Which Oven Option Is Best – Gas or Electric?
An oven is an everyday essential that you will need to give careful consideration to when choosing one for your home. Not only will an oven last you for years (and possibly decades), but it will also be one of the main appliances that you use virtually every day in the kitchen- and will obviously be responsible for creating beautiful, tasty dishes that you, your family and your guests will enjoy.
The oven itself is not only responsible for baking, roasting and cooking all of your future meals, but the stove atop it will be an addition that will get just as much use – if not more. You can use your stove for frying, boiling and poaching your planned meals, so your choice of overall unit for your space is an important one.
When choosing the best stove for your everyday needs, it’s important to note that you will be met with two main options to choose from: gas or electric. So what’s the difference and how could either be beneficial or detrimental to your kitchen experience?
Temperature control
As is common knowledge, a gas oven will be powered by your home’s gas supply, whilst an electric oven will run off your electricity current. If your home or apartment is purely run off electricity and doesn’t use gas, this makes your choice easier, as you will only be able to purchase an electric oven.
If you are one of the lucky few that have a home powered by both, your options are more varied.
Gas ovens can be slightly trickier to manage. You need to be able to light the pilot light within the unit on occasion, and also to manually light the stove by turning on the gas supply and using a flame – whether in the form of a lighter or match. This eventually becomes second-nature but can be initially difficult when you are faced with a new, unfamiliar unit.
Electric ovens are simple for those who don’t want the added task of manual lighting. You merely turn the oven knob to your required temperature, or choose from a low to high setting for your stove top, and away you go.
Many owners of electric stoves do find that temperature is more difficult to control on electric hot plates. Turning heat down from high to a low simmer often isn’t instantaneous and sometimes you need to take your pots off the stove top until the hot plates naturally decrease in temperature. Gas, on the other hand, is instant, and you can easily see for yourself the gas being used by the size of the blue flame.
The price of gas and electric
The price of gas or electric is often a key factor in choosing which oven option to purchase for your home. Electricity is usually more expensive than gas, and you will notice that in the cooler months, when you are using your unit to cook or heat up hot meals, your electricity bills will increase to match.
Again, if your home only runs off electricity, this is your only option, but for those who have the option of gas, be aware that a gas oven will save you quite a large sum off your bills each month.
No matter whether you are erring more towards a new gas or electric oven, it’s always important to have the unit installed and fitted by a professional who specialises in kitchen appliances and will be able to take all of the necessary safety precautions (and do the relevant safety checks) when you bring your new oven home.
