New studies show just how harmful to health they can be, but there are good alternatives to the open flame

Gas stoves are a hot topic. A new study linked them to one in eight childhood asthma cases, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said it would look into banning them, and Republicans expressed anger at the mere suggestion.

At the same time, federal and state policies are aiming to give gas stoves’ main competition – regular electric stoves and the ballyhooed induction stove – a boost.

What does this all mean for you? We’ll break it down in this explainer.

Are gas stoves a source of indoor air pollution?

Without a doubt, yes. There are two ways gas stoves pollute your home. The first is the most obvious: when they’re in use. Burning gas creates heat, which causes nitrogen and oxygen to bond among the flames. They combine to create nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, collectively known as NOx, which can irritate the lungs. But that’s not the only compound to worry about. Cooking with gas can also emit carbon monoxide, particulate matter and even formaldehyde. Those all have various deleterious health impacts, and can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

There’s likely a more insidious form of pollution emanating from your stove. A growing body of research shows gas stoves emit toxic compounds even when not in use. Among the most worrisome is benzene, a carcinogen. A study by PSE Health Energy found benzene in 99% of samples it took in homes in California. Other chemicals discovered included xylene, toluene and ethylbenzene, which can also cause respiratory issues and may cause cancer as well.

Talor Gruenwald, the lead author on the new asthma study and researcher at Rewiring America, said the finding “demonstrates that this is a real public health challenge that we have to address”.

Just how much pollution are we talking about here?

A lot. The PSE Health Energy study found that gas stoves can emit as much benzene as a cigarette, making them akin to secondhand smoke.

“You can achieve the same level of benzene just from having a stove that’s off in your house as you’d expect to see as having a house with a smoker in it,” said Seth Shonkoff, the executive director of PSE Energy Health and associate researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

That’s, of course, just when the stove is off. Research published last year found that NOx emissions when a stove is in use can exceed federal safety standards for outdoor air quality in a matter of minutes. For that reason, Shonkoff referred to stoves as “stationary air pollution machines inside people’s houses”, albeit ones that aren’t subject to the same outdoor air pollution standards.

Gruenwald also compared stoves to having a smoker around, saying: “The stove is frankly going to be the main source of pollution if you don’t live in a home with a smoker.”

Gas stoves are also terrible for the climate. The methane emissions from gas stoves in the US are equal to adding 500,000 cars to the road each year.

Can you test for gas stove pollution at home?

Not really. While there are a variety of indoor air quality sensors for things like carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter, there aren’t cheap home versions for testing for NOx, benzene and other home pollutants. There are somewhat affordable instruments to detect gas leaks, but Shonkoff said those are more geared toward significant leaks rather than everyday gas stove emissions. (And if you smell ever gas, call your utility or the emergency services right away.)

He added that the tools used by academics cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Does using a hood/vent make a difference?

Absolutely yes. Turning on that vent when cooking is vital to ushering air pollution outside. This is admittedly not an ideal solution since it just turns indoor air pollution into outdoor air pollution. But it’s better than having it in high concentrations in your home where it can do more damage to your lungs.

What else can be done to reduce indoor air pollution from gas stoves?

For those who lack a hood over their stove (such as myself), Shonkoff said that even opening the windows is a good tactic to clear the air. Even better would be to put a fan in the window to help suck the indoor air out.

Of course, the best way to cut down on gas stove pollution is to not have a gas stove in the first place.

What are some gas stove alternatives?

Electric stoves come in two main flavors: standard and induction. Standard electric stoves run electricity through a wire to generate thermal heat.

Induction stoves are increasingly in vogue. Rather than generating thermal heat, induction stoves generate heat electromagnetically. When you turn an induction stove on, electricity flows through a coil that creates a magnetic field. I won’t go into exactly how this heats your pots and pans (more information here if you’re interested), but it does.

What you need to know is that the magnetic field directly heats pots and pans – and their contents – rather than transferring heat like traditional stoves do. The stove itself doesn’t get hot. In fact, you could turn on an induction burner and put your hand on it. (Just don’t do it after a hot pot has been on the surface.) Also unlike traditional electric stoves, induction stoves don’t take time to heat up. That makes them more analogous to gas stoves. But they’re more efficient than gas stoves. Tests have shown they can bring a pot of water to boil in half the time of a gas stove.

How much does an induction stove cost compared to a gas stove?

Switching from gas to induction can be pricey. A cursory glance at big-box retailer Lowe’s shows the cheapest gas stove is $529 while the cheapest induction stove is $1,199, at the time of publication.

Swapping from gas to induction also comes with other costs. Induction stoves don’t plug into standard wall outlets, so an electrician will probably have to rewire your kitchen. And induction stoves only work with certain types of pots and pans. If you own a set of copper or aluminum cookware, you’re probably going to have to invest in some new pots and pans.

Are there ways to bring the costs down?

You’re in luck, because the answer is yes. If you’re induction-curious and want to dip your toe, there are plenty of single-burner induction cooktops to get you started. Wirecutter’s top pick clocks in at $117, making it a reasonable point of entry, while its budget pick is even less expensive. You could conceivably buy four and place them on your gas stove and voilà, you have an induction range for less than $500. This is admittedly a clunky solution, though.

In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act includes rebates of up to $840 for buyers buying an induction or electric stove. If you earn less than 80% of the median household income in your area, you qualify for the whole rebate. For those earning between 80% and 150% of the median household income, you can get a rebate for up to half the cost of the new stove.

For people switching from gas to electric, there’s an additional $500 for covering installation costs. Rewiring America has a calculator to reveal what tax credits and rebates for stove and other electrification benefits you qualify for under the Inflation Reduction Act.