Electric is fine, but if it was best, then why do chefs and restaurants use Gas stoves? Instant on, instant off, and infinitely variable heat is my reply, and low maintenance.
Question: If the old gas was high sulpher and pitted the bottom of the skillets, and the burner grates were made of cast iron (weren't they?), then why didnt it ruin and destroy the burner grates? I dont doubt the sulphur gas answer, just curious?
I agree completely with the advantages of gas cooking you mentioned. Infinitely variable heat is the biggest plus for me. Several of the spinners I've encountered had heat marks of an electric burner on them, too so electric burners are probably prone to that kind of hazard, too.
About the old high sulphur gas, I think it did damage the burner grates, as well as the undersides of the plates on flat tops. I've seen quite a few of the old restaurant ranges with the cast iron burners and grates replaced with new ones. I've been wantng a restaurant range for a long time myself, so don't feel lonesome.;-)
Also, as Paul says, a lot of that pitting on the old skillets came from coal burning cookstoves. My backup range (out in the garage) is a Knox Mealmaster which will burn wood and/or coal. Another big plus for my gas range is that when we have one of our periodic power outages, I can still cook once I light the burner with my butane Bic grill lighter. I have the Knox for even harder times than these, which may come along some day.
