Cooking with gas stove - All 14 formats
Article by: Kimberly Guest
Improve your home

Pros and cons of gas stoves

If you’re thinking of upgrading your stove, then going with a gas option may be on your mind. Gas stoves certainly offer many benefits, however, there are some disadvantages.

Fans of restaurant TV shows will notice that chefs prefer to use gas stoves. This is with good reason as gas offers many benefits to the professional kitchen. However, homeowners will need to weigh up the advantages against the drawbacks to ensure that gas is the right option for their homes.

Pros of gas stoves

  • No need to wait for the plate to warm up, gas provides immediate heat
  • You’re also able to adjust your heat levels instantaneously
  • Gas stoves offer more culinary versatility particularly in terms of grilling, searing and simmering
  • You can use any type of pot or pan on gas
  • Gas stoves are easy to clean
  • A big benefit for South Africans, gas stoves are loadshedding proof
  • Gas stoves are far more energy efficient than their electric counterparts
  • Considering South Africa’s heavy reliance on coal for electricity generation, gas enables homeowners to move to cleaner, more environmentally friendly energy

Cons of gas stoves

  • Gas stoves tend to be more expensive to purchase than their electric counterparts
  • If you are converting from electric to gas, installation will be more expensive due to setting up the piping, gas bottles and protective housing
  • Gas installations do require annual maintenance and integrity checks
  • Temperature control takes some practice to perfect
  • Ventilation is very important when using a gas stove for health reasons. This is something for households to be aware of, particularly during winter
  • Gas appliances do require additional safety measures be taken within the home. For more information, consult our Gas safety in the home article.
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