We are renovating our kitchen and are considering converting to a gas range. We have heard that gas is better to cook with and that electric is better for baking. It isn't in our budget to do a cooktop and wall oven or get the convection option, so we have to decide one way or another. Does anyone have suggestions? If anyone uses gas for baking I'd like to know what you think, we do about an equal amount of cooking and baking.
Thanks for your input.
mo
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I used to have a gas stove/oven and loved the stove but hated the oven. I could never get things to cook properly in it. I checked the oven temperature and it was bang on, but my turkey's still took way longer to cook.
So now I have a brand new Frigidaire Professional Series Gas stove with electric oven (dual fuel). I love it.
I was advised by our salesman that you should always have the range hood/exhaust on low whenever you have the stove on. There are off-gases emitted in very small amounts.
Thanks for the tip on the continuous grate- after the postings I was really adamant about that. I don't want tippy pots around children. As for the GE Profile, have you found that after self-cleaning that the glass in the door stains or gets discoloured? A friend of mine has had hers replaced twice and is afraid to use the self-clean feature as a result. I think her stove is a couple of years old now.
I've never had to convert any recipes....and I've done things like souffles with great success in the GE profile. Reminder about the continuous grate on top....pots are tippy if you don't have it. Happy shopping, and don't forget to let us know what you decide on. :)
OMG I didn't know that you have to convert recipes for a gas oven! Never heard of that, although it does make sense. Another thing to consider I guess.
Thanks,
mo
and I LOVE IT!!! I find it cooks much faster than gas, is easier to keep clean and baking is no problem. We have the Kitchenaid Architect Series Gas Range. The oven is convection with an auto convert feature so you don't have to worry about converting recipes.
Good Luck!
Depending if you do a lot of stir frying, you will want to have at least one large burner that gets very hot. Compare the ratings for the burners. This is true of electric stoves too.
Sears requires their products to be built to a specific quality so if you pick a good grade one you probaably will be satisfied. Most appliances are built by only 2 or 3 companies anyway. Since Sears carries many brands, I'd suggest you start doing your research there. There have been many favourable posts about the reliability of Sears. Good luck.
for all of your input. We just discovered that our new house used to have a gas hook up so we're happy that we won't have to worry about running pipe too far. I think that we are going to go with the gas- I just find it so annoying to have two temps on my stove, hot and way too hot. Now we can't decide which range to get. Hubby likes the Bosch, I like the GE Profile (and even the one below that) or the Kenmore Elite (but I think it's made by Fridgidaire so I'm a bit leary about that one- it does however have convection and a warming drawer). We're going nuts trying to decide whether we really need all the upgrades.
I have gas and I never put my fan on unless things get a little to black in the pan . I don't use it to clear out any smell because with the new stoves there isn't any smell.
i now prefer gas...until we moved here i have always had electric...i found that you couldn't regulate the heat from the burner as well...i love my gas stove for that reason...as for the oven...maybe it's just the one i have...everything cooks evenly...my banana bread has been so much better since i started using a gas oven...actually my stove/oven runs on propane...we have gas lines on the highway but would cost too much to run it under the road and 450' upto the house...besides i don't feel like paying Enbridge all those fees they charge...but that's a whole other story...anyhew...i vote for gas...the grates on the stove can be a bit of a pain...a small pot that is empty will tip...but once i put whatever it is that i'm cooking into it..it doesn't tip anymore...they are hard to clean...i tried everything...i had to get other peoples gunk off of them...finally i just decided to throw them in the oven one day when i had it on self-clean...and low and behold all the gunk came off...so everytime i clean the oven i throw them in and they come out looking like new...just my 2 cents
for stove top cooking. It's great: however, I had my gas range in a second floor apartment--maybe they make them differently nowadays--but on some days--the really hot humid Ontario days, I couldn't stand the heat from the pilot light.
I'm serious!
We have had both... I honestly prefer the gas. But I think water takes longer to boil on it. For baking... I think that it takes less time... It also is WAY easier to clean and I just lke the look of our gas stove...
I only use the hood when stir frying chilli peppers.
is one of the ranges we are looking at. Someone else said they always had to have the range hood on when cooking with gas, do you find that that is the case?
I'm all for the gas myself...but this really is a personal preference. The gas is also great for baking, but I admit that I do sometimes smell it when it is warming up. If you do go for gas, I suggest you get a continuous grate on the top otherwise your pots can be tippy, and make sure you get one with a great burners....this is key to even cooking. I have a GE profile and wouldn't trade it for the world....OK maybe for a Wolf built in with two ovens....
I have a gas cooktop and electirc convection oven and I feel I have the best of both worlds. Kenmore at Sears is a good brand name and there service is excellent. I think you can get a good electric range there I would go for all electric if you can't do the separate.
Thanks for your reply, I wasn't sure where to post, I just discovered the ffa the other day. From what I have heard Maytag is not a very good brand despite their advertising, they apparently need servicing more often than other appliances. The dual ovens are expensive- out of our budget. We have a Kenmore glass cooktop too, I guess it's okay, temp. isn't very accurate though. We don't find it that easy to clean though, stuff gets baked on and is hard to get off. Oh well, I guess the debate is still on.
I'd suggest that you move this question to FFA - you'll probably get some more responses.
I had gas in the last house and chose electric - glass top by Kenmore this time. The gas definitely is faster and has better control for stove top. You always have to have the fan on when you are cooking otherwise it smells and it isn't healthy. I just hated the noise so this drove me crazy. I definitely did NOT like the gas oven. It was uneven and never cooked a pie properly. It was a Maytag and I swore that never again would I buy that brand for a stove. You can buy a gas stove with an electric oven. I don't know which brand or the cost.
I thought my new Sears stove was good value for money. This stove is slower but is so much easier to clean up when you boil something over. Also the elements in the oven are covered so any spills there are less of a hassle too. They stand behind their appliances. I'd suggest that you check them out. Maybe there will be a sale.