Induction hobs get all the glory but there is still hope for the humble gas hob and in fact it can be better than its induction counterpart. Here are 11 reasons why.
This is going to be biased towards gas hobs as this is a website on gas after all.
Induction hobs are not safe
Who said induction hobs were safe? Yes, perhaps there is reduced risk of getting burnt with a naked flame or even a hot pot handle. However, if someone has a pacemaker, even induction hob manufacturers say that they should keep their distance.
Are gas hobs safe though? Gas is explosive after all and can generate carbon monoxide. Yes, gas hobs if installed by a gas engineer are very safe:
- Modern hobs have a safety device to turn off the gas if the flame goes out.
- Install a CO alarm if worried about CO poisoning.
- If you’re renting a property, you’ll get a safety check done for free on your gas hob or cooker every year.
How’s that for safety?
No learning curve
It’s so much easier to judge the fire or amount of heat on a gas hob – just look at the flame and set it accordingly. You get visual feedback on what is happening. It takes a little getting used to with the numbers on an induction hob. Admittedly, once you’re used to it, it’s plain sailing but some people will take longer than others to get used to it.
Any pots and pans will do
Because induction hobs work on magnetism, the pot or pan will need to be made of a magnetic material – steel. Anything else won’t work. Say good-bye to copper and aluminium pots.
Even if you have a good old cast iron pot, iron being highly magnetic, or a steel one, neither may be good for the job if the base is not flat. Pots with a curved base like a wok are a big no-no with induction hobs. Needless to say, all heat-resistant material will work with gas hobs, including glass (pyrex) and ceramic.
Induction hobs are not straightforward to install
Induction hobs require their own electrical circuit from the consumer unit. This is because they draw a large current. Yes, there are plug and play, or rather plug and cook, hobs. But they are limited by the 13A fuse in the plug and end up being a waste of money and space because only 2 zones can be used concurrently. Any more and power management kicks in. The 13A fuse allows up to around 3kW of power to be drawn.
Efficient does not mean less electricity
We all know that induction hobs are super-efficient, meaning they direct heat exactly where needed. Yet efficiency does not mean that they’ll use little electricity, as demonstrated by the dedicated electrical circuit required as well as large cables. Or simply look at its power rating, around 7 kW for a 4-zone hob.
Gas is cheaper than electricity
We’ve established that induction hobs still use a lot of electricity. They’re just very good at directing the heat exactly where needed. At the time of writing, gas is around 4 times cheaper than electricity. Induction hobs will have to be at least 4 times more efficient than gas hobs to make up for the higher price of electricity.
Gas hobs are easy to clean
Aren’t induction hobs supposed to be easy to clean? Yes, but so can gas hobs if you choose the right gas-on-glass type with the smaller pan supports. Of course, induction hobs will always be easiest, what with their flat, smooth and unobstructed glass surface, but gas hobs don’t have to be as difficult as you’d expect, as long as the correct design is selected.
Robust
On the other hand, if you don’t have the gas-on-glass type of hob and are stuck with a steel one with a large grill-type pan support, then at least rest assured that should you drop a pot on it, it won’t break like a hob with a glass surface. Induction hobs – we’re looking at you!
The glass on induction hobs can get scratched too as the pots sit directly on it, unlike gas-on-glass hobs with their pan supports.
Gas hobs are simple
Induction hobs are full of electronics that can be prone to failure. Repairs can be expensive if PCBs have to be replaced.
Gas hobs are simple mechanical devices and the most likely repair comes from moving parts – the knobs sometimes get stuck over time or the spark generator fails. Injectors can also get blocked with debris but this is not a failure in itself.
Gas hobs are better for the environment
This is probably the only place where you’ll read this, so it’s worth repeating. Gas hobs are better for the environment than induction hobs. When you think about it, it’s very obvious. The electricity for induction hobs may come from an unclean source or even gas. The electronics components use harmful chemicals and plastic and require a lot of intensive processing.
On the other hand, a gas hob is all metal, mostly steel and iron that can be recycled. The only plastic components will be the knobs. And if the production of carbon dioxide from burning gas is so dangerous, just make a donation to plant a tree to offset it. Or plant a tree yourself in your back garden.
Not affected by power cuts
What do you do in the event of a power cut? Stop cooking of course if using an induction hob. Those on a gas hob can carry on. Other than to generate the spark, gas hobs don’t rely on electricity. Power cuts in the UK are rare but sometimes extreme weather can cause this for a few days, so having a gas hob can really help.
Conclusion
If you’re unsure whether to go for an induction hob or a gas hob, hopefully this rare article in favour of gas hobs will help balance out all the pro-induction content you’ve been consuming. At the end of the day, both are great appliances and we’ve come a long way from cooking over wood fires, although some still like to do this…