I think an electric cooktop is by far the most dangerous cooktop, because once it is no longer red hot, it can still burn you or start a fire. Gas doesn't leave any ambiguity.

Add me to this list! There was a couple in my DH's hometown whose house EXPLODED because of a faulty gas line. They both died.

With 2 young children who will eventually cook, I think that induction is the best choice for us.

I am afraid of it too!! LOL i have heard all the wonderful things about cooking with gas but love electric. That's why I am going with an induction cooktop for my new kitchen!

As a kid, we had electric. When we'd go to a vacation house, the gas scared me, mostly because everything had to be lit with a match and there could be some unpleasant experiences when too much gas was floating about.

I've had gas my entire adult life, LOL. I respect it, am careful, and have had no scary experiences with it. When we rented a house that had a downstairs studio apartment for our teenage daughter (best living situation ever), we disconnected her small gas stove because we detected a slight odor of gas and didn't want to mess around. Gave her a microwave and told her to come upstairs and dine with us.

I have a modest older gas stove. I don't get the reaching and burning fears. My controls are on the front and if I've got something going on a rear burner it's because I already have a pot or pan in the front which I would be careful of anyway.

"Gas doesn't leave any ambiguity" Well, to be fair the cast iron grates on gas cooktops (and the discs that sit on top of sealed burners) can stay pretty damn hot for a little while after the gas is turned off...I've burned myself on them before. That said, they never get as hot as an electric burner, and they cool off much faster than electric tends to.

I grew up with gas, and I am actually kind of scared of [traditional] electric...with gas, even if its on simmer you can clearly see whether you left a burner on or not. With electric, you can't tell without checking the knob or burner. More modern cooktops/ranges have addressed this concern by having lights that show a burner is on, but the older ranges I have had to use didn't have that feature. I am scattered enough that its a real concern for me.

The process I went through on the eve of picking our stove hit on exactly these themes. We converted to gas heat a few years ago, piping in for a gas stove as we knew we'd be remodeling the kitchen this year.

We picked out our gas stove, and the night before purchase, I got all sorts of cold feet. Growing up with a gas stove, I was surprised that I WAS afraid of going with gas. We live in earthquake country, and ever since converting to gas heat, I walk through the steps of shutting that stuff off all the time, not to mention my fear of a burner malfunctioning when attempting to light, or a towel going up in flames.

Anything is as dangerous as the next, but I just listened to my fears as one of many thoughts. Decided to go with induction and it solved all my problems with electric. BUT, I'm not sure fear should have been my deciding factor...??

I feel silly to admit, but I was and still am a little afraid of cooking with gas. However, when I get to my kitchen remodel, I'm intending to bite the bullet and change over to gas. I realize my fear is rather irrational and any frustrations I've had with cooking in the last few years can generally be chalked up to cooking on an electric range, so I went to switch over to gas.

I think my fear of gas ranges comes from my only experiences cooking with gas. I grew up always using electric ranges and have no experience on an actual kitchen gas range. We do, however, have a gas BBQ and the igniter doesn't work. So you basically have to turn on the gas with a lighter in there and hope it lights before you burn yourself. It generally sort of pops/whooshes when it lights and with long hair it scares me. So now I make my partner who keeps his hair very short be responsible for lighting the BBQ. I also regularly use an older camping stove and while it doesn't scare me as much (it's fairly easy to light), my partner did nearly get seriously scorched when it suddenly burst into flames last summer. (I think it just needs a good cleaning and repair by a professional.) These are the kind of things that make me a little nervous about cooking with gas, but I realize these are all cases of problematic appliances, not the energy source itself.

Yes, I do not like gas. I will not start the grill nor the fireplace. My only experience with gas was one apartment in college. The pilot light went out frequently and I did not like to deal with it. We have electric now and will be going with induction shortly.

Most of us have fears of something and I completely admit that my fear is of gas flames. (I do not fear outdoor fire pits nor gas dryers so I know it is gas + flames = fear.) Maybe it is irrational but aren't most fears irrational?

Having never lived in a house with gas anything, I was afraid of the flame and the possible gas issues. I thought it was risk worth avoiding. But with the size of our family and our cooking needs, nothing made sense compared to a gas rangetop, so I closed my eyes and went for it, knowing millions of people cook on them everyday without incident.

But when we started cooking on it, I was more terrified than ever. I watched my then 8 yr old daughter walk past the stove, with her long hair at stove top height. Electric cooktops got hot, but they didn't 'reach out' like flame does. I had a tough time getting used to the burden of cleaning it, too, especially after having planned to have the so-easy-to-clean induction. I wrote a post entitled something like "I think I hate my gas rangetop." I got lots of encouragement and advice, and worked through it all, and besides good sense precautions, don't think about it any more.

When the electricity was out for a week before Thanksgiving 2011, with temps under 20 degrees outside, and us with no fireplace or generator, I was sure glad we didn't have induction! It was only the gas rangetop that made it possible to stay in the house. I'm not sure I could switch to induction after having so many big burners.

Lol, I was afraid of my range the first time I used it because I had always had electric. But I gotta say, I love that big ol gas stove now. :) I am not a good cook, but it makes me feel like a better cook. I feel like water boils faster and I just love how big and beefy it is. I intend to slowly teach my children how to use it. And ironically, the range has an electric griddle in the middle which I have burnt myself on because it stays hot FOREVER!

Living on a farm, gas is not an option...no gas lines out in this area. Propane tanks are what make me nervous! Too many hunters and then, when the truck hit our house a few months ago...I realized it could have been much worse, if we'd had a propane tank in his path!

This is why the gods made spaghetti and fireplace matches: So you basically have to turn on the gas with a lighter in there and hope it lights before you burn yourself. I had a lot of older gas ranges with oven pilots and I usually used a piece of pasta.

I grew up with electric and eventually moved into a house with a gas range. I burned the bejaseuss outta a hand because I didn't understand the pan supports were HOT. In the stunned moment before the fact of 2nd degree burn penetrated, I said aloud "well, that was stupid" BEFORE I dropped it. Sometimes, I'm not the brightest bulb in the circuit.

I think people have one of two reactions - lust or caution and both use about the same words - "omg, fire" with the intonation different.

I am terrified of garbage disposers. The noise, the whirling blades, what they do to bones and silverware - YIKES!

count me in with those who don't want to have a gas stove. I think it's strange because I did grow up cooking on a gas stove - and I remember cooking on it at even 8 or 9 yrs old! We often had to use a match to lite it. I also think back to my mother who was always at work (single mom of 4 girls) and the 4 of us were always cooking... I do remember singeing my bangs, eyebrows/eyelashes while lighting the oven at one time. I wouldn't have been able to leave my preteens home alone if I had a gas stove while raising them - I'd have been terrified!
I didn't think twice about having a gas stove in my apt while single but once married had a corning cooktop and don't remember ever having a gas stove again. So, for 40 some yrs I've used an electric stove/cooktop and am no longer used to the open flame or dealing with pilot lights.

I'm very forgetful and don't even use regular candles anymore (use battery run). I think a gas stove would be too dangerous for me. I have a gas fireplace in the new place but have no plans to ever use it. Would like to have it taken out.

no open flames around me! You can burn your hand on a cook top but I don't think it's the same as an open flame. I know I'll still have to be careful with a coil top stove - stoves DO get hot! I seldom use more than 1 burner (I seldom use ONE burner!) but will just have to be very, very careful with it.

Um, residential ranges haven't had pilot lights since before some of our fellow forum members were born.

Gas stoves have changed a lot in the last 40 years. They have many more safety features, you don't have to deal with pilot lights anymore typically. They also warn you when they are not lit properly and try to relight themselves. Also, you can and should have an automatic shutoff valve on your main house gas line if you live in earthquake country. We had one put it and it actually turns the gas back on for you once the danger is gone (the contractor explained how this worked to me...but I can't remember the details).

I've used gas stoves as a child and now as an adult. We are teaching our kids how to use them safely as well has how to safely light camp fires etc. I'm grateful that they are learning how to use them safely so that they can do it. I'd hate for them not to have any experience with them and find themselves renting an apartment with one later in life with absolutely no experience.

bmorepanic, I should clarify that I'm talking about nice long handled lighter, not a tiny one where your hand is actually in the BBQ. I think maybe because the BBQ is designed to light with an igniter not a match or lighter, it doesn't seem to light quite as easily as I might expect (like a camping stove designed to light with a match or lighter) and so there's often a whoosh as the gas catches. It just makes me nervous.

Again, I realize most of my concerns are completely silly because new gas stoves are designed to be safe and used regularly. At no point do I expect to be lighting a new gas stove with a lighter or having the entire top go up in a ball of flames. I think for me it's the fear of the unfamiliar. I do intend to switch over to gas when I can and expect within no time I'll be comfortable using it. It is definitely helpful to read information such as safety features, no pilot lights, etc from those of you that have experience and knowledge of gas ranges.

I'm another. I don't care what safety features they have now. I've never really gotten over an experience when I was a very young child and we came back from a short vacation to find the pilot light had gone out, the house was full of gas, and we had to scramble for the back door.

If my only options were gas or building a fire in a pit in the backyard, I'd be outdoors all day.

Gas stoves have always made me nervous, even though I had one for years. I also love to cook, but now that I have converted to an induction cooktop I would never go back as I love the control, and safety, of the induction cooktop!

It would be difficult to burn yourself on the induction cooktop as well, though I suppose I minor burn might be possible. After it is used as it is still hot, but not to the extent of the grills on a gas stove, or traditional electric coils.

pricklypearcactus ; I saw my self when I read your post on the gas barbeque, lol

I remodeled a house (sold it in May) last year and was so excited to get my GE cafe dual fuel range, it was pretty and just what I thought I wanted. We went to the expense of installing gas and got the stove and we both kept thinking we smelled gas every time we came home. We had a repairman familiar with gas ranges come check everything out and assured us all was fine. Fast forward to now and the house we just remodeled we sold the gas stove the house came with and put in a induction cooktop! I love the induction cooktop and not afraid of it at all.

My husband hates our gas stove. It was a major concession on his part when we built this house, because his father nearly burned down their family home when dh was a kid. Apparently he left a pot of oil on the stove and went puttering outside for a while.

He is a nut about using fireplace screens and wetting down the area around a campfire, etc. to this day. Anything flammable within 2 feet of the (cold) range is moved elsewhere. I promised him that our next range could be induction.

Thank you to all who admitted that they are not comfortable with gas. I now know I'm not alone. Thank you to those who posted telling us not to fear gas cooktops.

I'm sorry to hear to several of you have been burned by electric and gas stoves.

Several people mentioned induction which does sound interesting. Probably far in the future for me.

I will admit to some fear over gas explosions. Many times I've noticed a smell when near a gas stove that is on. I don't know if it was the gas or just the smell of the flame (if there is one).

I don't light gas grills either. We need a new one but the one we used last year the igniter wasn't working right. My teenage son went to light it with the cover closed. When it caught it blew the cover off. Thankfully he wasn't hurt at all.

I thought you still needed electricity to use a gas stove? Why is it plugged in? See how much I know....
We do have a generator so I personally don't worry about a power outage but I understand why it would be a concern.

rhome410, you described my concern exactly. How the flames can "reach out" and grab long hair or whatever.

I'm really enjoying reading the pros and cons. Not sure if I can get over my fear but I am going to try. Not in my house but at least in the rental units.

Induction has really come down in price a lot, and there have been some great deals at Sears Appliance Outlet if you happen to be near one! :)

Pressure. Cooker.

Now aren't those two extremely scary words? I can almost hear the Jaws theme whenever I start thinking of getting one. At 8300' elevation, I should get one so I can bring some dishes ''down'' to sea level but I've managed to avoid it so far.

On the other hand, I love my gas cooktop and was so happy when I finally got the POS 1980 electric smoothtop replaced and I was ''cooking with gas'' as the (really) old ads used to say. Lighting the gas BBQ, the gas cooktop and oven (where I have to practically crawl in it to light the pilot even with a long-handled lighter) in our trailer: no problem. But a pressure cooker gives me the willies.

We had gas cooking when I was a kid and my mom used a pressure cooker all the time. Now, a neighbor lady *did* end up with soup all over her kitchen from a pressure cooker but it's not like I saw or heard it or helped clean up or anything. So why I'm fine with the gas cooking but not the pressure cooker, I have no idea. I guess that's the definition of an irrational fear, huh?

cheers

Oh, yes... Pressure cooker. Me, too! I got one for a wedding gift and gave it away unused.

Debrak, you plug in a gas range or rangetop for electronic ignitors, but you can light manually when the electricity is out.

I'm afraid of gas, propane and candles (now that I'm an implantee, you can add induction to my list too).

Oh my,
And I thought I was alone in the world!!
Years ago, I put $$ down on a gas range and cold feet set in - so went back to electric.
I think if I used gas, I would get over it - but for our remodel, went induction.
Now - can I admit that I am also petrified of sparklers - is there a theme to my problem? I almost was over my fear and a friend ended up with a second degree burn from an errant sparkler.

I think I would also imagine the smell of gas all the time. though I might have tried it if I had natural gas available. I have an all electric house and we didn't want to spend the funds to add a propane tank- btdt.

As to pressure cookers, like gas the new ones have safety features and as long as you pay attention to what you are doing they are OK. I've got four pressure canners now, and use them all the time.

But there is no reasoning with some fear, and life is too short to have something in your home that makes you uncomfortable.

Also afraid of gas. Love my Kitchen Aid glass top. It is so easy to clean. I can use the top almost as a countertop when not being used such as when I have lots of groceries to unpack. I wouldn't go back to gas at this point. I'm not a gourmet cook. I've had a gas range before and for me the glass top is just more practical. I just hated cleaning those burners, covers and splash pans. I think I would like the induction as well. I cook on the gas grill a lot but it's outside so not as scary but I still think about it when I turn it on and nothing happens and then a big whoosh of flames!!! Ditto for the fireplace. It's just a personal preference in reality, to each his own.

A couple of you have mentioned gas grills whooshing up. When you light a gas grill, you should have the cover OPEN. If the burner doesn't light quickly, shut it off and wait a few minutes before trying again. Propane is heavier than air, and will "pool" in the base of the grill if you let it run too long before it ignites. That's what causes the giant flame.

I always thought my DH was being silly about his fear of gas. I've finally convinced him that I "need" a gas cooktop in our new kitchen, but I'm pretty sure he will be scared of it for the first few years. When I was a kid managed to start a small fire in the microwave when I was making popcorn. Who would imagine MWs would be so scary?!? I am a bit nervous about the cleaning. DH let the pasta water boil over again tonight. I'm pretty sure he's done that every.single.time he's made pasta in the last 10 years!! Lol

I have a fear of "self-cleaning" my oven. You know, setting it to a million degrees to burn off all the gunk. The smell is terrible and I'm always nervous about a fire.

Those things that file down pet nails are pretty scary.

Also, toasters. I think secretly most people have an unstoppable compulsion to stick knives in them.

Hair irons. I mean, c'mon.

The one appliance that actually burned down the house of somebody I know was a coffee maker. I'm thinking of setting mine up in the middle of the yard.

This is all too funny... I've never run the self clean function on any of my previous ovens for fear of setting my old decrepid cabinets on fire. Now with the new oven and new cabs... Back where I started. Just hoping I can keep the oven clean all by myself!

Geez, my previous gas stove was I'm sure a builder's model or something, and it definitely had a pilot light in it. I loved how nice and warm the oven always was. Until I set some uncooked tomato sauce in there to get gently warm, then turned on the oven way high to make garlic bread, and one of my nesting "glass" bowls started melting and stinking....

The one in our rental is so powerful, it is like a volcano. It's 11 years old, and the manual says nothing about how many BTU's, but I'm sure not 23,000. See, my husband went on to the Appliances forum to read about gas stoves, and got Seduced to the Capital Culinarian Side by Trevor. We're now going to have a 48" wide six-burner range top and a grill. THAT scares me, a little. Especially since the vent hood noise seems to bother him more than it does me.

But nothing was quite as scary :) as all the ovens we found with a "chicken nuggets" button:

Who eats THAT many chicken nuggets that you'd need a whole button?

Chicken nuggets button? That is the funniest appliance picture I've ever seen!!

How funny - I didn't look, but is that an advantium?
I have one coming - I guess I won't ever use the button as I have never made chicken nuggets!

A few years back, GE dishwashers and Samsung refrigerators were all starting on fire. I think there were a few other models also.

Glad to know that I am not alone in the world. I really was going to switch on the remodel until I discovered induction. Pretty hard to start induction on fire since I can cook over parchment paper or a $100 bill!

Maybe we need our own support group?

Yeah, the chicken nuggets button has been discussed here before.

I emailed them about that and the response was that, yes, lots of people complain, but their focus group said it was cool. Sigh.

Here is a link that might be useful: Help me get past the chicken nuggets button

For many years my kids loved chicken nuggets and would have loved that button.

Was the focus group made up of 5 year olds? Some of them will only eat pizza and chicken nuggets! lol

Hi- I stumbled upon this thread because I am remodeling my kitchen and am probably getting a gas cooktop, but I'm afraid of gas too! I am probably most afraid of the smell or a leak. We have a gas furnace and water heater and even though we have an alarm in the basement if I smell a whiff of it, I freak out. I'm especially nervous when lighting the outdoor grill. However, I hate my electric glass cooktop so much, I'm willing to try gas at this point. I hate that my electric cooktop adjusts the temperature for me, or takes forever to heat up a pan to cook an egg because of that adjusting. I also have teenagers and still an elementary age kid, and I could really see them dropping something heavy on the glass cooktop and scratching it really bad or breaking it. I feel that I can get over my fears, however, I am also not at all comfortable with them turning on the gas cooktop when I'm not here. So wanted to let you all know what I'm going to try. I bought a single portable induction burner on Amazon. It should arrive any day now. Saw on HGTV a woman on House Hunters who really wanted a gas stove, but couldn't afford the installation right away so she decided to do this. She said it revolutionized her cooking and she may get induction. So I figure I will use the induction burner during the remodel to cook pasta or eggs once in a while. (Umm, I'll probably mostly be cooking take out, especially without a sink) If I'm really happy with the induction, I may consider an induction cooktop. If not, I like the idea that my teenagers can plug in the induction burner and cook an egg, some soup, macaroni and cheese or some pasta without using the gas cooktop. We are going to have a speed oven, so really what else would they need to cook on a stove? Those are their main staples! I do like the idea of educating them and safely showing them how to cook with gas. However, with our busy lives, by the time the kitchen is done, it will be nice to have a safe alternative.

I'm not alone anymore! Also have a gas/fire thing and converted from electric to induction. My husband really pushed for gas, but fell in love with induction.

There is a learning curve though. It is much more efficient than an electric or gas stove. No more heating the pan/oil while chopping an onion. Have you prep done first. We also cook on lower settings because of the better heating (or it could be our old crappy stove, hard to tell). I have yet to figure out what to do with the settings between 7 (of 10) and power boil. But the control is as fast as gas, and once you adjust to the new medium it's fantastic.

Btw, we often cook with a paper towel under the pan. The only heat it gets is radiating from the pan so it doesn't burn!

We had a micrrowave not that long ago with a setting for "oriental", which I thought had been dropped as un-PC quite a while back. Apparently not by the orientals making microwaves for export ...

A few users have recommended induction cooktops as an alternative. Since induction heating is generated from an electro-magmatic field (EMF), has anyone researched any potential health effects on human body/organ? Users can be exposed to EMF, however small amount it is, especially, through touching the cookware handles. I like the benefits of induction heating; however, I'm not sure about any potential effects to health. Can anyone comment on this?

It's the gas lines that make me afraid of gas. Although my furnace is gas, I would probably never add a gas range even though I daydream of getting one. I've also read they can exacerbate lung problems like asthma.

I've read you're supposed to have an annual service check on them, like the furnace. I wonder how many people actually do that.

I am very interested in induction for the future though. Good point about possible health concerns there. I was not aware of this.

This post was edited by snookums2 on Wed, Jan 29, 14 at 14:24

The first place I ever had a gas stove (first off-campus college apartment) had a gas leak. I have been afraid of them ever since! I know it's silly but I don't have the same desire to have gas that everyone else does.

I liken it to automatic vs manual transmission. Seems like people who have manual LOVE it and can't imagine going back. Those of us who have only known automatic (or electric stoves) don't know the difference :)

I was surprised to log on and this this thread back up. I am also very interested in induction. I googled it a little and the risk doesn't seem to bad. Not any more than MWs or cell phones. I would be more concerned with my cell phone giving off radiation. I try not to have it on my person but rather in my purse.

snookums you are right no one has their gas ranges checked yearly.

The problem is, one can smell a gas leak; however, no one can sense low level of radiation, microwave, or electro-magnatic field. I wonder about the accumulated effects of all these.

I wasn't afraid of my gas stove before reading this post....

Me too. We just got a gas range for the new kitchen and were very excited. It is installed but not used yet. I kept smelling faint gas. Finally called PG&E to checked. There is a leak. Now I am still waiting for the manufacture to send someone to check. The contractor checked the connection, it was ok. Now I am afraid. The brand new range has leak, probably more than one valve has problem. I am afraid if it can not be fixed completely, I will have to worry about gas leak all the time.

humble-bee,

We've got an elderly family member with an implanted ICD, and his doc said it would be wiser for him not to be around induction stoves until there have been more studies done testing the effects of close-range induction on medical devices. But I don't know any current data on it. It may prove to be quite safe. I'm not keen on induction myself, having always avoided living under power lines, cell phones, etc, but that's quite possibly an irrational fear.

On the other hand, some folks are quite sensitive to the off-products of burning natural gas or propane. If you have a gas stove, you really need an externally venting range hood for health reasons.

Our stove is a 1949 gas model with pilot lights and we adore it. We do have it checked out every year along with the dryer and furnace, just to make sure all the seals are ship-shape.

In terms of stove preference, it's really ALL about what you're used to. Over the years this forum has seen more disputes over gas vs electric than Macs and PCs.

I'm currently using a cheapo glass-top electric as we await our upcoming remodel, and I loathe the thing with the passion of 100,000 btus. It simply won't get clean, even with a razor blade. Blech.

I live in a travel trailer and the propane stove terrified me so I had it removed and bought a portable induction cooktop which I love,I grew up with a gas stove and used one in culinary school but gas and propane give me extreme anxiety,I don’t know why. When I buy a house again I’m definitely planning on going induction,in my first house I had an electric glass cooktop and it was a pain in the ass to clean.