kolling@magic.ARPA (02/13/85)
I'd like to hear about electric vs. gas stoves. I'm planning to remodel my kitchen, getting rid of an ancient gas stove in the process. I'd like to stop using gas altogether in the house, due to earthquake dangers, but my memories of cooking on an electric stove multi-years ago are that it was a vast pain due to not being able to adjust the heat of the burners finely enough. Are things better now -- are there electric stoves that can be "fine tuned"? Any other comments? (All these messages about crisping the tops of electric stoves with woks don't sound very wonderful either.....) Karen (decvax, ucbvax, ihnp4)!decwrl!kolling
chris@byucsa.UUCP (Chris J. Grevstad) (02/17/85)
> > I'd like to hear about electric vs. gas stoves. .... > .... Are things better now -- are there electric stoves > that can be "fine tuned"? Any other comments? > .... I would still recommend gas over electric. Gas stoves now require no pilot lights as they are electrically lighted. As far as I've seen, they haven't progreesed far in the realm of infinite controls on electric stoves. I would suggest, though, that you look at gas ranges with electric ovens. Gas ovens are not very constant and evenly heated. -- Chris Grevstad {ihnp4,noao,mcnc,utah-cs}!arizona!byucsa!chris If things don't change they will probably remain the same.
lazeldes@wlcrjs.UUCP (Leah A Zeldes) (02/18/85)
In article <143@magic.ARPA> kolling@magic.ARPA writes: >I'd like to hear about electric vs. gas stoves. I'm planning to >remodel my kitchen, getting rid of an ancient gas stove in the >process. In my opinion, the best possible choice would be to have gas burners and an electric oven. Gas burners give you the most control over the heat, allowing you to change it instantly, and giving you the most fine tuning. You can see exactly how high the flame is, and you know immediately if it isn't high or low enough. Electric burners have more of delay, and they're easy to forget to turn off. Electric ovens are easier to clean (you can get self-cleaning ones, which are great!), and have the broiler at the top, so you don't have to get down on your knees to check the meat. They also don't have pilot lights which go out (the biggest problem on the stove I'm using now -- food placed close to the flame in the broiler spatters and causes the pilot to go out). Many electric ovens also have time delay features, so you can set them to start later in the day, put food in, and leave. I would NEVER leave a gas stove unattended. As long as you're remodeling your kitchen anyway, why not consider getting electric wall ovens, and separate, countertop burners. It will probably cost a little more than a one-piece range, but I think it would be worth it. This is a major feature of the dream kitchen I'm going to have someday. I grew up with an electric stove, and have had mostly gas stoves in the apartments I've had, so I've had a fair amount of experience with both types. I should add, though, that I haven't had much opportunity to see what brand new stoves of either type are like. -- Leah A Zeldes ...ihnp4!wlcrjs!lazeldes
terryt@tekigm.UUCP (Terry Turner) (02/18/85)
> > I'd like to hear about electric vs. gas stoves. I'm planning to > remodel my kitchen, getting rid of an ancient gas stove in the > process. I'd like to stop using gas altogether in the house, due > to earthquake dangers, but my memories of cooking on an electric > stove multi-years ago are that it was a vast pain due to not being > able to adjust the heat of the burners finely enough. Are things > better now -- are there electric stoves that can be "fine tuned"? Any > other comments? (All these messages about crisping the tops of > electric stoves with woks don't sound very wonderful either.....) > I am a real fan of gas stoves. The new models are far superior to new electric stoves or old gas versions. There is no open flame pilot light and I think gas stoves are more compatible with woks. Also, there is a nifty gadget you can buy to reduce hot spots at low heat, which is the only complaint I have with gas cooking. I have a Tappan. Don't know the model type but it's the one with the grill in the middle. Real handy for pancakes, etc. Happy hunting!
kolling@magic.ARPA (02/20/85)
Thanks to everyone who replied to my request for info on gas vs. electric stoves. Gas "burners" (that is, the gizmos on top of the stove) won in the voting by a large margin, but several people said that electric ovens were superior to gas ovens and that separate gas countertop burners and an electric oven constituted the best of all worlds. Not a word was heard about convection ovens. Karen
slack@wxlvax.UUCP (Tom Slack) (02/21/85)
> I would still recommend gas over electric. Gas stoves now > require no pilot lights as they are electrically lighted. As > far as I've seen, they haven't progreesed far in the realm of > infinite controls on electric stoves. I would suggest, though, > that you look at gas ranges with electric ovens. Gas ovens are > not very constant and evenly heated. > I have been looking for a gas range with an electric oven for about a year. I had almost given up looking. Do you or does anyone no if there exists such a marvelous machine. Tom Slack
johnl@ima.UUCP (02/23/85)
We have a Modern Maid gas range that we installed in 1981. It works like a charm. Both the stove and the oven have an electric pilot, which avoids much of the problem with gas ovens. The oven also has a top broiler and is fail-safe in the sense that if the electrity fails, the oven goes off (so in a power failure, you can't use the oven.) The oven temperature is well regulated, which used to be a problem with gas ovens. My only complaint is that the gas pressure on the stove is a little low when the oven is on, but that may be a misadjustment. John Levine, ima!johnl PS: In my parents house we always had an electric stove, but once I moved into an apartment with a gas one, I was converted for good.
eric@rtech.ARPA (Eric Lundblad) (03/01/85)
> > I would suggest, though, > > that you look at gas ranges with electric ovens. Gas ovens are > > not very constant and evenly heated. > > > I have been looking for a gas range with an electric oven for > about a year. I had almost given up looking. Do you > or does anyone no if there exists such a marvelous machine. > Tom Slack I haven't had much problem with even heating in my gas oven, and I'm usually fairly picky. Gas broilers, however, will beat the pants (or skirt, in the case of steaks) off of an electric broiler. Gas broilers can be MUCH hotter. -- Eric Lundblad ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Think globally Act locally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------