In the world of kitchen renovations, there is one debate that rages on, even after all of these years: is it better to buy an electric or a gas cooktop? Many people are firmly in the camp of one over the other and will sing the praises of electric while shunning gas, or vice versa. When you begin to fully research exactly what these two types of appliances bring to the table, however, you’ll begin to see that the answer may not be as cut and dried as it first appeared.
The Benefits of Electric Cooktops
One of the major benefits of electric cooktops doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the way it helps you cook food, but rather with how easy it is to install in your home in the first place. Electric cooktops are designed to install as easily as possible and use a plug-in cord, similar to other appliances in your home like your refrigerator and microwave. If you’ve already got the space picked out, you can set up an electric cooktop in a matter of minutes. Gas cooktops, on the other hand, have a bit more of a detailed installation process due to the sensitive gas line that you’re working with.
Electric cooktops are also generally cheaper than their gas counterparts in a number of ways. Not only is the initial cost of the appliance lower, but the long-term cost to run the device will be lower as well.
The Benefits of Gas Cooktops
Perhaps the biggest benefit that comes with purchasing a gas cooktop is the fact that it heats up very quickly due to the combustion process at play and the presence of natural gas. Electric cooktops, on the other hand, heat very slowly and also cool down very slowly when you’re done using them.
Because gas cooktops are not wired into your home’s electrical system, they also essentially use their own independent power source. If the power in your home goes out, you won’t be able to prepare food with an electric cooktop. If you had a gas cooktop, on the other hand, this wouldn’t be a problem at all.
Due to the presence of an open flame, gas cooktops are also inherently a bit more versatile than their electric counterparts. That open flame also gives you a much more precise level of control over heat when preparing food than you would get with an electric cooktop, though depending on exactly what you plan on doing this may not be as much of a benefit as it at first appears.
As with most of the decisions that you’ll make when renovating your kitchen, the question of whether you should buy an electric or a gas cooktop is much more complicated than a simple “one versus the other” decision. Both types of units bring with them their own unique sets of benefits and only by finding out how each type would fit into your own personal situation will you be able to truly settle on the one that is right for you. Check out a Fowles Auctions Home renovators Auction to get more from your kitchen makeover budget.
