Infrared Cooker vs Gas Stove: Cooking Through Gas Load-Shedding

In many Pakistani homes the gas pressure drops exactly when it is needed most: early morning chai, and dinner time when everyone is home. Cylinders are expensive and need refilling, and a weak flame turns a 20 minute salan into an hour. That is why more families now keep an electric infrared cooker on the counter as a backup, or even as their main burner.

What is an infrared cooker?

An infrared cooker (also called an infrared hot plate or electric burner) heats a coil under a ceramic glass top. The glass glows and passes the heat straight into your pot. There is no open flame and no gas connection. You plug it into a normal socket and control the heat with a knob or buttons.

Infrared cooker vs gas stove

• No dependence on gas pressure. If you have electricity, you have full heat, even when the gas line is weak.
• No open flame. Safer around children and curtains, and nothing to blow out in a breeze.
• Works with the pots you already own. Unlike induction, which needs magnetic (steel) cookware, an infrared plate heats most flat-bottomed pots: steel, aluminium, non-stick and clay.
• Easy to clean. A flat glass top wipes clean once it cools. No burner caps to scrub.
• Portable. Use it in the kitchen, on the roof for a barbecue side dish, or in a hostel or office pantry.

A gas stove still wins when gas is strong and cheap, and when you need several burners at once. Many families use both: gas for the big daily cooking, the infrared plate when pressure drops or for a second dish.

What to look for when buying one

• Wattage: around 2000W or more gives enough heat for bhunai and boiling, not just warming.
• Adjustable control: you want a real low setting for daal and a high setting for tarka.
• A solid glass top that takes the weight of a full pateela.

The RAF Infrared Cooker & Hot Plate (2200W) ticks these boxes: 2200 watts, adjustable burner control and a ceramic glass surface, and it works with most cookware types.

Tips for safe, everyday use

• Plug it straight into a wall socket rather than a thin extension board, because it draws a lot of power.
• Use flat-bottomed pots so the heat transfers evenly.
• The glass stays hot for a while after you switch it off. Let it cool before wiping.
• During load-shedding, keep your gas stove or a UPS-friendly option for backup, since an infrared plate needs mains electricity.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cook roti on an infrared cooker?

Yes. A flat tawa sits well on the glass top and heats evenly.

Does it need special pots?

No. Unlike induction, infrared heats most flat-bottomed cookware, including aluminium and clay.

Is it safe to leave on for long cooking like haleem or nihari?

It is made for daily use, but never leave any cooker unattended. Use a lower setting for long, slow cooking.

Ready to stop waiting for the gas? Order the RAF Infrared Cooker with cash on delivery anywhere in Pakistan.