Oven Cooking - Electrical Versus Gas
When it comes time to buying a new oven there is quite a lot of choice.
It isn't just the style and look of the oven as you must choose whether you want gas or electric too.
You final decision may be down to the availability of cheap gas or electricity to your home or you may decide that one form of heat cooks better than the other.
Just by looking at online forums it is easy to see that the 'electric oven versus gas oven' choice is highly debatable one.
And confusingly, there is also a difference in opinion about the hob too, leading to a possible mix and match situation between oven and hob.
We've outlined some of the most talked about points associated with both gas and electric ovens to help you decide which one is the best for you.
Electric oven As conventional electric ovens control the heat in the middle of the oven, the top tends to be slightly hotter than the selected temperature.
In accordance with this, the bottom of the oven tends to be slightly lower.
This can be beneficial when you are cooking separate components of a meal if they need to be cooked at slightly different temperatures.
However, conventional electric ovens also take time to reach the correct cooking temperature, meaning extra time needs to be added on for pre-heating.
Gas oven Most gas ovens are ignited by an electric spark, but then will be heated by a flame at the rear of the base.
Again, like electric ovens, the top is generally hotter due to the hot air rising.
The air does circulate around the oven though, and some ovens are designed specifically for an even temperature throughout.
As gas gives off moisture, it is supposed to be especially good for cake baking.
The downside is that gas ovens tend to be more expensive than their electric counterparts.
Consider the rest In addition to these basic models, you can also opt for fan-assisted ovens which help to speed up the cooking time.
It is best to keep in mind that these do not start cooking immediately though, even if they are faster to heat up.
Double ovens also provide more space for cooking, with the capability to set different temperatures or heating methods for your food.
It isn't just the style and look of the oven as you must choose whether you want gas or electric too.
You final decision may be down to the availability of cheap gas or electricity to your home or you may decide that one form of heat cooks better than the other.
Just by looking at online forums it is easy to see that the 'electric oven versus gas oven' choice is highly debatable one.
And confusingly, there is also a difference in opinion about the hob too, leading to a possible mix and match situation between oven and hob.
We've outlined some of the most talked about points associated with both gas and electric ovens to help you decide which one is the best for you.
Electric oven As conventional electric ovens control the heat in the middle of the oven, the top tends to be slightly hotter than the selected temperature.
In accordance with this, the bottom of the oven tends to be slightly lower.
This can be beneficial when you are cooking separate components of a meal if they need to be cooked at slightly different temperatures.
However, conventional electric ovens also take time to reach the correct cooking temperature, meaning extra time needs to be added on for pre-heating.
Gas oven Most gas ovens are ignited by an electric spark, but then will be heated by a flame at the rear of the base.
Again, like electric ovens, the top is generally hotter due to the hot air rising.
The air does circulate around the oven though, and some ovens are designed specifically for an even temperature throughout.
As gas gives off moisture, it is supposed to be especially good for cake baking.
The downside is that gas ovens tend to be more expensive than their electric counterparts.
Consider the rest In addition to these basic models, you can also opt for fan-assisted ovens which help to speed up the cooking time.
It is best to keep in mind that these do not start cooking immediately though, even if they are faster to heat up.
Double ovens also provide more space for cooking, with the capability to set different temperatures or heating methods for your food.