There is no electric hum no digital beeps, and no smug little “bip” that lets you know the pan is there. There was only a soft ‘tchick’ sound when the gas knob turned, and then a sudden blue crown of flame. Marta is fighting with her teenage daughter in their small apartment in Lyon. The daughter stands with her arms crossed in front of the new gas cooker that used to be the induction cooker.
Voices that were heated both literally and figuratively.
Marta says she has control again. Her daughter says that the whole thing smells like the past and maybe even like danger.
This same thing is happening all over Europe, from Berlin lofts to family kitchens in Lisbon. At first, quietly. Then the words got sharper, and the energy bills kept going up.
There is one question that keeps coming up.
Are we really going to say goodbye to induction?
The 2026 plot twist: when gas comes back into the kitchen
The story starts with something apparently technical: regulations, energy mixes, and the 2026 horizon of several European programs that once pushed households toward induction. A lot of families are suddenly looking at those old gas pipes in the wall again as public subsidies go down and new rules about how much electricity costs come into effect.
Retailers say they see a strange double curve. During the energy transition push from 2020 to 2023, sales of high-end induction plates skyrocketed. After that, they levelled off, while interest in “modern gas hobs with better safety features” slowly grew.
It seems like a reasonable recalibration on paper.
In real life, it feels more like a U-turn with the handbrake on.
Look at Italy, where the flame culture never really went away.
Claudio, 42, from Milan, proudly replaced his gas stove with a sleek black induction hob in 2021 to “match the kitchen on Instagram.”
Then there was the energy crisis, and his bill went up by 100% in one winter.
He began to keep track of how long it took for water to boil. During slow Sunday ragù sessions, he watched the smart meter spin. At first, he did the maths wrong, but then he became obsessed with it. The induction plate, which used to be a sign of wealth, started to feel like a money trap.
He hired a plumber to reconnect the gas line last autumn. The installer, who was half-amused, told him that he had done three “reverse conversions” that week.
There is a mix of harsh maths and identity behind these small family dramas. Induction promises control, speed, and a simple, clean way of life. Gas sells warmth, tradition and the emotional comfort of seeing the flame.
Electricity isn’t always as cheap or “green” as people thought it would be as Europe changes its energy policies. This is especially true in countries that still rely on fossil-fuel power plants. Some families are coming to the conclusion that a gas flame, along with efficient boilers or biogas, might be cheaper for them.
Let’s be honest: no one really reads every energy-policy document before buying a cooker. They feel their way through their bills, habits, and fears.
And right now, the flame is doing a great job of bringing those feelings to life.
How families deal with the comeback: safety, cost, and that stubborn blue flame
Installers will tell you the same thing: the most common conversation these days starts with “I’m scared of gas, but…” After that “but,” there are usually three words: bills, control, and taste.
A hybrid setup is becoming more common in European homes. Keep one or two gas burners for cooking at high temperatures and when the power goes out. Also, keep a small induction zone for quick breakfasts or when the kids cook by themselves.
This is easy to do technically. It means making plans for your countertop, picking a mixed hob or putting a narrow domino gas burner with a small induction plate. It also means doing something boring that people forget: having a professional check the gas line and ventilation before they celebrate the “return of real cooking.”
Safety is the emotional battlefield People who grew up with gas remember the faint smell of butane on winter nights and the pain of half-treated burns. Their teens heard a lot about asthma, carbon monoxide, and indoor air pollution.
People often start their arguments with numbers, like “Gas leaks are rare,” “Induction can also break,” or “You’re overreacting.” They usually end with something softer, like “I don’t want my kids to breathe that” or “I don’t feel safe lighting this.”
We’ve all been there the moment when you realise that a simple dinner can start a family debate about what “safe” and “modern” really mean. That’s why the tone changes when you talk about rules of use instead of just bills.
Every week, kitchen designers in Europe hear the same things. Some people are getting sick of the back-and-forth between “all gas” and “all induction.” But they also see a middle path that sounds very calm.
People come in and say Gas is back, induction is over’,’ says Léa, a kitchen planner in Brussels. “I tell them, “Your life is not a trend.” Your kids, your habits, and your building are all part of your real rulebook.
To get through the noise they often give customers a simple list:
- Check your building to see if gas lines are allowed, up to date and well-ventilated.
- Look at the real costs of electricity and gas, not just the headlines.
- Think about who does the cooking: kids, older family members, renters, and guests.
- Choose what’s most important to you: speed, safety, taste, bills, or the environment.
- Prepare for power outages: one gas hob can feel like gold when the power goes out.
Truth time the best hob for you is the one that works with your messy, imperfect life, not the one that does the best in a lab test.
A divided, flickering future in Europe’s kitchens after 2026
There won’t be a clear break in 2026 when induction goes away and petrol wins. A patchwork continent is starting to take shape. A Berlin start-up founder cooks on induction under solar panels, while a Portuguese grandmother proudly goes back to a triple-ring gas hob that sounds like a jet engine.
Prices and energy policies will keep changing. Cities might make it harder to get new gas connections, while homes in rural areas might rely more on bottled gas or biogas from nearby sources. Seeing this uncertainty, manufacturers are already pushing smarter gas hobs with better sensors and auto-shutoff systems, as well as ultra-efficient induction plates that use very little power.
Families are stuck in the middle of all this, holding a wooden spoon and trying to guess what the next ten years of rules and costs will be just so they can fry an egg in peace.
What this goodbye to induction story really shows is less about appliances and more about trust. Have faith that governments will make energy transitions that don’t hurt low-income families. Have faith in manufacturers to be honest about how long things will last, how much it will cost to fix them, and how much they really use. Have faith in your own habits, which don’t always match what you see in the showroom.
Some people will stick with induction because it has clean lines and surfaces that are safe for kids. Others will be glad to hear the hiss of petrol again, sure that they are getting back both taste and their financial sanity. Many will be stuck between the two worlds, scrolling through forums late at night to make a decision before the next renovation.
The kitchen used to be a quiet place where life went on, but now it’s a stage where all of Europe’s worries about money, climate, and safety come out at dinner. People will keep bringing it up. And every time you hear that “tchick,” you’ll feel a little jolt and see the flame come back.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| Cost vs. energy mix | Gas can be cheaper in some countries, while electricity tariffs rise with changing policies | Helps you decide if switching back to gas could realistically cut your bills |
| Hybrid kitchen setups | Combining one or two gas burners with a small induction plate | Gives flexibility for safety, outages, and different cooking styles in the same home |
| Safety and ventilation | Modern gas hobs add sensors and auto‑shutoff, but still rely on good installation and airflow | Clarifies what you need to check before embracing the “return of the flame” |
