I am getting a new cooker - we currently have a solid plate state-of-the-ark thing that EATS electricity.
I've been assuming that I will get a ceramic hob, but now I"ve seen that some of the hobs I'm looking at can be run from bottled gas (we have no gas in the village).
I'm looking for advise from people who have btdt - do you like cooking on bottled gas? How do you think it compares economically and does anyone know which is better environmentally? I'm guessing both are pretty bad, but I can't afford a wood-fuelled Aga, so this is the next best thing 😀
How much does it cost to fill a bottle and how long does it last you? (I know everyone is individual, but just an idea would be useful).
TIA
Amethyst x
RE: gas or eletric for cooking?
Gas. I have no choice at the moment but when the new kitchen comes along I'll be going for gas again, "oh for my old gas cooker" ...(dreaming again.)
I bought a kettle for the stove top in case of power failure, byyyyyy heck, did I feel a right one,hubby says "But lyn ,its a leccy hob"! Chuffing know-all[:@] ! Well, I was used to gas ! lyn
RE: gas or eletric for cooking?
Well, I'm no expert, but to me, Gas gives instant heat, whereas Electricity requires "warming up" time which is really wasting energy. Personally, I like Gas on the hob as it's quick for heating up the pans, whilst using Electricity for the oven as it doesn't frazzle the food on the outside whilst leaving the middle cold like a gas oven does.
😀
Love and Reiki Hugs
RE: gas or eletric for cooking?
Hi Amethyst,
When we first moved to France a lot of the properties we viewed had stoves that ran on bottled gas. They seem to be very common and popular here, every petrol station sells the bottles, and not just for caravans, so I guess a lot of people are happy cooking with them. Whilst house hunting, the place we rented had a cooker that ran on bottled gas, and although I can't help you with an idea of running costs, I can say that it took a bit of getting used to. It could just have been this particular cooker, but I found the temperature fluctuated a lot. This was not a problem with the hob, but with the actual oven it made it difficult to cook food properly as there was no way of knowing how much the temperature had risen or dropped. A gas hob with an electric oven would be my ideal choice, (not sure about the best set up for the environment), having said that I rarely venture into the kitchen, it's my husband's domain!
Laura.
RE: gas or eletric for cooking?
Just thinking about it for a second gas is raw energy and very good for heating. Electricity is mostly a secondary energy form that uses coal, gas and oil burned to generate steam that drives turbines to create electricity. Even at it most efficient this process achieves 35% efficency. So gas would win. However, hysterically we have used most of the North Sea gas (to generate electricity)and now import it from other countries (mainly the Netherlands) so embodied energy makes it less clear.
Also thinking about the heat transfer from the cooker to the pan, gas kitchens always seem to be very hot probably because the gas is heating the room as much as heating the pan. Whereas with electric there is direct contact and probably better heat transfer.
So it is all as clear as mud!
I'd go for Electric Induction for a hob as this is efficient in transfer because it excites the copper in the pan like a microwave. Followed by a gas hob. Whatever you choose just use a lid on the pan!