Gas vs Electric Stove

Gas vs electric stove side by side

Last verified October 2, 2026. Energy prices are 2025 US residential averages from the EIA; your local rates may differ.

How this works

The calculator converts your burner time into energy for each fuel. Electric burners use about 1.2 kilowatts while on. Gas burners deliver less of their energy to the pan, so the calculator scales the gas input to deliver the same cooking heat.

Oven use is added from hours per week, using typical average energy per hour for each type. Both fuels are then priced at your rates and compared per year and over the years you plan to own the range.

Defaults use the 2025 US residential averages from the EIA (17.3 cents per kWh and about $1.48 per therm, from $15.34 per thousand cubic feet at 10.37 therms each) and the Department of Energy test efficiencies of 44 percent for gas burners and 70 percent for electric coil burners. Oven energy per hour (1.5 kWh electric, 0.09 therm gas) is our planning assumption, so check your range label.

Where these numbers come from

The figures and defaults on this page are based on:

• U.S. Dept. of Energy: Kitchen appliances, Induction most efficient; yellow gas flame means inefficient burn; toaster/convection oven uses 1/3 to 1/2 the energy of full oven (checked October 2026)
• Wikipedia: Gas stove, DOE test efficiency: gas 44% vs 70% for induction and electric coil (checked October 2026)
• U.S. EIA: Residential natural gas prices (annual), US residential natural gas price $15.34/Mcf in 2025, $14.50 in 2024 (checked October 2026)
• U.S. EIA: electricity prices, 2025 US residential average 17.30 cents per kWh (checked October 2026)

These are planning estimates. Your appliance model, prices and cooking habits come first.