I recently moved into an apartment with a gas stove, and after a few weeks of use, here’s what I’ve discovered.

In nearly 30 years, I’ve dealt with a variety of frustrating, underwhelming stoves.

At my parents' house, there was this one unruly burner that always cranked up to its highest setting, no matter what. It was only good for boiling water or giving things an aggressive sear. In the apartments I shared with my husband, the ancient stoves had similar temperature control issues, but the real nightmare was the crooked metal coils. They never sat properly in the drip pans, always tilting and causing eggs, butter, and sauces to pool to one side of every pan, no matter how much we tried to fix it.

Recently, we moved into a new place, and it’s been an upgrade in so many ways. The windows! The fireplace! The neighborhood! The in-unit laundry! And the beautiful gas stove, of course.

At first, I was intimidated by the new stove, with my excitement for better cooking overshadowed by some anxiety about using a new appliance. But now, I’m beyond happy with it. I’m no expert—so definitely consult a professional for safety tips—but here’s what I’ve learned so far as a home cook.

The Heat Is Immediate

Sure, readers might think, 'Well, it’s a flame,' but for someone used to old coil burners, there’s a real learning curve. With a gas stove, I don’t have to wait forever for butter to sizzle or a sauce to come to a simmer like I did with an electric range. Crank up the heat, and it's instant—your pot or pan starts heating up right away.

You Have Unmatched Control

People had always told me how much control I'd have, but I wasn’t prepared for how dramatic it would be. A slight adjustment on the knob is all it takes to shift from a full boil to a gentle simmer, or to cut the heat instantly when something needs quick attention.

The Spark Igniter Will Need Cleaning

After a couple of weeks of using the gas stove, one of our most-used burners stopped lighting. There was just a constant clicking sound, but no flame. I immediately thought something was seriously wrong, but it turned out the igniter just needed a quick cleaning. I turned off all the burners, took off the burner cap, and gently used a plastic toothpick to clear away any food debris that was blocking the spark. It seemed like a minor task, but once I tried again, the flame lit up right away.

They’re Not as Scary as I Expected

As someone who’s often anxious, I was both excited and a little worried about using the gas stove. Would I forget to turn off the burners? Could my dog accidentally knock the knobs and turn on the gas? And then there are the health and environmental concerns related to gas stoves. But after a few weeks, I’m not stressing about it nearly as much as I thought I would. We just take a few basic precautions—like using fans, double-checking the burners when we're done, not storing towels or oven mitts too close to the flames—and mostly, we just enjoy cooking and eating.