Gas vs electric cooktop

At present and for a long long time we have used a smooth glass electric cook top. It works ok, but I miss cooking on gas. For quite a long time I have silently talked (with my self) about going to a gas cook top. If you were going to switch, what gas cook top would you buy? Thanks.

Bob,

I know that I am not answering your question but FWIW... I cooked on electric for 20 years and thought I wanted nothing but gas. Had I known then what I do now I would have installed induction totally. I put a 6 burner Blue Star gas for the main cook top and a 2 hob induction on the island. The induction is so superior that as soon as the gas fails it will be replaced with more induction hobs and wok hob. Not only is is incredibly fast and efficient - I can boil a 12 quart pot of pasta water in 1/4 the time - it is identical in heat control - the pot stops boiling as soon as I turn it off. It is far superior than the Blue Star for low temp cooking. The Blue Star burners are all 9 inch and even on low, far too hot. A simmer plate is a must. The Blue Star, although powerful at 22,000 BTU wastes a lot of heat with the flame lapping around the edges of the pots [ I don't have many with bottoms larger than 9 "] It is a bear to keep looking clean. Cleaning the induction is a matter of wiping it with a cloth . The only things the Blue Star is better at is wok cooking and that is only because I don't have an induction wok and grilling. For grilling I use a cast iron griddle on the gas burner or in the wood fired pizza oven.

Gas is the best.


Electric does not allow you to regulate the heat as efficiently.

Bob,

I know that I am not answering your question but FWIW... I cooked on electric for 20 years and thought I wanted nothing but gas. Had I known then what I do now I would have installed induction totally.

Christina, I am completely in agreement regarding the induction cooktop, but alas, I can't make it seem affordable at the moment. Spoke with a fellow today and he says all I would need is black pipe gas plumbing, and not outside exhausting, So I might yet manage to do that before I die.

Bob, a few years back Cindy acquired a Thermador gas cooktop which works very well.

As far as pricing, we have been scavengers.....there is a local distributor of higher-end kitchen equipment that has annual sales. They had an even bigger sale when they moved. We have acquired a lot of appliances through those sales.

Bob, a few years back Cindy acquired a Thermador gas cooktop which works very well.

As far as pricing, we have been scavengers.....there is a local distributor of higher-end kitchen equipment that has annual sales. They had an even bigger sale when they moved. We have acquired a lot of appliances through those sales.

Mike you point out a thought that I had not considered. Is this distributor online? If so I might be able to watch and pick up a good deal for myself. I want to keep my in the wall oven, but would love to replace the cooktop with gas. I already heat with natural gas, so all I would need is to bring a pipe to the kitchen.

Bob, a few years back Cindy acquired a Thermador gas cooktop which works very well.

As far as pricing, we have been scavengers.....there is a local distributor of higher-end kitchen equipment that has annual sales. They had an even bigger sale when they moved. We have acquired a lot of appliances through those sales.

Mike you point out a thought that I had not considered. Is this distributor online? If so I might be able to watch and pick up a good deal for myself. I want to keep my in the wall oven, but would love to replace the cooktop with gas. I already heat with natural gas, so all I would need is to bring a pipe to the kitchen.

Bob, the company is John Tisdel Distributing and they are now in Mason, Ohio. Not far from Vintner Select actually.

I would assume there are similar operations in Lexington.

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Bob, the company is John Tisdel Distributing and they are now in Mason, Ohio. Not far from Vintner Select actually.

I would assume there are similar operations in Lexington.

Mike that would be one heck of a trip! I could come up, buy a gass stovetop at great savings, and convince Vintners Select to let me cherry pick their warehouse!

Bob,

I know that I am not answering your question but FWIW... I cooked on electric for 20 years and thought I wanted nothing but gas. Had I known then what I do now I would have installed induction totally. I put a 6 burner Blue Star gas for the main cook top and a 2 hob induction on the island. The induction is so superior that as soon as the gas fails it will be replaced with more induction hobs and wok hob.

This calls into question my theory that the Wisconsin snow is always less yellow on the other side of the fence. I had electric in college and did not really like it, had gas for ten years afterwards and LOVED it and now have electric again and wish I could go back to gas.

[Jenise]

Wisconsin

Will wonders never cease! Dave my friend, welcome back.

Wisconsin

Will wonders never cease! Dave my friend, welcome back.

Isn't it nice he's back, Jenise ?

Bob, we have a Smeg oven, which gives us electric oven plus gas cooktop. It's got five burners, the middle one being for a wok. I love the gas cooktop, for the instant heat, but also because I don't burn myself anymore on the electric elements (which I used to do a lot - you know, forget they were still hot, lean on them etc.). And as you know, our oven's named Bob in your honour !

This calls into question my theory that the Wisconsin snow is always less yellow on the other side of the fence. I had electric in college and did not really like it, had gas for ten years afterwards and LOVED it and now have electric again and wish I could go back to gas.

David, it has been a long, long time! Welcome back, and i hope to see a lot of you around here. We still have our Sunday afternoon and Wed evening chats, so I'll look for you there too.

Wisconsin

Will wonders never cease! Dave my friend, welcome back.

Thanks Jenise. You have no idea how much of an influence you were on my development. In more ways than one, I might add. Glad to see you are still here and keeping the spirit alive.

David, it has been a long, long time! Welcome back, and i hope to see a lot of you around here. We still have our Sunday afternoon and Wed evening chats, so I'll look for you there too.

Hi Bob! I really only came back so I could gain free golf tips and weather forecasts from an expert. I hope all is well.

Bob,

When we added on to the house 8 years ago (the result of which was to make a 14 x 10 kitchen into a 14 x 26 kitchen), I chose a Thermador 36" gas cooktop (not range... the electric double convection ovens are on another wall... way more cooking power for the money than a dual fuel range... but of course you need the room for both). I have been quite happy with the cooktop. I think you know that Cindy and I are active cooks, so we've put a lot of mileage on the cooktop in 8 years. I like the Thermador over Viking and others because of the sealed burners. It shows some wear, but considering the BTUs I've pushed through it, it's minor and pretty typical, and it should last decades more. I've never needed a repair. The igniters are original. Two of the burners are for simmering; they cycle on and off (getting around the fact that "low" on a stove like this is still way too hot for a simmer).

However, the 36" cooktops require exhaust ventilation, I think. I have a 650 CFM hood made by Thermador which is more than adequate. But I couldn't do without it.

Jay

Bob,

When we added on to the house 8 years ago (the result of which was to make a 14 x 10 kitchen into a 14 x 26 kitchen), I chose a Thermador 36" gas cooktop (not range... the electric double convection ovens are on another wall... way more cooking power for the money than a dual fuel range... but of course you need the room for both). I have been quite happy with the cooktop. I think you know that Cindy and I are active cooks, so we've put a lot of mileage on the cooktop in 8 years. I like the Thermador over Viking and others because of the sealed burners. It shows some wear, but considering the BTUs I've pushed through it, it's minor and pretty typical, and it should last decades more. I've never needed a repair. The igniters are original. Two of the burners are for simmering; they cycle on and off (getting around the fact that "low" on a stove like this is still way too hot for a simmer).

However, the 36" cooktops require exhaust ventilation, I think. I have a 650 CFM hood made by Thermador which is more than adequate. But I couldn't do without it. Jay

Hi Jay, it's good to hear from you. I like that idea of having burners for simmering, I had a simmering problem a couple days ago. Cooked some brats and needed to simmer them in beer for about 2 hours, and had to watch them like a hawk to keep the beer at a simmer rather than a boil. I am looking forward to seeing the two of you in August. Say, are you aware that Cloverleaf is going to move this spring, or so I have heard. One of the old timers there (Putnam) has already moved on, again, or so I have heard.

Hi, Bob,

It's been far too long since my last visit to Cloverleaf. Putnam has developed a great interest in making "artisanal pizza" (Putnam totally has the food/wine artist's soul). Whether that means he would move from the relatively low-paying wine biz into the relatively even-lower-paying restaurant biz, who can say but Putnam?

As for a change in location, I've not heard that either! I guess I better get in touch.

So you have heard correctly, Bob. Alas, no surprise that you heard this before I did!

Putnam has indeed moved on to make pizza (don't know where; hope to find out).

Cloverleaf will be moving to Royal Oak, possibly as soon as March.

Royal Oak is slightly more convenient to me than their current location, so that's a good thing!

Jay, I don't remember exactly where, but there was a location under consideration that would be only half as far, but as you report Royal Oak won out. That is a bit farther than I want to travel, but afterall they do have Dressner wines at Cloverleaf.