Before You Go Overboard on Electrics...

Cooking Discussions Cookware
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If you have an older home, you may need to upgrade your electric panel even if you don’t go “overboard” with electrics.

My home was built in 1966. When I remodeled my kitchen, I had to upgrade the panel just so I could bring the electric outlets in the kitchen up to code. The original kitchen had only 3 electrical outlets all on the same circuit. If I happened to use the coffee maker, microwave, and toaster at the same time, the circuit breaker would trip. The kitchen was brought up to code with a dedicated circuit for the microwave and outlets every 4 feet on two separate circuits. They no longer manufactured breakers for the panel I had which meant the only way to add breakers was to buy used ones on ebay and there was only one open slot for a new breaker. Several of my neighbors had already needed to replace their panels due to failures or additional electrical needs like sump pumps. I was happy to pay the additional expense to have a modern electrical system.

By the way, I replaced my old radiant electric range with an induction range. I love cooking with induction and I am very pleased that I didn’t spend additional money to convert my kitchen to gas (I have a gas furnace, but there was never a gas line to the kitchen). The rangetop doesn’t get hot; I love that from a safety perspective as I don’t have to worry about it being accidentally left on, particularly as I age. Induction is incredibly responsive, far more responsive than gas when it comes to adjusting the temperature. It meets the vast majority of my cooking needs. It took a little bit of time to get used to; I burned a couple things at the beginning because the heat was so responsive and I had to get used to not raising the temp too high. I did have to buy some new cookware, but about half of my pots and pans were already suitable for induction.

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Anecdotes are not evidence; they are the absence of evidence.

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The point being–since you missed it-- is that not every 100 amp panel “needs” replacement. Code provisions vary, but I’m not aware of any requirement anywhere that a service that met code when installed must be upgraded in the absence of other work being done.

And an anecdote (and in this case the permit it relates) IS evidence.

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The distinction here is that you remodeled your kitchen and wanted more outlets.

My OP was aimed at folks who want to rid themselves of gas and oil appliances, only to wake up to the expensive fact that they therefore must upgrade their electrical service.

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Yes I understood your point. I was just pointing out that even seemingly trivial changes can require electrical upgrades if you have an older home.

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Yes, absolutely. In my state, pretty much anything code requires be done by a licensed electrician triggers some obligation to upgrade to current code.

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The algebra is elementary.

It takes “energy” to extract “energy” (drilling, mining, manufacturing, etc.) used to make other forms of “energy” such as wind, sun, lectrizzidee, . . .

Cooking over gas is one step closer to energy source than cooking with electricity.

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Was thinking of this topic today, apparently using the induction burner and the hair dryer plugged into the same power strip will trip it, haven’t had that happen with any other combo of tools. Since I have limited outlets near the hood (hence the power strip) that’s one point in favor of dirty gas.

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I have… I can’t have my (one burner) induction hob or small countertop convection oven plugged into the same circuit as my “George Foreman” Grill. It appears the “George Foreman” grill pulls quite a few amps, so I move it to the living room to cook our steaks or hamburgers. I have a nice tile section in front of the fireplace for it to sit.

My home was built in 1979 and I don’t think they put enough amps in the kitchen. It’s a minor inconvenience and not worth running new wires to the kitchen.

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Turns out the whole country going overboard on electrics requires the entire nation to upgrade the grid.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/amid-explosive-demand-america-is-running-out-of-power/ar-BB1jtM69

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But (as the article says), the “going overboard” part is mostly due to data centers, AI, and Bitcoin mining. Residential electric ranges and heat pumps are a drop in the bucket, and in fact are not increasing power demand much at all. And FWIW induction uses less electricity than conventional electric ranges.

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This used to be common wisdom, and since has been called into question. Induction IS more efficient at putting heat directly into the pan. What is less clear is the effect of upping the wattage from the 2400W of conventional to 3600W. So if you’re speed-boiling, you’re probably using more electricity.

[quote=“johnb, post:32, topic:38038”]
Residential electric ranges and heat pumps are a drop in the bucket, and in fact are not increasing power demand much at all. [/quote]

The parallel with global warming is there to be seen. Residential gas appliances are also a comparative “drop in the bucket” of the biggest greenhouse gas offenders, yet we are urged/shamed/threatened into giving them up and forbidding more gas infrastructure or installations. And it really is indisputable that every gas appliance replaced by electric does indeed increase demand for electricity.

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So if you’re speed-boiling, you’re probably using more electricity.

Even if true, which I’m not too sure about, the time any normal person might spend “speed boiling” is a tiny fraction of the time spent cooking on the range. So induction clearly wins.

The “drop in the bucket” comparison relates to the amount of electricity growth from cooking with induction or even conventional electric vs. the growth related to data centers, Bitcoin mining, etc. Switching to all-electric homes can and will be accommodated within normal development of the grid over time.

“Giving up” gas appliances in the home is part of a larger move to get rid of all gas supply infrastructure; probably the greatest greenhouse effect of gas is pure methane leaks in the pipes from well to residence, not what happens when it gets to the residence (cooking and heating). The green value of heat pumps is indisputable. As to cooking, induction is a fine choice compared with gas. I have two houses, and I designed the kitchens myself for both. One has a Bluestar gas cooktop (2005) and one has a fairly simple induction range (2016). So I have real personal experience, and I can tell you induction cooking works just fine with at most a very brief learning curve. Those who doubt it are simply blowing smoke, as it were. And the negative health effects of having gas in the house, especially for kids, are not to be ignored. I will (hopefully) soon be getting rid of the Bluestar and going induction there too. Unquestionably superior choice.

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Maybe for you. But millions of people, chefs and commoners alike, prefer gas over induction, and reasonably so.

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Almost certainly because 99.9% of them have ever actually tried it. It takes a few days to get into the swing of things. There’s an excellent piece in the NYT (Melissa Clark) about how a couple of name chefs, notably Eric Ripert, became disciples once they gave it a shot. That’s behind a firewall of course so I’m not linking it, but for anyone with a subscription it can be found easily in a google search. Here’s a quote from the article:

“After two days, I was in love,” Mr. Ripert said. “It’s so much more precise than watching a flame. You can really focus on your cooking and pay attention to what’s inside the pan, not what’s underneath it.”

Ripert even said he would consider induction for his restaurant kitchens; about his cooks, he said "After a few days, they’d all love it.”

Justin Lee of Fat Choy in Manhattan actually did go to induction in his restaurant. His comment was: "Most restaurants wouldn’t open without gas, but we couldn’t wait,” he said, “so we had to find our way with electric.”

“It was a lot easier than he had anticipated, and he’s come to prefer induction for its consistency at high and low temperatures.”

Melissa Clark did a test at home using portable induction burners (she hid the knobs from her gas range so she wouldn’t cheat). Her summary:

"In my testing of both burners and ranges, I found that the thing I valued most was precision — that is, having as many temperature options as possible… As for the knobs from my gas stove, it’s been four weeks, and I still haven’t reattached them. I think they’re in that drawer, but, honestly, I haven’t checked. I haven’t missed the gas at all.

Here’s an article everyone can access - several known chefs are cited:

To repeat my bottom line from above: once you go up the learning curve, you won’t miss gas. But you have to actually do it, not simply speculate based on what you think you know about electricity based in turn on conventional electric. Horses and buggies were thought to be better for a long time too. Induction is a different world.

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You can gift articles if you have a subscription ICYMI.

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Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think that applies to a bulletin board post where anybody/everybody can then access. You have to send the link to a specific email address whose owner can then open the page, and the number you can send is limited.

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I’ve shared numerous NYT articles and recipes from NYT cooking here. There is a limit of 10 shared articles per month, however.

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OK then. Here’s the link.

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