Whereas there are several ways how to tell if your stove is electric or gas, the easiest and most obvious way is checking for the source of heat and the burners.
Gas stoves derive their heat from the burning of natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas, and are fueled by either a disposable cylinder or a permanent gas tank supply.
Electric stoves, on the other hand, are powered by electricity and have to be connected to a power source like a power socket.
If you’re confused about which type of stove you currently have, this post will help you take the guessing out of the equation.
How to tell if your stove is electric or gas
Indicators that your stove is electric are that you have an electric coil, you have an electrical outlet near the stove, and there is a plug on the stove.
Indicators that your stove is gas are that there are burners instead of coils, a hose coming out of the back of the stove and there is a gas valve near the oven.
Gas vs. Electric Stoves: What’s the Difference?
I will compare and contrast the differences between gas and electric stoves.
Gas stoves are typically cheaper in the long run than electric ones. This is due to the fact that gas is almost always less expensive than electricity.
Gas stoves are generally more powerful than electric ones because they can be adjusted up or down for a lot of heat quickly. The disadvantage of gas stoves is that they require either a propane tank or a natural gas line which can be costly to install.
Electric stovetops are generally not as powerful as their gas counterparts but they do have one major advantage – there’s no need for venting or refilling with fuel.
Electric stoves also burn more cleanly than their gas counterparts, so then you don’t have to worry about toxins being released into your home.
What’s the Difference between a Cooktop and an Oven?
The difference between a cooktop and an oven is that an oven heats from the bottom, while a cooktop heats from the top.
Ovens operate at around 200-500 degrees Fahrenheit, so most recipes that require baking can be prepared in them.
Cooktops are better for cooking normal uncomplicated foods and liquids such as soups and sauces.
Advantages of gas stoves over electric stoves
Gas stoves are far more efficient for cooking. You use less gas per appliance use and therefore spend less money on potential gas refills or monthly power bills as is the case with electricity.
Gas stoves are most commonly used in restaurants and other commercial kitchens. They are also often used by chefs who want to cook bigger batches of food at the same time.
The initial cost of a gas stove is higher than an electric stove, but the operating costs are lower. Cooking gas is also cheaper and easier to find and can be delivered straight to your home.
Advantages of electric stoves over gas stoves
Some people consider gas stoves to be outdated and inefficient and consider electric stoves as the only sustainable way of cooking. They are more efficient, easier to use, and are better for the environment as they do not emit any harmful gasses.
Gas stoves are more expensive in the short term than electric stoves because they might require venting and gas tank installation.
Gas stoves also require constant refilling to keep them running while electric stoves do not.
Additionally, a gas stove open flame could cause all sorts of problems in your kitchen if you’re not careful or if you have children and pets playing around in your kitchen area. Electric stoves can also explode too if not handled with care too, so keep that in mind.
Do gas stoves come with an oven?
Yes, gas stoves come with an oven compartment. Just like with electric stoves, the compartment is located on the bottom of the stove and can be used for a variety of cooking tasks like baking, warming, air frying, and grilling.
Some gas stoves even come with a second oven for those who might want to grill or bake a lot of food at the same time.
Is it safe to use a gas stove indoors?
If you do use a gas stove indoors, it’s important to make sure there are no sources of sparks or hot objects nearby that could create a fire hazard.
You should also make sure that you turn off the gas supply before doing other activities around your home that might create a spark or open flame – like using an electric kitchen device or lighting candles for ambiance.
Gas stoves are one of the most common types of stoves in use today. While they might not be as safe as electric stoves, they do come with a number of features aimed at increasing their safety.
The main safety features that gas stoves provide are a pilot light, flame re-ignite, button lock, gas shut-off valve, and tip-over protection. It’s important to know how these features work for maximum safety.
Modern gas stoves come with the following safety features:
Pilot lights:
The pilot light is basically an electric spark that lights the gas when someone turns on the stove and helps to maintain an even flame during cooking periods. The pilot light is typically lit by a button on the front of the stove or by turning a knob on the side of the stove.
Gas shut off valve:
The automatic gas shutoff valves can be turned on remotely which can be a huge advantage in some cases, but they also cost more money than the manual ones.
Gas shut-off valves are used to stop the flow of gas in a building. They are typically found near the pipes that deliver gas to the house.
A gas shut-off valve is located near the pipe that delivers natural gas to a home and is used to stop the flow of gas into or out of a building. There is an emergency shut-off valve near the source of supply, which stops all flow from there.
Automatic shut-off valves turn off gas when they detect heavy vibrations like earthquakes, which could be potentially dangerous.
Tip-over protection
Tip-over protection is a safety device that prevents a gas stove from tipping over.
This safety feature will prevent the stove from being accidentally knocked over while cooking, which could cause the stove to ignite and cause an explosion.
Tip-over protection is especially important for children and elderly people who may not be able to help themselves if they were to accidentally knock over the stove.
Flame re-ignite
Gas stoves can be dangerous when unattended. This is why the flame re-ignite feature was created.
The flame re-ignite feature keeps your burner lit for a set period of time. This ensures that the stove flame does not go out while you are cooking or if you need to run an errand which could lead to gas leaks.
Button Lock:
The button lock feature on a gas stove ensures that kids or pets do not accidentally turn on or operate your stove. The feature comes with most modern gas stoves that can be operated by buttons.
Electric vs Gas stoves: Which one lasts longer?
It’s a common misconception that gas stoves last a lot longer than electric ones. In reality, both of them have a lifespan of 10-15year with the average gas stove lasting 15 years and the average electric stove lasting about 13 years.
As you can see, the difference isn’t huge, and as many people are more likely to upgrade their stoves before any of those times, how long each of the two cooking methods lasts might not actually be very important to many people because they might have replaced then way before that anyway.
Read more about gas stove safety features and hazards here
Electric vs Gas stove: Which of the two is better for the environment?
Well, the answer to this question is not straightforward.
For many people, the electric stove might seem more environmentally friendly because it releases fewer greenhouse gases and doesn’t pollute your house. However, this is not always the case, due to the fact that electric stoves are far less efficient than gas stoves.
Another important factor to consider is the source of electric energy. If it comes from clean and renewable sources like wind and solar, then the electric stove is the far better choice, however, if it comes from burning coal and natural gas, then a gas stove surely has a smaller carbon footprint.
Fossil fuel energy accounts for over 60% of the US’ energy generation so there’s a good chance your electric stoves could be worse for the environment than a gas stove.
FINAL WORD
While it might seem obvious, sometimes it might seem a bit hard how to tell if your stove is electric or gas, especially given that many modern gas and electric stoves come with similar designs.
We hope that we’ve helped identify the main distinctions between the two popular cooking appliances.