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There are several options when it comes to choosing a stove. From my own experience, electric stoves are not really that great. I guess most households have them because their are convenient to install. Induction stoves are expensive. Gas seems to be the 'professional' way to cook. I lived in a flat with a gas stove for a few years and really enjoyed cooking on it, it's so easy to control.

However, most modern houses don't have a gas pipe anymore. Do you think it is worth installing a gas stove with one or two big LPG bottles in the kitchen? How often would I have to change the bottles?

tobiw
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  • I've now seen many households in New Zealand with exactly that setup so it doesn't seem that strange anymore :) – tobiw Mar 02 '11 at 22:57

3 Answers3

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Yes.

It's much more fun to cook with gas, and the way I see it, any incentive I can provide for myself to cook good food at home is a major net positive in quality of life.

The setup I have is three gas burners and one electric stove top element, and an electric oven. The electric stove top really comes in handy when reducing stocks or making long-cooking soups and stews, and it can significantly reduce the amount of gas you use in cooking.

For oven I would definitely go electric. See the When baking is it better to use a gas or electric oven question.

I have one 5 kg liquid gas bottle stashed under the sink, and it lasts 3-4 months of heavy daily cooking for two, maybe 6 months in the summer when I eat more salads etc. In addition I have another 2kg bottle for backup if I run out of gas in the middle of cooking, and for the day or so it takes me to haul another bottle from the store. Having a smaller backup bottle doesn't waste too much space.

I've been considering upgrading to a 11kg composite bottle, which I expect to last 10 months to a year, and it's way more economical. So far though the convenience of having a smaller bottle I can carry to the store for changing without a sweat has been great.

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fencliff
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  • Agree on all counts. I tore out an electric ceramic field and put in a (5-ring, with wok burner :D ) gas stove, using a bottle under the sink. Lasts amazingly long, and for me, too, the pleasure of cooking with gas is no contest. – Joel in Gö Aug 15 '10 at 14:31
  • Wow, in my jurisdiction having gas containers indoors is simply illegal. We have like several explosions per year - usually when gas containers are used in welding. – sharptooth Jan 18 '13 at 11:21
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I have a dual-fuel stove -- gas on top, electric oven, with the bottle outside, of course. They come to fill it every six months or so. I'm very happy, since I grew up cooking on gas, and I much prefer the fine control (and fast response) of gas burners. This arrangement is fairly common amongst people I know without gas-in-the-street.

bmargulies
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I cook with a 11 kg propane-butane gas bottle exclusively, just for 1 person, and it lasts for a little over three months, maybe a 100 days, so I guess about 100 grams of propane-butane gas per person per day. Another person I know which uses the same, has similar results, so I am very surprised that for someone in this thread a 5 kg bottle lasts for "3-4 months of heavy daily cooking for two".

It is worth it, because it is much (like probably something around 10 times) cheaper to cook on gas then on electricity.

ria
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