Cooking - Gas Or Electricity?

[naomi24]

Which is the most economical?

[KARL]

Apologies, I have just noticed an error: I meant to say "....it would not surprise me if...."

[naomi24]

I went out looking at cookers yesterday - and I've decided to stay with an electric oven and an induction hob. Even though it's more expensive to run, it looks far neater and tidier. Thanks very much for all your input everyone.

[Tilly2]

I'm glad that you have decided what to have Naomi. It must be driving you potty having to make all these choices. When i had my kitchen refitted, I was in a state of indecision for weeks. :-)

....and then we had the bathrooms done.....aaaargggh!

[naomi24]

Tilly, I know what you mean. I've chosen the double oven, and once I've found a big ceramic hob I just need to decide on the kitchen units. I think I'm going for cream high gloss, but the design eludes me - traditional style or ultra modern - and I'm in a real quandary over worktops to match. I like black granite and some of the other stone type ones I've seen - but I like the look of wooden work surfaces too.... and then come floor and wall tiles.....so indecisive.

[Tilly2]

:-) You haven't mentioned lighting and light fittings....another nightmare.

[naomi24]

That's not a problem. We have those little lights that are set into the ceiling (don't know what they're called), but they look very nice so I think we'll stick with those.

[ummmm]

If I redone my kitchen I'd go with your choice.

[Tilly2]

Well, that's three things ticked off the list. Lighting, oven and hob. Phew!
Keep going.

[naomi24]

Which worktops would you have with cream high gloss units and a black oven and hob? And what sort of wall and floor tiles?

[naomi24]

Haaa! Thanks Tilly. Keep propping me up!! :o)

[rockyracoon]

This has been a great thread. I'll be looking at kitchens shortly and would never have considered an induction hob, I've just done some investigating and think I'll give then some proper consideration. Gas would usually be my choice, but it's so dirty.

[ummmm]

Either wood or granite.

I have cream units, wooden worktop, black slate floor tiles and a mixture of wall tiles that are random but mainly cream and brown.

Get a bendy tap....well handy.

[Tilly2]

I chose not to have wall tiles. All the old ones were taken off and the walls re-plastered. My walls are painted with kitchen emulsion and are really easy to keep clean as they are wipe down. No worries about cleaning grouting etc.

[rockyracoon]

I'm thing about something like this for a splashback.

http://www.creoglass.co.uk

[humbersloop]

stay well away from wooden worktops naomi, they are a world of toil and trouble
look into mistral or corian instead of granite, expensive but worthevery penny

[KARL]

If I understand you correctly, you would like a large induction hob - this provides more space between the "rings" and thus pots and pans in this specific area. Ours is a Scholtés and is just under a metre in width with the controls in a strip on the right. As of something in excess of five years ago they are part of the Indesit (formerly Merloni) Group (bought out by that huge company) and I am pretty certain there is at least another similarly sized hob marketed under a different brand name within the group. Our first induction hob was of this size and also made by Scholtés - they were one of the very first companies to produce induction hobs and ours was in use for just over 25 years, at which point we replaced it with the newer model. Our old one went back to Scholtés because they did not have an example left of that size, we were told that they wanted it for their company museum.

[KARL]

I finally got around to googling the efficiency comparison, as you very possibly have already done. The picture that emerges is that to the user/consumer induction is cheaper to run (I am not surprised). You may like to look at this if you have not already: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4807609

The negatives (apart from the matter of pot/pan compatibility) expressed in the thread do not reflect our contrary experience - there will of course be some appliances that are not as good as others.

[naomi24]

I hadn't done it, but thank you, Karl.