Kitchen

[PickyPicky3]

@novamsc1  Sounds like your stove was never properly adjusted. Do you use natural gas or propane?

[Bhvbum]

I love my natural gas cooktop, I wouldn't have anything else. When the opportunity arose I got rid of my electric, and now when our power goes off for hurricanes, ice storms, etc. I still can cook. Same for my gas hot water heater, and for my woodburning fireplace, when the power goes off my gas logs have heated our living room. 

And yes I have the appropriate alarms, carbon monoxide and smoke.

p.s  Carbon monoxide (CO) is a dangerous gas.  It is produced when carbon-based fuels, such as kerosene, gasoline, natural gas, propane, charcoal or wood are burned without enough oxygen, causing incomplete combustion.

[HonestLife]

@novamc1  I was considering getting one but held off because I wasn't sure if I would use it. After reading this, I'm now seriously considering getting one. Thank you for posting this. It's quite helpful! Now to figure out which brand...hmmm..

[novamc1]

I can't name a brand that you might be able to find these days, but I own two different brands and greatly prefer the higher-powered one, which I believe is 1800 watts.  The other is 1500 watts.

If you've never used one, you won't believe how fast they can heat a pot of water.

My sis and BIL have always insisted on having induction cooktops in their homes.  I took over some veggies to saute one night for our family holiday dinner.  BIL warned me to saute briefly or my veggies would turn to mush.  He was right!!

[novamc1]

@Bhvbum 

Are you sure your gas stove and hot water heater work  when electricity is out? 

 I know neighbors who tried it during an areawide power outage here.  They would have had to light a match to start up the burners.  We all live in the same little community with homes built by the same builder with similar gas cooktops that are only five-six years old..

I've had gas furnaces and water heaters for many years.  It takes some electricity to get them into operation, doesn't it?  I lived thru many power outages over 40 years and knew that soon we'd have no heat or hot water if the outage was long.

The gas supply line under my nonworking stovetop has been cut off by the gas company guy,  but the electric-powered red safety light that glows on the stovetop is still indicating that all burners have been shut off.

[SilleeMee]

@novamc1 

You're right about furnace and hot water appliances not working during power outages. Those need an electrical charge to ignite the gas burners plus there are electronics which control how that happens. If the electronics are cut off from a power failure then the things don't work. It happened to me recently. Power lost for 4 days....no heat or hot water.

[novamc1]

Well, well, well........Just heard on this evening's TV news that Viking is recalling some gas stoves because they leak gas and pose fire hazard if burners are lit.

Never heard of these gas stove problems until I got one myself.

[novamc1]

Thought I'd mention what we know after living thru some very long power outages,  which threatened food loss in our freezer when there's no other way to cook.

The best thing to own when a long outage occurs is a good charcoal grill and a modest supply of charcoal briquets. 

Also useful, a cast iron pot that can be used on the grill  to heat beans or vegetables while cooking meat.

DH will never part with his Weber kettle grill, and we're using only our second one after getting the first  as a wedding present in 1976.  They serve well for a long time.

Charcoal grills set you free from gas or electricity.

[RespectLife]

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@novamc1 wrote:

@skatting44 

@SilleeMee 

This is my first gas cooktop and I hated it from the beginning.  Flames are so far below the grate and  pan that even getting water to boil can take forever.  It's also a real pain to clean and needs cleaning constantly.

'

I've asked several experts if it could be removed and replaced with an electric cooktop but have been told it won't be possible.  I still can't  fully understand why, however.

Now that I'm getting used to my induction burners, I think I'll probably use them much more even if the stove gets fixed.

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Oh @novamc1   you are telling my story, but I have no one to blame for this gas cooktop as I was the one who wanted it when we built the house.  Afterall, all the famous chefs use gas!

I should have stuck with what I knew which was all electric...glass cooktops.

I really wanted to rip that bugger out, but felt the cost was prohibitive!  My choice, live with it.

SO, I got myself an Induction burner...I LOVE IT.  Not all my pans work, but I was surprised how many do!  I love the huge variable temps you can use.  It is a nice big one so stock pots fit on it.

Ahh, now I can simmer again....

[novamc1]

@RespectLife 

Hi there!

I guess you and I can suffer together, forever living the disadvantaged life of a gas-stove  kitchen witch.

Can't figure out why gas cooking appeals to so many people who are positively religious about it.  So what if it's "instant on" and "instant off" and "easy to control the heat"?

It doesn't make up for the time I've spent cleaning around the burners, lifting off the mega-ton cast iron grates or running them though the dishwasher all by themselves because that's the only way to get them clean.

And it certainly doesn't make up for the time and aggravation spent trying to get it fixed.