When our old gas stove broke a second time, right after repairing it, we decided enough was enough. And then came our induction cooktop. Photo courtesy of Shannon Laun.
When my family moved to Connecticut in 2020, we were excited to have a house surrounded by trees and plenty of open space. But I wasn’t so happy about the outdated appliances: an old gas stove, a water heater that ran on propane, and an oil boiler. As an advocate working to make sure everyone has access to affordable, clean energy, I knew these old fossil fuel appliances were not just costly to run. They were also exposing our family to indoor air pollution, a particular concern for young children with developing lungs. When we moved in, it was the first year of the pandemic and my older daughters had just turned two and four, so their health was very much on my mind.
I tolerated the gas stove for a couple of months, although it was faulty and made a constant loud clicking sound whenever you used the burners. Then, on Thanksgiving (of all days), the oven broke! Several of our favorite holiday dishes had to be taken off the menu, much to everyone’s disappointment. The oven remained broken until after New Year’s, due to a lengthy wait for a new part. Eventually the oven was fixed, but the stove was still faulty.
Then one day, I realized there was an affordable and clean alternative to the old gas stove.
An Induction Cooktop Could Solve Our Problems
Full-size induction stoves are amazing, but they can be pricey and may require electrical upgrades. A single induction cooktop, on the other hand, was a great option for the sticky spot we were in (and could even work for renters or those on a tight budget). It plugs into a standard outlet and is extremely affordable compared to a full-size stove. When we bought our cooktop, it cost less than $100, and the same model retails for about $117 today. In comparison, replacing our defunct gas stove would have been over ten times as expensive, with a likely cost of over $2,000.
After Over Three Years of Using Induction, The Verdict Is Glowing
I love our induction cooktop. It’s quiet, efficient, and easy to clean. We put it on the kitchen island so my three daughters can sit on barstools and hang out with me while I’m cooking, instead of me standing at the stove with my back to them. They love to help with measuring and stirring things, and it’s a great opportunity for us to catch up and share stories.
There’s a real safety benefit too. Because induction cooktops remain cool to the touch, I don’t have to worry about my girls accidentally touching a hot burner and getting hurt, let alone being around an open flame like our old gas stove. And unlike a gas stove, our induction cooktop doesn’t create air pollution that would hurt their developing lungs. My youngest daughter is three, and I’m relieved that she and her sisters aren’t exposed to harmful pollutants when I’m cooking. It makes those moments cooking together even more precious and joyful.
But What About Our Propane Oven?
The induction cooktop was a perfect substitute for our stove, but we were still using some propane because I continued to use our full-size oven for baking and roasting. Until the oven broke for the second time this year, a few days before my birthday. I couldn’t believe it. I tried calling our repairman, but he had retired and moved to Rhode Island. For a while we went without an oven, but that wasn’t a viable long-term solution for a family of five.
We looked at full-size ovens, but there weren’t many options because our broken oven is a non-standard size. The induction models were gorgeous, but I was deterred by the prospect of electrical upgrades and a partial kitchen remodel to accommodate a standard size oven. Then one day it occurred to me that we could buy a toaster oven—for less than $200! Toaster ovens are incredibly efficient due to their small size. And like induction cooktops, they plug into a standard outlet and don’t require electrical upgrades.
My girls were thrilled the day we brought the toaster oven home and made crispy french fries for them. The toaster oven preheats within minutes, and its precision heating leads to fantastic results. We recently baked scones for our traditional “fancy tea” on Mother’s Day, and they were superior to any scones I’d ever baked in our full-size oven.
This Is Just The Start Of Going Electric
Someday I hope to fully electrify our home by upgrading to a full-size induction stove and electric heat pumps (we already got a heat pump water heater when the old one broke)! Maybe we’ll even get rooftop solar and battery storage. Until we get a full-size induction stove, I am so happy I electrified our kitchen for about $300, saw literally no increase in our monthly electric bills, and am feeding our family of five with my small-but-mighty duo of induction cooktop and toaster oven. This setup works for our family, and it could for yours too. It’s a great way for people to test out electric technology and cost-effectively upgrade their cooking so it’s efficient, clean, and affordable.
