The Top 5 Advantages of an Electric Stove Top
Traditionally homeowners have two choices when it comes to their kitchen stoves: gas or electric. Both have their own sets of pros and cons.
Whether you are buying a home or remodeling your kitchen your preference in stoves may boil down to what you learned to cook on. However, some cooks do switch their allegiances and choose to convert to the opposite of what they learned on.
This helpful guide will take a look at some of the advantages an electric stove top has to offer cooks.
Gas Stoves Require a Gas Line
This may sound overly simplified but you can’t use a gas stove if you do not have a gas line. Depending on where you live this could be a deal-breaker. In some areas of the country, a gas stove isn’t feasible while other areas may have their choice between the two.
Be sure to ask your realtor is the home you are looking at has a gas line in the first place. No matter where you live you can always use an electric stove. Electric stoves require a 240-volt electric power outlet that comes standard in most kitchens.
Electric Stoves Are Easy to Clean
It’s true! Electric stoves are easier to clean. They don’t have burner grates or coils that have to be removed. Most electric stoves these days come in a glass flat top that can be wiped down quickly.
With an electric glass stove top, you will not have to pull out burnt pieces of food from the grates. Simply scrubbing your stove top with a sponge, water and dish soap will keep your stove top shiny and clean. It is beneficial to give it a deep clean every once in a while because small stains can build up over time.
There are also lots of cleaners specifically made for glass electric stoves to help keep the surface clean and shiny.
Electric Stoves are More Stable
Electric stoves also offer a stable cooking surface for your pots and pans which is a huge plus for beginners. Pots can be placed completely flat on an electric stove because it is a solid surface.
With gas stoves, your cookware is placed on grates. With grates, you do have to worry about your pot being knocked over if your water comes to a hard boil. This can make some cooks nervous about using a gas stove.
Electric Stove Look Modern
As far as appearances go you can’t beat the look of an electric stove top. It’s sleek and shiny range adds a nice touch to a modern kitchen. It has clean lines and can come in different color choices.
If the look of your kitchen is important to you choose an electric stove.
Electric Stoves Are Easier to Control
This one may be a matter of personal opinion but lots of people find an electric stove is easier to control. A gas stove does have the benefit of quickly applying heat to your pans but for some, the way an electric stove heats up a little slower is easier to control.
This comes in handy, especially at lower temperatures. Many people find it is easier to melt chocolate at a low temperature on an electric stove than it is on a gas stove.
A slow simmer is also easier to be controlled on an electric stove top. With gas, your simmer can quickly turn into a boil if you don’t find the sweet spot.
Electric Stoves Can Be Fixed Easily
If you are having issues with your electric stove or a single burner it can be a simple and easy fix. It could be a bad burner or perhaps a bad heating element. A repairman can come to your home and test your stove to see if the parts can be swapped out.
Fixing an electric stove can usually be done very quickly. Find out more about electrical stove repairs and if your stove can be repaired.
Electric Stoves Are Cheaper
Electric stoves are usually cheaper to purchase than a gas stove. When you compare models with the same number of features electric stoves usually come out on top. The cheapest electric stoves to buy are the ovens that have coils.
The price can also vary depending on if you buy a stand-alone unit with an over or a countertop electric stove top. Freestanding units are usually the most economical choice.
Electric Stoves Are Safe
Have you ever hears of an electric stove top blowing up? That’s because it doesn’t happen. Gas stoves can be potentially dangerous.
Gas stoves can be dangerous if proper precautions are not in place. Gas stoves must be installed with proper ventilation. You must also ensure your home’s gas line is in good working order without any kinks or holes. Proper maintenance over time can keep your gas stove working correctly but it can be costly to have your stove come and inspected every so often.
Children should never never be allowed to play unattended around a gas stove. If your pets jump up on the counter they may accidentally turn on your gas stove while you are away. This could fill your home with gas.
Exposure to gas from your gas stove could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. If you are considering a gas stove you should be aware of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and seek help immediately if you believe you have a gas leak.
Electric Stoves Do Not Cause Allergic Reactions
In rare but sometimes serious conditions gas stoves can cause allergic reactions. If someone in your family suffers from asthma or bad allergies ask your doctor if the smell of a gas stove could give them an allergic reaction.
An electric stove gives off no smell while cooking and is completely safe to use for people who suffer from asthma or allergies.
An Electric Stove Top is The Way To Go
Of course, it all boils down to a matter of personal preference but an electric stove top has many different advantages. If you are remodeling your home or buying a new one let this article guide you so that you make the right choice for you and your family. Weigh the pros and cons and consider your budget too.
Do you have an electric stove? Leave us a comment and tell us what you like best about your electric stove top and share this article with your friends.
