I am a recent convert to gas and I will never go back. As to the greasy cleaning in your dads place my bet is it was lack of a vent hood or lack of using a vent hood not the fact he cooked with gas.

Standard GW response would be gas or induction electric, nothing else!

many discussions of the relative merits of each: for example, here is one link:

Why did you go gas instead of induction

and another huge thread:

Thinking of moving from gas to induction

You'll have a hard time finding advocates of "conventional" electric cooking on GW

Thank you for the info.

It probably was from not using a vent hood. So if you use the vent with gas that does'nt happen?

I still would like to know the best features & brand that would be good on the new electric range.
I do want one that has self cleaning & double oven, and that does'nt take forever to heat & cool.

Are the glass tops good?

What brands are reliable?

Thank You for any advice. I am new at buying a range so I am confused on what to buy.

Clinresga......

"You'll have a hard time finding advocates of "conventional" electric cooking on GW"

That is so untrue! There has been much discussion pro/con about this here.

I, for one, have had both gas and electric over the decades. Much prefer electric overall. Specifically, prefer this one:

Here is a link that might be useful: My GE electric range

asolo,

Thanks, it looks like a real nice range but I wanted to stay around $1000. I hope I can find one for that. Or maybe I will give in and get one of the GE Profile, you say that you like yours, does it heat up & cool down fast?

As you know I am alittle weary about buying anything since my new Whirlpool Duet washer has been given me fits.

Oooooo....well maybe I spoke too soon, then. I've had Duet pair for three years and they've been perfect so maybe we have different expectations.

The GE's cook-top burners heat up very quickly -- much faster than coils. Lingering heat after turn-off about the same. Oven temp is extremely uniform which I like because of the amount of baking I do. Oven heat-up not exceptionally fast or exceptionally slow. For baking, uniformity is more important than speed so that wasn't my hot-button and didn't pay much attention to it.

Do recall a thread here some months ago that focused on that exact topic and had many, many responses. Might poke around and look for it.

I prefer electric too, especially the smoothtops. Gas is overyhyped. I also find it dirty. I remember this greasy, yellow film that stuck to EVERYTHING, meaning we'd have to repaint the kitchen every spring. My Frigidaire smoothtop handles everything I throw I at it. From high-heat searing, to VERY low simmering, thanks to the "simmer-select" feature which lets you fine tune the low-heat setting, something I could never quite achieve on my old gas stove. Great for making hollandaise!

Also, you might want to check into Consumer Reports. They're actually going to have a rating on ranges in next month's issue, so keep that in mind. I found it interesting that most gas ranges ranked several points behind the even the cheapest electric ones(coil models). Electric cooking has come a LONG way in the past decade, especially if you're looking into induction... Good luck on whatever you choose.

As far as reliable brands go, stick with Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Electrolux, Kenmore. Whatever you do, stay far, FAR away from Maytag. PLEASE.

Oooh..shudda kept my big mouth shut!!

Sorry, was letting my innate prejudices show. I hate electric heat. I won't bother to list the reasons why: they have been discussed ad nauseum here on many prior threads. Suffice it to say I've cooked on gas, electric, and induction for many years, and there are only two I'd ever choose to use again.

But, can't debate that others with equally good insights find electric just fine. It's a Po-tay-to--Po-tah-to kind of thing.

However, I would challenge one statement--that gas is intrinsically "dirty." Natural gas burns extremely cleanly. I am confident that any "greasy yellow film" was the result of cooking grease, smoke, soot, etc--not the combustion products of gas. Stir fry over electric, and assuming you can generate adequate heat to do it right, you'll find a greasy yellow film as well. Of course, the solution in either case is making sure you have adequate ventilation.

Promise I'll stop posting on this thread now, to save everyone from hearing me rehash the gas vs electric debate for the Nth time.

asolo,
I am sure you couldnt remember all that you have read and helped with. But I do appreciate it.
I too will read more.

bruce allen,

Thank you for the advice on your Frigidaire, I have a white Frigidaire Fridge that I bought 2 yrs ago, but I want to sell it and get me a black or stainless steel to match my remodeled kitchen, I have liked the Frigidaire, I have not had any problems with it.

I have a Whrlpool dishwasher that is about 12 yrs old and has been real good, so when my Frigidaire frontload washer went down I bought a Whirlpool duet fl and I dont like it. I wish I would have stayed with Frigidaire. I was looking at a Maytag today, I am glad that you have said something about it, I was wondering.

clinresga,

I havent heard what has been said about the differences, but I have heard that gas is cleaner than what people say. I just dont think I want to tear out the basement ceiling to put new gas lines in for a gas range. My husband wants to get a gas range he see's how long it takes the electric one to heat up, but as asolo said they are quicker than the coils, and that is what my old one has and that is what I want is quicker and reliable.

The only thing I know about gas ranges is that when I would clean my dads kitchen "everything" cupboards, nick-nacks, fridge, walls,etc, had a film of grease, I am sure its because he didnt have a hood vent, and he never cleaned, so it would go for awhile before I would go clean it for him.

Love gas for rangetop. Would never go back to electric.

This has been discussed here numerous times - do a search and you will find more. You will also find some fans on both sides but invariably you will find the number of people who prefer gas over electric to be very substantial. Gas offers a lot of benefits that electric can not. Just depends on your needs and desires

"Gas offers a lot of benefits that electric can not. Just depends on your needs and desires"

Nonsense. I've ruined more meals with gas than electric. Also terrible at simmering and handling large amounts of water to boil.

FWIW....my recollections (and experience) about some of the differences.......

Gas fans like the instant on/off nature of the burners, more forgiving about use of less-than-flatbottom pans, more forgiving about diameter of pans. They complain about uneven heating -- hot pan-edges and cool center-spot -- provided by many/most burners except those with star-pattern burners; curtain of hot air coming up around the pans; inability to precisely control heat level except by visual exam; trouble with low simmer control and burners blowing out at lowest settings; slow boiling and slow return-to-boil on many ranges.

Electric folks like the precision and dependablility of selected heat levels, especially dependability of low simmer; like the idea of no possibility of gas leaks; like even heating across pan-bottoms; like no hot-air curtain around the pans; rapid boils and return-to-boil. They dislike the lingering heat when burners turned down or off and the movement of pan from burner as quickest solution to deal with it; limited diameter of many burners.

Above lists certainly not comprehensive....just what comes to mind quickly. And there certainly are differences among the various price-ranges, sizes, and characteristics of various ranges of both types.

Gas/electric users certainly do become accustomed to different "styles" of cooking the different ranges require. I doubt the controversy will abate any time soon. It certainly hasn't during the forty years I've been cooking. I've learned to get good results with either, but I much prefer my current GE smooth-top to anything that's come before for my home use. Easy for me and easy for my "guest-cookers" from time-to-time to use effectively, too.

The only thing nice about gas is the instant off/on of the burners. Other than that, I foresee no advantages to gas vs electric cooking. I can understand why gas is more preferable in a restaurant setting, where chef's need immediate response, but for home applications, it's not worth the time or effort to pipe in gas for a range IMO. Interesting to note that most newer homes don't even have hook-ups for gas, unless you specifically ask the contractor/builder to put one in for you.

Also, some asthmatics and those with severe allergies are sensitive to gas appliances. I knew a lady whose asthma was so bad she had to carry around an oxygen machine, and had to stay FAR away from cigarette smoke, gas appliances, pets, pollen, etc. She couldn't even open the door to get her mail sometimes. Scary!

Don't forget you can cook during a power outage when you have gas. And as for simmering I have had a JennAir electric and a Thermador electric ceran top, neither of these could simmer like my new DCS or compare for a stirfry or the Infrared broiler. The choice one makes is a personal one.

Do recall my previous Amana gas range had an infra-red broiler which was quite wonderful. However, everything else about it was an ineffective nuisance to work with.

In any event, for a household range in the $1,000.00 ball-park, DCS's are out.

Can't speak to your previous JennAire or Thermador electrics but I'll match my GE smooth-top's simmer performance against anything. Anything.

Glad you like your DCS. I have several friends with upscale gas ranges that I'm sure would share your opinion. However, we don't rag about ranges when we're together. We just make great food with the range that's there. They praise mine and I praise theirs and we eat hearty.

Just recalled this site. Non-scientific test based on voluntary responses about how quickly various ranges can raise temp of 4 qts of water 90 degreesF. Thought many may find interesting.

The range is vast: 4 minutes 35 seconds fastest; 22 minutes 8 seconds slowest. Apparently induction rules.

Couldn't link direct to page. At the site click on "pro/trade" at the top. On next page click on "cooktop testings" in the left column.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gas; electric; induction....how fast?

Portable propane stoves work during power failures, too, and you can use them whereever there's ventilation, rather than being stuck under a non-working hood.

While gas is about as clean-burning a fuel you can find, it is far dirtier inside your living space than using electricity. It consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water and small amounts of carbon monoxide and other products of partial burning. Gas is also likely to have unpleasant contaminants that may further react when heated or burned. There is also likely to be small amounts of unburned gas (methane). So ventilation is even more important than for cooking with electricity.

Have you cooked with gas? Most people know right off whether they love it for the visible flame and faster response (but it's not instantaneous -- don't try touching a burner after the flame is extinguished or you'll find out the hard way) or whether they are bothered by the odor, heat, or hissing noise associated with it. And even gas lovers frequently prefer electric ovens.

If you've tried both and still don't have a preference, save your money and stick with electric, because you'll not only save the cost of putting in the gas pipes but you won't need a pro-style range to get acceptable performance.

Keep in mind that induction, which combines nearly all the desirable features of both, is already here, just not yet in an affordable range. Until it is, I'm surprisingly pleased with using a portable unit plugged into a regular household outlet.

Cooking should be fine, right? So for me that means gas
hands down. I like the control of the gas.
Also, Thermador's star burners really provide
quite even cooking, so I don't think there's
a difference there. I've missed my gas range for
the last two years and can't wait to do my remodel.

Thanks to everyone that has given alot of info,

I have been reading alot of research and I think I am going to go with Electric.

I think I have it narrowed down to Frigidaire FEF368GC or FEFB79GC which is a 5 burner & GE JBP65MMBS-CSCERAN . I want to stay under $1000.00.

I tryed my oven again tonight just to make sure I need a new one, Yup it wont even heat up now.

If you are considering induction, which is the only electric option to give you the speed and control of gas, a useful intro site is here at www.induction-cooktop.com. On the links page there is a link to a more comprehensive site as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Induction Cooktops 101

macic

Thank you, I havent even considered the conduction, but after reading what you posted I may rethink my options.

I meant induction,

asolo,
I am trying to read about the inductions.
I am lost at this site that you posted. It might jump out at me in a minute.