You might not want to think about heating up an oven right now with the temperatures outside, but if you’re apartment hunting the kitchen might be a top priority on your list! Do you do a lot of cooking? If so, there’s also a chance you have a preference between gas power or electric power for your style of cooking. I know I have a preference, but we’ll get to that momentarily. It’s possible that you like what you grew up with because you’re used to it. Or maybe your preference deals more with your cooking style. Either way, most people who use their kitchens for things other than toaster pastries prefer one over the other!
If you don’t already have a preference, here are some things you might want to know about both:
Electric Ovens
The electric oven variety is powered by a big electric coil on its underside. This coil heats up pretty darn evenly throughout the stove, which makes them a favorite for bakers. Electric ovens also change temperature slowly and emit a dry heat, which equals golden toasty baked goods. Something to keep in mind is that you may want to preheat longer than in a gas stove since the temperature takes longer to change, even if the sensor says it’s preheated. Another great way to keep the temperature under control is by using an over thermometer.
If you’re more into frying food, you may want to skip ahead to the gas oven section. Electric ovens are not ideal in my opinion when it comes to cooking in a skillet. I come from experience on this one – pretty sure “skillet” is my middle name (fried chicken, fried okra, fried potatoes, stir fry…you get the idea). The problem is the heat is not as easily manipulated through electric coils on top of the stove as it is with a gas powered flame. That slow heating and cooling that’s great for baking is not as impressive when you need to make a quick change to the food in your frying pan.
Gas Ovens
Gas ovens are powered by, you guessed it, gas which is ignited and burns to heat the oven compartment. They heat up quickly and work efficiently. However, the heat is less even and is more humid, which makes them slightly less ideal for baking. Thankfully gas ovens are being improved on and if your model is relatively new it may be nearly as good as the electric one.
Things may cook more quickly in a gas powered oven, so beware of dark baking dishes which might promote burning or overly-crisped edges!
As I mentioned before, though, gas stoves are a dream when it comes to frying. I love the amount of control available with a gas powered burner! So depending on your cooking style, you can find your ideal stove to look for!