by Gas has always been the cheap fuel for cooking — or at least, that’s the reputation. But with electricity prices shifting and induction hobs getting more efficient, the induction vs gas hob running costs UK debate is worth revisiting properly, with actual numbers instead of pub wisdom.
Here’s the honest answer up front: on running costs alone, gas usually still wins — but by far less than most people think, and induction claws a lot back through sheer efficiency. Let’s do the maths openly so you can check it yourself.
Why Efficiency Matters More Than the Fuel Price
Comparing hob running costs isn’t just “gas price vs electricity price”, because the two hobs waste very different amounts of heat.
A gas hob burns fuel under your pan — but a lot of that heat escapes around the sides. Typical efficiency is around 50–60%: roughly half the gas you pay for actually heats your food.
An induction hob heats the pan directly with a magnetic field, so very little energy escapes. Typical efficiency is around 85–90%.
That efficiency gap is the whole story. Gas is cheaper per unit of energy, but induction needs far fewer units to do the same cooking. Which effect wins? Time for numbers.
The Maths: Induction vs Gas Hob Running Costs
Let’s work through a realistic example: simmering on a medium ring for 30 minutes. I’ll show every step so you can plug in your own tariff.
The assumptions (all estimates — check your own bill):
- Electricity: roughly 26p per kWh (illustrative of recent UK price-cap levels)
- Gas: roughly 7p per kWh (illustrative of recent UK price-cap levels)
- Gas hob efficiency: 55% · Induction hob efficiency: 87%
- A medium gas ring at half power draws about 1 kW of gas for 30 minutes = 0.5 kWh of gas
Gas cost: 0.5 kWh × 7p = 3.5p for the half hour. Useful heat delivered: 0.5 × 55% = 0.275 kWh.
Induction cost for the same useful heat: to deliver 0.275 kWh of heat at 87% efficiency, the hob draws 0.275 ÷ 0.87 = 0.316 kWh of electricity. Cost: 0.316 × 26p = 8.2p.
So for this kind of gentle cooking, gas costs roughly half as much per session. But now scale it up: most households spend somewhere around £40–£80 a year running a hob, whichever fuel. The real-world difference between gas and induction is typically tens of pounds a year, not hundreds — because hobs just don’t use that much energy compared to heating or hot water.
One more factor in induction’s favour: speed. Induction boils water roughly twice as fast as gas, so high-heat cooking finishes sooner and the hob is on for less time. That narrows the gap further for anyone who does a lot of boiling, stir-frying or batch cooking.
What Affects Your Actual Running Costs?
The headline maths is only the start. Your real costs depend on:
- Your tariff. The example above uses illustrative price-cap figures, but tariffs vary — and they change every quarter. If you’re on a cheap fixed deal or an off-peak tariff (or you have solar panels), induction’s numbers improve a lot.
- How you cook. Long slow simmers favour gas’s cheap fuel; fast high-heat cooking favours induction’s speed. A household that lives on stir-fries will see a smaller gap than one that slow-cooks stews for hours.
- Pan size vs ring size. A small pan on a big gas ring wastes a shocking amount of heat — match the ring to the pan and both hobs get cheaper to run.
- Lids. Cooking with a lid on cuts energy use dramatically on either hob. It’s the cheapest efficiency upgrade in your kitchen.
Induction vs Gas: The Full Comparison
| Induction | Gas | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel cost per kWh | Higher (electricity) | Lower (gas) |
| Efficiency | ~85–90% | ~50–60% |
| Typical running cost | Slightly higher per session | Slightly lower per session |
| Annual difference | Usually tens of pounds, not hundreds | |
| Speed | Faster — boils water in roughly half the time | Slower, but instant visual heat control |
| Safety | Cool surface, no naked flame | Naked flame — more caution needed |
| Cleaning | Flat glass — quick wipe | Pan supports and burners need scrubbing |
| Upfront cost | Higher — hob plus possibly new pans | Lower, but needs a gas supply |
What About the Upfront Costs?
Running costs are only half the financial picture. An induction hob typically costs more to buy than an equivalent gas hob — and there’s a hidden cost people forget: pans. Induction only works with magnetic cookware. If your pans are aluminium or copper without a magnetic base, you’ll need new ones — a decent induction-compatible set typically costs £60–£150.
There’s also the electrical supply. Most full-size induction hobs need a dedicated 32-amp circuit. If your kitchen wiring is old or the consumer unit is full, an electrician’s visit (typically £150–£300 for the circuit work) has to go in the budget. A gas hob, meanwhile, needs a Gas Safe engineer for connection — typically £60–£120 for a straightforward swap — and obviously a gas supply to the kitchen in the first place.
Homes without mains gas face a different calculation entirely: the alternative to induction is usually LPG or electric, and against those, induction’s running costs look very attractive.
Which Hob Should You Choose?
If running costs are your only criterion, gas still edges it — but the saving is modest, and it’s shrinking as induction gets more popular and tariffs evolve. For most households, the decision should rest on the other factors:
- Choose induction if you value speed, easy cleaning, safety (kids, older relatives), and a flush modern look. It’s also the future-proof choice as the UK moves away from gas.
- Choose gas if you love the instant visual control of a flame, do a lot of wok cooking or charring, or want the lowest possible running costs on a standard tariff.
And remember the hob is only part of the kitchen’s energy story — how you ventilate it matters too, which is why it’s worth checking whether you actually need an extractor, and finishing the room properly with the right kitchen curtains and blinds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to cook with gas or induction in the UK?
Gas is usually slightly cheaper per cooking session because gas costs much less per kWh than electricity — but induction’s far higher efficiency closes most of the gap. For a typical household the annual difference is usually tens of pounds, so running costs alone shouldn’t decide it.
How much electricity does an induction hob use?
A single induction zone typically draws 1.4–2.3 kW at full power, but it cycles on and off and cooks faster than gas. Real-world use for a family is roughly 150–250 kWh a year for the hob — a small slice of a household’s total electricity use.
Do I need new pans for an induction hob?
Probably, unless yours are already magnetic. Test with a fridge magnet — if it sticks firmly to the base, the pan will work on induction. Cast iron and most stainless steel work; plain aluminium and copper don’t (unless they have a magnetic base layer).
Does an induction hob need special wiring?
Most full-size (60cm+) induction hobs need a dedicated 32-amp circuit back to the consumer unit. Smaller 13-amp plug-in models exist but they’re less powerful. If you’re replacing a gas hob, budget for an electrician to check and possibly upgrade the circuit.
Is gas being phased out in UK homes?
New-build homes face tightening rules pushing them away from gas heating, and the long-term direction is electrification — but there’s no ban on existing gas hobs, and no announced date forcing homeowners to remove them. A gas hob bought today will be usable for its full lifespan.
The Bottom Line
Induction vs gas hob running costs UK: gas wins on paper, induction wins on efficiency, and the real-world gap is small enough that you should choose on cooking style, safety and upfront cost instead. Do the maths with your own tariff — it takes five minutes and beats guessing.
