electric or gas cooker?

murfilein · 08-12-2019 12:49am #1

we are having our kitchen done and the question came up if we should have our cooker replaced.

how we are only 2 month in our home and received our first bill.

50 euro for electricity, 140 for gas (heating)

would a gas cooker have a big influence on the bill? obviously the heating is running quite a lot these days since it's the cold season, but i can't estimate how much gas bills will be during warmer seasons.

we cook a lot, and we would actually prefer a gas cooker. but a electric one wouldn't be tragic either. it's just that a gas one would be nicer, but only if it's not a big increase in the bill.

do these things use a lot? the cooker would be used every day in our home.

blindside88 · 08-12-2019 12:51am

I would opt for a mixture in an ideal world. Gas hob and electric oven. Gas ovens are very poor in comparison to electric fan ovens IMO. Running costs wouldn’t vary massively either way

Seamai · 08-12-2019 1:00am

An Induction hob is the way to go, it's got the immediacy of gas without any of the safety issues, it's also very easy to keep clean as spillages don't cook on to it like conventional hob. You may need to get new saucepans (they need a steel base) but it's worth it.

antix80 · 08-12-2019 1:12am

Gas shouldn't cost more. If you're used to gas stick with it.
Read reviews when choosing ovens. Gas ovens are considered poor at distributing heat (bad for baking cakes) but the comparison may be with electric fan ovens.
As for hob.. I'm not on the gas mains so i went with induction. Induction hobs are pricey but heat up instantly like gas. I went for the type with slider controls rather than fiddly plus and minus buttons. If i had the choice I'd possibly have gone with gas again, but induction is a good compromise and easy to clean.

L1011 · 08-12-2019 1:39am

I would have trouble identifying the contribution of my gas hob to my bills - summer bills are about 8 quid of gas a month (+standing charge) and that's mostly hot water - but I do have a nearly brand new integral insulated water tank which helps.

Induction is as good as gas for nearly everything except wok cooking; which alone means I could never use it. Induction is not just bad for wok cooking - its actually unusable. Wok is going to be in the air a lot of the time and unheated as a result. But I use an electric oven, as gas ovens are awful.

jlm29 · 08-12-2019 9:21am

We’re not on the gas mains, but we have a gas hob and use bottled gas. A (large) bottle of gas lasts us over a year, I can’t imagine it would Have a huge impact on your bills.

EmptyTree · 08-12-2019 12:25pm

blindside88 wrote: »

I would opt for a mixture in an ideal world. Gas hob and electric oven. Gas ovens are very poor in comparison to electric fan ovens IMO. Running costs wouldn’t vary massively either way

This. For me it's gas hob (all the way) and electric oven. I like the immediacy of gas when cooking on the hob.

Plus, in the event of a power cut you can at least still cook or boil water for a tea. (yes, I know you could go for years without a power cut, but it is a handy benefit of a gas hob)

Mad_maxx · 08-12-2019 12:42pm

murfilein wrote: »

we are having our kitchen done and the question came up if we should have our cooker replaced.

how we are only 2 month in our home and received our first bill.

50 euro for electricity, 140 for gas (heating)

would a gas cooker have a big influence on the bill? obviously the heating is running quite a lot these days since it's the cold season, but i can't estimate how much gas bills will be during warmer seasons.

we cook a lot, and we would actually prefer a gas cooker. but a electric one wouldn't be tragic either. it's just that a gas one would be nicer, but only if it's not a big increase in the bill.

do these things use a lot? the cooker would be used every day in our home.

Gas is way cheaper but a quality gas cooker is way more expensive and you must get a registered gas plumber to fit it, upfront costs are double electric

Samuel T. Cogley · 08-12-2019 12:46pm

Seamai wrote: »

An Induction hob is the way to go, it's got the immediacy of gas without any of the safety issues, it's also very easy to keep clean as spillages don't cook on to it likes conventional hob. You may need to get new saucepans (they need a steel base) but it's worth it.

This! I miss my completely flat (no knobs or anything) induction hob. Quick wipe job done.

katiek102010 · 08-12-2019 1:01pm

Gas won't cost much more. I currently have a full gas lpg cooker. I cook and bake a lot and oven itself is used 2 - 3 time daily. Small gas bottle last 6/7 weeks at 30E.

However the gas oven is a pain in the arse. Temp is not 100% accurate.

I would go elec oven and gas hob all the way

Hoboo · 08-12-2019 1:05pm

If you love cooking, then gas hands down. Especially if you use a wok.

davedonie · 08-12-2019 1:07pm

I got electric for the first time and I like how the pots dont get all burned at the bottom. I got a frying pan that's blue ceramic 2 years ago and it looks as new as they day I bought it. With gas it would have been black on the underside in a week.
Also now I notice the smell of gas when I'm in somebody's kitchen who has a gas hob. I must have been nose blind to it when I had one.

fineso.mom · 08-12-2019 1:10pm

A gas hob and electric oven. I use the hob daily and a 30e gas drum lasts approx 5 months.
Just on the above... Your pots shouldnt go black underneath unless there's a problem with the flow/burn.

Seamai · 08-12-2019 1:15pm

L1011 wrote: »

I would have trouble identifying the contribution of my gas hob to my bills - summer bills are about 8 quid of gas a month (+standing charge) and that's mostly hot water - but I do have a nearly brand new integral insulated water tank which helps.

Induction is as good as gas for nearly everything except wok cooking; which alone means I could never use it. Induction is not just bad for wok cooking - its actually unusable. Wok is going to be in the air a lot of the time and unheated as a result. But I use an electric oven, as gas ovens are awful.

I find it works fine with a wok, have an old black steel one which was one of the few utensils that did work when I switched over, I't gets as hot as I want it. I suppose I don't go flipping it around but I'm constantly moving the food around with a spatula.

Seamai · 08-12-2019 1:21pm

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

This! I miss my completely flat (no knobs or anything) induction hob. Quick wipe job done.

Ours is 6 years old and gets a lot of use and still looks new, I'd rarely even have to use the special hob cleaner. It's also more economical to run.

antix80 · 08-12-2019 3:31pm

You can buy a wok-style pan for induction.. Not quite the same thing i know

08-12-2019 3:36pm

What are people doing with woks that they need to lift them? I use one all the time and it only gets lifted up when finished, food it’s just stirred with a plastic/wooden utensil while cooking?

L1011 · 08-12-2019 4:28pm

Seamai wrote: »

I find it works fine with a wok, have an old black steel one which was one of the few utensils that did work when I switched over, I't gets as hot as I want it. I suppose I don't go flipping it around but I'm constantly moving the food around with a spatula.

That's the way you use a wok - and it isn't the way most people do.

If you're just stirring food around in a wok you may as well be using a frying pan. You're actually just sauteeing the food in the first place then.

Induction does not heat something that isn't in almost direct contact with it. The sides of the wok will never get any heat at all (which they need if you're using it as more than a funny shaped frying pan) unless on gas; and you'll be taking the wok off direct contact very frequently.

Kailee Screeching Glasses wrote: »

What are people doing with woks that they need to lift them?

Cooking with a wok. :pac:

Go watch a video of someone actually using a wok as a wok, not a frying pan.

LirW · 08-12-2019 4:41pm

Induction. I grew up with a gas cooker but I'm not too keen on the gas smell when something simmers for a while and I'm not arsed cleaning gas daily.
It's incredibly efficient.

To contribute to the wok problematic: I went through a few woks, some didn't work as well as others on induction. I'm currently using a Salter carbon steel, it has a good size, is light enough to be lifted and holds heat well enough. It's the best I've tried for induction so far. It's not 100% what I want and I cook a lot of Asian food, so I'm seriously considering buying a single wok gas burner.

0lddog · 08-12-2019 4:44pm

murfilein wrote: »

..... we are only 2 month in our home and received our first bill.

50 euro for electricity, 140 for gas (heating).......

OP, does the €50 electricity bill include the fixed costs associated with the supply ( i.e. standing charge, PSO levy and VAT on same ) ?

If so then you used very very little electricity.

I guess some of it was used by lights, computer, alarm etc.

Your cooker didnt use it all

newbie2 · 08-12-2019 4:49pm

I've recently moved from Electric oven and induction hob to double electric oven and gas hob. Would never go back to induction. Gas is sooo much easier to control - albeit with a tiny bit of trial & error.

BrokenWingz · 08-12-2019 4:58pm

We changed from a gas cooker (I wasn’t mad keen on the oven) but the husband insisted on an electric cooktop instead of the combination I wanted. Still miss the gas hob desperately and am so annoyed with myself for giving in to him. My mum had induction and I disliked it as much as I do the electric.

murfilein · 08-12-2019 6:16pm

thanks for all the replies guys!

another scenario came up: if we go with electric now can we switch later without issues? as in, we are getting a manufactured stone worktop. are hobs always the same size? not that we get an electric one now, and in future when we get a gas one, it's smaller and won't fit the cutout then...

Seamai · 08-12-2019 6:17pm

L1011 wrote: »

That's the way you use a wok - and it isn't the way most people do.

If you're just stirring food around in a wok you may as well be using a frying pan. You're actually just sauteeing the food in the first place then.

Induction does not heat something that isn't in almost direct contact with it. The sides of the wok will never get any heat at all (which they need if you're using it as more than a funny shaped frying pan) unless on gas; and you'll be taking the wok off direct contact very frequently.

Cooking with a wok. :pac:

Go watch a video of someone actually using a wok as a wok, not a frying pan.

I hadn't realised that moderation stretched to lecturing posters on their culinary techniques.
I'll PM you the next time I need tips on making toast.

antix80 · 08-12-2019 6:20pm

murfilein wrote: »

thanks for all the replies guys!

another scenario came up: if we go with electric now can we switch later without issues? as in, we are getting a manufactured stone worktop. are hobs always the same size? not that we get an electric one now, and in future when we get a gas one, it's smaller and won't fit the cutout then...

Run a gas pipe from it to outside if you think you'll need to change later. Open to correction but the footprint (hole in granite) sizes are fairly standard

antix80 · 08-12-2019 6:22pm

Seamai wrote: »

I hadn't realised that moderation stretched to lecturing posters on their culinary techniques.
I'll PM you the next time I need tips on making toast.

Actually the poster is right.. If you cook with a wok to stirfry then gas is essential. If you use a wok to shallow fry then electric is fine.

Gumbo · 08-12-2019 6:36pm

I’ve had both. Made the mistake of not plumbing a gas feed to my cooker when renovating. Wish I did now.

I’d have gas over electric any day.

Eric Cartman · 08-12-2019 6:53pm

The gas hob is superior in every regard but an electric fan oven would be the way to go for that.

L1011 · 08-12-2019 7:17pm

Seamai wrote: »

I hadn't realised that moderation stretched to lecturing posters on their culinary techniques.
I'll PM you the next time I need tips on making toast.

I'm posting as a poster. Moderation is in bold.

Seamai · 08-12-2019 8:04pm

L1011 wrote: »

I'm posting as a poster. Moderation is in bold.

My apologies, might I suggest you practice a less preachy tone when not moderating, I've been cooking since I was a kid, (I'm now in my 50's) and at the risk of sounding arrogant a pretty pretty accomplish cook, I've never found an electric or hob a hindrance to achieving the desired result for pretty decent asian cooking, if it's authenticity you're after do you use a cleaver for doing all your cutting and chopping when preparing food for your wok? We may not be able to replicate everything that happens in a Chinese kitchen, so what do we do? We improvovise!. Stop being so precious.

L1011 · 08-12-2019 8:22pm

Seamai wrote: »

My apologies, might I suggest you practice a less preachy tone when not moderating, I've been cooking since I was a kid, (I'm now in my 50's) and at the risk of sounding arrogant a pretty pretty accomplish cook, I've never found an electric or hob a hindrance to achieving the desired result for pretty decent asian cooking, if it's authenticity you're after do you use a cleaver for doing all your cutting and chopping when preparing food for your wok? We may not be able to replicate everything that happens in a Chinese kitchen, so what do we do? We improvovise!. Stop being so precious.

Why go to the effort of using a wok if you'll get the same result from an easier to handle frying pan?

You get zero of the advantages of a wok unless using gas.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 08-12-2019 8:26pm

Hoboo wrote: »

If you love cooking, then gas hands down. Especially if you use a wok.

A good cook can use any kind of hob.

Gas is my preference but an electic hob has never dissuaded me.

09-12-2019 1:56am

L1011 wrote: »

Why go to the effort of using a wok if you'll get the same result from an easier to handle frying pan?

You get zero of the advantages of a wok unless using gas.

Isn’t a wok just a deep frying pan suitable for cooking larger amounts of food? Frying pans are shallow and you couldn’t cook a stir fry as it would over flow.

That’s what I always saw them as anyway!

L1011 · 09-12-2019 2:00am

Kailee Screeching Glasses wrote: »

Isn’t a wok just a deep frying pan suitable for cooking larger amounts of food? Frying pans are shallow and you couldn’t cook a stir fry as it would over flow.

That’s what I always saw them as anyway!

They can be used to do that but that's not why they were developed.

A larger sautee pan will do what you want without the handling problems a wok has

Woks are for quick, high temperature cooking of not particularly large amounts of food at one time.

antix80 · 09-12-2019 11:04am

Kailee Screeching Glasses wrote: »

Isn’t a wok just a deep frying pan suitable for cooking larger amounts of food? Frying pans are shallow and you couldn’t cook a stir fry as it would over flow.

While veg takes up a lot of space and could overflow a pan.. that's what pots (or deeper pans) are for.

Woks are for small amounts of food. You can only do a portion or two at once. Any more and you won't be able to toss it around, the food at the bottom will burn and the food at the top will stay uncooked - you might end up with sauteed food by stirring everything around and waiting for everything to cook evenly.

With an induction hob you'll need to leave it on a high heat and use a wooden spoon to move food around to ensure it gets cooked evenly.

Luckily I hate veg so wouldn't benefit from wok cooking as I cook veg in butter until it's soft.

tvjunki · 09-12-2019 12:55pm

Gas cooker all the way.
We had a power cut one Christmas we could cook the turkey and the trimmings. Also a saucepan was used to boil water.

Check the thermostat on the boiler you could have the temperature too high or the boiler is old.

You could have an estimated bill based on the previous occupier and they could have had the heating on all the time. This time last year it was really cold so that could effect the estimated bill. Check the actual reading on the gas meter outside and see if the reading matches. If there is a big difference you can submit a new reading.

Put thick insulated curtains(floor to ceiling) to keep the heat in. That will save also.

SozBbz · 09-12-2019 5:16pm

Seamai wrote: »

My apologies, might I suggest you practice a less preachy tone when not moderating, I've been cooking since I was a kid, (I'm now in my 50's) and at the risk of sounding arrogant a pretty pretty accomplish cook, I've never found an electric or hob a hindrance to achieving the desired result for pretty decent asian cooking, if it's authenticity you're after do you use a cleaver for doing all your cutting and chopping when preparing food for your wok? We may not be able to replicate everything that happens in a Chinese kitchen, so what do we do? We improvovise!. Stop being so precious.

Ironic.

SozBbz · 09-12-2019 5:22pm

New kitchen being fitted as I type

Opted for built under double oven (electric) and a gas hob.

Havent had a kitchen for 5 days now and cannot wait to get back to making my own food.

On the wok debate, gas is the only way to go. The control of the heat and the ability to move things around can't be matched by induction or standard electric. My previous property was electric only (standard electric hob) and I didnt trust the wonky old gas hob that was in this property when we moved in so I'm very excited to getting back to cooking on gas properly. Its what I had growing up and there is something satisfying about it.

murfilein · 12-12-2019 2:40am

thanks for all your replies!

we pulled our oven out to check for a gas pipe - this is what we found:

https://i.imgur.com/xd86RiW.jpg

that does look like a gas pipe, does it not? will the professional that's going to hook the cooker up be able to connect a gas hob to it?

Graces7 · 12-12-2019 7:39am

Gas every time.

I once lived in a house that was all electric and never again. Power cuts and bills were a nightmare.

Now, living very remote, I cover all bases! So a basic gas cooker. including gas oven. Bottled gas . As a low income pensioner it means I pay as I need; always have a spare cylinder. No ESB bills that include cooking. No longer even use an electric kettle

About three to four months on one bottle for around E30 .

Gas has an immediacy and a swift control that I missed on electricity. Fast and easily controlled and lower cost.

12-12-2019 9:31am

Gas hobs work out cheaper to buy and run and you can use most types of pan or cookware. Personally I prefer cooking on gas.

However, the induction hobs are brilliant. Much easier to clean, stuff doesn't get baked on the surface and the nearly instant heat is fantastic.

Love cooking on gas but if I was to buy again I would strongly consider induction.

bluelamp · 12-12-2019 3:45pm

ronoc wrote: »

Gas hobs work out cheaper to buy and run and you can use most types of pan or cookware. Personally I prefer cooking on gas.

They also last forever... very little to break.

You see loads of old houses with gas cookers from the 60's and 70's still going strong.

antix80 · 12-12-2019 7:23pm

bluelamp wrote: »

They also last forever... very little to break.

You see loads of old houses with gas cookers from the 60's and 70's still going strong.

Yep.. and i was in a house recently where none of the sparks worked and the dials were all messed up given a poor flames. I had one myself and some hot oil landed on a dial, burning the rubber underneath (i think that's what happened) and caused it to continue sparking unless i switched it off at the wall.

Plenty of cleaning on them too. taking off the rack and the little black things on top, and the steel yolks beneath them... trying to clean around dials and all the bits and pieces... it's something i don't miss.

So, swings and roundabouts. I think it would be just as hard to go from induction to a gas hob when you're used to the induction.

Graces7 · 14-12-2019 6:04am

antix80 wrote: »

Yep.. and i was in a house recently where none of the sparks worked and the dials were all messed up given a poor flames. I had one myself and some hot oil landed on a dial, burning the rubber underneath (i think that's what happened) and caused it to continue sparking unless i switched it off at the wall.

Plenty of cleaning on them too. taking off the rack and the little black things on top, and the steel yolks beneath them... trying to clean around dials and all the bits and pieces... it's something i don't miss.

So, swings and roundabouts. I think it would be just as hard to go from induction to a gas hob when you're used to the induction.

The electric ignition is not mandatory .. due to the delay with ESB ( 5 months) when I was first here, I lit my gas cooker with a lighter or match. Not a problem. The cleaning is easy if you give it a wipe etc every few days. Bad if you let it go for weeks... A very rewarding job!

No idea what an induction hob is anyways; love my basic gas cooker for the speed and friendly flame.

pwurple · 15-12-2019 9:09am

I love gas for instant heat and analogue control.

I also love electric for slow cooking where you can leave something simmer for hours on a very low heat.

Induction hobs, I have used a few and the software / heat controls are infuriating compared to turning a dial. It just irritates me to my back teeth every time. I abhor having to lean on this control area. This nothing, a zone marked with paint and a key or lock... to get the ability to change the temp, and then toggle impatiently, stabbing repeatedly with my finger while it counts up through hideous 70's calculator style red glowy numbers which emit a weak, tinny, robotic tone as feedback. There is a barely perceptible lag on the interface. A few milliseconds of software figuring out how to display the next ugly number that just bothers me in it's wastefullness (both of my time and the crappy PLC they appear to use which will render the thing itself unrepairable as those components age).

I also can't stand the smug paternalistic qualities, where I have to be protected from myself by it always being so safe and touchable. Silly humans, always burning themselves.

Maybe I want to shove a marshmallow in a flame, induction hob designers. Maybe I want the ability to char a crust onto something. To experiment a bit. To have two or three hot rings going and move pans between them.

Maybe in a few years this will improve to a silent swipe bar or a physical tactile dial, or something even slicker. Maybe there are ones already where you can turn off the lock, or the tone. but at the moment it's not for me.

antix80 · 15-12-2019 9:27am

pwurple wrote: »

Maybe in a few years this will improve to a silent swipe bar or a physical tactile dial, or something even slicker, but at the moment it's not for me.

AEGs induction, ceramic and even gas hobs have the controls you describe. I have an induction one and it works very well. I'd never go back to that terrible setup where you tap a button to select a ring and then stab the plus button 10 or 11 times for the max setting.

Here's a pic from Internet but similar to my hob.

I actually had bought a bottom of the range amica hob. It was faulty, the company was a nightmare to deal with and sent an inept repair man who didn't fix the problem and tried blaming ventilation and pot size...
I returned it for a refund and added an extra €100 for the AEG with slider controls.. Money well spent.

electric or gas cooker?

Comments