Published : 15 Feb 2023, 02:12 AM
Updated : 15 Feb 2023, 02:36 AM
The supply of gas for domestic cooking gas has become erratic in many urban areas in Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka. The price of LPG cylinders, an alternative, is also going up.
Now, many cooks are opting for electric induction and infrared stoves as permanent solutions to this situation.
The demand for this special type of stove in the capital has increased gradually as it is relatively cost-effective, as well as safe and hassle-free.
According to some vendors, people rush to buy electric stoves during Ramadan, the month of fasting, or when there is a shortage of gas supply in an area for several days.
Consumers in local markets can choose from a wide range of stoves made by foreign brands such as LG, Kiam, Novena, Ricoh, and Prestige, in addition to models produced by local brands like Walton and Vision.
Stoves with a power capacity of 2200 watts are available in the market at prices ranging between Tk 3,000 and Tk 4,000. The cost may increase slightly depending on the additional features they offer.
Irene Sultana, a resident of the Pallabi area in the capital, shared her experience with bdnews24.com, stating that a few years ago when the road was dug up for the Metrorail project, gas was not available in her area for most of the day. To overcome this problem, she purchased an electric stove from an electronics store. Since then, even if there is a gas shortage in the area, she does not have to suffer.
Irene spoke about the convenience of using a portable stove which can be set up and used anywhere in the house and easily packed away when not in use.
“My stove is equipped with infrared technology and can be used with any pan,” she said.
This had come in handy during times when other residents in the area had to rush to restaurants due to gas shortages, resulting in overcrowding and food shortages.
With her portable stove, however, Irene has not had to worry about these issues, she said.
In the past, people used to cook with electric heaters, and there were numerous reports of accidents resulting from contact with the stove coils or electrical wires.
However, modern electric stoves are much safer, according to users.
The advanced safety features of these stoves have significantly reduced the likelihood of electrical hazards.
Sadia Sultana, another user of the electric stoves, said that the heat from these stoves is directly conducted to the pan, with minimal heat being wasted. These stoves allow users to easily adjust the temperature, just like a gas stove.
Sadia, who used to live in Shyamoli Kazi office lane, noted that the buildings built in the Shyamoli area around 2014 use LPG cylinder gas instead of piped gas.
Currently residing in Shanti Nagar, Sadia said that she used to rely solely on an electric stove for cooking when she lived in Shyamoli. Although there is a gas line in her current residence, she still uses the electric stove when there are gas problems.
There has been a growing interest among consumers regarding electric stoves, particularly induction and infrared stoves, over the past year, said Mesbah Uddin Titu, an electronics and household goods shopkeeper in Manipur in Mirpur-2.
He noted that the popularity of infrared stoves has risen since they offer the flexibility to cook with almost any type of metal container, unlike induction stoves which require specific pans. Although the price of infrared stoves and the electricity cost is a little higher, people are still interested in them.
Al Amin, supplied electronics products, including a Vision brand electric stove, to an electronics shop in North Pirerbagh. He used to supply hundreds of stoves a month to electronics shops in the entire Mirpur Zone and anticipates increased demand in the upcoming summer season.
The house he resides in has no gas connection, and his family relies on electric stoves as an alternative to gas cylinders.
Operating the stove costs his two-member family a maximum of Tk 300 on their monthly electricity bills, he said.
Al Imran, the chief business officer at Walton Home Appliances, told bdnews24.com that their brand's induction and infrared cookers are priced 35-40 percent lower than traditional gas stoves. He also mentioned that these stoves only require one unit of electricity to provide cooking for a duration of 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
If a family of four cooks for three hours per day, then the monthly electricity cost of the stoves is limited to Tk 500 to Tk 600.
Imran said the market value of electric stoves amounts to 1.2 billion annually, and Walton has captured approximately 20 percent of the electric stove market share.
Inquiries into the manufacturing process found that local stove brands import components from foreign countries and manufacture their stoves by assembling those parts.
The imported parts constitute half of the production cost, while the other half comprises local value added by manufacturers.
The Walton official expects the electric stove market to grow by 25 to 30 percent in 2023.
[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi; editing by Shoumik Hassin]
