Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Michelin Star chef to understand that cooking with gas allows you better control over heat and the cooking process. With gas, food can be heated quickly, or with a flick of the switch, you can stop food from burning. Gas ovens also create a small amount of water vapour which can help to stop food from drying out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there are so many gas cook tops and gas ovens to choose from, where do you start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Might be an obvious statement, but think about the way you cook now and if that’s likely to change in the coming years. Your new gas oven and cooktop will be a long-term friend, so planning ahead always helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have an idea of how your household cooks \u2013 whether it’s baking, frying, grilling or roasting, knowing how you’ll use your kitchen appliances will help you weigh up the value of different features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Measure the space you have available for your cooktop or oven and make sure you choose a capacity and shape that fits your kitchen. Consider how many burners you’ll need on a cooktop and the sizes that suit the pots and pans you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Built-in ovens can be installed separately to a cooktop in a wall recess or under a bench. Free-standing units include both an oven and cooktop, and can be handy in smaller kitchens. Also consider what finish suits your home (e.g. white, black, coloured or stainless steel).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buttons should be easy to read and feature a pointer which clearly indicates the setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure you select a cooktop and oven that are easy to clean, without fiddly areas where spills and crumbs can get trapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Always the final decider \u2013 even if you want that mega oven, can you afford the maintenance and ongoing bills?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you’ve got a good idea of what best suits your cooking style, home and budget, what else do you need to consider?<\/p>\n\n\n\n