Last updated: October 20, 2026 · By Dhiren Punjabi, Top Choice Electronics, Brampton & Guelph

Short answer: For health and safety, induction comes out ahead, electric is a close second, and gas trails. Electric and induction burn no fuel, so they add no nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide or benzene to your kitchen air. Induction also has no flame, a cooler surface and stops heating when the pan is lifted, which matters most in homes with young kids.

Shoppers comparing cooktops ask us three questions more than any other: which is healthiest, which is safest, and which is best with small children at home. Below we answer each one with Health Canada guidance, peer-reviewed research and Canadian child-safety sources, then put all three side by side. If you're leaning toward induction, see the Café Matte White 3-piece induction kitchen package or browse Café appliances.

1. Health: which cooktop is best for indoor air?

Electric and induction. Neither burns fuel. A gas flame adds pollutants that electric cooking doesn't.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)

Health Canada says NO₂ can decrease lung function and make asthma worse. In Canadian homes studied (including Toronto and Hamilton), median indoor NO₂ was generally 4–10 µg/m³, versus 9–22 µg/m³ in homes with gas stoves; about 90% of gas-stove homes would exceed 10 µg/m³, compared with about 10% of electric-stove homes (Health Canada NO₂ guideline). A 2024 Stanford study found people in homes under 800 sq ft had four times the long-term stove-related NO₂ exposure of those in homes over 3,000 sq ft, which matters in condos and smaller GTA homes (Kashtan et al., 2024).

Benzene

In a Stanford-led study of 87 homes, gas and propane burners emitted benzene at rates 10 to 25 times higher than electric coil and radiant cooktops, and induction emitted no detectable benzene (Kashtan et al., 2023). One gas burner on high could push indoor benzene above levels found in secondhand smoke (Stanford Report).

Ventilation matters on every stove

Health Canada says cooking creates fine particles on gas or electric stoves, mostly from frying, roasting and broiling. A range hood vented outdoors on high (300 CFM) can cut exposure to cooking pollutants by more than 80% compared with lower speeds. Use the back burners and open a window when you can.

2. Safety: which cooktop is safest for burns, fire and gas?

Burns

Induction heats the pan, not the glass; ENERGY STAR says the cooking top surface remains cool to the touch. The glass still warms from the hot pan, so think cooler, not cold. A radiant electric element stays hot after it's switched off, and gas grates stay hot too.

Fire

The U.S. National Fire Protection Association reports that, based on 2020–2024 averages, ranges or cooktops account for 51% of home cooking fire incidents, two-thirds of home cooking fires start with food or cooking materials igniting, and unattended equipment is a factor in a quarter of them (NFPA). No cooktop removes that risk: stay in the kitchen while frying, and keep towels and oven mitts away from the stovetop. An open flame can catch a sleeve or tea towel; induction has no flame.

Gas leaks and carbon monoxide

Health Canada says carbon monoxide is produced whenever fuel like natural gas or propane burns; it has no smell, taste or colour and can only be detected with a CO alarm. Fuel-burning appliances can release CO if they malfunction or aren't vented or maintained correctly, and during a power outage an electric range hood won't ventilate a gas stove. Enbridge Gas notes that natural gas is given a rotten-egg smell so you can detect a leak; if you smell it, leave right away and call from outside. A CO alarm does not detect natural gas leaks. Electric and induction have no gas line, so neither risk applies.

Automatic shutoff

Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection explains that on induction, once cookware is removed, power to the coil stops. Many models also offer child locks and shutoff timers; check the specs of the model you're considering.

Pacemakers and EMF

Induction uses non-ionizing magnetic fields of about 20–100 kHz. The BfS says at common distances induction hobs usually comply with ICNIRP reference levels and no health effects are expected. If you have a cardiac device, Medtronic advises keeping it at least 60 cm (24 in) from the heating zone, and the British Heart Foundation gives the same advice. Ask your cardiologist.

3. Homes with young kids: which cooktop is best?

Induction, for its cooler surface, no flame and automatic stop when the pan is lifted. Electric's residual heat is the main thing to watch; gas adds a flame and combustion pollutants.

Hot surfaces and residual heat

Parachute, Canada's injury-prevention charity, says children under five suffer 60% of scald injuries seen in emergency departments. SickKids' AboutKidsHealth notes that most burns happen in the kitchen. On radiant electric and gas, the cooking surface stays hot after cooking ends; on induction, the surface is warmed only by the pan.

Knobs and child locks

Front-mounted knobs are within a toddler's reach. HealthLink BC recommends kitchen range dial protectors to stop a child turning on elements. Many induction and electric models have a control lock; look for it in the specs.

Asthma

A 2022 analysis estimated that 12.7% of current childhood asthma in the U.S. is attributable to gas stove use (Gruenwald et al.). It is a modelled estimate based on association, and some researchers question whether it shows cause and effect. Health Canada's finding that NO₂ can worsen asthma points the same way.

Habits that work on any stove

• Cook on the back burners and turn pot handles inward (Parachute, AboutKidsHealth).
• Keep young children out of the cooking area with a high chair, playpen or safety gate (Parachute).
• Run the range hood on high (Health Canada).
• Install a CO alarm if you have any gas appliance (Health Canada).

How do gas, electric and induction compare side by side?

Bottom line: the biggest health and safety step is moving from gas to either electric option. Induction adds the cooler surface and automatic stop that families with young kids value most.

See gas, electric and induction in person in Brampton or Guelph

Top Choice Electronics is an authorized dealer. Compare all three side by side, and ask about delivery and installation when you visit or message us.

• Brampton: 16 Intermodal Dr, Unit 1, Brampton, ON
• Guelph: 5461 Hwy 6, Guelph, ON

Check current stock and price on the Café Matte White induction package page, or see all our kitchen appliance packages.

FAQ

Which is healthier for indoor air: gas, electric or induction?
Electric and induction. Neither burns fuel, so neither releases nitrogen dioxide or carbon monoxide. Gas burners release NO2, CO and benzene. Between the two electric types the gap is small: in a Stanford study, induction emitted no detectable benzene and radiant electric emitted small amounts.

Which cooktop is safest for burns?
Induction. Heat is made in the pan, and ENERGY STAR says the cooktop surface stays cool to the touch, though the glass warms from the hot pan. A radiant electric element stays hot after it is switched off, and gas has an open flame.

Is a gas stove a carbon monoxide risk?
It can be. Health Canada says CO is produced whenever fuel such as natural gas or propane burns, and fuel-burning appliances can release it if they malfunction or are not vented or maintained properly. Install a CO alarm if you have any gas appliance.

Which stove is best for a home with young children?
Induction is the strongest choice: no flame, a cooler surface, and heating stops when the pan is lifted. Whatever you cook on, Canadian child-safety groups advise using back burners, turning pot handles inward and keeping children away from the stove while cooking.

Can I use induction if I have a pacemaker?
Usually, with distance. Medtronic and the British Heart Foundation advise keeping a cardiac device at least 60 cm (24 in) from an active induction zone. Check with your cardiologist.

Do I still need a range hood with electric or induction?
Yes. Health Canada says cooking food creates fine particles on gas or electric stoves, and a hood vented outdoors on high can cut exposure to cooking pollutants by more than 80% compared with lower speeds.

Related articles

• What Is Induction Cooking? The technology behind it, and what makes it good or bad
• Is a Washer-Dryer Combo Right for a Condo or Small Space? The GE Profile All-in-One Explained

Sources

1. Health Canada, Nitrogen dioxide (indoor air contaminants)
2. Health Canada, Residential Indoor Air Quality Guideline: Nitrogen Dioxide
3. Health Canada, Factsheet: Cooking and indoor air quality
4. Health Canada, Carbon monoxide: Overview
5. Kashtan et al., Gas and Propane Combustion from Stoves Emits Benzene, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2023
6. Stanford Report, Cooking with gas stoves emits benzene (2023)
7. Kashtan et al., NO2 exposure from U.S. gas and propane stoves, Science Advances 2024
8. Gruenwald et al., Gas Stoves and Childhood Asthma in the United States, IJERPH
9. Global Epidemiology commentary, The gas stove–childhood asthma kerfuffle (critique)
10. German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Induction hob
11. ICNIRP, Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric and magnetic fields (1 Hz–100 kHz), 2010
12. Medtronic, Cardiac Devices EMC Guide: Household & Hobby Items
13. British Heart Foundation, Induction hobs and pacemakers
14. ENERGY STAR, Residential Induction Cooking Tops
15. NFPA, Cooking Safety (2020–2024 statistics)
16. Enbridge Gas, Smell natural gas?
17. Parachute, Burns and scalds
18. AboutKidsHealth (SickKids), Burns: Household safety and prevention
19. HealthLink BC, Child Safety: Preventing Burns

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart device or a respiratory condition, talk to your doctor.