Thursday, July 12, 2007

PLEASE Comment :)

Hi all,

I need your help and opionions on a very important and urgent matter.

I will try to make this as quick and painless as possible...

The lowdown:
We need to purchase a stove for our new home. Our price range is +/- $1200. It must be stainless steel. We can't decide between gas or electric.

The problem:
We were going to go with gas, but then had a salesman convince us to purchase an electric stove (no time to go through the whole story). We bought a smooth top electric stove and are now having second thoughts. We can change our mind by end of day tomorrow (Friday).

The pros and cons:
Gas

Pros:

  • Gas is more efficient
  • Gas is somewhat cheaper than electric
  • Gas is easier to control in terms of temperature; instant heat, instant cold
  • It would be an upgrade to our home = better resale
  • Somewhat more utilitarian
  • Can use any kinds of pots and pans

Cons:

  • With our price range we will not be able to afford a gas stove with convection oven
  • Will need to spend $300 to put gas line in kitchen (which is fine as we're considering it an investment for the house for future resale)
  • Knobs for gas stoves are located on the front which makes me nervous when we have little kids running around the house = could turn knobs on and gas might be leaking into house without knowing or could turn flame on and hurt themselves and / or house
  • More parts on cooktop might make cleaning more tedious (more parts to clean)
  • Open flame could be dangerous with sleeves

Electric

Pros:

  • We can afford a convection oven which is more efficient than baking without one as it reduces the amount of time in the oven and level of temperature
  • Save $300 because no need to install gas line
  • No open flame = safer for things like sleeves
  • Knobs located at back of stove therefore no danger of small children turning on stove

Cons:

  • Glass/ceramic smooth top has the potential to chip, scratch and break
  • Glass/ceramic smooth top might be harder to clean since you have to be somewhat careful
  • Pots and pans must be completely smooth or else risk scratching and might not cook properly
  • Cooking surface stays hot / warm longer
  • Not sure what heats up the ceramic top - is it a coil burner like the old stoves? If so, then I'm not convinced spending the extra $ for a smooth top is worthwhile. Also if it is a coil burner underneath, wouldn't that mean the ceramic top would make it heat up slower than the old coil burner stoves?
  • Not sure if it is expensive or difficult to repair or replace an element if it burns out

Any other thoughts, comments, suggestions, pros, cons etc. are most welcome :)

Thank you!

6 comments:

SC said...

We have a gas stove, and I have honestly never thought about kids being around it. Cleaning it is tough, unless you basically scrub all parts down after use it, which I don't do... so mine looks a bit dirty half the time, but I can't help it.

My in-laws have a smooth top, and they buy a special cleaner for the top and it works brillantly.

I love the gas stove for the cooking time... food tastes different when cooked on gas (in my opinion), and I find cooking faster in the oven.

Having had gas, I probably wouldn't go back to electric, but if I hadn't ever tried gas, I would buy the smooth top stove.

You have to remember that this is your first home, and the people you end up selling it to down the road, it will be their first home too... so it doesn't have to have everthing. I think it's a good enough selling feature to have stainless steel appliances.

So all in all I would stick with your orginal purchase... and in your next home, you can look for gas!!

Road To Be Entrepreneur said...

Hi roz,
I use stainless steel gas stove.

Gas stove is more cheaper, and the meal more delicious i think =)

If i need my meal is cooked faster, I prefer
use microwave or oven.

I haven't had child, so I never think on that perspective.

Wishing you goog luck, Roz.

-pretty in the city-

Chantal said...

We've had a smooth top stove before and while it looks fantastic when it's clean, it's a big time PITA to a) clean and b) keep clean. Although, if it breaks or whatnot, they have warranties on them for replacement.

I've no experience with the other stuff though.

Good luck!

Sarah said...

I'm sorry that I can't offer much advice. I have no idea. The only imput I have is that I don't really know anyone with a gas stove. Maybe that a US thing as opposed to a CA thing. Actually, my grandmother used to have a gas stove. As far as it being cheaper, here's my only thought...and keep in mind I am clueless...but...how much electricity would it really use? it's not like it's going to be on all day.

I don't know. I'm sorry I couldn't help more. You always offer such good advice!

Betsy Mae said...

I'm too late to offer advice I think? I love to cook, hate to bake...gas is great for me. Having said that, if I had to do it all over again (oh how I wish I could) I would spend the extra (even if you can't) and go for the gas top and convection oven...seriously...I would.

Oh and stainless isn't the only way to go baby.....think this through! Don't get me wrong, I love stainless but I really think there is a new trend starting which will push stainless out....but it sure does look purdy!

Oh and because I see you are away and I am about to leave (but can't sleep), my bed secret....feather bed all the way. Choose your mattress and then buy a separate feather bed for it...you might not be able to afford it right away but plan for this down the road. I. love. mine. I ended up buying them for all of our beds, they are heavenly. Oh and good sheets....even if you only have one set of sheets but they are very good quality, this is the way to go. So that is my ramble for you! Hope it all works out. This is such an exciting time in your life, I'm so glad I've found your blog and can 'share' all of the excitement with you via the blog world!

Anonymous said...

huh... nice text :))