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["Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>]

Well, as I said a few months ago, I absolutely HATE gas cooking.  When we 
bought this place, the cooktop that was here blew up but since this was only 
piped for gas, we bought a new gas cooktop.  Lots of suggestions about what 
the problem was from high altitude to "you need a professional because you 
didn't hook it up right/adjust it properly."  O.K., so at 3,000' altitude 
"could" be part of the problem but only a tiny part.  We got out both the 
certified Maytag guy and the local propane guy and both adjusted the stove 
and told me it was all my imagination.

Well, phooey on them.  I started collecting change in my trusty old 
Planter's peanut jars and saved up enough to have 220 put in.  I told the 
electrician that I wanted the wiring to be top of the line "incase" I ever 
hit the Lotto and could afford an induction cooktop.  Then I started saving 
again, more pennies, more nickles, dimes and quarters.  So, a couple of 
weeks ago I've got enough for a new cooktop.  Off we go, after first 
callling to be sure they had the model I wanted in stock (some cooktops come 
with a special power burner for canning).  We get to the store and NO 
COOKTOP!

O.K., so I'm LIVID.  It's a two-hour drive and Redding is HOT!   In fact, he 
said they never stock the cooktop I wanted.  I told the guy I wasn't mad at 
him, it wasn't him that told me the night before that they had the cooktop 
in and I told DH we'd go check out all the big boxes.  The saleman said to 
hold on and he went and got the manager.  So, we ended up with a real stove, 
not a cooktop, and for less than it would have cost for the cooktop with the 
special order burners.

Now I have TWO ovens!  Wahoo!

At anyrate, back to electric vs. gas.  Before we went to pick up the new 
stove, youngest and I conducted a test.  We took the big Revereware cooper 
bottom pan and filled it with cold tap water and timed how long it took it 
to come to a boil -- 34 minutes.  Then we took the big stainless steel pasta 
pan and filled it with cold tap water and put a lid on it and timed how long 
it took for it come to a boil -- 39 minutes.

Well, DH just did an electric test.  Revereware, cold tap water -- 12 
mintues to a really rolling rapid boil.  Stainless steel pasta pot, cold tap 
water -- 15 minutes to a really rollling rapid boil.

I am now a happy camper!

Lynda