I have always had electrical cooktops and I am looking at switching to a Gas cooktop. Are they safe? I have 2 boys under 5 and I am worried that they could turn the knobs around and cause a gas leak? Is that a valid concern or is there a safety mechanism that will not let this situation occur? I would like a stainless steel gas cooktop. Are they easy to clean?
I have had both back and forth over the last 10 or so years and I'll take gas hands down over electric... it heats up faster, cools off faster and if you're concerned about the knobs, take them off. :)
I love cooking with a gas range; and I've had both kinds. You can be specific about where the knobs are located on your range-top. They can vary. In fact, the one I own now is an electric ignition. So, you have to hold the knob down and turn it, then listen as it clicks to light the flame, almost immediately. It's so handy!
Yes, the stainless steel is easy to clean. So get the one you want and enjoy.
My opinion is GAS! They don't use electric at restaurants, in Hell's Kitchen, on Martha Stewart or on Iron Chef.... and there's a reason. Gas is better for controlling temperature. We moved here and had electric but I changed it within weeks.
This is the first gas cooktop that I have had and I LOVE it! It heats up so much faster and it is really easy to clean. The knobs on our cooktop are on one side of the stove (up on the counter), so my 2 year old is not able to reach them. You have to push them down and turn them.
For my gas stove, I was able to get little plastic baby proofing disks that slipped under the knobs, so they could not be turned on by little hands. In the end, I found my daughter could not really reach the knobs, and removing the disks was too much hassle for me. (If I knew where they were, you could just have them!) I do have a shield attached to the counter in the front of my stove so that my daughters cannot reach the actual burners. I had this company help me with baby proofing-- they are great!
http://www.smallworldbabyproofing.com/
Good luck!
A.
I was scared of my gas top when we first moved into the house. I rarely used it & now I use more than my microwave.
I have no clue why but I use to make my daughter's bottles next to it. 2am I woke up to make a bottle & accidently spilt the water over the top & all I heard was a clicking noise. Boy did I freak! Called the Gas co. & she said that is what it does to dry itself out. *lol* Then my husband came home around 4am & was freaking out (because I failed to leave a note about what happened). *LOL*
But I will NEVER give up my gas stove top. I normally use the back burners just so my daughters don't go near the flames. But once you turn them off it's just a matter of seconds for the burner to cool down compared to an electrical cooktop. Plus you can regulate temperatures a whole lot better.
If either of your children (or yourself or husband) has asthma, allergies or chemical sensitivies, then gas is not a good idea as it does add some additional toxins to your indoor air that the electric does not.
i love my gas top and I have two small kids, we have a model which can lock out the gas from coming out even if the knobs are turned. It is a whirlpool accubake
