Electric cooktops

[kristin0713]

If you have an electric cooktop, please tell me if you like it and what you like about it or if and why you don’t.  I’d love to hear from people who have used both gas and electric and prefer one over the other. I’ve always used gas, so that’s all I know. 

[Bootsie]

I have electric right now and am eager to go back to gas.  I find the electric much more difficult to regulate to a precise heat level.  The electrice take much longer to cool down once I turn it off than gas that I have had.  I especially find it hard to get a temperature that is a low, consistent simmer.  

[barnwife]

I grew up with gas. Every apartment I lived in while single was electric, and so is our home now. There was a definite learning curve. With gas, as soon as you turn down the flame, the heat is down. You don't get that instantly with electric, so I have to be a bit more on top of whether the heat is correct/watch more carefully to prevent boiling over. 

Or what @Bootsiesaid more eloquently while I was typing. ITA with it being harder to find a low, consistent simmer.

We won't be going to gas, but sometimes I dream of it. 

Also, our current stove is a flat-top electric stove. I go back-and-forth over whether I prefer the other style. I do like that our current stove has one burner that we can choose to be 3 different sizes (12 in. is the biggest). 

[alpacawalker]

I had a gas cooktop at a prior home. I have an electric one now that I don't use because I find it difficult to cook with. I have a portable induction cooktop that sits on top of the smoothtop electric cooktop. I prefer using the single induction cooktop over the electric. That tells you how much I dislike the electric cooktop. It is really hard to control the level of heat needed when cooking. I found it near impossible to simmer. I would choose a gas one if possible.  We are an all electric home without the option of gas. At some point I will switch it out for a good induction cooktop but they are often pricier than electric. Induction gives you similar control over the heat levels as gas does.

[PeterPan]

If you've always had gas and *like* it, I would think why you'd switch. I don't want the fumes from gas, don't want the cleanup and hassle, so electric for me. People with money are going induction but I don't like the weird noise it makes. (Used it at a vacation place.)

Fwiw, when I was choosing my stove (yes, just a plain boring stove), I was very mathematical about it. I took the things I do most often and looked at the sizes of burners. I timed the tasks on a few different stoves to compare. I found correlations with the wattage of burners (electric smoothtop) necessary to do speedily the tasks I do most often. You can convert those wattages to BTUs btw. At that point I knew the amount of power I needed to be happy cooking the way I like to cook.

There are tricks to cooking on electric that you learn. You don't have to do it on induction, because the temp change is automatic. On a smoothtop (which again, I dno't know why you'd get if you like gas), I'll do things like turning the burner off early to use residual heat. So where you get *immediate* adjustment with gas or induction, you find other ways with electric. Sometimes I slide the pan off the burner to give it time with the lower heat or to drop the heat immediately. It's just stuff you figure out. 

There are mixed ranges (not a stove but a range) where they'll have gas for one, electric for the other. So it might be a gas cooktop and electric oven or some combination. Maybe that would make you happy?

You see a lot of gas stoves where some of my family lives because it's just the reality of cold places and power outages. It's not a *safe* thing to be doing, but it's a reason people of an older generation sometimes prefer them. 

Fwiw, the wattages I needed in burners to be happy was pretty high and not all electric smoothtop stoves or cooktops have the same wattages. I think (iirc) my burners are somehwere in the 3200 wattage range for the large burners, and I have a triple burner that I think goes even higher. So if you're going to try them, definitely notice the wattages to get a sense of what you're liking. After I did my tests on friends' stoves (boiling water, etc.) I was pretty opinionated.

[PeterPan]

https://homesteady.com/how-12187744-calculate-wattage-bathroom-ventilation-fan.html  Here's what I'm talking about with converting. So you can convert the BTU of the burner you like to cook with to watts and see what it would take with an electric stove to be equivalent. 

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Appliances-Ranges-Dual-Fuel-Ranges/N-5yc1vZc3q2  Dual fuel ranges

Edited September 27, 2021 by PeterPan

[Scarlett]

Meh.  Grew up with gas, then as an adult had electric for most of my married life until 2 years ago.  I loved electric smooth tops….so easy to clean. Gas is ok, but much harder to keep clean.  

[KungFuPanda]

3 hours ago, kristin0713 said:

If you have an electric cooktop, please tell me if you like it and what you like about it or if and why you don’t.  I’d love to hear from people who have used both gas and electric and prefer one over the other. I’ve always used gas, so that’s all I know. 

I think I'm the only person who actually cooks and prefers electric.  I WANT to prefer gas, but I do not like the smell.  The smell only exists for a second before the stove lights, but it's there and I hate it.  My daughter dislikes it too.  My husband and son think we're crazy and there is no smell.  I also like that my glass-top stove serves as extra counter space when I'm not using the range.  An electric stove will always come with an electric oven which I greatly prefer over gas.  I'm a better cook than baker.  I can cook on any range, but I don't need the challenge with the oven.  I also like all of the programmable features on my electric oven.  I have the type of freestanding range that has a half oven on top and a full one on the bottom, so it's super handy to have two ovens and all those features.    I've never used an induction range.  That might be the grail and I'll probably think about it when my stove dies.  I know you didn't ask about ovens, but for a lot of us with un-fancy kitchens the range and oven are a package deal.  Sure, you can buy dual fuel, but it's pricey.

[Laura Corin]

I've always had gas and like it, but Husband wants electric induction for our new kitchen. I wish I knew someone who had one, so I could play in advance. We'll still have a gas wok burner.

[Clarita]

I'm opposite of you. I grew up using electric; that was what I knew. We had the heated ring type then later moved to one with a smooth top. When I got married my husband insisted on gas and it's what we have now. I LOVE it. I do not foresee myself ever going back to electric again.

The smooth top electric is very easy to clean. The gas is easier to clean compared to the ring style electric. I did realize I needed to clean my grates; it's no big deal (with a large sink) you put it in soapy water and wipe clean. I didn't wash the grates for years (because I didn't know it was necessary) and no elbow grease was required. Get it dry (no drips) then just turn on the cooktop to complete the drying process.

Why I love gas over electric? Gas makes cooking so much faster. My gas cooktop won me over by boiling water. Gas can do things electric can't do. Electric cannot get the wok hot or evenly heated enough to do a proper stir-fry. The flames for sure wrap around the wok better than electric (which depends solely on the cooking vessel to get the heat on the sides). I can also flame roast peppers on gas.  

[gardenmom5]

I grew up with electric.  I had electric until I remolded my kitchen when we got gas.

I will never go back to electric.  The control, the response, just not comparable.   Do pay attention to the BTUs of the burners..  And the fan has to be above the burners - those down draft/same level as the burners will suck heat.

[Carrie12345]

I’ve used gas, just not in my own home, so not extensively. Of course I love the quick heat up and cool down. I do NOT like the cleaning, and I’m just not comfortable with the concept of gas flowing into my house. I get excited to use gas in the firehouse kitchen and at my mom’s, but as a novelty, not enough to get it myself.

I feel safer with electric, and spend just a few seconds cleaning the smooth top. I don’t worry much about my kids using it. I LOVE consistency in my oven. (If I ever went gas, it’d be dual fuel for an electric oven!) 

[Pawz4me]

I've always had electric cooktops and ranges in homes.

I've used gas (propane) in our RVs.

I'm 99.9 percent sure my next range for the house will be induction.

[kristin0713]

Ok, it seems that most prefer gas but induction gets great reviews.  I wish I knew someone with induction that I could try.  We are waiting for a proposal from a builder and, if it works out, we will have to decide which one we want.  My brother and SIL are major foodies and cook all the time and they have great things to say about electric. But I don't want to regret this decision! 

[Scarlett]

6 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I think I'm the only person who actually cooks and prefers electric.  I WANT to prefer gas, but I do not like the smell.  The smell only exists for a second before the stove lights, but it's there and I hate it.  My daughter dislikes it too.  My husband and son think we're crazy and there is no smell.  I also like that my glass-top stove serves as extra counter space when I'm not using the range.  An electric stove will always come with an electric oven which I greatly prefer over gas.  I'm a better cook than baker.  I can cook on any range, but I don't need the challenge with the oven.  I also like all of the programmable features on my electric oven.  I have the type of freestanding range that has a half oven on top and a full one on the bottom, so it's super handy to have two ovens and all those features.    I've never used an induction range.  That might be the grail and I'll probably think about it when my stove dies.  I know you didn't ask about ovens, but for a lot of us with un-fancy kitchens the range and oven are a package deal.  Sure, you can buy dual fuel, but it's pricey.

I had one like yours for 2 years and I loved it.  I just loved the two ovens…I used the small one sooo much.

[Innisfree]

6 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

I wish I knew someone who had one, so I could play in advance

 

35 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

  I wish I knew someone with induction that I could try. 

A countertop induction burner convinced me to make the switch. It's been a good, relatively inexpensive way to experiment with the technology.

https://www.amazon.com/Secura-9100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B00GMCAM2G/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=CT0NJN608TY0&dchild=1&keywords=induction+duxtop&qid=1632744673&sprefix=induction+du&sr=8-3

Caveat, given the Covid situation locally and supply issues, I'm putting off my kitchen renovation until more predictable times, so I haven't got the big induction cooktop yet. So, I can't compare this little one to the full sized version. But I've pretty much quit using my smooth-top electric cooktop in favor of the induction unit. It's faster, more responsive, and much easier to keep clean.

 

 

[Laura Corin]

21 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

 

A countertop induction burner convinced me to make the switch. It's been a good, relatively inexpensive way to experiment with the technology.

https://www.amazon.com/Secura-9100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B00GMCAM2G/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=CT0NJN608TY0&dchild=1&keywords=induction+duxtop&qid=1632744673&sprefix=induction+du&sr=8-3

Caveat, given the Covid situation locally and supply issues, I'm putting off my kitchen renovation until more predictable times, so I haven't got the big induction cooktop yet. So, I can't compare this little one to the full sized version. But I've pretty much quit using my smooth-top electric cooktop in favor of the induction unit. It's faster, more responsive, and much easier to keep clean.

 

 

Great idea!

[kristin0713]

Does anyone know if the stainless steel All Clad that I have had for 18 years would work on induction? All Clad says on their site that what they have now is compatible, but I'm having trouble finding info on older sets.

[Innisfree]

1 minute ago, kristin0713 said:

Does anyone know if the stainless steel All Clad that I have had for 18 years would work on induction? All Clad says on their site that what they have now is compatible, but I'm having trouble finding info on older sets.

Does a magnet stick to it? If so, it'll work.

[Paige]

1 minute ago, Innisfree said:

Does a magnet stick to it? If so, it'll work.

Not necessarily. I've had to send a few "induction ready" pans back that won't work. The magnets stick, but the bottoms of the pan must also be perfectly flat. 

[Innisfree]

Just now, Paige said:

Not necessarily. I've had to send a few "induction ready" pans back that won't work. The magnets stick, but the bottoms of the pan must also be perfectly flat. 

Oh, okay. I didn't think of that. 

Probably an All-Clad is flat, anyway. I'd hope...?

[kristin0713]

3 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

Does a magnet stick to it? If so, it'll work.

All my pots and pans are in storage.  I'd have to go dig it out to try.  

 

1 minute ago, Paige said:

Not necessarily. I've had to send a few "induction ready" pans back that won't work. The magnets stick, but the bottoms of the pan must also be perfectly flat. 

So then what about a wok?  

 

I'm thinking induction might be more trouble than it's worth. I definitely don't want to move into a new house and find that my pots and pans all need to be replaced.  

[Paige]

1 minute ago, kristin0713 said:

So then what about a wok?  

 

I'm thinking induction might be more trouble than it's worth. I definitely don't want to move into a new house and find that my pots and pans all need to be replaced.  

I don't know about woks.

I really love my induction stove even if it's finnicky. I hated gas- it exacerbated my asthma and I feel so much better with it out of the house, and electric is bleh. My water boils so quickly and things cook well. 

[Laura Corin]

11 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

Wok

We are going to have a separate gas wok ring for this reason.

[eagleynne]

I grew up with electric and want to like them for the same reasons others have already said, but our current electric range has the burners with the "sensi-temp" safety sensors in them. They are a nightmare. Takes forever to boil something because as soon as it gets hot enough the burner shuts off for 10-15 sec. and cools down. Cooking rice on the thing is impossible, there's no good way to get an even and consistent low temp. And, you can't get them wet, so cleaning them is an exercise in frustration. All the electric ranges we've seen locally have the gosh darn things, I think it's a federal regulation. I'd go back to gas in a heartbeat if we could install a good ventilation system in the kitchen, but that's out of the cards at the moment.

[KatieJ]

Married 46 years, all electric except 12 years with a smooth glass top after a remodel. I LOVED the smooth top.

It served as counter space when we did a buffet with family  ..easy cleaning. I only had one burner with the sense temp thing, and I rarely used it. Didn’t like it. I also did the remodel after my last kiddo moved out and was not doing as much cooking as the years we had had gas. I did like the gas,  but absolutely hated cleaning the thing.

We just moved and  bought a new model home. All new appliances, including gas stove. Sigh. Changing to electric is not an option…,it’s a patio home, no basement and too complicated to run electric to it as this point, otherwise my wonderful husband would. I will adjust, and learn to clean it, but it s not my favorite feature in the new home. We haven’t closed yet, so I haven’t actually cooked on it. 

 

 

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, eagleynne said:

"sensi-temp" safety sensors in them. They are a nightmare. Takes forever to boil something because as soon as it gets hot enough the burner shuts off for 10-15 sec. and cools down. Cooking rice on the thing is impossible, there's no good way to get an even and consistent low temp. And, you can't get them wet, so cleaning them is an exercise in frustration.

Ok, my stove is 13 years old and does the cycling thing but boils water just fine. Is this sensi-temp thing new? And what do you mean can't get them wet? I've never heard of this.

https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=37448  Oh, you mean COILS!! Ok, well I don't think op was probably looking at that. I agree, electric coil stoves are not what you want if you can avoid them. 

[PeterPan]

For @eagleynne a potentially dangerous or fire hazard but supposedly workable hack for your sensor issue https://www.goodmoneysense.com/disable-sensi-temp/#:~:text=GE%20and%20Hotpoint's%20name%20for,drops%20to%20a%20safe%20level.

[Clarita]

13 hours ago, kristin0713 said:

So then what about a wok?

Your wok would also need to be flat bottom to work on an electric. 

[PeterPan]

14 hours ago, kristin0713 said:

So then what about a wok?  

Depends on the material. In theory anything with a flat bottom can work, but some types will be prone to warping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qv-cBDoxTE  This is Wok with Tak, and he goes through using a wok on electric. I bought a small wok to try it out, and it can be done. If it's very important to you and you really prefer a material that warps on electric, then that could be a reason to stay gas.

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Lightweight-Cast-Iron-Chinese/dp/B0010DEQMY/ref=sxin_23?asc_contentid=amzn1.osa.6e39c2d9-fb0f-473f-b1e6-5eec8bb2daf5.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&asc_contenttype=article&ascsubtag=amzn1.osa.6e39c2d9-fb0f-473f-b1e6-5eec8bb2daf5.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&creativeASIN=B0010DEQMY&cv_ct_cx=small+wok&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osa.6e39c2d9-fb0f-473f-b1e6-5eec8bb2daf5.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_we=asin&cv_ct_wn=osp-single-source-earns-comm&dchild=1&keywords=small+wok&linkCode=oas&pd_rd_i=B0010DEQMY&pd_rd_r=6cdfd8e2-ce03-40b9-b657-b1f3fbe56e7a&pd_rd_w=zj7QV&pd_rd_wg=2XZKC&pf_rd_p=5846ecd6-3f37-4a28-8efc-9c817c03dbe9&pf_rd_r=5YVT87EZRTKXEQN03573&qid=1632801900&sr=1-2-64f3a41a-73ca-403a-923c-8152c45485fe&tag=the-angle-20  Here's an example (if the link is not crazy long, sorry) of one like what I have. Mine has a nonmetal handle and doesn't have the helper handle. The important thing is the metal. It's a *lightweight* cast iron wok, not thick like what you see in Walmart or like a regular cast iron skillet. You can use cast iron on smoothtop just fine and it won't warp unless you abuse it. I'm guessing I bought mine on ebay because it's not showing in my amazon history.

ATK (america's test kitchen) did some youtube videos where the compared wok and a nonstick skillet, irc. So there are alternate pans to do the cooking as well. Or just accept some warping and problems, lol. 

This is just me, but I found the carbon steel pans surprisingly heavy. It's not necessarily what you can/can't use on an electric smoothtop (ie. will they heat) as much as what you can physically place on/off your cooktop safely. I use all kinds of enameled cast iron, a big pressure canner, all sorts of things on my smoothtop, but I'm careful to make sure I can physically pick it up and place it down without any KABOOM. Grates with a gas stove would give you a lot more grace with that.