One of the most common doubts about kitchens is whether to buy an electric or gas cook top. Both cooktop options have their own advantages and disadvantages, and to choose one, you need to have your priorities. Over the past few years, the most important criteria when looking to buy a cooktop, people think about which is a greener option, the electric or gas cook tops?

One third of our total household energy is burned up in the kitchen and in the laundry room, since heavy-duty appliances are used there, known for consuming a lot of electrical energy. Dishwashers, dryers and refrigerators are some of the highest electrical energy consumers, especially when used on a daily basis. Actually, refrigerators consume the most electricity of all kitchen appliances. But one common kitchen fixture is commonly not mentioned in high-consumers lists. How much of an electrical energy do the cook tops consume?

There are no energy use standards for these units that we use to cook foods. Even though their percent of the energy consumed at homes is insignificant, it is important to go for the greener option. Compared to the consumption of other kitchen appliances, the gas cook tops generate only a slice of the total household carbon emissions. Because of this reason, people do not pay a lot attention on minimizing the carbon emissions and make their purchase decision based on other factors.

But do electric and gas cook tops have significant differences? Gas cook tops provide an instant heat and cookers have a great control over the temperatures, so they are much more efficient in terms of energy consumption than electric cooktops. Once you turn on a gas stove, there is an instant flame, while electric cooktops require some time to heat up and cool down. Additionally, the newer models of gas cook tops use an innovative electric ignition instead of continually-burning pilot light, which uses over 40% less gas.

However, gas cook tops are not entirely environmentally perfect as well, because they are hooked up to natural gas pipelines that releases hazardous gases in the environment. If you are in the market for a new cooktop and you want to reduce the generation of carbon emissions from your household, you should consider one that works on gas. The gas is known as a cleaner energy source over the last decade and is a preferred option for self-producing green energy and generating renewable energy.

Aside from cook tops, there are other kitchen appliances that can reduce the consumption of energy and costs. One of the cheapest and most energy-efficient cooking appliances is the microwave, which uses only 2/3 of the power that electric ovens consume.