LPG Gas is the most widely used option for cooking in most household and commercial kitchens. Yet, there are times when you need to change to another alternative or perhaps keep alternatives ready when there is a limited supply or shortage of LPG gas for cooking purposes.
This article will be of help to other countries around the world who are facing or are about to face a shortage in gas supply in time to come.
1. Electric Induction Cookers
Also referred to as an electric-coil cooker, the induction cooker is the most common alternative to LPG gas for cooking. You can use a standard pot and frying pan on it.
The cooker is run by electricity and uses electromagnetic induction to heat your cooking utensils. Induction cookers are very efficient in that they use only what they need to cook your food.
Compared to gas burners, whose flame heats constantly, induction cookers only use power when it is needed. This makes these cookers very economical. Some even claim that a single induction cooker can do the work of two gas burners.
Compared to LPG cookers, induction cookers are easy to use and safe to operate. There is no chance of a gas leak. There is also no need for oxygen, something that not all LPG stoves have.
Besides cooking, these cookers can also be used to boil water and it takes only seconds to boil compared to using an electric kettle. However, induction technology is not perfect. Compared to other alternative cooker options, they are rather expensive and require a high wattage electricity connection that may cost a small fortune to install in large kitchens.
2. Electric Infrared Cookers
Also called electric IR-cooker, these use infrared rays to heat cookware and food. In this cooker, the infrared rays heat your cookware when you press a button. Unlike Induction technology which requires a stainless steel base on cookware for magnetic purposes, the infrared cooker can heat any type of cookware.
Similar to induction cookers, infrared cookers are quite energy efficient. They will only draw power when they are needed. They also use less energy than gas burners since they do not need a constant flame to keep your food warm. They can also be used in large kitchens, unlike induction cookers.
The electric IR-cooker’s use is self-limiting since it needs a power source to operate. They will only work when it’s plugged in and won’t work if there isn’t electricity around.
Unlike induction cookers, electric IR cookers are also safe and easy to use. There is also no risk of a gas leak as with infrared cookers and there is very little risk of harm when compared to gas explosions.
3. Electric Hot Plates
Unlike induction cookers, electric hot plates are similar to the infrared cooker. Just like the infrared cooker, they use rays to heat your cookware when you press a button. They can also be made using stainless steel or aluminum.
Hot plates have several advantages over gas burners, such as better heat retention and zero flames that can cause a fire. Hot plates can also be used in larger kitchens and are safer for long use in larger kitchens.
While there are certain advantages to using an electric hot plate, there are also a few disadvantages.
The most common complaint is that they are not as energy efficient as induction and infrared cookers. Another problem is the fact that they need to be cleaned up thoroughly after use, unlike infrared cookers and induction cookers.
4. Wood Burning Stove
Wood-burning stoves are the most commonly used alternatives to gas cookers. They are often used in rural areas since they don’t cost much and can be made using scrap materials.
You can use a regular pot, pan, or cooking utensils on it. The stove is run by wood fire which provide an energy source for cooking.
They usually burn hotter than other cooker options and can be used in larger kitchens, unlike induction cookers or hot plates. You may find wood fire being used more commonly in large commercial bakeries and pizzerias.
Wood-burning stoves can be very energy efficient. Their temperatures can be adjusted to suit different types of food and even different cooking methods.
These stoves also output smoke, which keeps the interior of your food warmer than gas cookers. This is especially useful for items that may not be able to take the heat of a gas burner, like meat, fish, and vegetables.
Wood-burning stoves can also get very hot, which is a hazard if you aren’t careful with your cooking equipment.
Mixed with the advantages of wood-burning stoves, there are a few disadvantages as well. One major disadvantage is the fact that these stoves require a lot of maintenance and cleaning after use.
They also need to be stored properly and cleaned regularly, such as when the smoke from the fire gets too thick or when it is stored inside the house.
You may also get complaints from neighbors about the smoke produced by these wood-burning stoves if used in highly dense residential areas.
5. Biomass Stove
Biomass stoves can be used in larger kitchens. They are run by burning wood, leaves, and other biomass sources such as scraps of wood and garbage. A typical biomass cooker will be designed to burn different types of biomass according to their availability.
These stoves can be very energy efficient. Wood burning may be more difficult depending on the conditions of the fire. Biomass stoves in rural areas have a lower efficiency than in urban areas where people live in smaller spaces.
Biomass stoves are good for cooking foods with high-heat requirements, such as meat, fish, and vegetables. They can also work well with traditional utensils like a pot or pan, and you can experiment to see which ones are best suited to your stove by size, temperature, and shape.
There are a few disadvantages to using a biomass stove. They can be noisy, smoky, and drafty. They also produce more smoke which can make your rooms and house unpleasant to enter. They also produce a lot of ash which is the main material that heats up during the burning process.
The ash can be hard to remove from your house, especially when it gets heavy or when you have pets or cats that may not like the smell of it.
