Electric or gas oven: the key differences

One of the key questions to ask when looking for a new oven is, ‘Should I get gas or electric?’ In reality each has its pros and cons, so we can’t say that one is always better. The answer to the ‘gas or electric’ oven question all depends on your kitchen, your cooking style and your preferences.

Here we’ll cover how the types of oven work, how they differ and what to consider when choosing one. By the end, you’ll have a good idea of what to look for in the oven of your dreams.

Gas ovens create heat by burning natural gas, similar to how a gas boiler works. When you turn the oven on, gas flows in and a small flame or spark sets it alight. There’s usually a metal grille between the burning gas and the space where you cook your food.

Modern ovens ignite the gas automatically, while on older ovens you would light the gas with a match. When you raise or lower the temperature dial on the oven, it simply lets in more or less gas to burn.

Gas ovens heat up faster than electric ovens, but they can be less predictable. The temperature in gas ovens tends to be less steady and can vary in different parts of the oven.

When comparing electric versus gas ovens, there are a few key aspects:

• The setup of your kitchen
• Any particular dishes you want to cook
• The cost of electricity and gas
• Maintenance and repair costs

If you live in an area without a natural gas supply, of course that will narrow your options. Or if your kitchen doesn’t have a gas connection set up, you’ll have to factor in the cost of getting one installed.

Gas versus electric cooking styles

Gas ovens produce a more humid heat, while electric ovens are drier. For this reason, some people prefer gas ovens for bread and pies, because the crusts tend not to dry out and harden. On the other hand, electric ovens may be better for cakes because the heat is more even.

Some electric ovens let you use different functions at the same time. For example, you could cook a thicker piece of meat with the grill and the fan at the same time. Or you could thoroughly cook a pizza top and base by using the bottom heating element and the fan.

How fast the oven heats up

Because gas ovens burn fuel instantly, they heat up faster than the element in an electric oven. While a gas oven might take 10 minutes to heat up fully, an electric oven can take 20 minutes.

Distribution of heat in the oven

Gas ovens don’t have fans moving the heat around, so they’re hotter at the top and cooler at the bottom. This can be useful if you want to cook different things at the same time. On the other hand, an electric oven might be easier if you want to cook large batches evenly.

Based on the ovens popular in the UK today, these are the average energy consumption figures:

From this, we can see that electric ovens are more energy efficient. That doesn’t mean they’re cheaper to run, though.

The low price of gas means that electric ovens are still the more expensive option. Having said that, the difference isn't huge — you might spend around £50 more per year with an electric oven.

As we’ve seen, we can’t say for sure that a gas or electric oven is better. If you want a more stable heat and care about energy efficiency, then an electric oven might suit you. If you want an oven that heats up faster and is a bit cheaper to run, then you might prefer gas.

Oven technology is developing all the time, with new cooking methods and greater energy efficiency. To start off, we recommend checking out the popular ovens in your price range and comparing the features they offer.