Gas or induction, but skip plain old electric. You won't go back!

Can you (or someone) explain why? What is the big draw to gas?

Actually go with induction over gas. There are lots of threads on this forum extolling the advantages of induction.

Since you have a choice do the gas! The cost is one reason, and for a cooktop you can't beat cooking with gas, the ability to control the heat is reason two.

As Fori says, induction has lots of advantages over gas and electric. It changes temperature more quickly, it can heat water to a boil amazingly quickly, it doesn't heat up the cooking surface, it is by far the easiest to clean, etc. I have cooked on all three and would never willingly switch back to gas (radiant electric wouldn't even be worth considering now that induction is so readily available).

Lots of great induction threads on here to read before making a choice.

Gas is fun because it has fire. I've had all 3 and electric is not much fun. Induction is precise and easy to clean. Currently I have a gas range, just because. Last remodel it was induction. Both good, both easy to clean, although induction much more so. (And some gas ranges are harder to clean than others.)

The oven way down low is a bit of a pain, but at least it's a BIG oven.

I would go with gas. It is great to cook using gas! I cooked on electric in my current home for several years until recently. I had a gas line run to my home and purchased a dual fuel range.

Induction is a choice worth becoming familiar with. It's very safe if kids are around. It doesn't heat up a room in the summer because of much less waste heat. That quality leads to less exhaust hood capacity needed also. It doesn't bake spills onto the surface or the bottom of your pans. Cleanup is soap and a paper towel. Or you can just put a paper towel right under the pan while you cook. A good induction slide-in to look at is the Bosch Benchmark at AJ Madison or Designer Appliances. Miele offers steam with a water line hook-up and infinite adjustment with knobs on their model.

caroleannboyle--

Were you hoping that there would be a simple answer? No such luck. I think that there is more to consider than just an abstract choice between gas or electric --- or induction or dual fuel.

For example, saying you are planning on a freestanding range implies you are not considering slide-in ranges. Slide-ins do tend to be more expensive that the freestanding versions. (The basic differences are that slide-ins will have all oven and burner controls in front with no backsplash/riser at the rear and many of them will have some overhang on the sides above the counters. Almost all major brand freestanding gas ranges and dual-fuel ranges have the burner controls down front and the oven controls on the backsplash/oven vent. Almost all electric ranges have all the controls on the backsplash. The exceptions being GE's "Artisan" line seems to put everything down front on the electric ranges as well as the gas ones.)

Budget is also a consideration. Dan mentioned the Miele induction slide-in (Miele 1622i, I think) . it is a wonderful stove. If you had space limitations but no budget limitations, you might find it very interesting as an option for an electric range. But priced at $7k, it is well beyond the budgets of many of us.

WIth a budget in the range of, say, $3k to $4k range, you could get a lot of discussion here (as has started) comparing and contrasting the pros and cons of say, the very sleek and spiffy looking Bosch HIIP054 slide-in induction range ($3100+) with a Blue-Star RCS pro-style gas stove ($3500 +/-) and maybe throwing something else into the mix like the GE Cafe electric, dual fuel and/or all-gas ranges ($2500 to $3000, depending.) Some of those who post here regard what they do with these kinds of stoves as "ordinary family cooking." Others might not.

If you are planning on a stove budget of, say, $2k, the mix of tradeoffs and choices will change some. You may get different sets of pros and cons for choosing between the gas versus electric versus induction versus dual fuel ranges that are available in that price range.

If you are planning on a $1k budget -- and I do not mean to suggest that there is anything wrong with that ---- some different considerations will apply. For one thing, we won't be talking induction ranges any more. The least expensive induction range that I know of is a Frigidare whose price fluctuates between $1300 and $1500 depending on when and from whom you buy it. In the $1k that price range, there still will be some tradeoffs between the gas stoves and electric stoves and those might or might no matter to you.

Some other considerations. Do you live in a warm or hot climate. Will you have an externally venting range hood or OTR?

wow! You are all so helpful and knowledgeable!

Looks like I am going with gas! Induction sounds so great, but is out of our price range for a range! This whole remodeling thing can quickly get out of hand spending money! Everything seems like a "must" -- so must prioritize :)

>>>"The advantage of using gas is that all burners can go up to their full potential. This is not possible with electric."<<<

Say what?

I have loved every gas stove I've ever had. I hated my one glass top electric because it cooked so slow and unevenly. Have never had induction so I can't comment on that. I'd go for the gas...

Well the Goat's milk would not burn onto the cooktop, should it accidentally spill onto an induction cooktop, where as, should "said goat's milk" spill onto a gas or conventional cooktop, you and that burned goat's milk will be on a "first name basis", before it departs the scene, (even with vigorous scrubbing). Where as with the induction cooktop, one kwik swipe and it's gone, or if you lined the induction cooktop with paper towels b 4, heating the goat's milk, well, You just simply toss the towel in the trash!

Unsigned

Looks like we'll be cooking no with gas!
Induction sounds interesting, but as I am not a cook -- more of a "we have to eat, so we have to cook" kind, induction sounds 1. Too expensive. The actual oven is $$$$ and buying a lot of new pans etc is even more $$$$ and 2. Too much of a learning curve for someone who doesn't really like to cook :)

Oh, don't give up so quickly! Induction has really come down in price. I have been cooking on a single burner induction hotplate while my kitchen is being done. Love, love, love it. I was making pasta and as is typical of me, I let it boil over. Guess what? No mess. Took a cloth and it wiped up instantly. Made some bacon the other day and splatters were also easier to clean. That's my kind of cooking! Sears regularly has its cookware 70% off, I've picked up some pieces from HomeSense at great prices and of course all my cast iron works like a charm. Learning curve? Not really. It really is very easy.