If not gas, then what?

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PratsA

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
7
Location
Massachusetts
Like nearly everyone in the threads I've looked at here and elsewhere, I love cooking with gas. And I've been fortunate enough to have gas in every apartment I've lived in for the last 12 years. Now I'm buying my first house, and it's perfect in nearly every way... except that it has no gas service.

Every dollar I've got is going into the house, and I wouldn't even be thinking about a new stove except the owners are taking theirs with them. So now I've got to buy an electric stove. The ceramic top seems to be the most popular now but I'm concerned about this. I'm already going to be a little unhappy about not cooking with gas for the next 7-10 years ('till the next house), and I'd like to minimize that unhappiness by getting a stove that will allow me to cook well.

I've used the coil type of electric stove before, and I am familiar with its behavior. My only experience with the glass top one was while visiting a friend. I tried to make popcorn three times, and burnt it horribly each time. The "burners" consisted of a deep red light that (on Hi setting) would turn on for about ten seconds, then turn off, then on, etc. I still bear the emotional scars from my total failure to pop corn:cry: , and it has totally turned me off of that kind of stove.

So, I hope you can help me. Is it possible to do any serious cooking on a ceramic top stove, or are they only for people who value good looks and easy cleaning? Not to minimize the importance of aesthetics and cleanliness, but I love to cook! Is my experience typical, or was that a particular type of flat top stove that they don't make anymore? I'm currently planning on getting a coil-type electric stove, but my fiance would be really pleased if you could convince me that I can have pleasurable cooking experiences with a ceramic top stove.

Thanks,
Antonio
 
I have only used gas and electric coils so I can't talk about the other options, but I have to say that now that I am used to electric I have no problems with it at all. It is even better than gas at some things (like a low simmer). Don't rule electric out. The only downside is that you can't regulate the heat as fast as you can with gas, but you learn how to get around that (there are ways).
 
i use one of those glass/ceramic ones with no coils and it's fantastic. I sear steaks to perfection, cook slow simmered sauces for 2-3 hours +, make awesome grilled cheese and paninis, everything is good.
 
Have you checked into getting propane to use for your stove? That's what we did, and got the hot water heater hooked up to propane at the same time - love it!!! All gas stoves come with a converter kit that can be used for propane, and while some folks say there's a difference, I haven't really noticed it.
 
There are many nice induction cooktops in the market. The one that has caught my eye from time to time is Kupperbusch. They make clean and contemporary looking cooktops that are high end and can be enjoyed both by the professional and the occassional cook.

I am sure other high end appliance makers make nice ones too in electric. I cook as well and like to invest money in appliances but if this is too much check out the top of the line Kenmores they do a good job. This is the first time I experienced Kenmore (all my appliances are Kenmore) and I am so happy with them.

Goodluck if you are a good cook you will prepare a great meal on electric. The only other thing I wanted to mention was that you may want to get someone in to check if they can run a gas line through your kitchen. It is not unheard of to do that especially if there is a gas line already in the house you are moving into.
 
I've been using electric for the last 18 years and it's perfectly fine, once you get used to it. The only thing I missed was the ability to roast peppers over the flame.

I went from a coil to ceramic-top last year, and it's great. The only thing different (other than it being easier to keep clean) is that my steamed vegetables now take 15 minutes instead of 10.

I do a LOT of complicated cooking.

Lee
 
I prefer gas. that said, I prefer the ceramic electric to coil electric...less hot spots etc. Induction would seem much like ceramic electric except...with induction you can only use magnetic pans (low chrome SS or carbon steel or iron.) So I also ask the question, no propane available??
 
I couldn't WAIT to have our gas disconnected & have an electric range installed. Especially after half a block of houses blew up just a few miles from us due to a gas leak.

Sorry, I'm electric all the way. While I do understand why many serious cooks love gas because of the easy heat adjustment, it's just not worth it to me. I'm always looking for the smell, & frankly, just don't feel it's safe. Around here, anyway, there have been far too many gas explosions. You never hear of homes exploding because of the electric range.

I grew up with electric, have catered meals with electric, will continue to use electric.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I'm starting to let go of my popcorn-induced terror of ceramic top stoves, based on all of your comments. But I'm still wondering how I can avoid getting a stove like the one I mentioned. Can anyone recommend a good site where I can learn more about these stoves? I'm usually pretty good with finding web sites, but all I can find is stuff written by someone who wants to sell me something...
 
PratsA said:
Thanks for all the replies! I'm starting to let go of my popcorn-induced terror of ceramic top stoves, based on all of your comments. But I'm still wondering how I can avoid getting a stove like the one I mentioned. Can anyone recommend a good site where I can learn more about these stoves? I'm usually pretty good with finding web sites, but all I can find is stuff written by someone who wants to sell me something...



You're welcome!

Try http://www.epinions.com. You can even become a member there if you wantg to.


~Corey123.
 
I've always cooked with gas. Recently I cooked dinner for my sister in her kitchen as she had just had knee replacement surgery.

I made beef stroganov on a glass top electric and had no problem. It doesn't take long to adjust to the temperature lag time. The electric burners are actually hotter than the two "High Output" burners on my gas stove!
 
Corey123 said:
Thnere have been homes burned down because of electrical fires though.

Yep - and houses have been blown to toothpicks from gas leaks - just by flipping on a light switch. People have also died from Carbon-Monoxide poisoning trying to cook indoors over a charcoal fire ....

I prefer gas because it has greater temperature control than electric. But, you can cook just as well with electric once you learn how to handle the beast - and every stove is different. It's like learning to cook with different cookware.

Ceramic tops come with different heating methods - coils, infrared, induction ... each has it's own +/- properties. The one thing they all share is that the ceramic top limits the weight of the pots (plus ingredients) you can use on them - also a problem with electric coil stoves to a lesser degree.

If you want to do something like canning with a standard boiling water canner or a lobster/shrimp/crab boil with a 20-30 qt pot - ceramic top might not be the way to go (you have to check the specs for the brand/model you're looking at for the weight/pot size limits).

Of course, I have been accused of being a Luddite for not embracing every new concept.
 
BreezyCooking said:
I couldn't WAIT to have our gas disconnected & have an electric range installed. Especially after half a block of houses blew up just a few miles from us due to a gas leak.

Sorry, I'm electric all the way. While I do understand why many serious cooks love gas because of the easy heat adjustment, it's just not worth it to me. I'm always looking for the smell, & frankly, just don't feel it's safe. Around here, anyway, there have been far too many gas explosions. You never hear of homes exploding because of the electric range.

I grew up with electric, have catered meals with electric, will continue to use electric.

"this anouncement has been brought to you by your public service electric company, and your local electricians union. electricity: safe, clean, efficient. enlightening."

(j/k breezy - it just sounded like you forgot the disclaimer :) )
 
You forgot the logo, Buckytom!


adtour15.jpg
 
Michael in FtW said:
Yep - and houses have been blown to toothpicks from gas leaks - just by flipping on a light switch. People have also died from Carbon-Monoxide poisoning trying to cook indoors over a charcoal fire ....

I prefer gas because it has greater temperature control than electric. But, you can cook just as well with electric once you learn how to handle the beast - and every stove is different. It's like learning to cook with different cookware.

Ceramic tops come with different heating methods - coils, infrared, induction ... each has it's own +/- properties. The one thing they all share is that the ceramic top limits the weight of the pots (plus ingredients) you can use on them - also a problem with electric coil stoves to a lesser degree.

If you want to do something like canning with a standard boiling water canner or a lobster/shrimp/crab boil with a 20-30 qt pot - ceramic top might not be the way to go (you have to check the specs for the brand/model you're looking at for the weight/pot size limits).

Of course, I have been accused of being a Luddite for not embracing every new concept.



About two years or so ago in Methuen, MA, two little girls were tragically killed as the result of a silent gas leak that no one even knew about!!:(


~Corey123.
 
The death of little girls is always tragic, be it from a gas leak, a down power line, being thrown out a 2nd story window by some punk who told them to steal, drownding in the back yard pool, etc., etc.

The point is that there is risk in everything we do. And as living creature, we tend to do things that endanger ourselves. We destroy our world in our endless search for convenience nad comfort. And me, I'm just like everyone else. I drive my car to work instead of walking the five miles. I choose to live in a place where I have to heat my house with something. I've been known to cut fallen branches off of power lines. And you don't even want to know about my escapades on motorcycles (in my teens and twenties).

The only true "fact" that I know is that we were all born to die. So I say, live life to the fullest. Weight the risks and try to manage what you can manage. Pray for guidance and protection for those things you can't controll.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
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