Originally Created on: June 9, 2023 @ 8:55 am
Does a gas stove use electricity for the oven? After buying a gas stove with an oven, you may be surprised to find an electric wire and plug fitted on the side.
When buying a gas stove, your assumption was that it relies only on gas as a source of fuel. Therefore, what is the purpose of the electric outlet? Is the oven powered by electricity?
Well, gas stoves have come a long way. Today, most gas ranges have an ultra-modern design where they are fitted with features such as ovens, power outlets, and much more.
In this article, we will answer whether gas stoves use electricity for the oven and share other useful details about gas stove ovens.
Also Read: Do Countertop Dishwashers Use a Lot Of Electricity [The SURPRISING Answer]
Table of Content
Does a Gas Stove Use Electricity for the Oven?
Gas stoves do use electricity for the oven but not as a source of fuel. In a typical gas range, gas is used to fuel the flame on the stovetop and inside the oven cavity.
The electricity used in gas ovens is used to power certain functions such as lighting, ignition, touchscreen, oven fans, and smart home technology.
Because electricity isn’t used as a fuel in gas ovens, the amount consumed is often very little and will not affect your power bills.
Modern gas stoves that are fitted with an oven will need a little electricity to power the touchscreen which contains the oven’s dials. This touchscreen also allows you to set the timers and heat settings.
For it to work, the gas stove must be plugged into a power source. The same applies to the electric igniter and bulb inside your oven.
Gas stoves and ovens that integrate the smart home feature must also be powered by electricity. This technology has become common in gas stoves manufactured in the past few years.
This smart home technology allows you to control the oven using a home assistant or your smartphone.
Hopefully, you now understand how gas stoves use electricity for the oven. Before we move on to the next sub-topic, allow us to mention that there are some stoves out there that are hybrids or dual fuels.
That is, they use gas to fuel the stove top and electric heating for the oven. These are known as dual-fuel gas stoves and are specifically designed for this purpose.
Does a Gas Stove Use Electricity?
In the past, gas stoves did not use electricity. To switch them on, you only needed to light a match, hover it over the stovetop and turn the dial. But that’s ancient technology.
Modern gas stoves are fitted with an electric ignitor which creates sparks that turn on the flame. Therefore, gas stoves do use electricity.
The electricity used by gas stoves isn’t for fueling the flames. However, it’s for igniting the flames. This electric igniter makes it easier and safer for you to turn on your gas stove.
Apart from ignition, gas stoves also use electricity for other purposes. It powers the control panel and timer.
Unlike electric stoves, gas stoves only use a small amount of electricity to power these functions. This shouldn’t be a cause for concern if you are worried about keeping your power bills low.
Also, gas stoves that use electricity come with an electric outlet with a lower voltage of around 120. This is enough to cater to the electrical functions of a gas stove.
How Do You Start a Gas Oven Without Electricity?
In case of power outages, some gas ovens can be ignited without electricity. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to start a gas oven without electricity;
Step 1: Use a long wooden kitchen match. This is a safer option because it lowers the risks of burning yourself.
Step 2: Strike the match and hold it near the oven cavity. This is the hole through which the flames flicker through.
Step 3: Turn the oven knob to the lowest setting. The flame should ignite instantly and you can withdraw the match.
This method is mostly applicable to older gas ovens. Modern gas ovens are fitted with interlock systems that make it impossible to start a gas oven without electricity.
You have to confirm what type of gas oven you are dealing with. If it’s an older version, you may have to wait for the power to come back on so that you can start it. Or you may switch to a battery-powered gas oven igniter.
Can You Use an Oven on a Gas Stove Without Electricity?
An oven on a gas stove will work without electricity because gas is the source of fuel and it’s not electricity. The biggest challenge however will be igniting the oven if the ignition is electrically powered.
On older gas stoves that don’t have an electric igniter, the oven should work just fine even during blackouts. But if your gas stove is relatively new, you may not be so lucky.
You May Also Like: Does Leaving The Fridge Door Open Waste Electricity (SURPRISING Truth)
Whether a gas oven works without electricity all depends on the age of your stove and the availability of the interlock feature.
The latter is responsible for preventing the entry of gas into the oven without the presence of electricity.
The former determines which type of ignition technology is fitted on a gas stove oven.
Does an Oven Use Gas or Electricity?
In a gas stove, an oven uses both gas and electricity. The gas is the source of fuel that ignites the flame and heats up whatever you put in the oven.
On the other hand, electricity is used to power up the touchscreen dials on a gas stove, the igniter, and other features like Smart Home technology.
On the other hand, electric ovens only use electricity. They do not use gas under any circumstance.
Electric stoves use electricity for heating and to power up functions such as the touchscreen and ignition. It’s important to understand how both electric and gas ovens work.
Most people often assume that gas ovens only use gas. But from the above description, it’s pretty evident that ovens use both gas and electricity.
Conclusion
Understandably, it can be confusing to tell whether gas stoves use electricity or not.
However, thanks to this article, you are now aware that gas stoves use electricity but not as a fuel source.
It is only used to power up certain features like ignition, and the touchscreen control on your stove.