Running a gas cooker from bottled gas

frugal90

We have an old electric cooker. I really would like a gas hob. We are not on mains gas. Is it a big job to creat a gas outlet drilling hole in wall, sealing etc. Wondering if it would be worth the expense??

grumbler

Doesn't look like a bit job to me, but depends on the floor plan. 
Get an induction hob instead. 

Woolsery

Had a similar discussion with a friend who has no way to get a mains gas fire into her living room and no inclination to install a 'Chinese restaurant' SS chimney on the side of her nice new house for a log fire. I Suggested a gas fired fake 'woodburner' with balanced flue and 47kg gas bottle.

When we had a gas hob running from an external gas bottle, a 19kg one seemed to last ages and it was no bother. Must admit we've changed to an induction hob now, but had the old kitchen remained the gas hob would have stayed.

Rodders53

LPG gas by bottle is not inexpensive per kWh. It's 14 kWh per 1 kg of propane and a 13 kg Calor refill is £43.00.  So 23.6 p / kWh.  19 kg cylinders should work out a bit cheaper and last longer.  Gas hobs aren't 100% efficient at getting kWh into the pans/foodstuffs though.  Estimates are around 40% so even at 50% double that cost to 47p 

Ideally you'd have two cylinders  with auto changeover and need to meet the regs re placement, protecting cylinders from falling over and theft, etc.,.  Talk to your local tame LPG-qualified Gas Safe technician for advice and pricing.

Induction hobs are cleaner to use and (even more) controllable than gas.  They also don't have the water combustion product and need for oxygen with the small risk of carbon monoxide, if things aren't right.  Induction hobs are closer to 90% in transfer of energy into the cooking (with other electric hobs around 74%).

New hobs are expensive. So whatever you do it won't actually save money even at the currently high prices.

liberty_lily

We paid £600+ three years ago to have an LPG connection installed for our hob. That included two 47kg gas bottles. 

The first bottle lasted just shy of two years.

Bendy_House

Woolsery said:

Had a similar discussion with a friend who has no way to get a mains gas fire into her living room and no inclination to install a 'Chinese restaurant' SS chimney on the side of her nice new house for a log fire. I Suggested a gas fired fake 'woodburner' with balanced flue and 47kg gas bottle.

When we had a gas hob running from an external gas bottle, a 19kg one seemed to last ages and it was no bother. Must admit we've changed to an induction hob now, but had the old kitchen remained the gas hob would have stayed.

How do you find the two types - gas and induction - compare?

goldfinches

I have been using an induction hob that sits on a worktop at my cooking evening class and grew up cooking on both a gas hob and an electric one as my parents had two cookers. After using the induction hob I think it is much better than a gas hob and far, far easier to keep clean. The controllability and responsiveness combined with the lack of a naked flame has completely won me over. I suggest you buy something like this Ciarra Touch Control Portable Induction Hob with 2 Cook Zone CUTIH2-OW – CIARRA Appliances and if you don't like it you could always sell it on ebay.

Woolsery

Bendy_House said:

Woolsery said:

Had a similar discussion with a friend who has no way to get a mains gas fire into her living room and no inclination to install a 'Chinese restaurant' SS chimney on the side of her nice new house for a log fire. I Suggested a gas fired fake 'woodburner' with balanced flue and 47kg gas bottle.

When we had a gas hob running from an external gas bottle, a 19kg one seemed to last ages and it was no bother. Must admit we've changed to an induction hob now, but had the old kitchen remained the gas hob would have stayed.

How do you find the two types - gas and induction - compare?

It's hard to say at a distance of 6 years. I used to drive a nippy car and switched to a 4x4 a few years ago, finding it very pedestrian at first, but after a while I got used to the more cumbersome vehicle and it's become my  idea of 'normal.' In the same way, I find the induction hob 'responsive,' but it's not really as quick to react as gas.

In both cases I'd ask, 'Does it matter?' The 4x4 still gets me where I want to go, just not in quite such as lively way. If we put a stopwatch on it, the differences in journey times would be small. Where the 4x4 scores is in poor weather and in its ability to take our potholed roads in its stride. The induction hob has benefits too, like a sleek design, and cleaning it is a doddle.

Bendy_House

Thanks, Gold & Wool.

Ind seems the way to go, then.

I think it matters with cooking, Wool, as responsiveness IS very important - you would never go back to a solid-plate leccy hob, would you?!

Even if the ind is not 'quite' as responsive as gas, the cooler surface, ease of cleaning, temperature readout (wow!), surely win the day, easily. Lack of flames too - no more scorched pan handles.

And, there will soon be little to choose betwixt them in running costs.

I'm won.

An option for you, Frugal?

knightstyle

Just make sure all your pans will work on induction.  Our pressure cooker and a cheap steamer did not but out saucepans did when we changed over.

Woolsery

Bendy_House said:

I think it matters with cooking, Wool, as responsiveness IS very important - you would never go back to a solid-plate leccy hob, would you?!

 Um, no, but if the power goes off this coming winter that's what the top of my wood stove is!

I'd add that  I don't think the induction hob we have is one of the best, performance-wise. While it isn't a cheapie, others who've  used it say theirs is better. Unlike the cars, I had no part in choosing it.