# Smooth top electric vs. Gas Range



## troyce1 (Oct 9, 2008)

We are getting new appliances and I am torn between getting a smooth top electric stove, or a gas range.

I've heard the Smooth tops can scratch and get nasty, but I mean if you clean the damn thing once a week it can't be that bad. I feel that the gas elements will be a pain to clean

As for gas, I hear its better to cook with etc.

what are you're thoughts?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

troyce1 said:


> We are getting new appliances and I am torn between getting a smooth top electric stove, or a gas range.
> 
> I've heard the Smooth tops can scratch and get nasty, but I mean if you clean the damn thing once a week it can't be that bad. I feel that the gas elements will be a pain to clean
> 
> ...


We have the smooth top cooktop and if given the choice again we would go with a different cooktop. They are hard to clean and must be cleaned every time it is cooked on or they look like crap. If you don't clean it after each use it will cook on and is really hard to get off.


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## troyce1 (Oct 9, 2008)

what would you have gotten instead?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

troyce1 said:


> what would you have gotten instead?


I like the gas cooktop best as it is easier to clean to me but I guess it would be your preference to cook with gas or electric.


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## troyce1 (Oct 9, 2008)

you are saying gas flattop or gas burners?

i have looked for a glass flattop, but have been unable to find one.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

troyce1 said:


> you are saying gas flattop or gas burners?
> 
> i have looked for a glass flattop, but have been unable to find one.


I am not aware of a smooth top gas cooktop but there may be one on the market. I just don't like the glass cooktops compared to the regular gas cooktops.


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## Railz (Dec 14, 2008)

I would have to agree that a glass cooktop is a lot of work to maintain. I have had both a gas range and a glass cooktop range though and I would take the glass electric cooktop over the gas range any day. I like the way it cooks much better and the look is much better as long as you take care of it too.


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## Speedball (Nov 2, 2008)

Our local dealer say their Pro cooks' like the Induction electric over gas. The electric that pulses on and off seems like such a waste of energy. We are going electric flat top.


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## moondawg (Dec 17, 2008)

Railz said:


> I would have to agree that a glass cooktop is a lot of work to maintain. I have had both a gas range and a glass cooktop range though and I would take the glass electric cooktop over the gas range any day. I like the way it cooks much better and the look is much better as long as you take care of it too.


 You're the only person I've ever met that would take smooth top over gas. We lived at my parent's house for 12 months while we were building our house. They have a smoothtop. The best day for me in the new house was hooking up my new gas cooktop (with grill module) Cooking is so much more regular and predictable. Cleaning isn't that much of an issue. never a smooth top for me.


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## RubyTuesday49 (Nov 22, 2010)

*smooth top vs gas cooktop*

*I have had three smooth top stoves. I actually quite liked them when I was the only one cooking and cleaning them. I cleaned the ceram top after EVERY use. I found creamy VIM was the best cleaner - better than Cerambryte. They are easily scratched, and my last one ended up with a ghost / watermark that could not be removed. :furious: Anyway, after 6 months of struggling with the last one, and having the top replaced, I finally returned it and got a dual fuel (electric oven & gas cooktop). :yes: I totally LOVE the gas cooktop!!! I'm really glad I made the switch. It costs more for the appliance, plus the expense of having a gas fitter hook it up - but it is so worth it!! I feel a lot less stressed every meal, every day. The gas is so great to cook with - instant on, instant off. :thumbup:*


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## ianc435 (Jun 12, 2010)

troyce1 said:


> We are getting new appliances and I am torn between getting a smooth top electric stove, or a gas range.
> 
> I've heard the Smooth tops can scratch and get nasty, but I mean if you clean the damn thing once a week it can't be that bad. I feel that the gas elements will be a pain to clean
> 
> ...


Extended counter space with glass tops, and they don't scratch except with stoneware and cast iron skillets. I have had mine for 4 years and do not have one scratch. Windex isva good cleaner initially and the special scrub for glass tops keeps them looking good. Crumbs can get caught in the rubber gasket around the edges but use a vaccum to clean it. 

Mine cooks well.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

We have a relatively high end electric smooth cooktop, with built in (flush) controls. My wife and I agree that gas cooks better, higher heat, instant on, more controllable. The electric smooth surface cleans easily enough, doesn't seem to scratch, but it is pretty expensive to fix (we had a power failure, cooked the computer in the cooktop). In all, if we had gas available, we would have gotten gas, however I did not want to get a propane tank just for a cooktop.


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## Estacada John (Nov 21, 2010)

I cook my wife breakfast every morning on a flattop electric stove. It cooks okay and the surface needs cleaning occasionally to make it look good. 

We spent five days with some friends at a house that had a gas stove and I cooked breakfast each morning on it. It was wonderful to cook on. I felt like taking it home with me!!

I can't imagine not cooking with a gas stove if given the choice.


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## RubyTuesday49 (Nov 22, 2010)

*gas vs smooth cooktop*

_I have had 3 different smooth tops. #1 - 33 years ago - white Corningware - it stained and scratched, I hated it. #2 - 4 years ago - black counter cooktop, liked it OK but it did scratch easily. #3 - 7 months ago - hated it! It was a higher end stove, loved everything except the ceram cooktop! It scratched fairly easily and developed ghosting / watermark stains. I was very dilligent and cleaned it AFTER EVERY USE. If I didn't turn range hood light, it always looked great and you couldn't see any stains or marks. They replaced the ceram cooktop and it even had a scratch straight out of the box! I returned that stove and bought the same make with dual fuel - gas cooktop and electric oven. I totally LOVE IT! It is so much easier to clean, love cooking on it - love that I don't have to be ultra careful. I no longer feel stressed about cooking or cleaning with it. My advice - *go with the gas cooktop*._


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## Han'D' (Apr 7, 2009)

I have a gas top in condo that I used for 12 years before replacing when converted to rental. Loved the gas but hard to replace the components when they go down. (Burners are expensive)

We have glass top at home...Easily maintained if cleaned regularly (routine now). We did notice that it effected cookware to the point that the bottom would go concave...We contacted Cephalon and they stated it was due to the intense heat generated quickly on glass top. They replaced the pans and recommended we gradually increase to high heat instead of directly...

I like both and have no real issue with cleaning...

Biggest fear is renters and the use of gas...What if???


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## MagicalHome (Apr 12, 2010)

I have always used a gas top and never have problems with it, whether it be cooking or cleaning. 

Glass tops are very nice to look at. I would have love to own one. But, thanks to this thread, I know its disadvantages. I would rather stay with a gas top.


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## SR996 (Nov 30, 2008)

I have had two glasstop electric stoves. The first one had a ceramic spec texture in the glass and was very easy to clean, and always looked good. The replacement stove is shiny smooth black and ALWAYS looks dirty, scratches more easily. If given the choice, I prefer the textured smooth surface,

Just my .02
THanks


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