Thread: Gas vs Electric Stove

I've always had gas stoves in the past, but am considering an electric one for the new place. I've never had one but the advantages I correctly or incorrectly perceive are that they're easier to clean and probably radiate less heat into the surrounding room?

I'm quite conscious of the radiated heat aspect as the downstairs of our new place is open plan and I don't want to try and reduce the amount by which the kitchen raises the temperature of the space. Also think an extractor fan will help in that respect.

Do anyone of you have one, what are your thoughts?

interesting subject

Cooking with gas is more precise. The cook can control the exact amount of heat underneath a pot, and this is probably gas's main advantage over electricity.

Household Reviews: Gas Vs. Electric Stoves

one thing that comes to mind in Asia is whether or not your electric supply will be enough to drive the electric stove ?

^^ I never thought about that, I had thought about the cost but not the strain it might put on my supply. We have a 63 amp connection, not sure how much we could throw at that before it falls over.

Originally Posted by ChrisInCambo

I had thought about the cost but not the strain it might put on my supply.

A 4 burner will draw about 6kw. 27amps on 220v system as in Thailand.

Most folks who do a lot of cooking prefer gas.

Cost difference in Thailand is insignificant but running off to fill gas bottles an inconvenience.

Originally Posted by Norton

A 4 burner will draw about 6kw. 27amps on 220v system as in Thailand.

so that's a 1/3 of the total gone , switch on an air con / fridge freezer and do some washing / ironing and you'll be too close to the limit for mine .

Originally Posted by Norton

running off to fill gas bottles an inconvenience.

two bottles and home delivery

My wife is a chef, and does a lot of baking. We have two ovens, both gas. They are much easier to regulate the temperature, as well as cheaper. Gas bottles are delivered weekly, so no worries there. The Philippines also has the highest electricity rates in Asia, so cost was also a factor as any appliance which either heats things up (ovens/water heaters), or cools things down (refrigerator/freezer/air con), sucks up a lot of electricity. (We just went from three refrigerators and one freezer to two refrigerators and one freezer and our monthly bill dropped 16%). She does have a couple of electric ovens (small, counter top ones), but the two full-size ovens are gas, and she is very happy with them. I vote gas.

Originally Posted by ChrisInCambo

I don't want to try and reduce the amount by which the kitchen raises the temperature of the space

I assume that is a typo error.

An extractor hood should do the trick

^Precisely. A good extractor hood is a necessity, especially in the hot months.

In a thread i started some months ago, we finally opted for gas having considered electric and induction.

Thanks for the advice guys, sounds like it's best to stick with gas then.

Does anyone have any experience with fitting stove extractor fans? The last one I had just had a filter and no exhaust that went outside. Although that will get rid of smells it's going to do nothing for heat.

What preparations should I get the builders to do so the kitchen is ready for an exhaust?

Originally Posted by ChrisInCambo

What preparations should I get the builders to do so the kitchen is ready for an exhaust?

Not much. Just have to make sure you have power and hole in ceiling for exhaust duct. Will need a vent cover hole in wall to run exhaust to outside as well.

Electrical Helper - Wiring a kitchen extractor fan

Hi Bong!

In my opinion,
Gas for the cook top -faster, easier to adjust and easier to keep clean, the parts can be removed and washed rather than cleaning in situ (3 years down the track the ss, glass, enamel will deteriorate)- try to get one with powerful / big WOK burning ring - we use that the most -electric just can't give off that amount of heat

Would definitely go electric and convection for the oven - better, even heat distribution and generally quicker to reach required temp.

We recently took out the stuff that came with the house and put in all SMEG equipment (the oven does pizzas as well) and it works well. 2 items well worth going a bit over budget on from our experience.
Not sure if PP has the range of high end kitchen stuff Thailand has but if you need brochures etc.you can PM me - happy to help

The range hood, extractor fans cubic capacity should be rated with the size of the oven and cook top??
Best get your chippie to incorporate that into over head shelves??
Pointless to install a exhaust fan if it is not vented externally.
Most hardware shops in Thailand sell the aluminium convoluted tubing and the facias for external mounting that stops stuff coming back inside

Yep, now's the time to consider the beefed cabling for the oven and air con units. Might be well worth looking at you GPO, co-axial and computer locations as to what and where you will need them.

Have you thought of putting in additional conduits for security wiring our feeds to future garden lighting - much cheaper to do now than later.

MOST IMPORTANT - IS THE FEED FROM THE LOCAL GRID ABLE TO POWER UP YOUR HOME WITHOUT A BROWN OUT EVERY TIME A AIRCON CLICKS IN??
Not an expert in this but I think it relates to number of supply cables coming in to you meter box - is three the right number for a reasonable size house in Thailand??

You will find that a gas stove will work much better than electric; when the power is off....

On a more serious note; you can have a combination. I have a gas/electric unit. If the gas runs out, turn on the electric and vise versa. We use the gas 95%+ of the time. Also invested in a really good hood, with lights and lots of extraction power to get the heat, steam and smells out of the kitchen. Works great.

Originally Posted by Khun Custard

Gas for the cook top -faster, easier to adjust and easier to keep clean, the parts can be removed and washed rather than cleaning in situ

as said, not faster cf induction

and certainly not easier to clean!! an induction hob has no controls sticking out, just a ceramic plate

a wipe over is all that it needs

Thanks for the info Khun Custard, quite comprehensive!

The same companies that sell the kitchen units also sell the ovens, extractor fans etc so they can build them all in. There's a pretty good selection here although I doubt the same variety as can be found in Bangkok, especially when it comes to quality mid-range products.

I think the wiring plans are pretty extensive, they already have cables going outside for wall and garden lighting, as well as some conduits for a possible pool in the future etc.

Cambodia's a few years off of the electronic burglar alarm stage of security deterrents, we're still at the big dog, barb-wire and fire arms stage here.

I would recommend both, gas and electric stoves. So you are more independent from the energy resources.

For the electric stove I would recommend an induction type. Induction is as fast and precise as gas. My Thai love now loves the induction stove...

Ensure the extract vent is minimum length and smooth, otherwise the fats in the extracted air will congeal in the horizontal portion of the vent and could possibly ignite.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Ensure the extract vent is minimum length and smooth, otherwise the fats in the extracted air will congeal in the horizontal portion of the vent and could possibly ignite.

Very good point. Hob against an outer wall best.

Originally Posted by ChrisInCambo

Thanks for the advice guys, sounds like it's best to stick with gas then.

Does anyone have any experience with fitting stove extractor fans? The last one I had just had a filter and no exhaust that went outside. Although that will get rid of smells it's going to do nothing for heat.

What preparations should I get the builders to do so the kitchen is ready for an exhaust?

Build an outdoor kitchen, no heat or smell inside. About two years after the house build we added an outdoor kitchen and dining area, I now wonder why we went to the expense of a modern indoor kitchen, never use it.

Gas no question about it.
In my condo I have a 2 burner electric thing and hate it.

For living in hotel rooms I got a one of those nifty little butane camping stoves.

When I build a kitchen in the village it will be one of those big 2 burner gas stoves.
I also kinda like those simple single burner types they use right on top of the smaller propane bottles.
Also outside kitchens are the way to go.

I think gas is better then electric stove. In gas the cooking is very easy and we can set a heat as per our requirement but in electric stove we cannot set temperature or heat. The cooking is good in taste and fastly done in gas then electric stove.