Gas vs Induction Cooking Cost Calculator

How it works

gas energy = kg × 13.8 kWh (LPG) or m³ × 10.55 kWh (natural gas) · heat to the pot = gas energy × 32% · electricity = heat ÷ 85% (induction) or 74% (radiant) · costs = amount × price · payback = cooktop price ÷ yearly saving · CO₂ = kg LPG × 2.98 or m³ gas × 1.93, electricity × grid factor

A gas burner heats the air around the pan as much as the pan itself: laboratory tests used by the US Department of Energy put typical gas cooktop efficiency near 32%, against about 74% for electric resistance and 85% for induction, which heats the pan directly. So the calculator converts the gas you burn into energy, keeps the share that actually reaches the food, and works out the electricity needed to deliver the same heat. Whether that is cheaper depends on local prices — with cheap gas and expensive electricity gas can still win — but induction also removes indoor combustion fumes and cuts CO₂ on a low-carbon grid.

Worked example

A family using 12 kg of LPG a month at $1.30/kg spends $15.60. That gas holds 165.6 kWh, of which 53 kWh reaches the pots; an 85% induction hob needs 62 kWh to do the same, costing $10.60 at $0.17/kWh — a saving of $5.00 a month ($60 a year), so a $400 cooktop pays back in about 6.7 years. CO₂ falls from 429 kg to 299 kg a year at 0.4 kg/kWh.

Sources: ENERGY STAR — Residential induction cooking tops · U.S. DOE — Cooking products test procedure and efficiency · U.S. EPA — GHG emission factors hub

Frequently asked questions