An oven with or without stovetop burners is an essential item for kitchens. When renovating a kitchen or building a new one, you may be conflicted about whether you should buy a gas oven or an electric oven. It is best to make your decision based on the price and sustainability of each oven.
Price
A gas oven will probably cost you between $350 to $2200 to buy, and an electric oven will cost from $300 to $1500. But the next thing to focus on is how much it will cost to use. A gas oven will cost you more upfront. However, the cost of natural gas or propane that it uses will be much less than electricity. With an electric oven, you can expect around 65 cents per hour of use. Using it for a full 12 hours will cost around 8 dollars added to the electricity bill.
A gas oven and electric oven side by side
Maintenance
If your oven breaks down, the cost of maintenance should be taken into consideration. With a gas oven, you can expect to spend $100 to $600 on repairs over time. But, some parts, like an igniter or dial, you may be able to replace on your own. With an electric oven, expect the repair costs to be between $100 to $400 dollars. The heating element of an electric oven alone can cost you up to $250 to repair. Whereas with a gas range replacing an oven ignitor will cost you about $220 if you hire someone to do it. However, the ignitor itself is only around $20-25 dollars.
Pros and Cons of each
Pros of a gas oven
Built-in fans provide even heat and circulation and can even make it hotter.
Heat changes are extremely fast.
More expensive to buy and less expensive to run and maintain.
Cons of a gas oven
Burners can be hard to clean.
Possibility of a gas leak.
Takes a long time to heat initially.
Pros of an electric oven
Cheaper to buy.
Easier to clean burners.
Heats up fast.
Cons of electric ovens
will cost more in the long run.
Food can dry out easier in an electric oven.
It can cause more heat in the kitchen. Gas ranges retain heat better.
Comparison Chart
Frigidaire 30 inch freestanding gas range
Frigidaire 30 inch freestanding electric range
Conclusion on choosing gas or electric
If you are looking for an oven that will be cheap to run and maintain, you should consider purchasing a gas oven. When looking for something that will consistently get the job done it may cost more up front but be cheaper in the long run.
Alternative options
When looking for something more specific to your needs, maybe consider the following.
Toaster oven
Pizza oven
Camping stove
Toaster oven
A toaster oven is essentially a smaller version of a regular oven. While the toaster oven is designed for toast, this doesn’t hold it back from cooking much more. For example, roast chicken, cakes, and even full meals. Most toaster ovens use convection systems for cooking your meal. Most toaster ovens will rarely go over $100, so it’s not a huge long-term investment for people who don’t know if they want to go into a full-size range. These small ovens are great for people who don’t cook as often as others and don’t want to spend a lot.
Pizza ovens are not something usually seen in home kitchens. But, if you are a restaurant owner or cook lots of pizza, you may consider a pizza oven. As the name states, Pizza Ovens are designed to cook pizza perfectly. This type of oven is on the more expensive end of the spectrum, with a very similar price to the propane oven. Pizza ovens can preheat extremely fast, are very easy to clean, and are quite energy efficient. Some of the downsides include pizza size is more limited because the shape of the oven only really supports one size of pizza.
Camping ovens are similar in size and price to toaster ovens. However, they are much more versatile and are designed for travel. More advanced camping stoves come equipped with stovetop burners and a small oven but are simply put into a compact, energy-efficient size. Others may just be a grill and are about the size of a suitcase. Attached to the stove is a small tank of propane used to fuel it. A camping stove can make cooking outside much simpler and more effective while keeping the outdoor feel. They are extremely convenient for those who live in mobile homes or travel often.
No matter your needs, there is an oven/stove combination out there that will serve you well, from gas and electric-fueled stoves or more compact toaster ovens and camping stoves or the more specific pizza oven. A stove is an essential item for almost anything you wish to cook.
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