Everyone has strong feelings about how to cook. Those old electric coils that rattled around were certainly awkward. However, electric cooktops have come a long way. You can even get a model that heats through your countertop. Certainly, the ceramic ones are much easier to keep clean than gas stoves and they heat very quickly. We got a new gas stove recently with grates that are so heavy I worry about my shoulder repair! Gas appliances emit nitrogen dioxide, which can trigger asthma and, along with CO and CO2, can cause other respiratory conditions. The methane they emit has been undercounted. A new study in CA, reported by the Washington Post this week, suggests that gas stoves do the same damage to the atmosphere as 500,000 cars. Some local municipalities are prohibiting the use of natural gas in new homes. Maybe think again about what kind of stove you want in your new house.