Busting Gas Myths: Induction Stoves vs. Gas Stoves
Posted on April 26, 2022 by Kate Ayres
Tags, Energy
When looking at available options for stovetops in your kitchen, you want the best bang for your buck. One of the common myths circulated about natural gas is that it is the most efficient option. Gas and electricity are often compared on their cost, but also their efficiency. Both electric and induction stoves and ranges are more efficient options than gas.
In this blog, we’ll focus on the induction range, a kitchen appliance that truly changes the efficiency levels of the kitchen. We’ll also feature a conversation with CUB supporters (my parents) who recently made the switch from gas to induction and say they’ll never look back.
Induction Stoves Are the More Efficient Options
A study conducted in 2014 found that induction ranges send 85-90 percent of the generated heat directly to the food they’re cooking. In comparison, electric stovetops hover around 65-70 percent. Gas ranges come in last with about 40-55 percent efficiency. This means that more than half of the energy from a gas range is wasted. Induction ranges are the most efficient option by far.
Induction ranges consist of an electromagnetic coil that creates a magnetic field when supplied with an electric current. When compatible cookware connects with the stove, only the pot or pan is heated, not the stove. The cookware is heated internally while the cooktop surface remains cooler to the touch.
In comparison, gas ranges include a pilot light and a gap between the flame and the cookware. This leads to a higher loss of generated heat in gas ranges. Conventional electric stoves have higher efficiency levels than gas. Electric stoves push more heat directly into the food rather than the surrounding kitchen. When paired with cookware that completely covers the coils, electric is even more efficient.
This past year my parents, Bob and Carol, made the switch from a gas range to an induction range when they built a new house. They offered their perspective on why they chose induction, their experience with the range so far, and some of the differences they’ve seen compared to their gas range.
An Interview on the Induction Experience
Why make the switch to induction stoves?
Carol: “One of my goals when we were planning and building this house was that we would not be including natural gas in the plan, as we wanted to get away from burning fossil fuels. The induction range, after looking into it, in my view, can do everything a gas range can do without polluting the air in the house or the environment.”
When asked what went into the decision, they both agreed that one of the biggest factors was deciding to put solar on their house. Moving to a single system of all electric appliances meant that the solar power they produced could potentially cover all their energy needs during sunny months.
What was the installation process like?
They also commented on how easy it was to find induction options and get the stove installed. Carol: “We used a local provider in our small town. We went into this appliance store and discussed our options with the owner. He was well versed in his products and talked about how induction works. After our discussion, we went with the range that he recommended.”
How does using induction compare to using gas?
Bob: “I’d say that it is definitely more efficient than the gas. Once you identify what the setting is to simmer a dish, you set it there and it simmers. You don’t have to continually check back and turn your gas flame up or down.
“When making rice, for example, it takes 17 to 20 minutes. Once you get it to a boil, you set it at a 1 or a 2 on the induction range and it’s always right. That wasn’t always the case with the gas range. Now, I get the finished product that I’m after without something that’s burned or undercooked as often.”
What do you like most about induction over gas?
Bob: “There are some grids in gas ranges that are 1 to 1.5 inches above the flame, and you’re losing the heat before the flame even hits the pan. With the induction range, you’re dealing with a self-contained unit. Compared to our gas range where you have the gas interacting with the specific cooktop and controls, the addition of those components adds an element of potential inefficiency to the quality of the cooktop itself. The induction range has limited or possibly eliminated that error.”
I remember clearly from my childhood the issue of the gas burner plate not being perfectly centered and the flame not igniting when my parents would turn the knob on the stove.
Carol: “Especially after cleaning the stove, if it wasn’t put back in place perfectly, it wouldn’t ignite the flame. So you could smell the gas being released but the flame wouldn’t start properly.” Carol also discussed how the induction stove doesn’t heat the kitchen air when cooking, so you’re not losing that extra heat into the larger space.
How was the learning curve?
Carol: “There’s always a learning curve when moving to a new stovetop. We had a learning curve when we went from a conventional electric stove to a gas range 16 years ago.”
Bob: “Be aware of that learning curve. You’ll need to allow yourself the time to get used to how induction works and how your specific brand works. Once you’ve figured it out, all those good things come into play.”
What advice do you have for someone switching to an induction stove?
Carol: “If you’re deciding if you should get a gas range or an electric range, you should be thinking about how much natural gas is going to cost in the future. The price of gas will only go up. Electricity, especially here in the Northwest since we use hydropower and other renewables, won’t be rising at the same rate.”
There are several factors that go into choosing the appliances to put into a home either at construction or when remodeling. When it comes to efficiency in the kitchen, the clear winner is induction. As induction ranges become more affordable over time, that efficiency continues to edge out induction’s competitors.
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08/23/22 | 5 Comments | Busting Gas Myths: Induction Stoves vs. Gas Stoves