6 ms·

> much slower than a gas stove There ya go right there! Electric stoves are "slow" to heat up and "slow" to change temperatures. You're used to the gold standa

by rbobby 9y ago

> much slower than a gas stove There ya go right there! Electric stoves are "slow" to heat up and "slow" to change temperatures. You're used to the gold standard :)

EADGBE 9y ago
So many people are afraid of gas ranges. It's ridiculous. My wife is literally terrified she'll burn the house down. Yet we use a giant gas-powered pressure cooker in the basement to take warm showers and somehow that's okay. We used our gas range even when the power was out, to toast tortillas (that's a bit tricky though, but worked well), and even in a pinch during a multi-day blizzard as an emergency heat source (though it didn't run all night, and was relatively safely monitored, you know, the "don't try this at home, kids").
- saosebastiao 9y ago
  I’m not afraid of them, but I won’t ever get one. Induction ranges are superior in every possible way :)
  - EADGBE 9y ago
    I haven't used induction, but it could be a game changer if and when it ever comes to the mass market.
    - tonyarkles 9y ago
      I realize it's Canadian, but here's the unit I'm using: http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Indoor-Living/Small-Appliances/Kitchen/Countertop-Cooking/Miscellaneous/1800-Watt-Single-Burner-Induction-Cooker/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I3834374?Ntt=kuraidori http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Indoor-Living/Sm... It's definitely accessible on the mass market!
  - tonyarkles 9y ago
    Every possible way except being able to take the pan off the heat temporarily without having the range freak out. At least that's my experience with the induction hob that I have (and generally just ignore the electric range). I'm with you though. Induction is absolutely amazing. But I'd love to be able to lift the pan off to spread my crepe batter around without the hob beeping at me angrily (and shutting itself off if I take too long before putting the pan back on)
    - EADGBE 9y ago
      Wow, wasn't aware of that issue. Perhaps that's why it isn't as mainstream.
      - dagw 9y ago
        I think that's an implementation detail, not a standard feature. Certainly in Sweden induction is basically standard in any kitchen done up in the past 3-4 years or so, and I've never seen that problem. One problem that is real is that they all insist on using resistive touch controls on the cooking surface instead of physical knobs. Which means if you spill liquid on your cooking surface or accidentally slide your pot onto the buttons all the controls freak out.
        tonyarkles 9y ago
        Heh, yes. I've definitely had a pot boil over and had double chaos when the controls started flipping at random too.
  - mattmaroon 9y ago
    Not every way. Flat bottomed woks suck. Gas is much better for a wok, and a wok is a considerably better tool than most westerners realize. Induction also is easily breakable. That's why you don't see them in commercial kitchens much. Also I have several large cheap Aluminum stock pots that I love and would have to replace. Try finding a five gallon induction capable stock pot at your local restaurant supply store.
    - saosebastiao 9y ago
      It's true that your standard induction cooktop isn't great for woks, but there are plenty of specialized induction wok burners on the market. And while induction isn't popular in commercial kitchens here in the US, they are very popular in Europe, without any severe problems. And I would assume that as a result there aren't any problems with induction capable cookware availability at local restaurant supply stores either. So maybe you're right as of right now, but it's not inherent to the technology, but just its level of penetration in the market at the moment.
      - mattmaroon 9y ago
        There are commercial induction Wok burners but I've never seen one for home. And I've heard the commercial ones still lag but I've never used one. Commercial induction burners max out at about 5000 BTUs(and above 3500 is rare), and that's on the expensive models. A relatively cheap commercial gas range will have many 10,000 BTU burners. My $500 home gas oven that I recently bought has an 18,000 btu burner! I know gas is less efficient, but that burners going to put out more heat than any two induction burners. On a wok or any large item (such as the 5 gallons of wort or tonkotsu broth I sometimes make) you couldn't get enough watts with induction to properly stir fry or to heat a large mass quickly. Some of the bigger gas units you can buy for home put out really high BTUs while taking up very little electricity. My point wasn't that induction isn't great, it is. It's just not better in every way. It's got strengths and weaknesses.
- lobster_johnson 9y ago
  To be fair, though, gas is dangerous. Gas leaks, ranges/ovens accidentally left turned on, objects being left near the gas range's open flame, etc. -- the number of failure scenarios vastly exceed that of electrical ones. Having multiple sources of energy also complicates your house. Comparing a gas range to a gas-heated water heater isn't really appropriate, since the water heater is an enclosed unit where the user is never directly exposed to the gas or the flame. Gas is clearly superior to plain old electric, but induction (which is very nearly as good as gas when it comes to cooking) has been here for a long time, is much safer, and isn't even particularly expensive.
dagw 9y ago
Electric stoves are "slow" to heat up and "slow" to change temperatures. Unless you have an induction stove.
- lucaspiller 9y ago
  I have one and it’s pretty impressive how fast 3.7kW can heat things up (apparently you can even get 5kW models). I ditched my electric kettle as it was too slow in comparison.

by rbobby 9y ago

> much slower than a gas stove There ya go right there! Electric stoves are "slow" to heat up and "slow" to change temperatures. You're used to the gold standard :)

EADGBE 9y ago

So many people are afraid of gas ranges. It's ridiculous. My wife is literally terrified she'll burn the house down. Yet we use a giant gas-powered pressure cooker in the basement to take warm showers and somehow that's okay. We used our gas range even when the power was out, to toast tortillas (that's a bit tricky though, but worked well), and even in a pinch during a multi-day blizzard as an emergency heat source (though it didn't run all night, and was relatively safely monitored, you know, the "don't try this at home, kids").

saosebastiao 9y ago
I’m not afraid of them, but I won’t ever get one. Induction ranges are superior in every possible way :)
- EADGBE 9y ago
  I haven't used induction, but it could be a game changer if and when it ever comes to the mass market.
  - tonyarkles 9y ago
    I realize it's Canadian, but here's the unit I'm using: http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Indoor-Living/Small-Appliances/Kitchen/Countertop-Cooking/Miscellaneous/1800-Watt-Single-Burner-Induction-Cooker/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I3834374?Ntt=kuraidori http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Indoor-Living/Sm... It's definitely accessible on the mass market!
- tonyarkles 9y ago
  Every possible way except being able to take the pan off the heat temporarily without having the range freak out. At least that's my experience with the induction hob that I have (and generally just ignore the electric range). I'm with you though. Induction is absolutely amazing. But I'd love to be able to lift the pan off to spread my crepe batter around without the hob beeping at me angrily (and shutting itself off if I take too long before putting the pan back on)
  - EADGBE 9y ago
    Wow, wasn't aware of that issue. Perhaps that's why it isn't as mainstream.
    - dagw 9y ago
      I think that's an implementation detail, not a standard feature. Certainly in Sweden induction is basically standard in any kitchen done up in the past 3-4 years or so, and I've never seen that problem. One problem that is real is that they all insist on using resistive touch controls on the cooking surface instead of physical knobs. Which means if you spill liquid on your cooking surface or accidentally slide your pot onto the buttons all the controls freak out.
      - tonyarkles 9y ago
        Heh, yes. I've definitely had a pot boil over and had double chaos when the controls started flipping at random too.
- mattmaroon 9y ago
  Not every way. Flat bottomed woks suck. Gas is much better for a wok, and a wok is a considerably better tool than most westerners realize. Induction also is easily breakable. That's why you don't see them in commercial kitchens much. Also I have several large cheap Aluminum stock pots that I love and would have to replace. Try finding a five gallon induction capable stock pot at your local restaurant supply store.
  - saosebastiao 9y ago
    It's true that your standard induction cooktop isn't great for woks, but there are plenty of specialized induction wok burners on the market. And while induction isn't popular in commercial kitchens here in the US, they are very popular in Europe, without any severe problems. And I would assume that as a result there aren't any problems with induction capable cookware availability at local restaurant supply stores either. So maybe you're right as of right now, but it's not inherent to the technology, but just its level of penetration in the market at the moment.
    - mattmaroon 9y ago
      There are commercial induction Wok burners but I've never seen one for home. And I've heard the commercial ones still lag but I've never used one. Commercial induction burners max out at about 5000 BTUs(and above 3500 is rare), and that's on the expensive models. A relatively cheap commercial gas range will have many 10,000 BTU burners. My $500 home gas oven that I recently bought has an 18,000 btu burner! I know gas is less efficient, but that burners going to put out more heat than any two induction burners. On a wok or any large item (such as the 5 gallons of wort or tonkotsu broth I sometimes make) you couldn't get enough watts with induction to properly stir fry or to heat a large mass quickly. Some of the bigger gas units you can buy for home put out really high BTUs while taking up very little electricity. My point wasn't that induction isn't great, it is. It's just not better in every way. It's got strengths and weaknesses.
lobster_johnson 9y ago
To be fair, though, gas is dangerous. Gas leaks, ranges/ovens accidentally left turned on, objects being left near the gas range's open flame, etc. -- the number of failure scenarios vastly exceed that of electrical ones. Having multiple sources of energy also complicates your house. Comparing a gas range to a gas-heated water heater isn't really appropriate, since the water heater is an enclosed unit where the user is never directly exposed to the gas or the flame. Gas is clearly superior to plain old electric, but induction (which is very nearly as good as gas when it comes to cooking) has been here for a long time, is much safer, and isn't even particularly expensive.

dagw 9y ago

Electric stoves are "slow" to heat up and "slow" to change temperatures. Unless you have an induction stove.

lucaspiller 9y ago
I have one and it’s pretty impressive how fast 3.7kW can heat things up (apparently you can even get 5kW models). I ditched my electric kettle as it was too slow in comparison.