Gas or Electric Ovens – Which Should You Choose?

April 13th, 2009

Ovens & Cooking

If you’re open to either gas or electric ovens, here are some things to consider:

Electric Ovens

• Older electric ovens have a reputation for taking longer than gas ovens to heat up and cook, but in fact they’ve significantly improved over the years, so this is no longer relevant.
• Most electric ovens these days are multi-function, meaning you can use a combination of top, bottom, grill and sometimes rear elements plus a fan to optimise different cooking, baking and grilling needs, so they tend to be more versatile than a gas oven.
• The price range for electric ovens starts lower, which is an important point for some people considering gas or electric ovens.

Gas Ovens

• Gas ovens are naturally hotter at the top and cooler at the bottom, so unless there’s a fan, food will need to be rotated to get even cooking and browning if you’re doing any multi-shelf cooking. However, it does mean you can cook several different foods at once. For example, after a roast has been in the oven for some time, you can move it to the bottom, turn the heat up, and use the top shelf to crisp the potatoes.
• There’s no direct heat from the top in a gas oven (unless it has an internal grill) so it may not be as good as an electric oven for foods that need browning or crisping on top.
• A gas oven may have electronic controls and/or an electric grill, in which case you’ll need an electrical outlet nearby.
• There are only a few brands of gas ovens on the market. This means less choice for you in the friendly wager between gas or electric ovens.

The bottom line is, if you’re willing to experiment with your oven, you’ll learn how to get a good result regardless of its fuel. However you should be aware of your oven’s features and capabilities before you decide and purchase one.

Whether you decide on gas or electric ovens, Appliances Online has what you need.