Gas or Electric Cooker?

[Collinsc]

Hi All

I am soon to move into my flat. It has a Gas Cooker. Can anyone advise of the benefits/drawbacks of having a gas cooker over an electric cooker? Particularly costs to elec/gas company.

How much would it cost to tranfer from gas to electric?

thanks

[googler]

Gas - more controllable to cook with, quicker to heat up/cool down. More of a risk if left unattended or left on overnight

Electric - slower to heat up/cool down, less controllable. Less of a risk if left unattended/overnight.

No comment on cost.

Cost to change - depends on whether you're buying or renting the flat. If you're buying it, then cost to you = cost of new electric cooker + charges for removal of gas cooker + electrician's cost to either install cooker, maybe to install mains feed from consumer unit if not already fitted. All of which will depend on how much tradesmen charge in your area.

If you're renting the flat, it's not your cooker to change, so you need to ask the landlord.

[goldenoldie]

I would say from personal preferance that gas cookers are much easier to install and run than electric cookers as gas cookers tend to run more efficantly for a longer period of time and that electric cookers tend to wear down quicker. price wise i would say that gas cookers are a bit cheaper not much but it all varies to be honest with the prices of gas and electric as they rise and fall its hard to say

[Collinsc]

thanks for all feedback. very interesting to see most would go gas.

[kims88]

Yep, gas is better unless you're getting on in years.

[crystal_10]

Both gas and electric ovens are in an advanced state of security and effectiveness; and the choice between both must be only related to technical problems. If you don't have a gas supply, then adding it just to run a cooker is out of choice, maybe using a electrical one might be the right choice for you.
Some say, specially the kitchen chefs that the gas oven provides more control, heat more finely and more quickly, others say that electric Ovens tend to heat the food more evenly.
According to the Energy Guide Agency, natural-gas-fueled cookers are more cost-effective because they require less Energy and live longer that the Electric ones. Although, nowadays with the Energy saver wave, it's common to see very efficient ovens in the market, usually rated as A for energy consumption.
Power Consumption
Everybody talks about energy saving nowadays, although, not much people knows how are electronic equipment's rated.
The Energy Ratings are divided as Following:
A Rating - Best Efficiency
B Rating - Medium Efficiency
C or Lower - Worst Efficiency
Obviously, more efficient electric ovens will cheaper to maintain, although, they are also more expensive to buy, so if money is not a problem, you should consider buying always the more efficient equipments.

[movinghome]

Dont forget that the A-E rating is actually broken down much further now as stricter rules come in about energy ratings. A is now AAA AA and A so we get a clearer idea of energy useage.

If you have electric though you won't be able to say "I'm cooking on gas"

[Susana S]

Definitely gas. They are cheaper to use, much better to cook on and tend not to go wrong and need fixing. My gas cooker is years old and doesn't need much in the way of maintenance, whereas people I know with electric cookers need them replaced or fixed far more frequently.

[Chris Gough]

Was recently on holiday at a rented apartment (in Inverness) and it had a gas cooker, was the first time I had ever used one. Gas feels a bit more natural if you know what I mean, an actual flame heating your food as opposed to a surface, would quite happily switch to gas.

[donnaphipps49]

I would go for the one that is safer for the environment. In terms of overall carbon emissions, A gas cooker is generally the better option. Electricity emits twice as much carbon as gas.