New to an electric range

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dalemcginnis

Assistant Cook
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Apr 1, 2017
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CORONA
I will soon be moving to a house that only has electric. I have never used an electric range and have heard there are differences to Gas. To those who have used both, what do I need to know about an electric range that is different from gas?
 
I use both electric and gas ranges. The most important thing to remember is that it takes a few minutes for an electric unit to heat up and when you turn it off, it takes a while to cool down. So, I often turn off the electric unit a bit early knowing that the food will continue to cook for a while. You'll have to do a little experimenting at first until you get used to electric.
 
It depends on the electric stove you are using, an induction is more like gas it more instant, when it both heat and cold.
So what type of stove will you have?
What oven will you have?
 
Electric stoves are a lot less responsive to changes of the knobs. You may sometimes have to lift a pan off the burner if you need to reduce heat in hurry.

Also, to get a medium heat, the electric burners will pulse on and off, so you don't get a steady heat.

When I built my current home, I let my mom talk me into an electric ceramic cooktop. I always had gas before. The idea was easy cleaning. It was a mistake.

But, I'm pretty used to it, now.

CD
 
At this time I don't know what type of stove it has beyond electric. From the picture it has coils you can see. I wont be moving in till late June. By the way, my current fry pans are cast iron.
 
At this time I don't know what type of stove it has beyond electric. From the picture it has coils you can see. I wont be moving in till late June. By the way, my current fry pans are cast iron.
Did you post a picture? I don't see one.

If it has coils, it's not an induction range. You can use cast iron on it.
 
At this time I don't know what type of stove it has beyond electric. From the picture it has coils you can see. I wont be moving in till late June. By the way, my current fry pans are cast iron.

If it has visible coils, it is not induction, so you can use any pans on it that you use on a gas stove.

In the short term, you may burn a few things, but you'll get used to it. Just remember that if your heat is too hot, just turning down the temp won't be enough. There is a time lag in the cooling down of the coils. Be prepared to move your pan off the burner if your food looks like it is going to burn.

CD
 
Just my take...I'd be very unhappy if you learned to cook with gas, as I did. Cooking with electric, It's a whole new ball game without instant heat results.

Yeah, I miss my gas stovetops. I have gas service, but there is no practical way to get a gas line to my kitchen, now. I'm seriously considering an induction cooktop, but they are still crazy expensive. If I do get one, I am going to wrap my ceramic cooktop up and keep it. If or when I sell my house, I'm taking the induction cooktop with me.

Of course, the cost of induction cooktops will probably plummet after I buy one. :rolleyes:

BTW, I do prefer an electric oven. My last house had a gas cooktop and and electric oven. That was the ideal setup, IMO.

CD
 
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In addition to electric stoves being slow to respond, cast iron is also slow to respond. It's going to be like piloting a super tanker - turn the wheel and wait for something to happen.

One advantage of electric over gas is that you can simmer at a very low temperature. Sometimes even the smallest gas burner at the lowest setting is more than what I want. As far as electric burners cycling up and down, I never really noticed it while cooking on the stovetop, even with anodized aluminum cookware. I've read a number of articles where the measured temperature of electric ovens fluctuates over a range, 20 - 30 degrees F if I remember correctly.
 
On the occasion when I've used an electric stovetop, I've noticed they get hotter than a gas burner. Boiling a pot of water happens faster than gas even though the electric burner is slower to get to full temp.
 
Just my take...I'd be very unhappy if you learned to cook with gas, as I did. Cooking with electric, It's a whole new ball game without instant heat results.


Possibly silly but... When we downsized to apartment living, I refused two apartments because of electric stoves.. Losing my big kitchen didn't mean I'd settle for an electric range..

OH...and welcome to DC, dalemcginnis.. :O)
 
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One advantage of electric over gas is that you can simmer at a very low temperature. Sometimes even the smallest gas burner at the lowest setting is more than what I want. As far as electric burners cycling up and down, I never really noticed it while cooking on the stovetop, even with anodized aluminum cookware. I've read a number of articles where the measured temperature of electric ovens fluctuates over a range, 20 - 30 degrees F if I remember correctly.

I don't see this. I find it much easier to control the gas burners than I did the electric ranges we owned up until now. I can turn them down so far that I can't even see a flame, even on the larger 18,000 BTU burner. On that lowest setting it's hard to even maintain a simmer, I usually have to turn it up just to the point where a blue flame shows.
 
My gas stove came with a "Precise Simmer" burner. I always simmer on the big front burner because I can control the heat perfectly.
 
Possibly silly but... When we downsized to apartment living, I refused two apartments because of electric stoves.. Losing my big kitchen didn't mean I'd settle for an electric range..

OH...and welcome to DC, dalemcginnis.. :O)

I can sure see doing that too Ross. That would be a deal breaker for sure. There's no way I'd ever settle for an electric range at this stage of life.
 
My gas stove came with a "Precise Simmer" burner. I always simmer on the big front burner because I can control the heat perfectly.
My Viking cooktop doesn't have that feature. Below a certain point the igniters start working. I should pick up a flame tamer, but it's not all that often that I need to simmer at a very low temperature.
 
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