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I've always had electric stoves, (except when I was a kid but I didn't cook then) but now unfortunately we have natural gas. I'm intimidated by gas stoves. The gas guy told me cooks prefer gas over electric because it's easier to control, but that's not what I worry about. I worry about explosions or leaks that could kill us. So i'm going to try and find a way around this. My husband will grill and I will use the slow cooker. I may even get another George Foreman grill and toaster oven (although I worry that will catch on fire as well). My only problem is, I like to make casseroles on the weekends, and I also love to bake. I think I will be very limited if I try to avoid using this thing. I might break down and use this thing, but until then I will find a way around it.
Do any of you cook on gas stoves/ovens? Have you had any accidents? What's good/bad about gas ovens? Do toaster ovens do just as well with baking and casseroles?
I had a gas stove & oven for my first 26 years of life. It was basically foolproof. Nothing ever blew up, nobody was ever asphyxiated. If gas stoves were as dangerous as you think they are, so many people would not have them (and prefer them!)
Is there someone who can come over and demonstrate it for you so you can see how easy and safe it is? Because it is a shame to stop cooking because you are afraid of your stove.
Personally, I prefer a gas range because you can see the flame and adjust it easily. Also, when it's off, it's off--it doesn't take so long to cool down as an electric. However, I do think the electric oven cooks slightly more evenly than the gas oven.
I've always had electric stoves, (except when I was a kid but I didn't cook then) but now unfortunately we have natural gas. I'm intimidated by gas stoves. The gas guy told me cooks prefer gas over electric because it's easier to control, but that's not what I worry about. I worry about explosions or leaks that could kill us. So i'm going to try and find a way around this. My husband will grill and I will use the slow cooker. I may even get another George Foreman grill and toaster oven (although I worry that will catch on fire as well). My only problem is, I like to make casseroles on the weekends, and I also love to bake. I think I will be very limited if I try to avoid using this thing. I might break down and use this thing, but until then I will find a way around it.
Do any of you cook on gas stoves/ovens? Have you had any accidents? What's good/bad about gas ovens? Do toaster ovens do just as well with baking and casseroles?
Thanks in advance.
You do realize that electric stoves and ovens can short out and burn the house down correct?
Your water heater that is electric could also explode, the electric dryer could have lint catch on fire, lightening could strike the pole and surge into your home and burn the place down, the toaster oven could short out and start a fire or food could drip on the elements in the toaster oven and start a fire, the toaster could also short out as well as the coffee maker, radio, television, computer, printer, washing machine and any other appliance you have in your home, the microwave could malfunction and explode, a bus could go up on the curb and run you over, the starter or alternator in your vehicle could catch fire, there could be a small leak in the gasoline tank of your vehicle and it could catch fire.
Did you know the leftover dirt, fuzz and hair in the sweeper or whole house vacuum can build up and catch fire?
If there is any sort of leak you will be able to smell it, the gas can be turned off to the appliance, you call a repair man, they fix it and you are good to go again.
I will not cook on anything that is not propane or natural gas, better control, propane is hotter fire than natural gas, cast iron can be used on open flame, when the gas is shut off it is off, it does not take a few minutes to "cool off".
Gas appliances are quite safe. Natural gas has a scent added to it to alert you to any leaks.
Do you have a gas water heater and furnace as well? Will you stop heating water and heating your home?
Have someone check your gas lines if you're that frightened of a leak. And then find a friend who's competent at using a gas stove and oven to help you learn to operate it, check for problems, etc. Learn how to shut the gas off and on, at the stove, where the gas comes into the house, and anywhere else along the way. Do that for every single one of your gas appliances.
I've lived with gas stoves most of my life. Right now I live in an all-electric home, and I'm constantly leaving the burners and oven on because I don't hear the hiss of the gas that signaled to me that the burners were still on.
I had a gas stove & oven for my first 26 years of life. It was basically foolproof. Nothing ever blew up, nobody was ever asphyxiated. If gas stoves were as dangerous as you think they are, so many people would not have them (and prefer them!)
Is there someone who can come over and demonstrate it for you so you can see how easy and safe it is? Because it is a shame to stop cooking because you are afraid of your stove.
Personally, I prefer a gas range because you can see the flame and adjust it easily. Also, when it's off, it's off--it doesn't take so long to cool down as an electric. However, I do think the electric oven cooks slightly more evenly than the gas oven.
When the gas guy was here, I had him show me how to use it and asked a few questions. When he first hooked it up, the entire kitchen and dining area smelled like gas. He said it was normal, and that I would smell gas every time I start it up at first. But if you keep smelling gas, then there's a problem. Then he showed me the burner (a spark starts up the flame) and the oven itself (a flame). I don't want to give up cooking, but having a live flame in my kitchen while I cook or using a spark to light a flame using gas seems dangerous. I wonder if other people have had a hard time using a gas stove at first?
We did go out to a restaurant near our new home, and the entire place smelled like gas. It made me feel a little bit better. It might be something I need to get used to unless I find a good way around it. I will never stop cooking
Thank you for being so gracious with your comment.
I really did not intend to be mean I just wanted you to look at things from a very different side of the stove.
I wish you well and hope you enjoy your new home and all that wonderful cooking I'm sure you will be doing very soon.
I bet that after you discover how great is to cook on gas oven, you will never want electric again.
If you watch Cooking Channels on TV, you will notice that all chefs have gas ovens to cook. Restaurants use them too. In fact, I don't remember seeing an electric oven in a restaurant, ever. There must be something great about them!
- The knob directly controls the flow of gas and, thus, the intensity of the flame. You have more precise control over how hot each eye is. That should yield easier and better cooking.
- With gas, the flame lights immediately and begins producing heat, which means there’s no waiting for an element to heat up as with electric cooking equipment. (Faster cooking)
- A power outage is typically no trouble for gas appliances, and does not affect your cooking.
- Since the flame goes out immediately when you turn it off, gas units cool down more quickly than electric units. That means less ambient heat produced during idle periods. (hot kitchen in Summer!)
- Thanks to the way the more spread-out heat from the flame moves, gas units heats the bottoms and sides of pans. That means it works faster and more efficiently.
- Gas is cheaper than electricity!
In my opinion "natural" gas stoves are safer than electric ranges. L.P. gas or propane is a different story. I'm not gonna write a book here but Nat. gas is lighter than air so if there's a leak it mixes with air and disperses well. LP or propane/butane is heavier than air and pools in low areas and can build up to dangerous levels rapidly. If you stove is not ancient and is well maintained it has sufficient safety features to make a fire or explosion highly unlikely. My opinion is that gas cooking is best. Don't be afraid to use your stove unless you suspect a problem with it.
I prefer gas stoves over electric because there is more control. I am always worried about something catching fire too...I actually have a "fire ladder" to throw out my window in the event of my house going up in flames. I think it is one of those fears that are justifiable yet tend to become an irrational obsession.
Now...when I was in college and drinking too much wine I used to light my cigarettes on a gas stove and that is just stupid!
Give it a try. The gas smell is normal and you will certainly be able to tell if there is a problem (too smelly).
Good luck!
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I think I will be very limited if I try to avoid using this thing. I might break down and use this thing, but until then I will find a way around it. 
