Obsidian-colored glass cooktop with silver knobs. The burners are outlined in white. The cooktop is set on a kitchen island with cabinets beneath, and there's a silver-colored teapot on one of the burners.

All the Range: Now We’re Cooking!

Obsidian-colored glass cooktop with silver knobs. The burners are outlined in white. The cooktop is set on a kitchen island with cabinets beneath, and there's a silver-colored teapot on one of the burners.

Is it hot in here, or did I just tell my old cooktop, flambé, sautée, you don’t stay? Yes and yes! I got a new cooktop.

Unpopular opinion: I got rid of a gas range to use an electric one instead.

Hear me out.

1) I can’t even pretend to be a professional home cook. So I don’t need professional-grade stuff, though it was nice to control the temperature while cooking and things heated up pretty fast.

2) The BEST home-cooked meals I’ve ever eaten in my life came from my host mother in Spain when I studied abroad in college. She had this modern-looking kitchen with a cooktop I hadn’t seen before in the early 90s—at least not in the United States. It was obsidian-colored glass with the burners inside—and they glowed red when they were hot—like some kind of futuristic magic. The whole kitchen would sparkle, and she’d leave just a pair of chicken feet strewn elegantly across the countertop—probably to use in a stew later.

3) The reason why my host mother’s food tasted so good—even on an electric range—was because she used the freshest ingredients and let them cook, low and slow, all day.

So, it’s possible, I suppose to get the same results, but it does take a little more work. And fresh ingredients really slay the day.

All I know is this: I have a sparkling new cooktop that isn’t covered in grease and that doesn’t shoot flames of fire at me when I turn the knob. Normalizing jump scares in the kitchen is not something my anxiety needs. It needs a nice, even simmer on a burner that tells me it’s hot—just by looking at it. It needs a glass of wine, some al dente noodles that may or may not have taken twenty minutes to boil—and just a damp cloth with dish soap to clean up whatever boils over.

Your Turn: What’s your favorite kitchen appliance or cooking tool?

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Published by ckennedy

Author of the DIY blog: Fixin' Leaks and Leeks. Paper/Rock Writing Consultation, Sole Proprietor.

22 thoughts on “All the Range: Now We’re Cooking!”

  1. You’re right, Cecelia. You don’t need a gas stove to cook good meals. I’ve used both over the years and while gas stoves are more versatile, electric can do just as well in the flavour department. And agreed – easier to clean! Cheers.

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  2. I agree a decent cook who knows their tools will cook well regardless of the heat source. I like cooking with gas. If I was forced to give up gas, I’d opt for induction.

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    1. For some reason, ours never worked when the electricity went out–but: we are getting a power backup system in a week or so because Nate bought an electric car–and the charger will serve as backup during a power outage.

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  9. It looks SUPER snazzy. I had no idea electric has a reputation for not cooking as well as gas. News to me. I can’t fathom why it would matter, but what do I know? I envy your easy clean up, but for all the times I spill things over, I can’t help but think the run off will hit the counter and/or floor at my house. Nevertheless, cheers to you!

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