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I’ve been thinking about an induction stove for awhile. I have the worst set up – old gas stove with that useless filter hood and no outside venting. Fortunately the house is even older and drafty as heck.
I put a plug in combo CO/explosive gas detector near the stove and crack the back door open when cooking. Also have a large volume air purifier running nearby that will at least grab the particulate matter. It’s higher end and has an auto feature that detects air quality, and I’ve noticed it does ratchet up the power whenever I cook.
I thought it was funny, well ironic actually, that the article about the gas stove possibly killing you with noxious fumes ended with, “Insulation, lots and lots of insulation. Don’t forget to insulate”.
Unpopular opinion: f*ck insulation.
A lot of the problems in our homes these days, including all kinds of fumes, molds, (viruses too!) etc, etc, come from decades now of sealing up houses so much so that they are completely unable to breathe. I understand that the point is to keep the heat and the AC inside so that you use less of the energy it takes to create it but it also keeps everything else inside too. Houses used to be built to breathe so gas stoves and all kinds of other stuff burning inside was not so much an issue. But, true, if I were to live in a hermetic jar I would not burn as much as a candle on a cake.
I couldn’t live in a house that doesn’t breathe. I prefer an outright drafty house. But I also don’t want to be cold in the summer or hot in the winter. IMO, the best way to save energy is to acclimate to the temperature that is outside. If it’s hot out, wear less clothing and enjoy the sweat. If it’s cold outside wear your wool, hat and all inside. I know it’s not for everyone but it feels more natural to me. It’s 37 degrees right now and I’m sitting next to an open window and my heater is off. And you’ll have to pry my gas oven out of my cold dead hands, lol
I have induction in my main home and I Love, Love, Love it! All the cooking benefits of gas and the convenience in cleaning up off a glass top with a major improvement of nothing burning on it.
I also wouldn’t be able to live in one of those modern, sealed-up structures. My house in Canada where I raised my kids was an 80 year old wooden house with single pane windows. In the winter, I just had heavy curtains on the windows to help keep the heat in.
It used to crack me up to go into offices that had a no-smoking sign on the door saying “We have a clean air policy”. You walk in and the place reeks of formaldehyde and god knows what other horrible gassing-off chemicals from the new carpets, formica countertops, plastic furniture and polyester fabrics.
Those people you read about who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on vacation in Mexico were staying in modern, sealed up condo units with AC and no open windows.
I love mine although I’m not much of a cook. I also value the smooth, easy to clean top because my kitchen is small and countertop limited. As I’ve said before, I decided against an open flame when I learned of an old teacher of mine catching her sleeve on fire and dying of her burn injuries. This has more to do with my accelerating feeble mindedness and age rather than inherent dangers of gas stoves.
We have an induction oven/cooktop in the STR. It is much faster at alternatives in bringing water to a boil, and it seems to have some safety advantages in terms of catching fire with nearby combustibles and no fumes.
Some jurisdictions are phasing out gas stoves (which I much prefer to cook on),so that’s a consideration too. More of this is likely to come.
Electric is of course generally more expensive to operate. For example here in Worcester our electric rates more than triple for the six months beginning November (I think November) this year. Although such a steep increase in electricity rates is probably not typical natural gas is much cheaper to operate.
I’ve read that this electric vs gas oven/cooktop choice is becoming a political issue in some areas where some folks say that the disadvantages of gas are just another ‘woke’ myth/exaggeration.
They’re coming to take your gas stove!
They’re coming to take your guns!
They’re coming to take your gas-
powered truck!
They’re grooming your children!
They’re murdering babies!
They’re manufacturing pandemics!
Not sure who these imaginary "they"s are, but all I can think is that these freaked out people must have been filled with tales of boogeymen as children.
