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When you are busy cooking your favorite meal, you probably don’t think about how much electricity you are using… but maybe you should. Investing in an energy efficient stove has many advantages, including significant savings on utility costs.

If you are cooking with an electric stove, you may be losing out on some major energy savings. In most areas, natural gas costs less than electricity. In those areas, cooking with a gas stove costs roughly 10 to 30 percent less than cooking with an electric stove. Food for thought!

That being said, not everyone has the expendable income handy to invest in a modern, energy efficient or even smart stove. If you’re having cooktop issues, while you save up, you could consider a cost comparison of having your current appliance fixed, versus just buying whatever you can afford. You could squeeze another several months out of your current device with a repair. Here’s some info to help you you what you might want to save up for:

Electric Stove Power Consumption

As the name suggests, electric stoves deliver electricity to coils inside the cooktop. On average, electric stoves draw between 2,000 and 5,000 watts of electricity. The actual amount of electricity use depends on the number of burners you use, whether you use the oven, and how long it takes to finish cooking the meal.

The larger the burner, the more electricity it consumes. To promote greater energy efficiency, try matching the burner size to the size of the pot or pan you are using. When you use the large burner to heat a small pot or pan, you are wasting much of the heat and energy generated by the burner.

Do Gas Stoves Use Electricity?

Gas stoves require a gas line hook-up to operate. They also use a little electricity, primarily for igniters, oven lights, and digital displays. Gas stoves have two ignition systems: one that uses a pilot light that always stays lit, and one that uses an electric spark system to ignite the burner. Although an electric igniter uses electricity, it is actually more energy-efficient than a pilot light. And compared to an electric stove, a gas stove’s electric igniter uses a minuscule amount of power.

Both Require a Reliable Power Source: A Dedicated Circuit

Whichever type of stove you use, be sure that it runs on a dedicated 220 circuit. If you don’t have a 220 dedicated circuit for your kitchen range, Mr. Electric^® can install one to make sure your stove has an uninterrupted, reliable power source.

If you like to cook and entertain, then your kitchen is probably the hub of activity in your home. You deserve an energy efficient stove that cooks evenly and looks great. Part of that recipe for culinary success is a dedicated circuit for your new stove. Call your local Mr. Electric at (844) 866-1367 to get a quote for a dedicated circuit installation. Or, you can request a quote online.

Experiencing oven problems? Mr. Appliance has outlined the 5 most common oven issues and what to do about them. And because Mr. Appliance is part of the Neighborly family of home services, you can rely on them for good advice and great appliance repair service.