In the kitchens of the most important restaurants in our country you will always find gas hobs. Chefs prefer them over other alternatives as widespread in our homes such as vitroceramics, and it is not by chance.
Gas hobs allow us heat up faster what we put on the fire and later regulate the heat in a simple way. They are the only ones, moreover, that present visible flames, a fact that transmits a certain insecurity to some and a certain romanticism to others.
These furnishing your kitchen and you don't know what type of «fires» use? In order to help you make up your mind today as well as show you the advantages and disadvantages of gas hobs, we emphasize what are the characteristics to pay attention to during your purchase.
Advantages and disadvantages
Gas hobs feature numerous advantages compared to other alternatives, but also some drawbacks. Among their advantages, the most important is, probably, the speed with which they heat up. And among the drawbacks? Two are the most worrying: on the one hand, security; on the other, efficiency.
Advantages
- Heats up quickly and it is easy to regulate the heat.
- The price of gas it is lower than that of electric power.
- Numerous containers can be used.
- La obvious flame makes it difficult to get burned on contact, forgetting to put out the fire, etc.
Drawbacks
- Su cleaning is more complicated than that of glass ceramics.
- La placement of pans and pans requires attention.
- El use of gas always involves certain risks.
- It is a system not very efficient with respect to others.
Determining characteristics for your choice
Once we have decided that we want a gas hob in our kitchen, what is the next step? Before starting to buy a gas hob, it is essential reflect on our needs, as well as being clear about what security systems we must require of this.
Butane gas vs Natural Gas
Butane gas or natural gas? This was a decision that many faced a few years ago and that, however, today, few question. The use of butane has been decreasing, mainly because it is an impractical product. Let's see why.
- Butane gas. Butane gas hobs are cheaper. Despite this, in recent years they have lost popularity. Why? Probably due to the inconvenience of having to replace the cylinders often and the need to be at home at the time of service to avoid picking them up by car and carrying them home. If you still opt for this type of gas, remember to follow the safety instructions and pass periodic reviews to make sure that the entire system is in perfect condition.
- Natural gas. Although the price range between the different gas hobs is wide, a gas hob is always more expensive than a butane one. The great benefit is that it is not necessary to use a cylinder, so it is more comfortable. Reason why practically all the gas cookers that are installed today are natural gas.
Number of fires
Do you cook daily? For how many people? What is the size of your kitchen? What budget do you have? To decide the number of fires for your gas hob, it is interesting to ask yourself these and other questions. Gas hobs have between 2 and 5 fires, normally, and the number of fires is one of the key factors in determining its price.
For one or two people, two fires may be enough. Families of three or more who cook daily and receive guests, meanwhile, usually require a minimum of three fires, one of them large. The most common are, without a doubt, those with four fires in which they are combined fires of different sizes.
Security
Gas cookers, unlike vitroceramics they have the visible flame. This makes it difficult for us to forget to put out the fire or to burn ourselves from lowering our guard. However, it also aggravates the fear of leaving the gas open or causing an incident.
However, avoiding accidents is easy if we buy countertops with certain security systems. The most complete models currently have a self-ignition device and incorporate a security system («gas stop») which cuts off the gas flow if the flame goes out for any reason. This is something very interesting and it is worth spending more money for it if that way we can cook with complete peace of mind, don't you think? If we also have children in the house or pets, these systems become even more necessary.
As you have seen, gas hobs are a great alternative in our kitchens. In addition to being the system chosen by chefs for their kitchens (for a reason) they are today a secure system for the whole family, especially if the necessary measures are taken and a quality gas hob is purchased.
And you, what system do you use to cook? Why? What led you to opt for that type of countertop and not another? Let us know!