Gas Stove vs Electric Stove – A Quick Comparison

You must always have a combination of oven and stove in your kitchen. The stove can be of great help when you are cooking food or when you are boiling water. Indian kitchens can’t make any dish without a stove. Now, there are different types of stoves available in the market. You will find the gas stoves, and you will also come across the electric stoves. The gas stoves use LPG or natural gas to fire the flame, and as the name suggests, the electric stove uses electricity to generate heat.

Most modern constructions come with a gas pipeline in the kitchen, but if your kitchen doesn’t have a gas pipeline, you will have to use the gas cylinders. You can even get a new gas line installed without having to worry about the existing ones. Both types of stoves can help you with cooking, but there are many differences between the two stoves. One of the main difference between the two stoves is the way they are powered.

The most important question is what type of stove you should buy for your kitchen? You have to choose between the gas stove and the electric stove and to help you with the choice, we have listed some of the points of differences between the two stoves. Check them out below.

The stove’s appearance – In terms of the appearance, the electric stove looks a lot better than the gas stove. The electric stoves or the hobs can be integrated into the countertop, and hence they offer a flat storage surface. These days, the gas stoves are available with the glass top, and you can consider them.

Ignition Mechanism – In terms of the ignition mechanism, the gas stove needs a spark to ignite. You can use a lighter or a matchstick to ignite the gas stove. Some gas stoves come with an inbuilt ignition mechanism, and they light up as soon as you turn the knob to on position. All this is not required for the electric stoves as they start heating once you switch it on and set the temperature.

Ease of Cooking – The gas stove is excellent for cooking at high temperature, and it allows you to toast, roast, char or flambe the food easily. You can adjust the heat quickly, and you get a lot of versatility while cooking with the gas stove. For the electric stoves, it takes some time to increase or decrease the temperature, which may become a decisive factor when you are cooking.

Ease of Installation – Talking about the ease of installation, the gas stove can be challenging to install if you do not have the pipeline connection available. This is not the case with the electric stove. You need a power point, and you are done. While we are talking about the installation, we would also like to mention portability. The gas stove is a little less portable than the electric stove since you may need to carry the cylinder or the pipes with you while carrying the gas stove. Electric stoves are more like plug n play devices.

Cost – In terms of the equipment cost, the price depends on the country you live in. in general, the gas stoves are cheaper than the electric stove, but the fuel is more expensive than the electricity. In some countries, the gas stove may be a costly purchase. If you are purchasing a stove and the combined over, you will certainly have to shell out more money.

Type of Fuel – In general, the gas stove would need PNG or LPG to work. Most of the countries provide natural gas in cylinders. It doesn’t make sense to buy the liquid propane stoves since the propane can be expensive. The type of fuel you are using would determine the cost of energy. For the electric stove, you need electricity and that works as a fuel.

Maintenance – If we talk about the cleaning aspect, we feel that the electric stoves are a lot easier to clean. They need just a wipe with the wet cloth and you are done. You can also lift the coils in some of the models to get better cleaning. The gas stoves can be difficult to clean as you would have to clean the burners and the drip plates. In case of a breakdown, the gas stoves are easy to repair whereas the electric stoves are slightly challenging to repair. The gas stove would last a lot longer than the electric stoves. You will also have to take care of the gas stove’s glass top since it may shatter if a heavy object falls on it.

Power Outage – If your area has a lot of power outage, we recommend avoiding the electric stoves. It will leave you without cooked food in case of an extended power outage. The best choice in such a case would be a gas stove. If you are using an electric stove, then ensure that you get electricity all the time. In the case of pipeline gas, the outages are infrequent, and the people are informed before the scheduled maintenance.

Safety Aspect – LPG is highly combustible, and a gas leak can even kill you. Another problem with the gas stove is carbon monoxide poisoning. The build-up of any gas can be hazardous. In those terms, the electric stove is a lot safer. One problem with the electric stove is that it remains hot for some time even after switching it off. If you are careless around the electric stove, it can cause a severe burn.

Additional Feature – The electric Stove has many extra features. The temperature is digitally controlled, and they come with fans, grills, warming drawers and even lights. These options are not available in the gas stove.

Warranty Policy – You will generally get a year warranty on both the stoves so you should not worry about the warranty policy here.

Comparison of Pros
Gas Stove	Electric Stove
It ignites instantaneously and heats quickly.	You can control the temperature digitally.
The burner takes just a few minutes to cool down.	A lot of cooking options and features are available.
No risk of getting a burn once the burner is off.	Not expensive to install.
Durable from the long term perspective.	Cleaning is also effortless.
Available in 1, 2, 3 & 4 burner options.	Integrated stoves in countertop can optimize the space.
Works during the power outage as well.	No risk of explosion or gas leak.

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Comparison of Cons
Gas Stove	Electric Stove
Risk of CO & Gas Leakage is always there.	It will surely last less than the gas stove.
Difficult to control the heat.	The coil takes longer to heat and longer to cool down.
Some people may find it difficult to clean.	You have a risk of burn even after you turn off the system.
Doesn’t have any extra features.	It doesn’t work during the power outage.
Fuel Source can be a problem if the pipeline is not available.	They are challenging to repair.

Final Verdict

We have given you all the comparison points between the gas stove and the electric stove. These points should help you in making a decision. We would leave the decision on you since each one of us has different requirements in the kitchen. You can review all the points and then decide according to the suitability and the ease of usage.

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