Modern Homemakers

Induction Cooker vs. Gas Stove: Things To Consider Before Buying

by Kevyn Gohu
January 20, 2023

Before buying an induction cooker or a gas stove, here are things to consider.

The kind of cooker or stove we use depends on how much we cook, how much we intend to cook, and where we live. Some condominiums can be quite wary of gas stoves, leading people to buy more induction cookers. But the speed of how they cook things can affect saving up and also how good the food tastes. Before you redecorate and re-equip your new kitchen, here are some things to consider.

1. Amount of cooking done and how technical.

Some cooks would prefer gas stoves because they learned how to eyeball how much fire they needed. Certain recipes such as Chinese fried rice can demand a high fire which induction cookers or electric stoves may not be able to simulate. Induction cookers also have a safety feature that may be irritating for those who do a bit of fancy wok work as it keeps deactivating each time the pan is taken off the stove.

2. Does the condo even allow it?

Some condominiums are not fond of having gas tanks in their units for fear of having something explode. While it is a valid concern, electricity is not cheap either. Induction cookers take pride in heating things quickly but take a lot of electricity. Electric stoves take a while to heat up. Gas ranges on the other hand can be a potential fire hazard especially when the stove isn’t ignited properly.

3. What cooking appliances do you have?

Many of us may have impulsively bought an air fryer during the lockdown. But some of us have learned how to do air-frying with a toaster oven. Others have learned how to cook everything with a rice cooker. If we have all the appliances, it might be better to get something for lighter use like one of those portable stoves with a butane gas can for easy heating. Or, just get a microwave which is useful, especially for speedy defrosting.

4. Do you have space?

With living spaces getting smaller, managing the space to make sure the stove is not blocking anybody is going to be a problem. Induction cookers pride themselves on being compact and table-top friendly whereas gas stoves and their electric variety need a whole set-up. Although there are some portable ones, it may not be efficient to buy multiple portable stoves.

5. How much cleaning are you willing to do?

One of the greatest frustrations of a gas stove is that there are so many crevices for the oils to seep in and the bugs to hide. On the other hand, an induction cooker is easy to wipe and clean with a dish towel with a bit of dish soap. Electric stoves do take a while to cool also and the older ones would pose the same issues as gas stoves.

6. If a gas stove, is it easy to buy gas?

While there are many shops that deliver gas for the stove, the delivery charge might surpass the amount of gas bought. When first buying, the store charges an extra PHP900 ~ PHP1000 for the tank which you can use to exchange and refill for more. The savings may be obvious but is it worth the effort to go find a gas tank?

There’s a lot to consider before buying an induction cooker or a stovetop.

Induction cookers offer a lot of benefits from cooking things quickly to easy storage. But gas stovetops are not without their merit, allowing cooks more control over the temperature especially when they’re not familiar with the numbers. Electric stoves, the predecessor of the induction cooker, may also be useful because they’re easier to clean since they don’t emit gas to create heat. But space and how much cooking will eventually decide which one fits the home the best.