Gas vs Electric

[mish]

I've always cooked on a gas range (oven). Any input re cooking with electric?

I ask, because I've wanted to sell my home for several years, but almost nil comes up in my searches that meet my criteria. So...decided I'll have to make "some" compromises. One came up that has an electric range & oven. Normally, I would have said no way. Would it be costly & do-able to replace it with gas? Don't want to get into big renovations right off the bat. (The cost of real estate here has gone through the roof, & I don't realistically see anything changing in the near future.)

Also, are property taxes based on the area/location? Thanks in advance.

 

[mudbug]

mish, I grew up in a house with an electric range and 'sort of' learned to cook on one. I didn't really become a foodie until much later and had a gas stove at my disposal.

The biggest expense (I think) in switching out to get your potential new stove is going to be running the gas line, especially if the property has no gas connection now. We are talking installing the connection to wherever a gas line is in relation to your house (could be farther away than you think), and cutting a hole into the house to let the gas line in, plus the patching up after.

Electric stoves aren't awful - they're just different. The burners take longer to heat up and cool down, so you have to factor that into your cooking times.

As for property taxes - around here, taxes are based on the value of your house, i.e.,
x cents per dollar of appraised value. It's not so much based on location, although that could change if you are changing counties, for example.

 

[Maidrite]

Most people would like to stick to gas because its easier to control. I had a chance to get a electric flat panel stove for half price and I loved it, easy to clean. But I would guess most would pick the gas stove.
And Location is everything, Keep in mind the more you make in a area the high the housing, I bought my first house in Iowa, it was a Two Bedroom house with Basement for $10,500 in 1990 if only I could have put it somewhere in California. Homes in the north are made better because of the weather !

 

[GB]

I grew up with gas stoves, but since I have started cooking I have has electric. I would prefer gas, but since I learned on electric I am completely used to it. I do not find it a problem at all. Like Mudbug said, you just have to get used to it. When I need to lower the heat quickly then I turn the knob down and pull the pan off the heat for a few seconds. Don't worry about electric. It is a fine way to cook. don't rule out a house you like just for that reason. Sure gas would be preferable, but trust me, you would easily get used to and not mind electric.

 

[mish]

Thank you Mud, Madrite & GB. Appreciate your input.

 

[AllenOK]

To me, the main differences between Gas and Electric stoves are:

1) As mentioned, gas is instant-on / instant-off. You just have to wait long enough for the pan to react to the change. On two instances, I've had my electric burner NOT switch off, even though I had either turned it off, or down from High to Low.

2) Gas stoves give a "hot spot" right in the center. Electric stoves heat over the entire area of the burner. This is nice when you're cooking at a low temperature, like a poach or simmer. Even with the burner down to low on a gas stove, you have a central "hot spot" that can burn or scorch. Electric gives a wide area of low heat.

 

[pdswife]

I've always had electric..until we moved to this house. I like the gas but..the hot spot
that Allen is talking about does bug me a little. Also, I think it takes a lot longer to boil water with the gas. A LOT longer...

I wouldn't mind going back to eletric at all.

 

[Barbara L]

I like electric ovens, but for a range, I prefer gas. Unless we want to put a gas line in and have a big propane tank out in our yard, we are stuck with electric. I've gotten used to it. It took me awhile to figure out how to cook rice on it, but a friend told me how, and now I get perfect rice every time.

Barbara

 

[lindatooo]

Oh Mish I feel for you!

I was raised with electric and afraid but afraid of gas....then finally replaced the dead electric range with gas.

We fell in love with this house but it had electric range.... I refuse to deal with that! Once exposed to a gas range I was totally spoiled - it's worth the reduction in frustration to make that change!

I hope I never have to cook on an electric stove again!