Problems With Cooking on Electric Stoves

An electric stove burner on high heat.

If you're used to cooking on a gas stovetop and find yourself cooking in a kitchen with electric burners, you'll quickly notice the differences. Although practice in using an electric stove will make it easier, you may find that some problems still remain, requiring a greater degree of adjustment than a gas stove might.

Burning Food

You might find it easier to burn food using an electric stove because the pot or pan sits directly on the heat source on an electric stovetop. On a gas burner, you can prevent burning by turning the heat down very low and creating space between the flame and the burner. On an electric burner, simply turn the heat down lower than you would on a gas burner.

Heating Time

An electric burner might take longer to heat up than a gas burner. An electric burner has to warm up to the desired temperature, whereas a gas burner provides an instant flame. If you add something to a pot or pan that isn't heated up to the desired temperature, the cooking process may take longer or not work out as planned. For example, a pan must be hot before frying an egg. If you crack an egg into the pan before the burner is hot enough, the egg white will spread across the pan instead of maintaining an ideal shape. Be sure the burner has been on long enough for the pan to heat up to the desired temperature.

Cost

Depending on the costs of electricity and natural gas in your area, it might be more expensive to cook on an electric stove. Although this might not be considered a problem in terms of cooking, it could become a financial factor in the long run.

References

• Household reviews: gas vs. electric stoves
• Natural Gas vs. Electric appliances
• electric stove cooking