Home cooks might have to say goodbye to the satisfying "click, click whoosh" of their stovetop burners igniting courtesy of a ban on gas stoves proposed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Some states and cities have already restricted natural gas hookups for newly built homes in an effort to reduce greenhouse emissions, and now, research suggests the appliances are responsible for an uptick in childhood asthma diagnoses. The CPSC aims to address the indoor pollution caused by gas stoves by eliminating them from households altogether. President Joe Biden says he doesn't favor a ban on gas stoves.
Take it or leave it. When it comes to cooking, gas is superior to electric stove 🤷🏾♀️
— Kemi Owonibi (@KemiOwonibi) January 10, 2023
Don't, worry, the climate will be fine 🙄.
But to even consider a ban on gas stove is literally a sin against humanity 😂
Widespread use of gas stoves in the U.S. began in the early 1900s and they remain a popular choice — about 40% of U.S. households use a gas appliance for cooking. Natural gas and propane can be more affordable to operate than electric stoves, and many home chefs prefer to cook with the open flame of a gas stovetop. Eliminating these appliances could also mean higher electric bills. Electric ranges use 1.9 kilowatts of electricity an hour, equating to about 22 cents every 60 minutes, according to GoBankingRates. Home chefs who spend three hours cooking with an electric range each day can expect to add about $20 to their monthly electric bills.
If you do end up making the switch to electric from gas, opting for an electric induction range or cooktop is one way to save — induction stoves are 5%-10% more efficient than conventional electric stoves, according to Consumer Reports. But induction models typically carry higher prices than standard electric coil or smooth stovetops and require compatible pots and pans (stainless steel and cast iron rather than aluminum).
If a ban on gas stoves were to take effect, federal help is available to help defray the cost of switching to an electric stove, range, or cooktop. The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act provides a rebate of up to $840 for an electric stove or other electric appliances and up to $500 to assist with the costs of converting to electricity from gas.
