haven't calculated the costs directly but when I switched to using a portable electric stove, I noticed that the electric bill did not increase that much compared to the gas bill. Also, I am paranoid about fire and explosion if I was using LPG gas.
I prefer cooking on a gas stove, but I don't like those gas payments. Even though my preference for cooking is gas, I now use electric because it's a lot more affordable.
I live in rented accommodation and the stove was already here when I moved in. It's a gas stove, and to be honest I'm not impressed. It burns everything regardless of how low you have the heat and nothing ever seems to cook properly. You seem to end up with food that's black on the outside and raw in the middle. I never had this issue at all with the electric stoves I've had before in previous places I've lived in, so I have to say that I prefer electric stoves overall.
I prefer gas stoves. I have never had to worry about getting them hooked up. Electric stoves are much more expensive because electricity is more expensive. I currently have an electric stove. I really don't like it. It's very hard to control the temperature. It took me awhile to figure out how to cook on the stove. It's still a pain. I'm looking forward to cooking again on a gas stove.
I prefer an electric stove. We just remodelled our kitchen and I bought a new induction stove. My husband asked if I wanted to put in a gas stove and I said no thanks. I absolutely love my induction stove and how fast it heats up and how quickly you can boil water. I'm very impressed with these new stoves. I've never had a gas stove but my best friend bought a house with a gas stove and gave it a try for over a year before she switched her stove for an electric stove. I think it's what you are used to cooking with too.
