Gas or Electric? How to Choose the Best Range for Your Kitchen

With a large ‘range’ of options available, it can be daunting and overwhelming choosing between a gas and electric range. After all, the range is one of the most important appliances in the kitchen, so it is important that you make an educated decision on what works best for you. Between cooking everyday dinners to hosting holiday feasts for your friends and family, the oven gives you the power to create a culinary masterpiece.

There are two main types of ranges—gas and electric. There are many factors to consider when making your decision between the two, and our team at Appliance Educator has set out to gather them all. Without further ado, please consider this list of pros and cons of electric and gas ranges when choosing the best fit for your cooking needs.

Electric Ranges

Pros:

1. Heat distribution: The heat in an electric oven is drier and more evenly distributed. This is great for baking and roasting most types of food. It also makes it more user friendly and easier to operate, as you don’t have to manage flame heights or monitor your food to make sure it is evenly cooking.

2. Easy to clean: Both the smooth-top electric ranges as well as the ranges with the coil-elements are amongst the easiest to clean. The smooth-top allows for you to wipe it clean without having to move other parts out of the way. If you have coils, they are easy to lift and wipe clean.

3. Even surface: Smooth-top electric ranges typically have a more even cooking surface and are more stable for pots and pans. You don’t have to worry about your oil or liquid-y foods pooling up on one side of your pan because of an uneven coil or burner.

Cons:

1. Power source: This is one of the biggest downsides, given that if there is a power outage, you can’t cook.

2. Cooking quality: Electric ovens tend to cook food slower. This is due to the fact that it is generally harder to tell if the oven is on the proper setting since there is no open flame. Electric stoves also don’t respond to temperature changes very quickly, making it difficult to char, toast, and flambé dishes.

Gas Ranges

Pros:

1. Heats quickly: The flame lights immediately, giving you instant heat. The heat is controlled easily by adjusting the flame, allowing for more precision cooking.

2. Environmentally clean: Gas ranges typically run on propane or natural gas, which are clean burning and generally inexpensive. You don’t have to worry about not being able to cook during a power outage, either.

3. Great for baking: Since gas ovens release more moisture, they tend to work better for baking delicious treats. However, there are many other dishes that do better with moisture in the air, so it isn’t just limited to baking.

Cons:

1. Safety: With a gas stove, you are cooking with an open flame. This gives a greater variability for fires and can also be more dangerous with young children or pets present. There is also a risk of gas leaks, which can be hazardous and sometimes deadly.

2. Pricing: One of the biggest disadvantages for some is the large price tag that comes with a gas oven. Both the cost of the oven and the cost of installation can add up, especially if you are renovating other areas of your kitchen as well.

One thing to note is you can definitely have the best of both worlds. The dual fuel range has an electric oven for baking and broiling, and a gas cooktop for cooking. You could also purchase the two separately depending on which cooking styles you prefer. No matter what your choice is, we feel confident that you will be able to create delicious masterpieces in your kitchen.