Can I change gas hob to electric?

[tiggerai]

One of the reasons I wouldn't want a gas hob (as good as they at cooking) is the faff of cleaning them. Far too fiddly.

Funny, mine doesn't take long to clean at all... just wave a cloth at it and it's done... unless you're a particularly spilly (tech term) cook, like me, then they shouldn't take any more cleaning than an electric. The hob parts don't really need cleaning that much.

I hate electric, like DH it was one of my buying factors in a house... Always had gas (apart from uni, where elec drove me round the bend).

[TheAnimus]

Its a LOT easyer to clean a gas cooker than a cemaric hob. So much easyer.

The glass on a ceramic gets dirt on it, which is then between the heat and your pan, with your pan pushing it on. In short it will get completley burnt onto the glass.

With a gass ring, the dirt falls below the flame, and dosen't seam to ever get as badly stuck. Gas is so much better. I'm glad to be back.

[99Flake]

Funny, mine doesn't take long to clean at all... just wave a cloth at it and it's done... unless you're a particularly spilly (tech term) cook, like me, then they shouldn't take any more cleaning than an electric. The hob parts don't really need cleaning that much.

I am quite spilly! I suppose after our previous house with its rubbish hob this new one seems light years better! Can't even do gas in our house as the village is all electric.

[MadduckUK]

this thread needs a poll

[Steven W]

Was only considering it because it seemed easier/less hassle to have an oven that uses just electricity. A couple of places I wanted to order from won't do the gas installation, but they'll do the electric as they don't have corgi people. I've been struggling to find one place that will do everything, disconnect, dispose, install both gas and electric.

I can get people from different companies but then I'm doubling the installation fees. Perhaps I'm not looking in the right places.

[99Flake]

this thread needs a poll

Is this for dancing purposes?

[Steven W]

Poll added

I think that's the only multiple choice options we need, isn't it?

[kalniel]

Poll added

I think that's the only multiple choice options we need, isn't it?

Oh it's got to be part of an oven now does it?

Halogen, Induction?

Coal, Aga, wood burning?

[Saracen]

Poll added

I think that's the only multiple choice options we need, isn't it?

I've added induction - I hope you don't mind.

The reason is that I think induction is a very different proposition from standard ceramic, even though the base is indeed ceramic. I think it's a mistake to lump the two together. Personally, I'd vote for (and buy) induction over gas, but general ceramic/halogen v gas is a MUCH closer call. As long as I already had gas available at the cooker point, I'd probably go for gas. But remove the extra option if you'd prefer.


The logic is this. Induction has a small number of disadvantages, not least that they're pretty expensive (starting around £500). The also need decent clearance underneath and aren't advised for people with pacemakers (not too many of those on this forum, I suspect). Oh, and you need pans that are ferrous-based, like stainless steel. They either won't work at all or work very inefficiently with non-ferrous pans, like glass or aluminium, and shouldn't be used that way. So you might need new pans.

But there are considerable advantages, too.

Firstly, there are VERY energy-efficient. That comes from the way they work. They use magnetic induction to induce heat directly in the pan. The ONLY heat that goes onto the cooker surface itself is by conduction from the pan. There's no heat loss at all into the surrounding air, as with gas, for example. They're also safer. You have no risk of gas leaks, no pipe-laying problems (though the power requirements can be quite high), and the cooker surface stays cool, or mildly warm. Ceramic is a good thermal insulator anyway, so even conducted heat doesn't get far from the area of the pan. And, perhaps surprisingly, you can place a piece of paper between the hob and the pan and for many purposes, like boiling water, you won't even singe the paper.

Next, they're every bit as fast and controllable, and arguably more so, than gas. Yes, I said faster. Those of you moaning, quite rightly, about electric are, I bet, talking about the horrible old solid rings, or perhaps even about standard ceramic. Less so about halogen, but induction is still much faster, and energy and thermally efficient, than halogen.

Oh, and on safety, the technology requires the pan to be present for the effect to work. Remove the pan and as you've removed the electrical resistance, the element turns off.

Definately would want a gas hob again if I got the choice! After spending years cooking with gas and that near instant heat / cut off heat electric hobs just don't compare AND cost a fortune to run (our electricity bill has gone up over £100 compared to the gas heated/cooking flat and the gas bill was just £30)

Gas is quoted at around 50% efficient. Induction is quoted (by governmemt sources, not just manufacturers) at between 84% and 90%.

Its a LOT easyer to clean a gas cooker than a cemaric hob. So much easyer.

The glass on a ceramic gets dirt on it, which is then between the heat and your pan, with your pan pushing it on. In short it will get completley burnt onto the glass.

With a gass ring, the dirt falls below the flame, and dosen't seam to ever get as badly stuck. Gas is so much better. I'm glad to be back.

Not with induction, because the hob doesn't get hot. Warm, maybe, but not hot.

[Moby-Dick]

I like the idea of an induction hob , but Havn't had a reason to change from Gas ( living in rented accomodation is the primary reason ! )

however I may have to get one of these and give it a whirl !

Amazon.co.uk: Minky Electric Portable Induction Cooker Hob - DAILY EXPRESS OFFER: Kitchen & Home

I'm sure I've seen HEXUS's very own Nick doing demos on these and they are really quite neat

[Saracen]

I'm on the hunt for a new oven combo - single electric oven/gas hob (integrated)

Does anyone know whether I can just buy an electric hob rather than gas? Or would something special need to be done?

Electric hobs do require fairly high power levels. Just plugging one into a 13-amp socket is a recipe for disaster. I'm not an electrician, and not qualified to give electrical advice, but I'd suggest at least 30-amp dedicated circuit, using at least 6mm2 cable (or above), maybe 10mm, for induction hobs. Exactly what you need depends on the hob. Some are particularly demanding (10KW), and some are designed for three phase wiring (which your home almost certainly doesn't have if you're in the UK).

If you don't have a circuit already designed for an electric hob (induction or otherwise), I'd suggest getting the electrics checked out by someone qualified before just connecting any form of electric hob. But, as I said, I'd not an electrician - just naturally cautious about such things.

[TheAnimus]

depending on your distance i would say 6mm is just plan dangerous, but again with a cooker make sure you get a certified electriction to do the instalation (and if he is putting in new wire, might as well make it the thicker stuff anyway!)

Induction is a bit of a novelty I think, but then again i'm the kind of person who threatens someone with a carving knife if they use metal in my non stick pan! I had a quick look at induction a while back (planning a new kitchen atm) and the cookware was expensive, the hob was expensive, and it runs on electricity, which is expensive (compared to mains gas anyrate).

[Saracen]

.... and the cookware was expensive,

Perhaps, but if you already have stainless steel pans you won't need anything different.

.... the hob was expensive.

Yup. No getting round that. But still only about the same price as a half-decent modest-sized HD TV, and a lot of people have no trouble finding £500 or so for one of them. It depends what you want, I suppose.

.... and it runs on electricity, which is expensive (compared to mains gas anyrate).

Again, perhaps true. But it isn't just the cost of the power - it's how much it uses. If, for instance, you can boil water faster with induction than with gas (and you can, at least with some units) then you need to take to time element into account. Also, if as the figures I've seen suggest, gas is around 50% efficient (in getting the energy into the cookware, rather that heat loss from a naked flame into the surrounding air), and induction is 84% (or better), then electricity can be 68% more expensive and still cost no more to run.

For me, the ease of use, the ease of cleaning and yes, the clean, simple styling, make induction the preferred choice. But not everybody will see it that way, I'm sure, and I'm also sure a fair few will prefer gas, perhaps having never tried using induction.

[Whalefish]

In terms of efficiency electric and particularly induction hobs are better than gas, induction much more so.

[kalniel]

Electric hobs do require fairly high power levels. Just plugging one into a 13-amp socket is a recipe for disaster. I'm not an electrician, and not qualified to give electrical advice, but I'd suggest at least 30-amp dedicated circuit, using at least 6mm2 cable (or above), maybe 10mm, for induction hobs. Exactly what you need depends on the hob. Some are particularly demanding (10KW), and some are designed for three phase wiring (which your home almost certainly doesn't have if you're in the UK).

If you don't have a circuit already designed for an electric hob (induction or otherwise), I'd suggest getting the electrics checked out by someone qualified before just connecting any form of electric hob. But, as I said, I'd not an electrician - just naturally cautious about such things.

Agreed - I made the assumption he was already using an electric oven thus had the 30A circuitry installed already.

[Saracen]

Agreed - I made the assumption he was already using an electric oven thus had the 30A circuitry installed already.

Again, I'm no electrician, but as I understand it, many ovens can run quite happily from a standard 13-amp circuit. Most standalone single ovens are 3kW or under and would be unlikely to have a dedicated circuit. Double ovens or anything high-power would probably have a dedicated circuit, 30A or maybe more.

But .... if you've got a double oven, draw 6-8kW, and you THEN put a heavy draw on from an electric hob, would 30A (or 6mm) be adequate? At that point, personally, I'd be thinking in terms of 10mm and 40A-ish. I'd prefer to see a single oven on a standard 13A circuit and reserve the 30A circuit for the electric hob.

But I'd also be getting a qualified electrician to sort it, as an electrician, however expensive, is usually cheaper than the fire brigade and more fun than a mortuary.