Gas or Electric Ovens?

[dianec]

Decisions, decisions . . . Anybody have any insight on whether to get gas or electric ovens - or maybe one of each . What are some of the ups and downs of either? We're looking at the Viking or Wolf line. I like to roast as much as bake - I know electric convection is supposed to be wonderful for baking, but is there a compromise when you're cooking, say meatloaf or lasagna?

Any opinions greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[jock]

Electric oven every time whether convection or conventional. They are more accurate and reliable than gas.
Gas range every time. Much better heat control than electric which takes ages to heat up and ages to cool down.
You can tell I'm a little ambivalent about this huh?

Jock

 

[dianec]

Thank you Jock -- was definitely going for the gas rangetop (had to use electric at my old home -- never want that again! ) - OK - I have to ask -- any particular brands you're "ambivalent" about?

 

[jock]

Nope. Jenn Air, Viking, Russell come to mind.
It has been my experience that you get what you pay for. You buy a cheap stove and you get a cheap stove. It depends on your budget and what kind of features you want.
For example, are the controls electronic with LCD display or manual dials? Are they in front, on the side or in back? How big is the usable oven space? And so on.
If I were buying a new stove I wouldn't skimp if I could avoid it.

Jock

 

[headless chicken]

If all out electric, I know LG makes good energy efficient appliances though I'm not sure about their quality in cooking/baking.

 

[bryanp]

I would like to know if there is a preference between a single unit that encompasses both an Oven and stove (feel free to correct my use of incorrect terms) or seperate set ups. I currently have a set up where the oven is serperate from the range top and this spring will be redoing the kitchen. Oh and I plan to stick with the Gas. I love cooking with it.

 

[jock]

Welcome to Cheftalk Bryan.

I think a separate range top is a matter of space, budget and preference. In terms of performance, it doesn't matter. In some cases it may be more convenient to have them separated. If there is more than one cook in the kitchen it could avoid conflicts for work space.

Jock

 

[brreynolds]

If your kitchen isn't particularly large, buying a full range is a way to fit in a second oven without eliminating too much cabinet space. I redid my kitchen a year ago, and that was the decision I made. It turned out to be a good decision. I don't need two ovens simultaneously all that often, but we've just finished a weekend when that second one was indispensible.

 

[rick alan]

I do so very much prefer glass-top electric, but then again I do not make, or even know of, dishes that require particularly rapid changes in heat.  Stay away from LG anything.  Electric is going to be likely going to be better controlled in general, they also do not spew heat out like gas.

We haven't heard from the pro chefs yet about cooking results for gas ovens, but I'd like to as it seems so many pro models are gas.  American is a top brand for professional and home, but they only do gas it seems.

Rick

 

[dropkick]

I've used many different ovens and I prefer gas over all. Heats up much quicker and you have better temperature control (no matter what the pro electric people say).

You can get convection gas ovens also (the first convection ovens I ever used were gas). The pluses of a convection oven are that they cook faster, at a lower temperature, and more evenly (until you learn how the oven cooks you should take off 50° F and about 1/4 of your normal cook time, or you'll end up burning things - this is when cooking anything). The minus is that it has a fan in it and sooner or later the fan is going to die. Other than that they're just like conventional ranges

I like both Viking and Wolf, (Viking a small bit more) but I've never used one of them outside of a professional setting, so I know nothing of their consumer line of products.

- I've always wanted to build a home kitchen around a professional Viking gas range (if I ever build my dream house)

-My Uncle has a Jenn Air and he really likes it (I've never used it though, so I can't say)

 

[rick alan]

I've used many different ovens and I prefer gas over all. Heats up much quicker and you have better temperature control (no matter what the pro electric people say).

You can get convection gas ovens also (the first convection ovens I ever used were gas). The pluses of a convection oven are that they cook faster, at a lower temperature, and more evenly (until you learn how the oven cooks you should take off 50° F and about 1/4 of your normal cook time, or you'll end up burning things - this is when cooking anything). The minus is that it has a fan in it and sooner or later the fan is going to die. Other than that they're just like conventional ranges.

Whereas I know conduction electric ovens are crap compared to gas, I would have to think an electric convenction oven at least matched the gas.  But again it is apparent that electric, even convection style, seem unpopular with the companies that build for pros.

No arguement convection is better, and my electric LG (how I know to tell others to stay away from them) automatically sets temp 25degF lower than the selected setting.  The LG cooks pretty well, it's the reliability issues why to stay away.

 

[dropkick]

Whereas I know conduction electric ovens are crap compared to gas, I would have to think an electric convenction oven at least matched the gas.  But again it is apparent that electric, even convection style, seem unpopular with the companies that build for pros.

No arguement convection is better, and my electric LG (how I know to tell others to stay away from them) automatically sets temp 25degF lower than the selected setting.  The LG cooks pretty well, it's the reliability issues why to stay away.

It's not that electric ovens are unpopular with the companies, it's that electric ovens are unpopular with their customers - professional cooks.

P.S. I know of conduction range tops (an idea which I don't like, but I have no experience with the real thing). Are they making conduction ovens also? Seems like a particularly dumb idea to me if they are. -I've been into electronics since I was young and was radio repair in the Army, so while I have no experience with conduction ranges I know how they work.

 

[rick alan]

P.S. I know of conduction range tops (an idea which I don't like, but I have no experience with the real thing). Are they making conduction ovens also? Seems like a particularly dumb idea to me if they are. -I've been into electronics since I was young and was radio repair in the Army, so while I have no experience with conduction ranges I know how they work.

I always thought all range tops are considered "conduction" deveices, as are all non-fan ovens.  But with a gas appliance there is always a significant amount of convection because of the flow created by the constant stream of combustion gases.  But true convenction I believe implies a "bulk" fluid flow, such as a fan provides. 

this also makes gas an "open system," where you have the hot combustion constantly flowing out of the oven and, unless having a vent that exits the building, they simply dump into the room, for your air conditioner to work overtime on.  Much the same for gas range tops.

Non-fan electric ovens are almost pure conduction, where most of the heat is transfered by its slow diffusion through the air in the oven, along with direct infra-red radiation from the heaters (the cause of "hot spots"), and some very little convection by the gravity initiated flow of air, ie, hot air rises and upon cooling sinks again.  This gravity feed is so insufficient though that large electric ovens absolutely require a fan to make them work adequately, so I have heard and it making perfect sense.  They are essentially a "closed system" and give off relatively little heat.  Same for modern glass-top electric ranges, very little waist heat at point-of-use (lots of waist heat in electric generation and transmision of course).

Still I don't doubt the possibility a gas convection oven cooks better than and electric convection, so out of curiousity I'll check with some manufacturers next week and see if they can clear this up.

Rick

Edited in comment:

Wait a minute, either you ment induction rather than conduction, or your taking advantage of the autistic kid's limited abilities with inuendo. ;-)~

 

[dropkick]

My bad.

I was confusing induction with conduction.

Now I'm feeling very dim.

 

[rick alan]

Not at all Dropkick, you can't rely on someone like me to have all the culinary lingo perfectly in place, and I wouldn't even want culinary artists waisting their energy on trying the same with engineering terminology, at least not unless they're going into writing magazine reviews of restaurant equipment.

Rick