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Why I’ll never buy a gas hob again
Jamie's been reviewing consumer products for nearly two decades, and is the Which? cooking expert. When not making terrible puns, he grills nearly 100 ovens, cookers, cooker hoods and hobs every year, to see which can take the heat.
I grew up cooking on a gas-fired Aga, which gave me an appreciation for slow-cooked stews, but not speedy pancakes. So when I moved into my own home I jumped at the chance to go induction: it’s the quickest thing since toasting sliced bread, I’d heard, so I bought a Which? Best Buy.
I’m no gas-hob hater, and there are still plenty of plus points that explain why many Which? members still love them. But here’s why I chose induction over gas and I’ll never look back.
Head to our recommendations and find the best hobs for your kitchen.
1. Induction hobs are impressively speedy
With four kids to cook for, I don't want to hang around waiting for the pasta water to boil. Gas hobs are slow because so much of the heat is lost around the sides of the pan. Induction, meanwhile, heats the pan only by forming an electric circuit with the hob.
Many induction hobs have a Boost mode that gives a temporary blast of power that can bring water to near boiling in three-and-a-half minutes, according to our lab tests. That’s more than twice as fast as even the quickest gas hobs. That kind of speed that takes some getting used to - I burnt my fair share of pancakes early on.
For advice on switching between gas and electric, see our guide on how to install a hob
2. Gas negatively affects your home’s air quality
Whatever kind of hob you fry your bacon on - gas or electric - you’ll create air pollution in your kitchen. Studies show that gas is far worse, though: it releases nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as a by-product of burning natural gas.
When senior Which? researcher Olivia Howes investigated gas hobs and air pollution (Which? magazine, March 2025, pg 34) she found that cooking on gas can generate more pollution indoors than is generated by one of Britain’s busiest roads.
Why do I care about indoor air quality so much? After all, I cooked happily with gas for years. Simple: my twin boys have asthma, and NO2 is a known contributor to the condition. The more I can do to lessen exposure - opening windows, using the cooker hood, cooking on induction - the better.
You can lessen your exposure to one type of air pollution - nitrogen dioxide NO2 - by not using a gas hob, and you may also reduce your exposure to particulate matter, too.
Read our investigation into air pollution in your kitchen
3. Induction hobs are better for the environment
I’m no Greta Thunberg, but as a household we try to be environmentally conscious. Moving away from gas towards electricity is a logical step because the average zero carbon mix was 63% in 2025, according to the UK’s independent energy body, National Energy System Operator (NESO). In short, that means the majority of the UK’s electricity is generated from solar, wind, hydro, or nuclear power plants, or imported from a zero-carbon source.
I do pay a premium for this choice, though. Gas hobs are less efficient to run than induction, but because gas itself is cheaper, it actually works out more expensive to cook with electricity.
Find out how much your appliances cost to run
4. Induction hobs are easier to use and clean
Our family doesn’t have time for fiddling about cleaning grates and burners from a gas hob. Instead, I can just pass a cloth across the induction hob and genuinely have it clean in seconds. That’s just as well because I’m a messy cook and seem to ship waves of sauce over the side of any pan.
Our independent lab testing confirms my experiences - we’ve reviewed more than 50 hobs in the last three years, and found that gas hobs score a lowly two stars out of five on average for cleaning. Meanwhile, induction hobs score a perfect five stars.
That’s not the only thing I love about cooking on an induction hob, though. The best ones have flex zones that automatically select the amount of space needed for each pan, effectively giving you more space to cook on.
The only time induction hobs are annoying is when you have wet hands, because the touch control buttons don’t work.
Still not sure what's best for your kitchen? Read: Gas vs induction: which hob type is right for you?
5. Induction hobs are safer than gas
Did I mention that I had four kids? I want to keep those numbers the same. That means I don’t want a naked flame in my house or the potential for a gas leak in the kitchen (no matter how remote the chance).
I also want the hob to switch itself off when the cooking’s done, should I forget to do it. Am I paranoid? I’d say I’m just on the right side of sensible.
Conscious about child safety, too? Here's the only guide you’ll ever need to babyproof your home
6. Induction hobs are better at simmering
If you’re a porridge-lover like me, this one’s important.
I like to put the pan on a very low heat, first thing in the morning, before showering and getting the kids ready (it saves time). That works well with an induction hob, but our tests show that most gas hobs are rubbish at simmering, delivering too much power for a gentle simmer.
See our pick of the best induction hob pans
Jamie discusses the pros of induction hobs in our recent video.
Pick the perfect hob with Which? reviews
It takes a truly great hob to score highly enough to become a Which? Best Buy. But our tests show that price isn't a reliable indicator of quality.
We've tested some high-end models that give disappointing cooking results, despite costing hundreds of pounds.
Conversely, there are some great performers from brands such as Ikea that cost less than you’d think. We can help you to steer clear of lacklustre hobs that burn your bacon and are a pain to clean.
Go to our hob reviews to discover the best and worst models of each type of hob
