Selection
There are many questions that need to be answered before you buy a hob. Is it a gas or an electric cooker? Which is the best choice for running a comfortable and pleasant kitchen?
When choosing between gas and electric cookers, many people have chosen the former, as the older generation of electric hotplates once created a lot of stigma in society. As time has passed and technology has developed, the electric cooker has become a much more convenient, safer and economical choice. There have also been changes to laws and legislation, so if this issue is topical, we encourage you to consider switching from a gas to an electric cooker.
Why switch to an electric cooker?
- Comfort: cooking on an electric cooker doesn’t produce combustion by-products; consequently, the hood doesn’t need to be as powerful as for a gas cooker, and your kitchen furniture won’t get covered in dirt. Induction hobs are the most convenient in terms of comfort – food doesn’t get burnt to the hob and you can adjust the heating intensity just like with a gas stove.
- Safety and health: gas cookers are open flame stoves, so there is a risk of both scalding and fire in the home. If left unsealed, gas can leak from the cylinder and cause serious health problems; furthermore, it is explosive. The latest electric cookers do not heat up or automatically switch off if liquid is spilled on them or nothing is cooked on them; furthermore, they have a lockable control panel, which makes them safe for families with children.
- Efficiency: although the cost of cooking on a gas cooker is low, it is not the most efficient or environmentally friendly method. Cooking on induction hobs is more environmentally friendly since approximately 80–90% of the electricity is used to heat the food, compared to only 35–40% for gas hobs. All electric hobs can also be considered more environmentally friendly, as cooking on them doesn’t produce CO2 emissions, whereas burning natural gas or propane-butane mixtures produces direct emissions that enter the living space, while consuming the oxygen in it. Meanwhile, electric hobs are becoming increasingly efficient – induction hobs use 50% less electricity than, for instance, older-generation electric hotplates with metal heating elements.
We invite you to take a look at the comparison between all cooktops, which can help you in choosing the hob that suits you best.
| Gas cooker | Electric cooker with metal hotplates | Electric cooker with ceramic glass hob | Induction hob | |
| Requirements | Natural gas supply or a gas cylinder | When installing a 4-zone cooktop, we recommend that you assess whether the electrical connection is suitable and whether an increase of the permitted load is required. | ||
| Energy consumption per month (for a family of 4) | 6–7 m3 of natural gas or 17 litres of cylinder gas | 60–70 kWh | 40–50 kWh | 30–35 kWh |
| Energy Efficiency | – | Relatively high consumption of electricity | 30 % less electricity consumption than that of an electric cooker with metal hotplates | 50 % less electricity consumption than that of an electric cooker with metal hotplates |
| Fire safety | Flammable if left unattended; naked flame can cause burns | You can get burnt, the heating elements cool down much slower than they heat up | The stove surface itself doesn’t release heat and only heats up from the hot pan, with surface temperatures reaching up to 70 °C, so the risk of scalding is minimal | |
| Safety when using it | The cooker doesn’t switch off itself | When the cookware is removed, the surface switches off immediately and cools rapidly | ||
| Energy efficiency | 30–40 % | 40–45 % | 60–70 % | 80–90 % |
| Indoor air quality | As the gas burns, the amount of oxygen in the room is reduced; soot and sediment are formed | Soot and sediment do not form | ||
| Utensils required | No special utensils are required; containers with a deformed base can be used | It is recommended to use containers with a thick base, which acts as a heat accumulator | It is recommended to use containers with a thick base, which acts as a heat accumulator, and a flat base to prevent the cooktop surface from damage | Cookware with a special base for induction hobs is required; the suitability of the cookware can be checked by applying a magnet to the base of the cookware – if the magnet sticks, the cookware will be suitable for the hob |
| Effects on dishes | With prolonged use, the base of the cookware becomes covered with soot and the cookware is deformed | No damage to the cookware | ||
| Convenience of use | Heating power can be instantly increased and decreased | Heating power cannot be instantly increased and decreased | Heating power can be instantly increased and decreased | |
| Speed of cooking | Relatively long time for water to reach boiling point | Water reaches boiling point about 2 times faster than boiling on other surfaces | ||
| Care | Stove grille and burnt food under gas burners are difficult to clean | Burnt food is difficult to clean | Burnt food is difficult to clean and cleaning must be done gently to prevent scratches to the surface | Easy-care surface, no burnt food |
What else should I consider when selecting a hob?
- Before buying a new electric cooker, it is important to assess the capacity of your existing electrical connection by consulting a certified electrician. If it is found that the existing capacity is insufficient, please contact Sadales tīkls AS to request an increase of the load.
- Induction cookers with a glass-ceramic surface are the most economical option. They consume 50% less power than cookers with metal hobs. They are more convenient to use – as soon as you place a pan or a pot on its surface, a reaction with the object occurs under it immediately, creating an electromagnetic induction current, which quickly heats it up, while the surface of the hob remains cool.
- Induction cooktops tend to have 1 to 4 zones for cooking your meals. We recommend choosing the number of zones based on how big your family is, and how many different dishes you intend to cook at any single time.