The Biggest Mistakes You Are Making With Your Gas Stove Top

In 2020, electric stoves were the preferred choice in the U.S., with only 38% of households opting to use natural gas, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Despite these numbers, gas stoves continue to have a loyal following among home chefs. The main advantage of gas stoves over their electric counterparts is the use of a real flame, which provides more control during cooking. Gas stovetops also heat up in an instant, enabling you to start cooking immediately after the burner is lit, without having to wait for the element to preheat.

While gas stoves feature plenty of benefits, the news isn't all positive. If not used appropriately, gas cooktops can lead to accidental burns, gas leaks, and carbon monoxide poisoning. They are also harder to clean than electric stovetops. More specifically, it's trickier to keep gas stove burners and grates free of food debris and grease than the smooth surfaces of electric ovens.

Gas cooktops can be a great asset in the kitchen, but they can also be dangerous if not handled with care. To help you get the most out of your appliance, here is our roundup of the biggest mistakes people make with their gas stovetops.

Just like any other kitchen appliance that gets a lot of use, a gas stovetop should be cleaned on a regular basis to maintain its efficiency. Not only are greasy cooktops unsightly, but the accumulation of food debris and grime can become more difficult to remove as time goes by. In the worst case scenario, stains and spills can even lead to clogged burners. As such, it's best to wipe any messes straight after cooking.

Unfortunately, a gas stovetop is more difficult to deep clean than its electric counterpart since it doesn't feature a smooth surface. Gas cooktops have multiple parts, including burner grates and caps, that need to be removed and cleaned separately. While the job may seem manageable, it's best to consult your stove's manual before taking the appliance apart.

As a rule of thumb, to clean the grates, either wipe them down with a wet cloth or wash them with dish soap in the sink. It's also important to periodically check under the burner caps to see if they need cleaning. If required, remove the caps and clean them with a damp cloth. You can also use a toothbrush to clean any stray crumbs from the burner slots. Be sure to dry all the stovetop parts before reassembling the appliance.

Gas stoves can produce harmful pollutants, such as formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, benzene, and nitrogen dioxide. These emissions can pose serious health risks, such as respiratory issues, and can even lead to death. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is considering imposing stricter standards on gas stoves, which could one day lead to a nationwide ban. To reduce the risks associated with gas stoves, it's important to make sure that your kitchen is appropriately ventilated each time you fire up the appliance.

Many of us only turn on our range hood when cooking something particularly greasy or smoky. In fact, it's crucial to turn on your kitchen exhaust fan every time you light up your gas stove — even if you're only preparing a light meal. The range hood isn't there just to remove odors, but also to suck up hazardous substances from the air. For best results, turn the fan exhaust on a few minutes before cooking to promote airflow and keep it on for several minutes after you have prepared your meal to remove any remaining emissions.

Not all range hoods are created equal, with the models that vent the air outdoors being preferable to ones that merely filter and recirculate air. In addition, range hoods are more effective at removing emissions from the back burners, so prioritize cooking on the back section of the stovetop whenever possible. Finally, be sure to open a window or door for additional ventilation.

Although we may not give this much thought on an everyday basis, each of the four burners on a gas stove has a specific function. Usually located at the front, the largest burner, also known as the power burner, is built for boiling water and searing meats. The power burner has been placed at the front of the appliance for easy access and to minimize the risk associated with reaching over a large open flame to access the other burners. Also called the simmer burner, the smallest burner is built for low-flame cooking. Finally, the other two medium burners are all-purpose burners that can be used for a variety of cooking tasks.

To cook efficiently, it's important to use appropriately sized pots and pans on each burner. After all, there is little point in heating up a huge pot of beef stew on the simmer burner. Placing small cookware on small burners and large cookware on large burners isn't just going to save you time, it will also reduce your electricity bill. Last but not least, to keep yourself and your family safe, always ensure that pot and pan handles are facing inward rather than sticking out over the edge of the cooktop.

One of the greatest things about gas stoves — and the reason so many people prefer them to electric stoves — is the level of temperature control they offer. While electric stoves take time to heat up and cool down, the heat adjustment on gas stoves is pretty much instant. This said, it's important not to misuse this power by cranking up the flame only to end up with a burnt dish.

High heat isn't always better than low heat. For instance, some recipes require that you bring water to a boil before turning down the heat to low and adding other ingredients. Overusing high heat can also damage your cookware, particularly pans with delicate non-stick coating. If you do happen to burn your pots and pans, check out our article on how to clean your cookware using sugar cubes.

Gas stoves cook using an open flame. When everything is functioning properly, this flame should be blue in color, indicating a good fuel to oxygen ratio. A blue flame also means that your cooktop is safe to use. On the other hand, a yellow, orange, or red flame may be harmless or it could be a sign that your stovetop may need to be serviced or even replaced.

One reason for a change in the flame color on your stovetop is excess moisture in the air. For instance, if you are using a humidifier, turning it off might very well correct the situation. However, it's important to remember that flame color changes on your gas hobs are not always so benign. Color shifts can be a sign of incomplete combustion, which can cause the emission of carbon monoxide — a deadly gas that can cause headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and even death. One of the most common causes of incomplete combustion is the buildup of calcium or other debris inside the burners.

Unlike many other kitchen appliances, gas stovetops can pose a safety risk if not maintained and serviced. This is because they use gas to produce an open flame. As such, any leaks can lead to an accumulation of carbon monoxide, which can be potentially fatal. A buildup of carbon monoxide leaks can also result in explosions if they come in contact with an open flame.

If you are using a gas stove, it's important to watch for any potential signs of problems. For instance, if you find it difficult to spark a flame, your ignition might be out of order. Similarly, a yellow, orange, or red flame may be an indication of incomplete combustion, and a potential gas leak. Other warning signs include lack of temperature control and strange odors. While in its natural state gas is odorless, manufacturers scent it for safety reasons. This added scent is usually highly unpleasant, resembling the smell of rotten eggs or sulfur. If you notice any of these issues, it's crucial to stop using the appliance immediately and contact a professional.

According to The National Fire Protection Association, kitchen mishaps are the main cause of fires and fire-related injuries in the home. Fires associated with the use of ranges or cooktops make up more than half of home cooking fires. Therefore, when it comes to gas stoves, turning off the burners once your meal is ready is one of the most important parts of the cooking process.

Unlike some electric burners, which turn off automatically when the cookware is removed, gas burners don't have an automatic shut-off function. This means that the flame will keep going indefinitely, creating a potentially dangerous situation. In the worst case scenario, it might go out accidentally due to drafts or spills, leaking gas inside your home without a visible flame. In this case, you are risking carbon monoxide poisoning or worse. To avoid any problems, switch off all gas burners as soon as you are done cooking.

There are also other precautions you can take to reduce the risk of fires. Never keep any objects that don't need to be there on or near the stovetop, even if the appliance isn't in use. These include plastic containers, kitchen towels, and wooden utensils. It's also a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher in close proximity to a gas stove. Never attempt to put out a gas stove fire with water. Fires involving gas stoves feature a Class B designation, meaning that they can vaporize water instantly, increasing the risk of steam burns.

While gas stoves can be trickier to maintain than electric ranges, they are also more versatile. The open flame allows the use of cooking techniques that just aren't possible on an electric stove. One of these is roasting. For instance, charring peppers, eggplants, and other vegetables over the open flame can impart them with a delicious smoky flavor. Additionally, you can warm breads such as roti and chapati directly over the flame. That said, it's important to keep an eye on your food, as the direct heat of a naked flame can burn it quickly if left unattended.

If you plan on adding stovetop charring to your regular cooking repertoire, it pays to invest in a mesh rack that can be placed over the stove burners and grates. Alternatively, you can turn your gas stove into a smoker using a large pot, a colander, wood chips, and foil. Simply place foil-wrapped soaked wood chips inside a pot lined with foil. Place the food inside the colander and pop it inside the pot before covering the whole setup with a lid.

One of the greatest differences between gas and electric stovetops is the fact that the former heats up in an instant. While this is ideal if you want to bring a pot of water to the boil, stir-fry some veggies, or achieve a quick sear on your steak, it also means that you need to have your ingredients ready when you fire up the burner. Whether you are chopping vegetables or measuring herbs and spices, it's best to have everything prepped and at an arm's length before turning on the burner. This isn't as crucial with electric stovetops since they take longer to heat up.

If you don't have your ingredients fully prepared and fire up a gas stove, you might find yourself in a rush to gather all that you need together. Since it won't take long for the pan to heat up, it may overheat if left on the burner for too long. This, in turn, means that you risk overcooking or even burning your ingredients. Therefore, always read each recipe carefully and ensure that you are on top of all the necessary prep work before lighting the burner.

Even if you follow a recipe to a T, skipping a few simple meat preparation steps can mean the difference between a satisfying meal and a culinary failure. While this may prove difficult for the impatient — or the very hungry — meat should never be cooked cold. Cooking meat that's just been taken out of the refrigerator is likely to lead to unevenly cooked food. Instead, for best results, let the meat come to room temperature by taking it out of the refrigerator around half an hour before placing it in the pan. This is especially important if you are preparing it on a gas stovetop, which heats up the cookware very quickly.

Aside from giving meat time to reach room temperature, there are several other measures you can take to improve the flavor of the final dish. One of these is not overcrowding the pan, which can lead to food that's overcooked at the bottom and undercooked on top. A simple solution to this problem is cooking the meat in batches or sautéing it in two pans. Finally, always pat the meat dry with a paper towel before cooking it in a pan, as this will help to achieve a better sear and prevent any dangerous oil splatters.