Should you choose a gas or induction hob?

Gas vs induction: the short answer

Neither hob is right for every HDB kitchen, so match it to how you cook. Induction is the easier choice if you want a surface you can wipe clean quickly, no open flame and precise temperature control. Gas is the easier choice if you cook with a round wok most days or want to keep pots that do not have a magnetic base. Most induction vs gas stove decisions in Singapore come down to these cooking habits and the supply point your kitchen already has.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) says induction stoves use electromagnetic energy to heat cookware, and that they are more efficient, safer, offer precise temperature control and are easier to clean than other types of stoves.

If your kitchen already has a gas supply and you cook with a wok every day, keeping gas also avoids new electrical works.

Switching to induction

An induction hob usually needs its own circuit and point, so switching is electrical work, not just a new appliance. Electrical work at home should be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW), according to the Energy Market Authority (EMA). EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA.

Under HDB's electrical works guidelines, wiring must not be embedded in reinforced concrete slabs, beams, columns, walls or wall plaster, and is housed in metal or high-impact PVC conduit. New wiring is tested by SP Services using Form CS/5H endorsed by HDB, applied for through your LEW. Flats in blocks completed from 1994, or upgraded under the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) or Home Improvement Programme (HIP), have a 40 amp main switch. Older flats have separate rules for heavier loads; ask your LEW.

Before you buy, read the guides to induction stove installation and 13A, 15A and 20A sockets.

Keeping or adding gas

Keeping gas makes sense if your flat already has a gas supply and wok cooking is part of your routine. Any change to the pipes or hob connection is then gas work.

City Energy says gas installation work must be done by City Energy or a Licensed Gas Service Worker (LGSW) listed by EMA, and asks you to have your gas pipes and appliances checked by an LGSW at least once every five years. EMA's gas safety page adds that gas supply is turned on only by City Energy, and EMA publishes the list of LGSWs, so you can check a contractor's name. If your flat has no gas supply and you want one, ask City Energy first.

HDB's guidelines for plumbing and gas works set two rules to know when you renovate: gas pipes must not be embedded in common partition walls, and no gas appliances are allowed in sleeping areas (bedrooms). Share these with your renovation contractor before the kitchen layout is fixed.

Safety at home

A gas hob has an open flame, so keep tea towels, kitchen paper and plastic items away from the burners while you cook. Read the guide on what to do about a gas leak before you ever need it, and keep City Energy's gas safety tips handy for everyone at home.

Induction has no open flame, but the cooking surface stays hot after you lift the pan off. Keep children away from the hob until it has cooled, and do not rest anything on it in the meantime. On either type of hob, turn pan handles inward so they cannot be knocked.

Which one suits your kitchen

Run through these points before you decide:

• Wok cooking: a flat-bottomed magnetic wok works on induction, but a round wok may not, so daily round-wok cooking points to gas.
• Cookware you own: induction needs magnetic-base pans, so check your pots and pans before you buy.
• Gas supply: if the flat already has gas, keeping it avoids a new circuit; if it has none, induction avoids adding gas.
• Renovation timing: switching either way changes the supply point, so plan it with your renovation, before the carpentry is built.
• Tidy-up time: if you want a quick wipe after each meal, induction is easier to clean.

For new points and wiring, see HDB electrical renovation rules. If you are also replacing a water heater, compare a gas or electric water heater at the same time, since both choices depend on whether you keep a gas supply.

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