Editor,
I used to think gas stoves were the gold standard — until I borrowed an induction cooktop from my local library. I was blown away. Water boiled in under a minute, the temperature control was instant, and best of all, my kitchen stayed cool and free of that lingering gas smell.
Many worry that induction stoves are costly or require special wiring. But prices have come down, and innovative models now plug into standard outlets. Some stoves on the market now even include a battery, allowing it to be used for a limited time during a power outage.
Health is another compelling reason to switch. Gas stoves are responsible for nearly 13% of childhood asthma cases in the U.S., comparable to the impact of secondhand smoke. They also emit pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, which can linger in the air and harm everyone at home.
Moreover, gas stoves burn fossil fuels, while induction stoves run on electricity, aligning with our shift toward a clean energy future.
If you’re curious, check with your library or energy provider — many offer loaner induction cooktops. I did, and now I can’t imagine going back to gas.
Joel McKinnon
Montara
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(3) comments
Thanks for your letter, Mr. McKinnon, but it sounds like you’ve experienced only a countertop induction cooktop and not a full size induction stove. A full size induction stove is more expensive than a gas stove, will likely require installing/upsizing the electrical capacity, doesn’t last as long as a gas stove, will cost more in operating costs than a gas stove as electrical rates increase, and can’t operating during electrical outages.
Although gas stoves burn fossil fuels, generating electricity also burns fossil fuels so environmental impacts are negligible and cannot be considered an advantage. That being said, for folks who don’t want to use their gas stove as much, borrow/buy a countertop induction cooktop to add to your microwave oven, toaster, coffeemaker, blender, etc. on your counter.
I see we still love repeating false advertising by the heavily subsidized fossil fuel industry here.
A gas stove is NOT less expensive than electricity and for various reasons:
- installation cost: undergrounding gas lines, gas hock-up to house, running gas lines through homes, gas stove itself, risk management.
- direct cost: fossil fuel prices are based on international pricing, gas costs are going up lately thanks to Putin
- indirect cost: short-term health issues coming air pollution (respiratory), long-term health effects (strokes)
- societal cost: higher health care cost, long-term care cost, and of course still more fires and explosions with gas compared to electrical fires or batteries.
Because of all this new developments in many Bay Area cities are based on Reach Codes that require solar panels and discourage gas lines. And with solar panels any household basically has a choice to cook when electricity is readily available or when it is more expensive. Choice in this case is good.
But yes, PG&E, CPUC, and Gavin Newsom don't really like that setup and that kind of choice. It cuts them out of the deal, so they are now coming after residential solar panels whereas the local jurisdictions urgently need more of them.
Apparently the left hand doesn't always know what the other left hand is doing.
eGerd – TBot here. I see talking points from the heavily subsidized electricity industry here. A gas stove is less expensive than an induction stove and based on utility costs, can vary depending upon gas and electricity pricing (so that’s a wash since the more electricity that is needed will result in higher electricity costs). If we’ve lived with gas stoves since as long as I can remember and we haven’t had any societal costs due to them, that’s a non-talking point. If gas needs to be run for water heaters than running gas lines to the kitchen isn’t a consideration. But if induction stoves replace existing gas stoves, the electrical capacity will likely need to be upsized, resulting in higher direct costs.
So your idea of a gas stove not being as expensive as electricity includes upsizing the electrical capacity for replacement installs and telling folks to install solar panels? And more solar panel capacity due to the increased demand due to an induction stove? Again, if folks want to induction cook, I’d recommend they purchase a countertop induction cooktop. After first borrowing one from the library, as Mr. McKinnon did, and determining whether they have room on their countertop. Or make room by saying goodbye to the toaster? Blender? Coffeemaker?
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