Gas vs Electric Commercial Cooking Equipment: Speed, Cost, and the Hood Question
Gas vs Electric Commercial Cooking Equipment: Speed, Cost, and the Hood Question
The gas-versus-electric debate in commercial kitchens is usually settled by two things: how fast you need to cook, and whether your space has the ventilation for gas. Here's the honest comparison.
Speed: gas wins for high output
Gas delivers instant, controllable heat that electric coils and even induction struggle to match at commercial volume. A griddle or charbroiler needs to recover fast when a rush hits — every basket or burger drops the surface temperature, and gas brings it back faster. That's why high-volume kitchens run gas for their primary cook line.
- Westlake 48" Gas Griddle (EGG-48S) — 120,000 BTU, 4 burners.
- Westlake 36" Gas Charbroiler (ECB-36S) — 90,000 BTU radiant.
- Westlake 36" 6-Burner Gas Range (RGR36) — 210,000 BTU with a standard oven.
Cost: electricity vs gas
Gas is usually cheaper per BTU than electricity in most U.S. markets, and gas equipment recovers faster — meaning less energy wasted bringing a surface back to temperature. Electric's advantage is precision and safety: no open flame, no gas line, and lower ventilation demands.
The hood question
This is often the real deciding factor. Gas cooking — especially charbroiling and frying — produces grease-laden vapor that code requires you to ventilate through a Type I hood. If your space has no hood and can't get one, electric (or a hoodless-certified gas setup) may be your only path. Countertop gas units still need proper ventilation, so check local code before you commit.
Bottom line
For speed and volume, gas is the default in commercial kitchens — and Westlake's entire cooking line is gas. Electric wins only where precision or the absence of a hood forces it.
See the gas griddle, gas charbroiler, and gas range lines.