If you are planning to move and thinking of upgrading your kitchen, but are not sure as to whether to go for an induction-based cooktop or to retain the old gas stove one, then you definitely need to read the rest of the article.
Both these products are being manufactured commercially now and each comes with its own pros and cons. Perhaps, it is time that you took a closer look at the same.
- Start cooking immediately: One of the advantages to a gas cook top is that you can use it right away to cook your meals. All you need to do is to turn it on, adjust the heat and that’s it. Unlike electric cookers or induction based cook tops, you do not have to warm the stove before using it; so essentially you can start cooking right away without any lag time.
- Visibility: The other advantage that the gas cook top has over other variants like Induction and electric is that you can view the flames directly. This can enable you to roughly determine how much heat is being produced and if it is too much, then you can adjust the flames accordingly.
- Any vessel: You can use almost any vessel with a gas cook top, so you would not have to head to the local store to purchase any new vessel. Whereas with Induction and electric cookers, you may be required to purchase separate vessels, while there is no such requirement with a gas based one.
- Cost: While induction cook tops may seem to cost less than gas cook tops, they are a little more expensive when you include the cost of new vessels for the induction cook top. When you work out the cost between the two, the gas stove one is cheaper, though not by much.
- Safety: This continues to remain one of the main concerns to this day since accidents with gas stoves are known to happen and some have even caused fatalities. It is important that you use a certified professional when it comes to installation. Make sure that the stove does not leak as LPG (fuel), is highly combustible.
- Maintenance: Gas stoves are hard to clean and often get dirty. This seems to be a permanent issue as far as gas stove cook tops are concerned. And naturally they require maintenance round the clock.
- Speed: As hard as it may be to believe, induction cookers are much faster and can boil a pan of water in less than 90 seconds.
- Heat efficient: Induction based cook tops are quite efficient when it comes to the heat. These cook tops often heat only the vessel and produce enough heat just for the same.
- Sleek design and easy maintenance: Unlike a gas stove, an induction cook top does not come with metal grates and is quite easy to clean and to maintain. Moreover, it comes in a sleek, futuristic design that’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
- Temperature control: An induction cook tops do not come with manual knobs, instead you can set the required temperature, adjust the settings and that’s it.
- Safety: Induction cook tops are a lot safer to use than gas stoves; for one, you would not have to worry about leaked gas and for another, an induction cook top uses electricity and not some combustible fuel like LPG. Induction cook tops are safe, easy to use and come loaded with all the advanced functionality that you would ever require.
- Vessels: The one major disadvantage when it comes to induction cook top is that you would be required to use flat bottomed vessels. This can be a problem since most consumers do not use flat bottomed vessels, so you will have to purchase a few when setting up your induction cook top. Induction cook top vessels are quite expensive but they are a required expense and one that you may have to bear, when using your induction cook top.
- Time lag: The one problem with induction cook top is that it does not increase or lower the heat immediately. Just as you need to warm up your induction cook top before using it, you need to wait some time before the new temperature setting comes into effect. This can be quite irritating especially if you are hosting ten people for dinner and that you are running late at the moment.
- Cost: The induction cook top can be quite expensive; the cook top on its own is priced reasonably but when you work in the cost of all the new vessels that you have to purchase, the overall cost goes up.
What are Gas Stoves?
A gas stove is a stove that uses inflammable gases as a source of fuel for cooking purposes. These stoves are very common in every Indian household. Many professional chefs also prefer using gas stoves rather than any other type of stoves for the ease of using these stoves. There is a large range of advantages of using gas stoves.
First of all, this is very easy and safe to operate for anyone. This is the main reason behind the popularity of these stoves over these years. The control of heat distribution, you need for any kind of cooking is always under your control. Another benefit of using these stoves is the ease of cleaning. These stoves can also last for a long time with very low maintenance.
Despite all the advantages, gas stoves have some downsides as well. Refilling the gas cylinders can be expensive. Besides, gas stoves consume more energy than other cooking stoves. These stoves consume natural gases, which are now increasing in price and decreasing in availability. Though the modern gas stoves come with several safety measures, there will still be a small chance of leakage and explosions.
What are Induction Cooktops?
The best Induction cooktop use electric currents as a source to generate heat for cooking. It uses magnetic induction technology rather than using conduction like the gas stoves. This implies that induction stoves can directly heat the utensils for cooking without heating the entire cooktop. This makes your cooking experience less miserable as it helps in keeping the kitchen environment less hot and sweaty.
Induction stoves can heat up the cooking substance extremely fast. It works faster than gas stoves and even electric stoves. Induction stoves are at the same time very energy efficient too. Again, the induction stoves are one of the safest energy sources for cooking. The stoves are equipped with features like auto shut down. It will automatically go off as soon as you take the vessel off the stove.
Controlling the heat is also very easy in these stoves. There are some preset temperature levels on the cooktop from which you can choose your desired level of temperature. Moreover, these cooktops are also very easy to clean and maintain for regular use. The only limitation of the induction cooktops is that you cannot use any utensils on these stoves. They need to have a flat surface. But with so many advantages, this can be ignored.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which is a better option – gas stoves or induction cooktops?
Induction cooking is any day a better option than gas stoves. These are better in terms of safety, maintenance, space occupancy, cleaning process, energy consumption, cost-effectiveness, etc. In fact, there is a huge difference between gas vs electric stove monthly cost.
- Does induction cooking do any harm to your health?
Absolutely not. Induction cooking can do no harm to your health in any means. They are extremely safe to use. But you should avoid using these if you have a pacemaker because the induction stoves use electromagnetic technology, which can cause harm to your health.
- Does induction cooking need special pots and utensils?
Yes, you will need flat bottom steel or iron (ferromagnetic) pots to cook efficiently on the induction stoves.
- Do induction stoves consume more energy?
No, induction stoves can work on a very low electricity consumption rate. The stoves need electricity just to heat up the pan by manipulating their magnetic properties. Also, the induction stoves consume less energy than electric stoves. So, looking at induction vs gas cooking pros and cons induction is clearly a better option to choose for.
While it should be pointed out that more consumers have stated using induction cook tops regularly, the gas stove continues to be popular for all the above said reasons. When it comes to precise cooking, the gas stove trumps an induction based model each and every time. But given the recent developments in the field of Induction, we can expect better designed induction cook tops that can pretty much mimic everything that a gas stove can do.
But that being said, the gas stove is much better than an induction cook top, and one that is doing all it can to hang on to the title.
