Gas Or Electric Cooker

WEEZE210_2

Have had a quick look but can't find an answer to my question which is
I am having new kitchen including a new cooker and was wondering which is best a gas one (which I have at present) or an electric one?
What differences are there regards costs, ease of use and cooking results?
Thanks in advance
Weeze x

basmic

I think the best sort of cooker, has a gas hob and electric oven.

Gas gives instant heat control on the hob. For some reason, a lot people prefer to cook with electric ovens.

Jesthar

For hobs and grills, I would never go anything other than gas if I had the choice, as despite the advances in modern technology electric/induction hobs etc. just aren't as controllable. Or, to put it another way, there is a very good reason why all professional kitchens use gas! I've had to use electric cookers from time to time, and they annoy me immensely - I just can't seem to get the timing right on turning them down before they overboil! :rolleyes:

Ovens, it's up to your personal preferences and what you cook. Gas provides a less dry heat (produces water vapour), which helps keep food more moist, but they do have 'zones' of heat (hotter at the top, cooler towards the bottom' - this can be useful for cooking things requiting slightly different timings, though. Elec fan ovens distribute heat more evenly with drier heat. Can't remember which foods cook better with what, though...

Personally I'd probably go for gas hob and electric oven if I could, but the cooker slot in my kitchen is too small to fit one of those in, so I have all gas.

No idea what the running cost differences would be, though, as this would vary with the efficiency of each model - make sure you go for good efficiency!

Hope that helps.

~Jes

WEEZE210_2

Thanks for that.
Was thinking of having a ceramic hob as they are so easy to keep clean especially as the one I'm thinking of buying is touch controls so not even got to clean round any knobs!

Premier_2

WEEZE210 wrote: »

Thanks for that.
Was thinking of having a ceramic hob as they are so easy to keep clean especially as the one I'm thinking of buying is touch controls so not even got to clean round any knobs!

If you get one with halogen, you'll find it's as controllable as gas - it's like a light on a dimmer switch with the added bonus compared to gas of thermostatic control.

Whilst the ceramic or halogen hobs are extremely easy to keep clean, one disadvantage is that they won't go as hot as other types of hobs (although hot enough for most domestic cooking purposes). The other disadvantages are that they can scratch if you slide saucepans about on them, or worse still will break if you drop a heavy weight on them. Perhaps these disadvantages are the reasons you won't find them in a professional kitchen.

Magentasue

In our old house, we had a new kitchen fitted and went for electric.. What sold us was a ceramic induction hob (easy clean) and programmable oven. In our present house, there is no cooker ring main and a gas cooker was left. Hadn't cooked on gas for years and thought it would be temporary but now, would not go back to electric.

Advantages of the gas oven for us are purely subjective - everything seems to cook better in it.

TITEASCRAMP

Gas every time for me. Gas hob - easy to regulate temp - Gas oven cooks food miles better.
They are more expensive though

faerie_girl

I hate our electric oven. It takes a while to get the hob to the right temperature, then if it gets too hot you have to take the pan off to let the hob cool down.