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Ok. let's split the difference.

A gas oven has to have an exhaust vent to allow products of combustion to leave so that fresh oxygen-laden air can get in to support the gas combustion flames.

Perhaps from the vent on a gas stove all of this muck comes out and pollutes the kitchen so. An electic oven has a much much smaller vent (1" round hole with a mesh cover) and basically only for moisture and pressure build-up prevention.

Went to Florida (where most cooking is electric) and saw many many popcorn ceilings, even in the kitchen. I asked about how those get painted. My freinds were ina 25 y.o. house and they said the ceiling had never been had never been painted. (They actually asked why you'd paint a ceiling!!!)

Now, in the house I grew up in with gas cooking, and there was an exhaust fan that was over the stove. It was "on" most of the time. The room needed to be painted every 5 years, even with thorough scub-downs and degreasing twice per year.

....And my mother did not fry anything. Broil, roast, bake, braise or simmer.
 
It has just been from my own personal experience that I would have to agree with Steve. We changed over to an electric stove when I was about 8 and I remember my mom being amazed that she only had to wash the kitchen walls down once a year and they really weren't bad then. Before she always did them two or three times each year. Cooking habits hadn't change only the fuel so who knows. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

Terry
 
gas/electric changeover

"We changed over to an electric stove when I was about 8"

Why was there a switchover?

Was it a fixed heat range or an infinite heat range? And how did your Mom adjust to cooking on it? Did she have any trouble?
 
Every person I've known who has had a gas stove in the kitchen has also had the yellowing factor on the walls and ceiling, however these people have also lived in older homes with smallish kitchens, not in an open concept house. Maybe that makes the difference with the better circulation.
 
Was the change-over to get a self-cleaning oven? They were made electric decades before being availavble in gas.

BTW => glass-top / smooth-top/ vitro-ceram electrics blow coil units out of the water when it comes to looks, convenience, and IMHO cooking ease. Also, I believe the heat is distributed better to the cooking vessel.
 
Around here (in gas cooking land) kitchens were painted yellow for years.

Bright and cheery, and yellow film on yellow shows up less.

Perhaps this is why one-foot tall soffits came down off the ceiling to which cabinets were mounted. Not only from an ergonomics perspective of keeing the cabinets in range of reach, but a smooth wall is easier to clean than cabinets.
 
Kenmore1978, One of my mom's sisters had an electric range and loved it. My mom thought it would be easier to clean and of course it was. She took to it right from the start. Loved the fact that you could control the burner heat easier. Terry
 
....and yet others insist that with electic cooktops is it actually harder to adjust the heat.

Proving once again, everyone gives weight to ceratin advantages over certain diadvantages whenever they may be when making a choice/decision.
 
I have also heard the same story, that gas stoves were easier to cook on than electric. My grandmother in the early 50's had her Kitchen re-done and had an electric sotve put in with the deep-well and two ovens. My mom told me she hated that stove and it was the last electric she had. My mom always had gas I learned to cook on them and up until 1984 I always had a gas stove. When we bought our house I did not care what was in it as I was planning on replacing it if needed. The house came with a mid to late 70's electric GE P7 self-cleaning range. I had no problem using it, never burned anything and used it the same way I did the gas stove. I heard stories from people i know that switched to electric, of always starting out on high and burning, boiling over and totaly destroying food. I never had a problem. I have progressed to the smooth top and yes they are fantastic. I never use the hi heat unless I am heating water to boil pasta. I know that to cook potatoes I can set the left front burner on #6 and never get a boilover and keep checking for doneness in 20 minutes. It is easy to learn the characteristics of the surface usits and which pot or pan works well on each one. They clean up just like wiping off your countertop. The never ovens do not self clean as well but its still better than easy-off and elbow grease. A GE repair guy told me becasue of the govermental safety rules, the glass doors can only get so hot so they had to lower the temperature of the selfcleaning feature. LIke any machine you have to adapt to the characteristics of the type of stove you are using. I have it here at work with computers. People get intimidated by a new computer and the first time something does not go thier way, the computer is junk and they are no good. They tend to be that way with thier appliances also.

Mike
 
Cooking on electric is just like cooking on gas IMHO-
Start on high, till something boils or sizzles. Then switch to medium. Come back in 2 to 3 minutes and adjust up or down from there.

VOILA.

Oh and yes, I agree with Mike once you know which food go on what number and on which surface element on an electric model, it is all very easy.

Oh and I DO cheat by the way, my new set of flat-bottomed pots have a glass cover.. I get to see the action.

I personally would never go back to gas again.
 
IMHO those who say they hate electric have never had it.

My 75 y.o. grandmother-in-law (who had gas cooking in NYC for 30+ years) retired in a place with electric cooking.

She went from electric (for many years) to propane when her first stove died. Reason cited: Blackouts.

She hated it so much that she quickly went back to electric. Reasons cited:

Faster
Cooler
Safer
Cleaner (to kitchen)
Cleaner (Easer to keep the stove itself clean.)

Not my opinion..hers.
 
I have to agree, for the most part those that think they don't like electric cooking have never tried it. Once you get use to the stove and its settings it's a snap. The cooktop on an electric range is IMHO so much easier to keep clean and I look forward to the day when I have a smooth top as that will be even easier. Terry
 
gas/electric cooking

I grew up with both. We had gas until I was about 12 yrs old, and I already knew how to cook by then. We switched to electric and used electric until 1994, when a four day power outage, brought by a heavy snowstorm, and a need for a new stove sent us out the first day the roads were open to buy a gas range. The "new" one is Caloric, with self-cleaning oven. I would NEVER switch back to electric unless forced to do so by a move or a shortage of natural gas. IMHO, gas is much easier to control, and I have no problems with gas making things gummy or yellow. However, I will concede that a gas stove or oven makes the kitchen much hotter than electric.
 
...I must admit, I too have a gas stove as well for black-outs and for guest chefs who come over to help and have never used electric.

Then of course gas has other advantages, such as being able to handle odd or large or uneven-bottomed pots. Or for reducing jucies from a roasting pan right in the pan....or for preheating a covered granny roaster (oval, black procelain speckled).

But the best one is..... survey says.... [and this one proves my mother is anal retentive.....]

to singe the hairs/feathers off of a chicken or turkey, right in the flame.

Does it get better than that?
 

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