Whats your cooktop flavour

We love cooking with gas and many tell us you love it too! We highlight the pros and cons of gas cooktops, as well as the electric-powered options of induction, ceramic and hotplates.
 
Most chefs prefer to cook with gas and for good reason. Its combination of speed, power and precision helps you to master any culinary dish, whether you're whipping up a one-pot wonder or a multi-course masterpiece.
 
On the hobs, boil times have traditionally been faster with gas than with electric (although induction now rivals gas) and you get an immediate response when turning the heat down. Gas can cope with high temperature wok cooking just as easily as a gentle simmer for poaching the perfect eggs.
 

Why gas?

Cooking with gas is a popular and traditional choice with many preferring the responsiveness and direct flame of a gas hob. The ability to control how much gas you burn and the heat distributed to your pot or pan is another reason many choose gas for their home. 

    Gas cooktop pros
  • Precise, even temperatures
  • Great for high heat cooking
  • Existing pots and pans can be used
  • Natural gas can be cheaper to run than electricity if you're already using it for hot water and/or heating
  • With varied designs and sizes, gas hobs suit traditional and modern homes
    Gas cooktop cons
  • Some people say they find gas hobs harder to clean than electric or induction cooktops 
  • You need to be connected to natural gas or get LPG bottles

Consumer NZ recommends looking out for a flame-failure protection feature if you purchase a gas cooktop, as well as making sure you consider its gas connection type.

Why electric? 

Electric covers your induction cooktops, ceramic and hotplates. Induction has been receiving high praise for fast and precise control, but we reckon nothing beats being able to see the flame and have that feeling of control as you adjust the gas up or down. With induction on the pricier side, some choose to stick with a ceramic cooktop or an even cheaper hotplate to keep budgets out of the red.

    Induction cooktop pros
  • Easy to clean
  • Efficient
  • Fast heat up
  • Safer with no open flames and cooler to touch surface
  • Suits contemporary homes and those wanting a sleek, clean look
    Induction cooktop cons
  • May have to buy special pots and pans that have a magnetic field like iron or stainless steel
  • If liquid boils over you may need to wipe and restart the cooktop
  • Generally more expensive than gas or other electric cooktops
    Ceramic or hotplate cooktop pros
  • Cheaper options
  • Easy to install 
  • Existing pots and pans will do
    Ceramic or hotplate cooktop cons
  • Doesn't heat as high as other options
  • Slower to heat and to cool down

What cooktop is best for me?

What cooktop you choose for your kitchen comes down to personal choice and what will work best for your home.
 
When considering what cooktop option is best for you and your lifestyle, we suggest keeping the following in mind:

  • Speed and cooking versatility
  • Responsiveness
  • Energy efficiency
  • Ease of cleaning
  • Price
  • Running costs
  • And lastly, style

Renovating or replacing your gas appliances? Or perhaps considering the change to gas? Use our hot water comparison tool to see what options are best for your family and home.

Further information

Are you based in Wellington, Taranaki, Manawatū or Hawke's Bay? You may be able to connect your home to natural gas with The Gas Hub.

Enter your address in our gas checker for an instant result on whether you're within our gas network connection range!

We also have a very useful hot water cost comparison tool that compares upfront and running costs within our natural gas network regions. Find out whether a natural gas, electricity, LPG, or solar hot water system could be the right solution for you. Try our hot water cost comparison tool now.

Ready to connect?

Check out the connection process, to know what choices you'll need to make as part of getting connected to natural gas.

Submit your natural gas connection application today. Our customer team will then ring you to confirm a few more details and progress your application.

Want to know more?

If you've had a good look around our website and still have questions let us know what you'd like more information about.

More possibilities

  • Cooking with gas recipes

    25/10/2020
    Here are some great recipe ideas if you're cooking with gas. And if you're not, this might just inspire you to get your home connected! Borrowed from one of NZ's favourite chefs, Nadia Lim, find out how to cook rice to perfection and whip up an easy-peasy flatbread.
  • Clever kitchen creations

    01/05/2019

    Embrace the power of natural gas in your kitchen and become the culinary guru you’ve always dreamed of being. Gas hobs are fast, hot, and precise. Cook at low temperatures for the perfect melted chocolate, or crank it up instantly to sear a succulent steak.