Deciding Between Gas and Electric Cooking Ranges

With all of the recent developments with ranges, choosing a new oven and cooktop has never been so complicated. You have to decide between electric and gas, freestanding or separate cooktop and oven units, and on top of all of those decisions, you must pick and choose your additional features. While it is great to have so many options to choose from, you want to be careful not to get bogged down by the complexities of this decision process. Here are just some helpful hints that try to make the decision between buying electric or gas a little easier for you.

First, when you first begin searching for a new range you should understand that the choice you make between gas and electric ranges will primarily affect your cooktop, whereas capacity and flexibility differences will be more likely to influence your oven. Going along with this idea, we will primarily focus our discussion on electric versus gas ranges as relating to what this means in terms of range cooktops.

ELECTRIC

Electric cooktops tend to be more popular than gas for two primary reasons: these models are cheaper and their gas counterparts and electricity is generally more widely available than gas as a reliable power source. Electric models also provide an assortment of flexible features along with consistent, even heating to satisfy all of your cooking requirements. However, before you think this decision is over, you still have another choice to make. If you choose electric, you need to decide between two main types of cooktops: the standard coil burners and the smooth-top ceramic glass cooktops.
Electric Coil-Element Cooktop

White-on-white Frigidaire 36 in. Electric Cooktop with Coil Elements

Coil Cooktops: The more traditional coil burner electric range has coils which sit above the surface of the cooktop. This type of electric range is not only reliable, but newer models have also made it easier to clean and replace the coil elements. Still, you want to make sure that before you purchase a model with coil-burners that you are comfortable cleaning and that the drip pans are easy to remove and replace. Another advantage to this style of electric range is the elements of this model are elevated, thus making it easier to use a wide variety of cookware while cooking.

If you are interested in the wattage of power elements, electric-coil ranges generally have two high-power elements (8" coils and 2600 watts) and two low-power elements (6" coils at 1500 watts).

Smooth-top Cooktop

Black Jenn-Air 30 in. Electric Cooktop with Downdraft Ventilation System

Smooth-top Cooktops: If you aren't so keen on cleaning coil- burners, than smooth-top cooktops are probably a better fit for you. These cooktops encase radiant elements with unique conducting properties, underneath a sheet of ceramic glass, so all you have to do is wipe the surface off with a special cleaner when you're done cooking. Like coil-burners, these smooth-top surfaces work to heat food both quickly and evenly, making your choice between the two primarily dependent on personal preference, price limitations, and which you would prefer to clean.

Smooth-topranges have a wider range of element size and heating capacity. In these models a small, low-power element uses 1200 to 1500 watts; medium-power elements use about 1800 watts; high powered elements of 2000 plus are great for larger pots.

Ultimately, the performance and convenience features you choose will dictate how much you will pay for an electric range. Still, as a general estimate, you can expect to pay between $400 and $700 for an electic coil range and $700 to $1400 for an electric smooth-top ceramic range. On average, the newer smooth-top models are priced a few hundred dollars cheaper than their coil element counterparts, but both types have great models in all price ranges. Note: If you have decided on an electic range make sure you consider where the controls are located. You want to be able to see your controls and all times while cooking, and you don't want to have to worry about bumpting into pots and pans while adjusting them.
Gas Range

Stainless Steel Kenmore Elite 36 in. Gas Self-Clean Freestanding Range

GAS

If electric burners thrive on offering even and constant heat, gas burners are then defined by speed and temperature control. Once you turn on the burner, your food begins cooking immediately and when you turn it off cooking stops almost instantaneously. Many gas models offer sealed gas burners, which makes cleaning up after oneself a lot easier; spills fall on the surface so they don't become trapped underneath the burner. Still, if money is your deciding factor, you probably want to choose an electric range. Gas ranges are more expensive than electric as prices range anywhere from $2000 and up.

Heating power for gas ranges is measured in terms of British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr). Most gas ranges have four burners with one or two medium-output burners (9000 Btu/hr), a smaller burner (5000 Btu/hr), and one or two large burners (12500 Btu/hr). Gas ranges with a high-output burner can heat up to (15000 Btu/hr) almost instantaneously for quick boiling.

STILL CAN'T DECIDE?

If you've made every consideration possible but still can't decide between gas and electric, here is a simplified overview of their differences. Electric models are defined by their constant, even heat, and the lack of an open flame. These ranges can also maintain lower heat levels which aren't possible on all gas cooktops. Alternatively, gas burners are able to heat and cool food more quickly than electric burners, and it is also easier to regulate heat on these models. Keeping all of this in mind, decide which features are more important to you and more useful within your cooking lifestyle.

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