When I moved into a new home with an aging stove, I faced a big question that morphed into an existential crisis. As a lifelong gas stove user, my instinct was to stick with what I knew, and what all the professional chefs in all the kitchens I've worked in used.
As a home tech reporter who covers large appliances and the air-quality and health risks of cooking with gas indoors, I found myself reconsidering. Sure, career chefs extol gas, and you'd be hard-pressed to find one who says otherwise, but professional kitchens are bigger, often have industrial ventilation and their inhabitants don't raise children in them.
An induction cooktop was never part of the plan -- but plans change. Juan Algar/Getty Images
I've dealt with asthma my whole life, one of the conditions that is believed to be worsened by natural gas stove emissions, especially among children. On top of that, my new kitchen sits somewhat cut off from the rest of the home, making ventilation a real concern.
I switched to a smart induction stove, and I couldn't be happier. Samsung/CNET
Ultimately, I went with induction -- Samsung's feature-rich smart induction stove. After more than a year of use, peace of mind about my kitchen's air quality is just one of many reasons I'm pleased with the switch. It's faster, safer, cleaner and more energy efficient.
Plus, the stove's smart connectivity recently saved me several hours of driving (more on that later).
As it stands, I have no intention of going back to gas. Here are the four main reasons why.
1. Air quality factored most in my decision
I was a gas stove purist -- until I wasn't. Alessandro Citterio/Getty Images
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