Is it just me or do others hate electric stoves?

I go about 50/50 on them, Doc.

On one hand, I love the flat-top stoves, because I can wipe them clean right after cooking.

With an electric, I've found I can simmer things much more easily than with gas. The electric burner can be made cooler than the low-set flame. With a gas stove, unfortunately, I can only make the fire smaller, but not cooler. You're right on about the slow heat and cool, and the fact that the heat isn't necessarily off when you click "Off." With gas, it's instant on/off, and it doesn't matter how flat the bottom of the pan is.

Taking into account my feelings toward gas appliances, though, the electric wins.

We're house hunting and I can tell you that 4 out of 5 homes with electric stoves have OIL based heating systems! Though not the only reason, this alone gives me cause to dislike the electric stove.

More reasons?

1. Electric stoves will cost more unless you power your home with your own solar

2. Electric stoves cook incredibly unevenly causing parts of the pan to burn and other parts to under-cook.

3. Electric takes forever to heat up and cool down and is ridiculously difficult to adjust

4. You don't have to count on the color of the coil or some small LED light to indicate if you or your kid will burn the hell out of themselves.

5. Natural gas is a cleaner fuel. Electric grids are often powered by nuclear or coal plants

6. Electric stoves were invented because apartment investors were too cheap to run gas lines throughout their newly built complexes and housing developers wanted to sell homes at the same price but paying a fraction of the cost to run gas lines.

The only reason I could see electric as better is that it doesn't require combustion and so may be seen as "safer". Though you probably have a higher chance of having an aneurism than having a gas stove explode.

I'm most comfortable with electric stoves, actually... they're what I grew up around.

I remember once, when I rented a house where there was a gas stove, and I was terrified to light the burner- I thought I was going to burn the house down because I was afraid I had turned the gas too high on the stove!

Thankfully I got over that fear, but I still prefer electric to gas, these days.

Can't stand the darned things.

Reminds me of my brother inlaw and his wife though. Neither one had ever had a gas stove. They were buying a (nicer) moblie home but were concerned about having a Propane stove. After cooking with gas he refused to even consider his next house without a gas stove.

Just to answer your additional details... a 240V plug is different than your normal average US household plug. In fact, to use the iPod example above, you would not be able to plug that charger into it because of how different it physically is. A 240V has a few electrical differences too as it a lot more volts and probably the highest Amp rating in your household.

i hate them, but after three and a half years, i fi allyy got used to it and then it freaking died. i had to get a new one because where i live is all electric. \i'm burning everything and you're right. it takes a zillion light years to heat up and forever to cool down, i hate it. the old one i had was easier to work with. this one is at a full boil on 2 where the old one, two was barely warm.

I despise electric stoves/ovens as well.

I grew up with a really old gas stove and I can't imagine myself using anything else.

boy do i ever agree with you. i always had gas, moved into a new house already built and have electric . Waiting for the thing to break so i can get gas. I might just have to break it myself!!

Yes! only use med and med high or you will be headed for disaster! The watched pot never boils because we stand there and breathe up all the oxygen LOL

I doubt anyone likes them for the reasons you give. But where gas is not readily available there is no easy alternative. Besides, you can adapt to it.