Dual fuel vs electric cooker

Sandwich567

We’ve recently moved to a new house and need to buy a cooker. We’re stuck between getting dual fuel or electric - I understand gas is still cheaper, but will this still be true by next year, and will everyone be going totally electric soon? The previous one there was entirely gas - will installation be a problem? We’re thinking of redoing the kitchen in a few years so don’t want to get something that we’ll need to replace then. (We would also like to get solar panels but that will probably be a few years down the line). 

Also the gap to fit it in is only 55cm. There seems not many cookers about that size. Should we attempt to bash the sideboard to create a bigger gap, or is there not much in it and we’ll still be able to fit our oven trays in? (Where we have been renting has a 60cm oven).
Any cooker advice appreciated! 

Bendy_House

Unless you can do summat about that 55cm space - increase it to 600mm - then I suspect you are VERY limited in your choice. It'll be dual fuel (if they exist in that size) or electric solid plate, or possibly 'ceramic'.

If that IS the choice, then it surely HAS to be gas hob? Solid plates are just hellish, and ceramic are 'ok' but a bit pants. 

I'd do everything possible to get a 600mm built-under oven there, and a 750mm induction hob.(Assuming the worktop is being changed). If not, then a full-electric slot-in cooker, with induct hob.

Electric, I suspect, is the future. You, yourself, are considering PV, a good move espec if a battery is added. (And when it's cheap enough to install...)

fenwick458

all complete guesswork but gas will be cheaper than electric for a good few years still. plans to shift the green levies from electric to gas have been put on hold due to the energy crisis, it was supposed to be phased in by now(it isn't) and complete by 2028

In your situation just get another gas cooker, and when you re do the kitchen look at getting 30A supply for electric cooker.
If you were thinking you could get a dual fuel and run it on gas now, and then electric in a few years when you re do the kitchen and get an electric supply, you can't really do that. dual fuel means it runs off both, normally gas for the hob and elec for the ovens/grill 

macman

Gas cookers and boilers will be with us for decades to come, even if new build gas boilers are banned from 2030.
An electric cooker will cost about 350% more to run now and for the forseeable future, since electricity prices are determined by peak wholesale gas prices, which accounts for 40% of our generation in the UK.

TELLIT01

We went from free standing dual fuel to built in electric double oven with gas hob.  What I really miss is the gas grill.  It was so easy to control, where electic takes an eternity (comparatively) to heat up and cool down.

FreeBear

macman said: An electric cooker will cost about 350% more to run now and for the forseeable future, since electricity prices are determined by peak wholesale gas prices, which accounts for 40% of our generation in the UK.

Gas hobs are about 40% efficient, electric about 75%, and induction, 85%. So whilst electricity may be 350% more expensive, the running costs of an electric/induction hob is only going to be that high.

Using a gas oven compared to an electric, is certainly going to be a lot cheaper..

Bendy_House

How much does 'cooking' contribute to an annual energy bill anyway? I suspect a pretty small %-age, as it's winter heating that causes the bills to soar.

Personally, I don't think it's worth taking energy bills as a deal-breaker. Unless it's for the other reason - the OP will likely be fitting PV at some point.

Bendy_House

Sandwich, a few conclusions arrived at:

1) the current space is 55cm. Only consider keeping that size as a temp solution. Aim - and PLAN - for a 600mm oven or cooker for your future refurb. So, I'd look at this as a 'tie you over' solution, and plan for the future. Ie, just fit a cheap cooker at the mo', to do the job

2) dual-fuel cookers, even of 55cm size, 'seem' to require a fully wired leccy connection, so that will usually be ~6mm cable and a 32A MCB. It's UNLIKELY you have this as you are currently all gas, and if you don't, then your only current option is FULLY gas cooker.

3) I would, nonetheless, PLAN for running a 10mm cooking supply (cater for induction hob and oven) for the future, so if you fancy a 55cm DUAL fuel cooker for the time being, then consider having that fitted now.

4) personally, I would just get a good secondhand gas cooker for around £300 max, and run with that until refurb time. Then plan for an electric oven (timer controls, and just less scary), along with either a gas or indie hob - your personal preference. What I would DEF do, is to make the hob at least 750mm wide - just so much nicer to use (and looks good too...)

shiraz99

Bendy_House said:

How much does 'cooking' contribute to an annual energy bill anyway? I suspect a pretty small %-age, as it's winter heating that causes the bills to soar.

Personally, I don't think it's worth taking energy bills as a deal-breaker. Unless it's for the other reason - the OP will likely be fitting PV at some point.

I'd say quite a lot. The majority of my household is electric, I only have gas for my heating and hot water. I have an electric single oven and induction hob and I probably use my oven 4-5 times a week. Last month's bill, since the Oct increase, was a fair bit despite me trying to stay on top of conserving as much as possible. I got an air fryer at the beginning of this month and haven't touched the oven since and have noticed quite a saving so far so cooking does contribute a fair amount.

twopenny

Having always used a gas oven economically I moved to a house with built in electric.
The fan, ven though small oven not a fan, keeps going throughout cooking and after to cool it down. Bills up.

With gas I could slow cook at low expense. It was easier to clean and a drip tray on the bottom.


A lot depends on what , how much and how you like to cook. 
Less choice on style with gas but I know they do better on size because I've been looking for one either built in or free standing.

And who the heck had the idea to put the most used burners on a hob at the back? Being vertical challenged that drives me nits!

shiraz99

This is worth a  read

https://www.uswitch.com/energy-efficiency/energy-efficient-cooking/