Going Green in the Kitchen

So it’s time to replace your stovetop and you want to make an environmentally conscious decision. Should you go with a gas, electric or induction stove? Let’s break it down.

Gas stoves are favored by many cooks because they heat quickly and precisely. Supporters long touted natural gas as a more efficient, cleaner fuel than coal and other fossil fuels used to power electric stoves, although the combustion is happening right there in your kitchen, increasing your indoor pollution. Moreover, a January 2022 Stanford University study revealed that gas stoves leak methane even when they’re off, with as much as 80% of emissions occurring when the stove isn’t in use. The facilities that extract and supply the gas also leak methane into the environment, increasing the negative impact.

Electric stovetops are the most common. They work by heating up burners, either metal coils or glassceramic smooth tops depending on the model. They take longer to heat up than gas stoves, but Consumer Reports finds the performance of modern electric models is generally equal to or better than their gas counterparts. Plus, there’s no combustion (or gas leaks) happening inside your house. Environmentally speaking, their main impact happens in the power plant providing the electricity. American cities are mostly powered by fossil fuels, often including natural gas, but advocates point out that electric stoves don’t care what the electricity source is. An electric stove drawing from solar or wind power would be far more efficient than any gas stove.

Induction stovetops represent the third major type. They are also powered by electricity, but rather than using burners, induction stovetops use electromagnets to transfer energy directly into the cookware, which in turn heats the food. The cooking surface never gets hot, so induction units are safer than traditional stovetops and produce no emissions in the home. They heat very quickly and consistently while requiring far less power than either gas or traditional electric stoves. The main drawback is the price factor. Induction units typically cost far more than other models. Additionally, induction only works with certain cookware – namely, cookware containing enough iron or other ferrous metals to absorb the current and produce heat. That said, continuing innovations in the technology and increasing adoption is expected to lower prices for induction stoves, making them a more viable option for home cooks.

So there you have it. Induction stovetops are the most environmentally friendly option – if you can afford one and don’t mind potentially replacing some cookware. Otherwise, your best bet for keeping it green is to go electric – and to keep up the pressure to adopt renewable energy