The question of whether bakers prefer gas or electric ovens is quite an interesting one. Usually, the best option for bakers largely depends on what they intend to bake and how much they are willing to spend. While gas ovens are generally the more recommended option, they may not suit the needs of some bakers.
We also have to put into consideration the fact that some bakers might be used to one type of oven and will prefer that despite its inefficiencies and flaws.
Generally speaking though, just like many professional chefs, many professional bakers will often lean towards gas ovens for the reasons we’ll be discussing down below.
If you’re new to baking, however, we strongly suggest you look into what types of things you’ll be baking and how much of it, this should be the main factor that you put into consideration.
For foods like pies and bread, a gas oven would be the preferable choice because it releases moisture and is perfect for dishes that taste better when their surface is soft and moist.
For cakes and foods that should be crispy and brown, an electric oven is the more recommended option as it’ll provide more oven baking and a dry enough environment for browning.
Before we delve into comparisons between gas and electric ovens, let’s first have a look at the benefits of each type.
The Benefits of Gas Ovens for Baking
Gas ovens use a gas flame to heat up an enclosed space with food inside it. The flame heats up the air in the oven and turns it into hot, dry air. This hot air circulates around the food, cooking it evenly on all sides.
The following are the benefits of using gas stoves to bake:
- Gas ovens require a shorter preheating time than their electric counterparts. This not only helps them cook faster but also helps save some much-needed energy.
- On average, a gas oven will need about 5 – 10 mins to warm up compared to an electric oven that will often require at least 15 mins.
- Gas ovens are more environmentally friendly than electric ovens because they use gas which is a cleaner-burning fuel than electricity.
- While they do release gases, natural gas is usually the cleaner-burning source of energy for your cooking because most of the electric power in the USA is generated from burning fossil fuels.
- Gas ovens can be more expensive to buy and install, however they are usually cheaper in the long run given the fact that gas tank fill-ups will most likely claim less from your wallet than monthly electricity bills.
- A gas oven has better temperature control and it is easier to keep the temperature constant to avoid burnt food and uneven cooking.
- Due to the combustion process, gas ovens have more moisture on the inside which can be perfect for baking foods that should have a soft and moist surface. These include bread, pies, and foods of that sort.
- Gas stoves with convection ovens are also perfect for foods that don’t require moisture but rather a dry environment so that they can have crispy tops.
The Benefits of Electric Ovens for Baking
Electric ovens generally work by passing electric currents through metal heating elements that are placed on the inside walls of the oven.
As the metal heats up, it releases energy in a form of radiant heat, which then cooks the food inside. The amount of radiant heat in an oven can be controlled by turning up or down its thermostat.
The following are the benefits of using electric ovens for baking:
- Electric ovens are great for preparing dishes that require even and consistent heat with very little to no moisture. These include cakes, cookies, biscuits, and the like.
- Electric ovens do not produce any smoke or odors whatsoever. In comparison to gas ovens, electric ovens eliminate problems like getting smoke in your eyes or having your clothes smell like gas fumes after baking.
- They also don’t pose any risk to your health like a gas stove does because there’s no open flame burning at high temperatures just inches away from you.
- While a lot of people like electric ovens because they are safe since there is no open flame, but you should be careful with them, too, since they may get too hot and start a fire if not handled properly.
- Given that Gas ovens work with an open flame, they are more susceptible to uneven heating which means that you will constantly have to move and turn what you’re baking so that all sides and parts are cooked well.
- Electric ovens do not require any venting and tank installation so they are cheaper to set up and get started in the short term.
Electric oven vs Gas Oven: which one of the two is best?
Well, generally speaking, many people will be better served by a gas oven as it has many things going for it.
Gas ovens are cheaper than electric ovens and require less maintenance and cost less to operate per hour.
The introduction of convection ovens also bridges the gap between gas and electric stoves, bringing many of the advantages associated with electric ovens to gas stoves.
Do bakers prefer gas ovens to electric ovens?
As earlier mentioned, yes, bakers do prefer gas stoves ovens to electric ovens for the reasons mentioned above.
According to a survey conducted among 100 professional chefs in the USA, 96 respondents said they preferred using gas cooktops while 68 of them preferred gas ovens as well.
Factors to consider when choosing an oven type for baking:
Temperature Accuracy:
When it comes to baking, accuracy is one of the most important aspects.
Invest in an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven thermostat is set correctly according to the food you’re baking.
Gas stoves often have the best temperature accuracy, however, with the use of thermostats, temperature accuracy can also be improved on an electric stove.
Even Heating:
For baking, it’s important that there’s even heating from all sides of the oven.
An unevenly baked dish can be a nightmare. Some parts might be overcooked and while others might still be completely raw.
The best oven should prevent uneven heating and cook all parts of the dish evenly.
Electric ovens are known to be the best option when it comes to even heating given that they are able to maintain a steady temperature for longer periods of time.
Humidity:
Some dishes will require more humidity than others.
For foods like bread and pies that require more humidity for soft and moist surfaces, a gas oven would be the best choice given the fact that the gas-burning process releases water vapor which in turn humidifies the oven compartment.
For things like cookies, and biscuits that require less humidity, an electric oven should be the preferred choice as it helps maintain a pretty dry oven compartment. This is perfect for dishes that should be crispy and dry.
What are the different types of Ovens for bakers:
The following are some of the types oven technologies available on the market:
Conduction Ovens
The most popular type of oven for bakers is the conduction oven. It heats food with an electric coil or a gas flame from the bottom up and is sometimes called a conventional oven.
Convection Ovens
Convecting ovens use both electric coils and fans to circulate hot air around the food so that it cooks more evenly than in a regular oven or in a typical kitchen oven.
This means that they cook faster than other types of ovens as well as over a wider range of temperatures.
Even though some might think that this is new technology, the first commercially available convection oven was the Maxson Whirlwind Oven, which was invented in 1945.
Microwave ovens
Microwave ovens are used to cook or heat food by using microwaves.
Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation that is produced by an electric current that turns into electromagnetic waves.
These waves are then spread across the interior of the oven and get absorbed by food molecules, which makes them vibrate faster. This causes the food to heat up and get cooked.
FINAL WORD
While electric ovens are getting better by the day, gas ovens are still a lot more common in many professional bakers’ kitchens.
While professional bakers do prefer gas ovens to electric ovens, the same might not be true for you.
It’s important that you put into consideration the kinds of dishes you’d like to cook with your oven before choosing to follow the professional bakers’ choice.