Many chefs prefer gas ovens for their faster heat-up times and better moisture retention, especially when cooking meats. However, for baking, electric ovens are often favored because of their even heat distribution.
Convection ovens are one of the most common pieces of commercial bakery equipment. They do a great job of quickly baking, using internal fans to circulate the air and create even browning.
2 Answers 2 Electric is generally better for baking. Gas ovens introduce a bit of water vapor due to the combustion of the gas. In general, electric ovens also have smaller variations in temperature during the oven cycle than gas, and so maintain a more even heat.
If you asked someone at random—especially a professional chef—whether they prefer gas or electric stoves, chances are they'd say gas. Cooking is a precise art, and gas stoves offer the kind of control you need to get your dishes just right.
For baking cakes at home, a convection oven is generally considered the best option. This is because convection ovens use a fan to circulate hot air, which results in more even and consistent baking. The hot air surrounds the food on all sides, ensuring that it is cooked evenly from top to bottom.
Every oven setting has its own unique cooking and heating properties, which will have different effects on how a bake turns out. Conventional heating is great for cakes, while fan-assisted convection (specifically the mode in combination with conventional heating) is better suited for cookies, brownies and blondies.
Convection Ovens: These ovens have fans that circulate hot air, ensuring even heat distribution and faster baking times. The constant movement of air reduces hot spots and allows for multi-rack baking. This makes them ideal for baking cookies, pastries, and other items that require uniform browning.
Electric ranges are overall more environmentally friendly since natural gas extraction and delivery methods tend to come from more harmful sources - two-thirds of natural gas in the United States is produced by fracking. Electric stoves are also better for indoor air quality.
We do know that, overall, electric stoves directly generate lower levels of airborne contaminants. This reduces a potential exposure hazard and associated health risk. If you're replacing your stove/oven anyway, electric is likely a better choice both for better indoor air quality and the general environment.
Electric ovens take longer to heat up than gas, requiring longer cooking times. It also takes time to adjust the temperature of electric ovens, making it hard to switch between different types of cooking.
It's also easy to look past an electric oven burner that was accidentally left on. The safety concerns of gas ovens include open flames and potential gas leaks. Gas leaks have the potential to cause fires and explosions while putting you at risk of natural gas poisoning, like carbon monoxide.
Disadvantages of an Electric Oven
As noted earlier, electric ovens can take a long time to heat up, extending the cooking time by potentially up to 30 minutes. It also retains its heat for a long period of time, making adjusting temperature tricky at times.
In gas ovens, clogged burners can lead to uneven heating and hot spots, which cause food to cook unevenly or burn. Burner Basics: Burners can become clogged with food debris and grease, affecting their performance. Regular Cleaning: Inspect and clean your burners to ensure they're free of debris.
Martha loves the sensible design of the Viking oven with French doors. It opens easily with one hand—and prevents any chance of burning her elbows on a pulled-down door.
Convection bake is best used for recipes that could benefit from the even heat distribution of hot air circulated throughout the oven via the fan and exhaust system.
In conclusion, both convection and conventional ovens can be great for baking cookies, depending on the type of cookie you're making and your personal preferences. Convection ovens are great for thin and crispy cookies, while conventional ovens are better for thicker and chewier cookies.
Do chefs prefer gas or electric appliances? Generally speaking, chefs prefer gas appliances for several reasons. Mind you, induction units win on many of these fronts, but adoption is slow due to costs and learning curves.
Switching from gas to electric can lower bills in the long term. But the process can be confusing – and expensive. Many of our homes rely on fossil fuels for heating and cooking, which contribute to 10% of carbon emissions nationwide.
Gas burners heat up quickly and cool down rapidly, which means less energy is wasted during the cooking process. Additionally, gas is often less expensive than electricity in many areas, further contributing to its energy efficiency.
Are natural gas appliances being phased out? While gas appliances are not yet being phased out nationwide, some states such as California have pledged to reduce reliance on gas-fuel appliances such as stoves, heaters, and water heaters by 2030 to help improve air quality.
Research over many years has shown that gas-burning stoves release volatile compounds in the air that are harmful to humans. A recent study linking gas stoves to childhood asthma raises more concerns. The study found that gas stoves are linked to more than 12 percent of childhood asthma cases in the United States.
Both gas and electric ranges have advantages, depending on what and how you cook. Gas ranges offer more responsive heat control for switching between searing meats or stir-frying veggies, while the dry, even heat of electric range ovens may work better for certain baked goods.
What are the three most essential baking tools for any home baker? Durable baking sheets, a measuring tool (electric scale or measuring cup set), and a heat-resistant spatula will take you far as a home baker.
Combination Oven
More commonly called combi ovens or combi steamers, these are generally the most advanced and powerful cooking appliances in the professional kitchen. Combi ovens cook using steam, convection or a combination of both.