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Person standing over a gas range with a hand on a tea kettle that’s resting on a stovetop in a kitchen with white cabinetry

Will a gas stove work in a power outage?

Power outages are never convenient, particularly when they prevent you from getting food on the table. However, even though the lights and appliances are off, you may still be able to get your gas stove running in time for family dinner.

The make and model of your stove will help determine if you are able to light your stovetop during a power outage. Check your model-specific owner’s manual for more information.

A black gas range between sea green cabinets with white countertops

How does a gas stove work without electricity?

A gas stove uses electricity for several functions, including lighting the ignition and running the control panel and oven light. However, it’s still possible for some gas stovetops to work without electricity by manually lighting the burner.

Your ability to manually light your gas stove’s burner will depend on the make and model of your appliance, since your stove may have a safety feature that prevents it. Remember, while you may be able to use your cooktop, you won’t be able to use your gas oven, since it needs an electric ignition to get going.

It’s also important to note that while it’s sometimes possible to use a gas stove when the power is out, you won’t be able to use an electric stove or cooktop. While gas stoves rely on an open flame to heat cookware, electric cooktops use an electromagnetic charge to heat up metal coils that are integrated into the cooktop surface and, therefore, don’t work at all if your power is out.

How to manually light gas burners on a stovetop

While gas stoves typically use electronic igniters to light the pilot on the stovetop, you can manually light a gas stovetop burner with electric ignition on some models (check your owner’s manual to be sure) by carefully following the steps below. Be sure to proceed with caution:

Hold a match near your stovetop’s burner.
Turn the knob for the burner counterclockwise to the “IGNITE/Lite” setting.
After the burner lights, turn the knob to the setting you need.

Before trying to light your gas stove’s burner, be sure to check your model-specific manual to confirm it’s safe to do so. Your owner’s manual may have specific instructions for how to ignite the burner. Your instructions may also recommend that you refrain from using accessories like grills or griddles during a power outage since your vent may not be working.

Will a gas oven work without electricity?

Unlike a gas stove top, it’s typically not possible to manually light a gas oven. Gas ovens need electricity to operate, so unfortunately, you won’t be able to make use of your range while the power is out and you may need to rely on your cooktop.

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