# Oven advise



## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

I'm needing to purchase a new oven and am debating between gas and electric. I've always used gas. But I hardly ever cook. And that smooth ceramic glass cook top on electric ovens is really appealing to me. It looks so much easier to keep clean. Any thoughts? Who has one and how do you like it? What kind of oven would you recommend?

Thanks!


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Crystal - I recommend doing away with the oven all together and adding storage space!

Oops - guess you have to have one, I prefer gas but I do like the looks of the smooth cooktop. My sister has the ceramic and loves it!


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## munchkn8835 (May 23, 2010)

Would definitely look into one that has gas top and electric oven. I have the smooth top and don't like it....had to buy new pots and pans that had flat bottoms and it is a pain to clean b/c it has to cool after using it to clean.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

An electric oven is fine. For a cooktop I would never live with electric. If cleanliness is more important to you than good cooking, then yes, go electric.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

I have had both. Currently have Viking gas but mainly because it was there when we moved in. I looks pretty cool, but........ yeah. you have to take all the top apart to clean. Frankly I have had them all. The last house was ceramic. If you aren't a huge foodie I would go ceramic. Elec. oven is fine IMO. I do cook, and I found it was fine. Easy to keep clean using sometimes the ceramic cleaner but most of the time just a razor blade. The kind you use to get paint off windows.


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

Gas is usually cheaper to operate, do you have a 220 outlet for electric? Major $$ to have installed. I've had both, now have the smooth top. I love it. And sometimes I do need a single edge razor to scrape the gunk off.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

I've had both, right now I have a gas stove, love how fast things cook, I loved the look of the ceramic one but I found it to be hard to clean when I cooked a large dinner. 
Gosh I'd love to have a house with no kitchen lol


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

We have an electric oven with the smooth ceramic glass top and it looks beautiful. Ours is easy to clean with just a little Bon Ami. (Bon Ami is gentle ... not like Ajax or Comet)

But, for us, we would prefer gas. I find it easier to regulate the temperature for most foods cooking. And, if the power goes out, like it did during a storm today, you can still cook with a gas stove. 

But, we can't complain because we don't do as much cooking these days ... except we do cook Snowball's meals every day. 

Good luck with your choice, Crystal.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

I had to buy a new stove a couple of years ago and got gas again. To really get the stovetop clean I do have to take it apart but have never found that to be a real burden. White wasn't going to look great, stainless shows too many finger and paw prints, so I bought a black stove and black microwave hood. They don't show dirt, finger or paw prints but boy do they show pollen and dust. Whether I've made a mess or not cooking, I wipe both off every night with Windex and paper towel. Works great, they shine, and I'm happy that I get to cook with gas.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

MaryH said:


> I had to buy a new stove a couple of years ago and got gas again. To really get the stovetop clean I do have to take it apart but have never found that to be a real burden. White wasn't going to look great, stainless shows too many finger and paw prints, so I bought a black stove and black microwave hood. They don't show dirt, finger or paw prints *but boy do they show pollen and dust. *Whether I've made a mess or not cooking, I wipe both off every night with Windex and paper towel. Works great, they shine, and I'm happy that I get to cook with gas.


Lol, that's why I would never buy black appliances. I have a ceramic cooktop and love it and I cook a lot. I use Ceramabryte to clean it. Sometimes Windex is enough. I have had both, gas and electric. My oven and microwave are build ins. They are GE. Not to happy with them. The oven is not TRUE convection. Was happier with the Dacor I had in Houston.
Mary my daughter has a black refrigerator ; you should see all the fingerprints on it from the kids.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

MalteseJane said:


> Lol, that's why I would never buy black appliances. I have a ceramic cooktop and love it and I cook a lot. I use Ceramabryte to clean it. Sometimes Windex is enough. I have had both, gas and electric. My oven and microwave are build ins. They are GE. Not to happy with them. The oven is not TRUE convection. Was happier with the Dacor I had in Houston.
> Mary my daughter has a black refrigerator ; you should see all the fingerprints on it from the kids.


LOL, Janine. When my white refrigerator dies I'm going to replace it with a black one. I am constantly scrubbing the white one ... dirty little paw prints! And what was I thinking when I painted the walls in the dog room linen white???


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I prefer cooking on a smooth top electric stove. I must be weird, but I HATE cooking with gas! The smooth tops are incredibly easy to keep clean. Most of the time you won't need the special cleaner, water usually gets everything off unless you boil something over and it scorches. Smooth tops definitely look the best, too, in my opinion.


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## cleex1004 (Aug 2, 2008)

I love cooking with gas, for the oven though, I heard electric is better because gas ovens create moisture which can be a problem if you like to keep fried foods warm in the oven. I think I heard that on Good Eats on the Food Network. My dream oven is the dual fuel by Wolf range.... one day....


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

For most of my life I was used to gas then shortly after we bought this house, the wall oven (gas) did a major 'POW!" ( something faulty ) so decided from there on I'd go to electric. We reconfigured the kitchen to accomodate a reg range ( put the microwave plus storage in wall space where oven was) .
I LOVE the electric for the oven.... my baked goods come out so much better! BUT I still to this day hate the electric for the top of the range. I feel gas is so much better to regulate temps. Can't tell you how many sauces had gotten burnt/scorched even after turning temp down because it seems it takes much longer for burners to 'cool' than with gas which is all but immediate. 
My next one I would want gas on top, electric for oven.
My present range is a Whirlpool and I do have to say it's been very dependable. I've never had to replace any elements thus far and have had it almost 30 years I think. However the clock did go and that prevents the self-cleaner from operating.
What I don't like about any of the newer appliances is the digital aspect they all seem to have these days.... I like the old fashioned 'knobs' !


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I vote for gas. I use it every day and I like the control I have of the heat. I usually burn everything with electric:blink:. If you don't use it much, then go with what looks better :thumbsup:


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Hmmm...now I don't know what to do. I currently have a gas oven and gas stove top. And it's black. I HATE that even when not using it, it shows dust and stuff. And cleaning the stove top is not easy at all and everything shows. So now I'm really stuck because I wanted stainless steel to help NOT show the terrible fingerprints and smudges that black does. :blink: :HistericalSmiley:

White will just not look good. So it's either black or stainless steel. So I'm gathering from what's been posted the black ceramic stove top is fairly easy to keep clean. So which will show less dust and finger/paw prints? Black or Stainless Steel?

Oh...and favorite brands anyone?


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

I've always used electric. I might sound weird, but the open flame of gas kind of scares me a bit. It seems like every time I've tried to used a gas cook-top I end up catching something on fire. Right now I have the glass top stove. I like it. Once its cleaned up it usually looks very nice.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Crystal, can you go w/stainless w/black---I have it here in Greece & it looks pretty good. I have the built in ceramic top. You need the one that is more scratch resistent though---there are grades. I can send you a little gadget that holds a 2 sided razor blade that I use to clean it with---it is made for that. I looked in the US for one for my daughter but could not find one---that doesn't mean they don't exist!
You may have to replace your pots/pans as this sort of heat needs special bottoms (also then it won't scratch the top as much). That could be a big expense but well-worth it in the end.
Also, be careful about not leaving it on---it is easy to forget to turn it off and if the electricity goes out you won't see that it is still on & could cause a fire if you keep things on top of your stove sometimes!


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

beckinwolf said:


> I've always used electric. I might sound weird, but the open flame of gas kind of scares me a bit. It seems like every time I've tried to used a gas cook-top I end up catching something on fire. Right now I have the glass top stove. I like it. Once its cleaned up it usually looks very nice.


Speaking of flames ... When I was a young girl, we had an electric stove that caught on fire after the stove was struck by lightening! Still ... Many years later, I think about that every time we have a bad storm.


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## lynda (Oct 11, 2005)

I have an electric, white, ceramic cook top stove and I love it. I find it very easy to keep clean. I love the stainless look but I would never own one cause I know how difficult they are to keep clean from finger prints/smudges. I have always been a bit afraid of gas though I know if you are a gourmet cook that is what they prefer. Frankly, I would prefer vending machines in my kitchen:HistericalSmiley:


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

I hate my smooth top! Not all pans heat evenly, it's harder to control heat so things boil over more often and if ou don't clean the top as soon as it's cool (ahem....DH) it can take a lot of elbow grease to get the burned in stuf off. 

My mother has a gas stove and I much prefer that.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

edelweiss said:


> Crystal, can you go w/stainless w/black---I have it here in Greece & it looks pretty good. I have the built in ceramic top. You need the one that is more scratch resistent though---there are grades. I can send you a little gadget that holds a 2 sided razor blade that I use to clean it with---it is made for that. I looked in the US for one for my daughter but could not find one---that doesn't mean they don't exist!
> You may have to replace your pots/pans as this sort of heat needs special bottoms (also then it won't scratch the top as much). That could be a big expense but well-worth it in the end.
> Also, be careful about not leaving it on---it is easy to forget to turn it off and if the electricity goes out you won't see that it is still on & could cause a fire if you keep things on top of your stove sometimes!


Great points about making sure the stove is off! We have a little light indicator that let's us know if the stove is still on ... But, my DH still has forgotten to turn it off several times ... And, this is making me very nervous!

Also, it takes a while for the glass top to cool down. So, one has to remember not to touch the stove with your hands until the indicator light let's you know the top has cooled down.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Hunter's Mom said:


> I hate my smooth top! Not all pans heat evenly, it's harder to control heat so things boil over more often and if ou don't clean the top as soon as it's cool (ahem....DH) it can take a lot of elbow grease to get the burned in stuf off.
> 
> My mother has a gas stove and I much prefer that.


Yes, that's what I hate the most ... It 's harder to control the heat. And, sometimes it seems to take forever to bring things to a boil ... Unless you use the one bigger burner that heats up foods quickly. 

I do like the extra burner on top of our stove that keeps foods warm.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

The A Team said:


> I vote for gas. I use it every day and I like the control I have of the heat. I usually burn everything with electric:blink:. If you don't use it much, then go with what looks better :thumbsup:


And, you can toast marshmallows on the gas stove!! Great to do especially when a picnic or camping trip is ruined by big rain storms!


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

lynda said:


> i have an electric, white, ceramic cook top stove and i love it. I find it very easy to keep clean. I love the stainless look but i would never own one cause i know how difficult they are to keep clean from finger prints/smudges. I have always been a bit afraid of gas though i know if you are a gourmet cook that is what they prefer. *frankly, i would prefer vending machines in my kitchen*:histericalsmiley:


:smrofl::smrofl:!


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

My oven is electric and cooks regular and convection. My cooktop is smooth ceramic. It is easy to clean and always looks great. We would never have gas cooking except the gas grill.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> Yes, that's what I hate the most ... It 's harder to control the heat. And, sometimes it seems to take forever to bring things to a boil ... Unless you use the one bigger burner that heats up foods quickly.
> 
> I do like the extra burner on top of our stove that keeps foods warm.


Crystal, I also have the cermanic eletric and although it looks nice, I have to agree with the other comments above. And it really isn't that easy to clean -- even though it looks like it would be.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Those of you saying hard to clean. Have you used the razor blade?. I used to find it hard until I used that. Then very easy. I just sprayed a bit of soapy water on the top then let is set a minute then scrape off with the blade in seconds. I had this 8 years with no problem cleaning at all. Hardly even used the special ceramic cleaner. Even for baked on stains.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

silverhaven said:


> Those of you saying hard to clean. Have you used the razor blade?. I used to find it hard until I used that. Then very easy. I just sprayed a bit of soapy water on the top then let is set a minute then scrape off with the blade in seconds. I had this 8 years with no problem cleaning at all. Hardly even used the special ceramic cleaner. Even for baked on stains.


yes the razor blade is a big help and ceramabryte cleans perfectly. I don't have to use the blade often. I not even use ceramabryte each time. 
View attachment 96105

this is supposed to be a white cooktop. 
With gas you can control the temperature better. But I hated the cleaning.


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