# I HATE an electric stove.



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

That being said, I somehow managed to set mine on fire the other night. Well, actually, I set the frying pan on fire. I melted my best pancake turner, ruined my omelette pan, scorched the ceiling in the kitchen, and filled my house with nasty smoke for hours. After all that, I really was not interested in making any dinner, so I went to bed without supper. Have I been properly punished?


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## RVcook (Mar 29, 2008)

Ninn...I have done all of that and MORE!!! Thankfully, I found out early in my homemaking 'career' that electric stoves and I were about as compatible as electricity and water. With that said, I haven't owned an electric stove since the mid 70's.

I read somewhere that *"...there is a reason why professional chefs cook with gas."* 

Soooooooo true...

RVcook


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

RVcook said:


> *"...there is a reason why professional chefs cook with gas."*


That's exactly what I was going to say! I don't want to offend anyone, but I think if you like electric, you don't really cook...you just heat up food.

We have electric in this old farmhouse we bought (was supposed to have free gas, but that's another story!) and it absolutely stinks. There is nothing pleasurable about cooking with electric.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

"I don't want to offend anyone, but I think if you like electric, you don't really cook...you just heat up food."

LOL........not to be boastful but most people I know think I am the best cook they know. I am a very good cook and I only use electric. I had a gas stove for about 6 years and though I suspect it was the individual stove it was AWFUL. I couldn't get it hot enough to saute veggies. When I made a roux for cajun food it took me hours.

But, I have cooked on an electric stove since I was 5 and that was 39 years ago. I love my convection oven.

I think every cook should have the tools that best suits them. If you hate an electric stove its time to try to find a gas one. 

Mary

p.s. I know part of my distaste for gas is that my sister nearly killed herself and my mother w/ one when she was three. Though they are much safer now they scare the bejeebers out of me. And, why are the knobs on the front where a child can reach them? Surely they could be designed for better safety.

I just read another post that indicates you are in an apartment. I am betting the type of stove is not a negotiable thing. I really can cook well and do it on an electric stove. But, like anything it could be the quality of the appliance. I am trying to think of suggestions I could give you to make it easier for you but it is so intuitive for me. It will get better. I adapted to the gas range even though I hated it. You can adapt to this.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I've been cooking/baking, used to can for 45 years. I prefer electric.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

I think it is what you are use to. I've been told I am a pretty good cook, and all I've ever cooked on is an electric stove. Grew up with one. DH doesn't trust gas, so he put all electric in when he built the house. But I have to admit he has since considered going with a gas water heater and gas stove after we went without power for 5 days last winter. Would have been nice to be able to cook and have hot showers when the electricity was off. So if my electric range ever kicks the bucket, we may be looking at a gas stove, which will mean learning to cook all over again. 

I've already had to adjust to the glass top electric that I now have and I will NEVER make this mistake again. As much as I don't mind electric, this stove is a torture of its own that might make learning to cook on gas a pleasant experience!!


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## RVcook (Mar 29, 2008)

lickcreek said:


> I think it is what you are use to. I've been told I am a pretty good cook, and all I've ever cooked on is an electric stove. Grew up with one. DH doesn't trust gas, so he put all electric in when he built the house. But I have to admit he has since considered going with a gas water heater and gas stove after we went without power for 5 days last winter. Would have been nice to be able to cook and have hot showers when the electricity was off. So if my electric range ever kicks the bucket, we may be looking at a gas stove, which will mean learning to cook all over again.
> 
> I've already had to adjust to the glass top electric that I now have and I will NEVER make this mistake again. As much as I don't mind electric, this stove is a torture of its own that might make learning to cook on gas a pleasant experience!!


You are SO correct! My last electric stove that was a 48" double-oven 1959 model that came with the house we bought in the mid 70's worked pretty well, but I still had to remember NEVER to cook on high and always turn my burners off about 10 minutes before I knew something was done or else remove the pan from the burner.

I like that with gas, when I turn on the heat, it's on and when I turn off the heat, it's off. Also, there are no pre-settings for heat control so I can look at the flame and basically 'cook-by-sight.'

My mom is an excellent cook, but grew up with gas and like your DH, doesn't trust it. So she had the gas company cap her pipe and uses her electric smooth top stove. Unfortunately, several of her burners don't work very well and I want to pull out my hair every time I go to her house and have to use her stove. Good grief...it takes almost 30 minutes just to bring water to a boil!

RVcook


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Lickcreek, I too have a glasstop that I got 4 or 5 years ago. I swear I had to learn to cook all over again for some things! I finally have the hang of it. I do my canning on my old electric stove in the basement.

I like the burner size on my glass cooktop. I have one burner that is 11" and it sure is nice to have even heat distribution across large skillets. No "hot spots"!

RVcook, you posted while I was posting. I was thinking earlier that one of the reasons I don't like gas is I hate having to look down to adjust the flame all the time. I know right where to take my electric burners to and it because I grew up w/ electric it never bothers me that the burners stay hot. But, your mother's glass cooktop must be really bad. MIne will boil water in no time if it is a flat bottom pan that is the right size for the burner. That is the one thing I did do - buy some new pans!


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Hee hee...maybe I should change my post to say that if you can cook on an electric stove, you must be a really good cook!

It really frustates me to not have the control that I had with gas. Of course, I went from a pretty high-dollar (for us) new-ish gas stove to an electric stove that was bought by my great-grandmother in 1963. The only good thing about it is that there are two ovens. That, and the LOVELY push-button controls...I still have the manual and know exactly how much they paid for it, in case any of you would like to make a great addition to your kitchen.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

I HATE replacing appliances. Once you are used to the way one works, you have to learn all over again. And I did have to "learn" all over again with this stove. And yes, my stove was an opportunity to get new, flat bottom pans. But I would rather be using my cast iron,..and my canner, .. We replaced a built-in oven and cooktop with this electric glass top when we removed the center island in the kitchen. I wanted a simple, old fashioned coil burner stove. DH was enchanted with the glass top and how easy they would be to clean, and how new it would make the kitchen look. He didn't mind spending the extra money. After we got it and discovered what we could NOT do with it, he now tells people that we only bought it because I it was what I wanted. Oh well...

It's hard to find the perfect stove. Ninn, I'm glad no one was hurt and hope what damage was done is easily repaired. You'll get the hang of it. It just takes some practice.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

But I don't want to practice! It's costing me a fortune in ruined food! For pete's sake, I killed an omelette! I'm asking the landlord if he will swap me out for a gas stove. I can't take all this electric oven garbage with Christmas coming. Even worse, there is no way this side of heaven that a turkey is ever gonna fit in there!


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## cow whisperer (May 3, 2007)

As my mother in law always told me.... COOK IT SLOW....

the knobs on mine never go above medium.... 

For the 12 years I've been "on my own" I've always had electric.... LOVE IT!!!!


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

I grew up with electric. In fact, my mother still uses nothing but electric.

But, when DH and I were in our first house in college (a dumpy little trailer), it happened to have a gas stove. It's been my preference ever since. 
Of course, where we live in company housing, I never really had a choice in the matter. This house is electric.


BUT, the Someday House is going to have a gas stove!


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## 3ravens (Mar 16, 2006)

What I've got....... older electric that came with the house. We've replaced both oven elements, and one of the eyes.
What I'd love...... gas stove, with an extra electric oven built into the wall at chest height. Oh, and if we're wishin', it shoud be convection, and big enough foe 3 turkey roasters at once!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

My dream is an induction stove - now I just have to save my pennies! They only come in stove tops, so it means getting a wall overn too.

Cathy


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Ok, we managed not to burn the lasagna last night. I turned the oven down to 250 and it was still done in less than 45 mins. I am now wondering if maybe the thermostat in that oven is faulty. At 250, that should have taken a lot longer. BUT, it gives me hope for bread!


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Ninn, glad to hear that you had a success with your electric stove. Sounds like the thermostat is WAY off!!! No wonder you are having such problems. Setting a frying pan on fire sounds like ALL the settings are way off. Any chance the landlord would spring for a new stove, even if it has to be electric? That sounds like it would be a real hazard!


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## RVcook (Mar 29, 2008)

Ninn said:


> Ok, we managed not to burn the lasagna last night. I turned the oven down to 250 and it was still done in less than 45 mins. I am now wondering if maybe the thermostat in that oven is faulty. At 250, that should have taken a lot longer. BUT, it gives me hope for bread!


Well, a faulty oven thermostat would definitely explain the 45 min lasagna, but you might be able to calibrate it so that it works consistently. However, a faulty oven thermostat has nothing to do with the surface burners.

I have to echo what all the electric stove users have mentioned here: NEVER do anything on high except to boil water; use medium to medium-low heat for everything else; remove the pan from the hot burner when you're done cooking on it.

Just google for instructions on how to calibrate your oven. It's not hard to do and makes a HUGE difference in its performance.

RVcook


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

When we moved in, I sold a brand new gas stove to my new landlord. I think I may ask him to install it in my place. The outdoor access to gas would be about a foot away, and there was plenty of line to run. Otherwise, I'm gonna be fussing with that damm thing all season.


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