we have friends who have a hideously expensive induction stove.



they are pretty amazing. Water boils almost instantly. They do not get hot (hence the uncooked egg in the above photo).. and combine the speed of gas with the convenience of ceramic.

Downside, they cost about a regular year's savings as you need special pots and pans.

 oldslabsides wrote: 
Clicky

 BlueHeronDruid wrote: 
True 'nuff, and avoiding scratches and cleaning off carbonised spillage is a bit of a sod. Just thought I'd mention it though.
 

 hobiejoe wrote: 
Halogen is neat, but unless one has perfectly flat-bottomed pans, it's not that much better than electric coils or solid burners. I didn't care for it.

 hobiejoe wrote: 

 oldslabsides wrote: 
Have you considered halogen? Almost instantaneous control, not quite as good as gas, but next best thing.

Wood?

Gas. Also heats when power is out. Like when we have hurricanes.

Professionals use gas almost exclusively.  The degree of control you have with a gas range cannot be matched by an electrically heated surface.  If P could change one thing about our current apartment, I think it would be to have a gas range, her hatred for the electric one is sometimes palpable.

 Hairfarmer wrote: 
It's made me a lot of great meals over the years...

Whoops: Energy Star approves gas-powered alarm clock

(even though it didn't really exist)

 DaveInVA wrote: 
Niiiiiiiice

I'm sticking with my old gas stove I've been using the last 25 years...

 MrsHobieJoe wrote: 
I'm very much like that.  Many meals that people use the oven for, such as roasts and things, I use a crockpot and I rarely bake, so the "hob" is most important for me.  I have never been able to get the electric to get the wok hot enough for stir fry either, a bit frustrating. 

Looks like I'm leaning towards gas.

In the kitchen ... electric ... It's cleaner and safer .. It's a matter of getting used to cook it

We have a gas hob (burners) and an electric oven.  Good combination.  If I had to choose I'd go for gas.  The hob is the powerhouse in our home and the oven is a bit of an also ran so the impracticality of adjusting the electric burners would far outweigh any inconsistencies in oven temperature.

BTW- You won't find any professional chefs or kitchens using an electric hob but I guess it depends on whether you cook or not.

 JrzyTmata wrote: 
The "modern" GE gas stove I had in my last house (in addition to my antique gas one) would still work without power if you lit the burners manually.  The oven would not work without power though...

 JrzyTmata wrote: 
I also MUCH prefer gas over electric cooking, Gas heat is faster and easier to regulate. Electric stoves always piss me off.

GAS

I prefer gas.
I found it hard to regulate temps on electric, especially when reducing temps while cooking, it took some time to actually drop and you have to remove the pan to keep from burning some stuff.
also, I was used to being able to leave a pan on the burner when finished, with electric, empty pans would warp from the electric hot burner

electric ovens make lousy dry cakes. the air is too dry or something.

if the power goes out, you still have a gas stove. unless the new ones have some kind of electronics crap on it. dunno. my rangetop and oven is 50 years old.

that all being said, I think some electric ranges/ovens have addressed these issues since the last time I used one. (30 years ago). but it's something to ask about when shopping.

I much prefer gas over electric. I hate waiting for the electric burner to heat up, then try to adjust it to the temperature I want.