For someone who is purchasing a geyser for the first time, it is always difficult to decide which geyser type is best suited for home or kitchen use – a gas geyser or electric geyser? That’s what we will find out today.
While selecting a geyser, safety and efficiency should be your number one priority. This article brings out the major differences between gas geyser and electric geyser across numerous criteria.
Additionally, you’ll also learn the advantages and disadvantages of both the types in detail.
Let’s dive in!
Gas geyser vs electric geyser: comparison
There are major differences between them across numerous parameters. But, for starters, I have selected only the most important ones for comparison.
With numerous accidents been reported in the homes due to the geysers, I have given special importance to the safety.
Now, let us have a look at the difference between electric geyser and gas geyser –
| Particular | Gas Geyser | Electric Geyser |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Bit risky. Not recommended to be used in homes | Very safe. Recommended due to the various features |
| Cost | Lesser in cost, close to Rs. 0.45 for heating 6 L of water | Costly, costs close to Rs. 0.80 for heating 6 L of water |
| Purchase Price | Pocket friendly, within the range of four to six thousand INR | Bit expensive, cost ranges from six thousand to twelve thousand INR |
| Time Taken To Heat Water | Water gets heated quickly, nearly 3 times faster | Water takes time to heat |
| Space | You would require an additional space for the LPG cylinder and provide space for ventilation | Wall-mount, thus perfect for modern washrooms |
| Durability | Lasts only 6 – 8 years due to the heating as working mechanism | Withstand for more than 8 years easily |
| Environment Impact | High, as hydrocarbons are burnt to release the gas | Low, as water is heated through the electricity |
| Ease of Installation | Difficult | Easy |
From the table we can conclude that an electric geyser is definitely the winner. It’s highly efficient and more safe. Also, it comes in wide range of models and designs with new features like glass coated heating element, anti-corrosion technology, and others. You can even get a geyser for hard water if you have a bad water supply at home.
With gas geyser needing a consistent water supply, an electric geyser comes along with more convenience.
Knowing a gas geyser better
A gas geyser is basically the one that derives its source from heat from an LPG. With the LPG heating the water, it enables the geyser to deliver instant hot water.
Continuous hot water can be generated from the gas geyser. Thus, it leads to a lower power efficiency as the heated water cannot be stored for future purposes.
But, if you are having a bigger family, the gas geyser might be the perfect one.
Why?
The recovery rate of gas geysers is extremely good. What it means is the time it takes for re-heating water is less, as when compared to the electric geysers.
Types:
You will come across mainly two types of gas geysers –
- Instant geysers: This is the only available type in India. Providing an instant supply of water, these geysers are perfect for small families.
- Storage: These kinds of geysers are not available in India. It is best if you are looking forward to storing the water, as it is perfect for large families. These products are no more available in the Indian sub-continent.
Advantages of gas geyser:
The gas geysers come forward with the following benefits, that give them an advantage over the electric ones –
- Less expensive as compared to their counterpart. So, if this is the first geyser you are looking to buy or you are in a makeshift home, this can be your choice.
- There is a steady generation of heat, thus no requirement of storage of water.
- Faster, as the cycle time for the heating of water is less. This means, if you have a big family, you can get the water heated quickly.
- Maintenance and repair of the gas geysers are less costly.
Disadvantages of gas geyser:
Some of the downsides of having a gas geyser include –
- No safety at all! With the intermittent heating facility, you can merely heat up the water anytime. This is the cause of many accidents too!
- More space is needed, this is not a perfect solution for bunker homes.
- Maintenance will be very difficult as there is a small market in India. It means that servicing of the geysers will be difficult to get done.
- Not handy installation, thus not a viable option
- A drain is needed in the tank to get rid of the sediments at the bottom, which build up with time.
- Due to release of toxic gases and carbon monoxide, gas geyser can be harmful to health and also, it is not an environmentally viable solution.
Know more about electric geysers
The simplicity of the use of electric geysers has made them a popular household. It is important to note that various changes in the model of the electric geysers have been made previously.
But, the underlying principle of the electric geyser has remained the same.
With the help of the electric current, the copper wires emanate the heat, which in turn increase the temperature of the water.
Using this principle, various new models of electric geysers have been developed.
Often the heating element is protected by a certain material, which prevents the melting of the heating element. As a result, there are two types of electric geysers available.
Types of electric geyser:
Storage geysers: The geyser comes along with the auto-cut feature, which helps in storing the water after heated. It prevents accidents that might occur from the overheating of the geyser. Moreover, the efficiency of the geyser is also increased in this manner.
If you are forgetful of leaving the geyser turned on, you should get a storage geyser for your home. The tanks are built within the geyser for storing the warm water, which is made up of heat resistant, non-corrosive materials. They prevent the water from reacting against the material, thus making the geysers highly durable.
Instant geysers: This type of heater heats the water instantly and enable you to bathe faster. They are also known as instant water heaters and come in lesser capacities, such as 1 litre, 3 litre, and 5 litre. They are perfect for your kitchen, and that’s why they are often termed as kitchen geysers.
An instant water heater is suitable for small families or someone who wants an energy efficient and portable heater for quickly heating the water.
Advantages of electric geyser:
Electric geysers come along with the following advantages –
- Excellent efficiency of the geysers, which means features like auto-cut reduce the electricity expenses.
- Safety is the highest priority when it comes to electric geysers. Unlike the gas geysers, the electric ones are safer and easier to use.
- Easier maintenance as they are being used commercially by almost every household.
- Safe for the environment as no poisonous gasses are released into the atmosphere.
- Higher durability, which makes them the first choice of every house.
Disadvantages of electric geyser:
The only disadvantage of purchasing an electric geyser might be the higher cost of purchase. Moreover, the dependence on electricity might be troublesome if you live in a place where load-shedding is frequent. Also, the issue of short circuit destroying the entire geyser can be very dangerous for the entire house.
So, you need to beware of the same!
Electric geyser vs gas geyser: which is safer?
In this criteria, the electric geyser wins, hands down. Though there might be issues of a short circuit in electric geyser, it will only damage the geyser.
But, a gas geyser uses an LPG gas to heat the water. A small leak of the LPG gas can lead to a chain of events leading to your home set on fire.
Moreover, the gas geysers also have a lot of sediment which is deposited at the base of the tank, which leads to discharging the slug.
Else, it might increase the chances of any dangerous chemical reaction too!
Final verdict
Electric geyser vs gas geyser – so, who is the winner after considering all the factors?
If you ask my unbiased decision, I suggest you go for an electric storage geyser. The reason is very simple.
Safety is the highest when it comes to electric geysers. Moreover, the ease of operating the geyser and the storage facility provided makes it a better choice.
Electric geysers also come along with the best servicing available, which is not present with the gas geysers. The electric geysers can be wall-mounted, which makes them a better option against the gas geyser.
Gas geysers don’t have the water storage facility. Moreover, the chances of accidents are more in this geyser.
Thus, my personal recommendation will be to go for an electric geyser over a gas geyser, owing to its efficiency, safety, and ease of installation.