Head-to-Head · Kitchen Appliances
Gas Stove vs Induction Cooktop: Which Is Better for Indian Cooking?
By Bikram Nath · Updated 2026-08-01 · How we pick · Affiliate disclosure: links earn a small commission
The short answer
For a dependable primary hob, the Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove is the more capable pick — three brass burners cook a full family meal at once, the open flame works with every tawa, kadai and pressure cooker you own, and it keeps going through the power cuts that stop induction dead.
Best on features
Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove (Toughened Glass Top, ISI Certified)
Best on value
Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop (8 Presets, 4kV Surge Protection)
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, PakkaPick earns from qualifying purchases. This comparison contains Amazon affiliate links — we may earn a commission, but it never changes our verdict and your price is unaffected.
A gas stove and an induction cooktop solve the same job — heating a pan — in completely different ways, and for an Indian kitchen the right answer depends on how you cook. The Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove gives you an instant open flame across three tri-pin brass burners, works with any tawa, kadai or pressure cooker you already own, and keeps cooking straight through a power cut — but it runs on LPG and the open flame loses some heat to the surrounding air. The Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop heats the pan directly for fast, efficient, flame-free cooking with eight preset Indian menus and a timer — but it needs mains electricity and only works with flat-bottom, induction-compatible cookware. This comparison lays out where each type wins so you can pick the right primary hob — or the right pair for your kitchen.
Prestige
Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove (Toughened Glass Top, ISI Certified)
Check price on Amazon →
Prestige
Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop (8 Presets, 4kV Surge Protection)
Check price on Amazon →Specs compared
| Spec | Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove (Toughened Glass Top, ISI Certified) | Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop (8 Presets, 4kV Surge Protection) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Gas stove — open LPG flame | Induction cooktop — electric |
| Burners/plates | 3 tri-pin brass burners✓ | Single portable induction plate |
| Power source | LPG gas (no electricity needed) | Electricity — 2000 W mains supply |
| Efficiency | High-efficiency tri-pin brass burners (open flame) | High-efficiency 2000 W direct pan heating✓ |
| Cookware needed | Any cookware — tawa, kadai, pressure cooker✓ | Flat-bottom, induction-compatible cookware only |
| Works in power cut | Yes — runs without electricity✓ | No — needs mains electricity |
| Safety | Open flame · ISI certified · sturdy pan supports | No open flame · 4 kV surge protection · BIS✓ |
Pros & cons
Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove (Toughened Glass Top, ISI Certified)
Pros
- +Three tri-pin brass burners deliver a steady, uniform flame for faster family cooking
- +Works with any cookware — tawas, kadais and pressure cookers sit stable on sturdy pan supports
- +Keeps cooking during power cuts because it needs no electricity
- +Toughened black glass top wipes clean easily; ISI certified with a 2-year warranty
Cons
- −Open flame loses some heat to the surrounding air, so it is less efficient than induction
- −Runs on LPG and the open flame needs more care around children and loose clothing
Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop (8 Presets, 4kV Surge Protection)
Pros
- +High-efficiency 2000 W heating gives rapid heat-up and precise temperature control
- +Eight preset Indian menus — Pressure Cook, Curry, Dosa/Chapati, Idli, Deep Fry, Heat Milk, Keep Warm, Sauté — with a built-in timer
- +No open flame plus 4 kV surge protection makes it safer and steadier on erratic power; BIS certified
- +Portable and easy to clean with a soft-touch control panel
Cons
- −Useless during a power cut — it needs mains electricity to run
- −Only works with flat-bottom, induction-compatible cookware, so some existing vessels won't fit
Our verdict
For a dependable primary hob, the Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove is the more capable pick — three brass burners cook a full family meal at once, the open flame works with every tawa, kadai and pressure cooker you own, and it keeps going through the power cuts that stop induction dead. For efficiency and safety at a lower price, the Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop wins — direct flame-free heating, eight preset Indian menus with a timer, 4 kV surge protection and a ₹3,280 cost — provided you have induction-compatible cookware and reliable power. The right choice depends on your situation: buy the induction as a budget-friendly, safe, efficient hob or second cooktop, and the three-burner gas stove as the outage-proof, any-cookware workhorse a family cooks on daily. Many Indian kitchens sensibly run both.
Best for value
Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop (8 Presets, 4kV Surge Protection)
Best for features
Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove (Toughened Glass Top, ISI Certified)
Prices and availability on Amazon.in change frequently — the price on the Amazon product page at the time of purchase is the one that applies. As an Amazon Associate, PakkaPick earns from qualifying purchases; your price is unaffected.
Editor's take
Buy the Prestige Iris 3 Burner Gas Stove if you want one dependable primary hob: three burners handle a family meal at once, the open flame works with every vessel in your kitchen, and it keeps cooking during the power cuts that induction can't survive. Buy the Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus 2000W Induction Cooktop if you want efficiency and safety — direct, flame-free heating, eight preset Indian menus with a timer, 4 kV surge protection, and a lower ₹3,280 price — and you either have induction-compatible cookware or are happy to buy some. For a budget-first buyer, or anyone wanting a safe, efficient extra hob, the induction is the smarter spend. For the main cooktop a family relies on every day, especially where power is unreliable, the three-burner gas stove earns its slightly higher price. In truth many Indian kitchens run both, and that pairing is often the best answer of all.
Editor's read
This is a type-versus-type decision, not a brand fight — both units here happen to be Prestige. The Iris gas stove wins on the things that make a hob the heart of an Indian kitchen: three tri-pin brass burners for a full family cook, an instant open flame, compatibility with every tawa, kadai and pressure cooker you already own, and the ability to keep cooking through a power cut since it needs no electricity. The PIC induction cooktop wins on efficiency and safety: it heats the pan directly rather than losing flame heat to the air, runs eight preset Indian menus with a timer, carries no open-flame risk, adds 4 kV surge protection, and costs less. Its limits are real — it dies in an outage and only accepts flat-bottom, induction-compatible cookware. The honest read is that gas is the more versatile primary hob while induction is the more efficient, safer, cheaper unit best suited as a fast second cooktop.
— Bikram, editor
How we compared these
This head-to-head is researched from each product's published specifications, manufacturer documentation, expert reviews and the aggregate of genuine Indian buyer feedback — not hands-on lab testing. We weigh the specs that actually matter for Indian conditions (voltage variability, hard water, monsoon humidity, service-network reach) and tell you which contender suits which buyer, rather than claiming to have bench-tested either unit. We do not accept paid placements — our only commercial relationship is the Amazon affiliate link. See our full methodology.
What to look for
- 1Decide whether you want a primary hob or a backup: Most Indian kitchens are built around a gas stove for good reason — instant flame, works with every vessel, and keeps going during outages. The three-burner Prestige Iris is set up for a full family cook. Induction shines as an efficient, safe second hob you can pull out for quick jobs, so the honest question is which role you're buying for.
- 2Check your existing cookware first: Induction only heats flat-bottom, induction-compatible (magnetic-base) vessels. If your kitchen is full of round-bottom kadais and older aluminium pans, they won't work on the Prestige PIC without buying new cookware. A gas stove like the Iris takes tawas, kadais and pressure cookers as they are, held steady on its sturdy pan supports.
- 3Weigh running cost against power reliability: Induction heats the pan directly, so less energy is wasted than an open gas flame that loses heat to the surrounding air — the PIC's 2000 W element is efficient for everyday cooking. But it is useless in a power cut, while the gas stove keeps working. If your area has erratic supply, gas makes the dependable base and induction the efficient extra.
- 4Factor in safety for your household: With no open flame, the induction cooktop is easier to live with around children and loose clothing, and the PIC adds 4 kV surge protection for erratic power. A gas stove's open flame demands more care, though the ISI-certified Iris keeps heavy vessels stable on robust pan supports and uses heat-resistant knobs for controlled flame.
- 5Match the choice to your kitchen and budget: At about ₹3,280 the portable Prestige PIC induction is the cheaper entry and easy to move or store; at about ₹4,595 the three-burner Iris gas stove is the more capable primary cooktop for a family kitchen. Many households simply buy both — gas as the everyday workhorse, induction as the efficient, safe backup.
Also worth a look
Two-burner gas stove
A more compact gas option for small kitchens, couples or a second cooking spot where three burners aren't needed — same instant flame and any-cookware flexibility in a smaller footprint.
Built-in hob with auto-ignition
For a modular kitchen, a flush-fit gas hob with auto or battery ignition trades the portable, standalone design for a seamless countertop look, usually at a higher price.
Gas stove paired with a portable induction plate
Many Indian homes run both — gas as the main hob for tawa and kadai work that keeps going in outages, and a portable induction plate as an efficient, flame-free backup for quick daytime jobs.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gas stove or induction cooktop better for Indian cooking?
It depends on your kitchen. A gas stove like the Prestige Iris 3 Burner gives an instant open flame, works with any tawa, kadai or pressure cooker, and keeps cooking during power cuts — which makes it the more versatile primary hob for Indian cooking. An induction cooktop like the Prestige PIC 2000W is more efficient, safer with no open flame, and cheaper, but it needs mains electricity and only flat-bottom induction-compatible cookware. For a main family hob, gas usually wins; for an efficient, safe second cooktop, induction is the better pick.
Does an induction cooktop work during a power cut?
No. An induction cooktop such as the Prestige PIC 16.0 Plus runs entirely on mains electricity, so it stops working the moment the power goes off — the 4 kV surge protection guards against voltage spikes but cannot run it without supply. A gas stove like the Prestige Iris needs no electricity and keeps cooking straight through an outage, which is the main reason most Indian homes keep gas as the primary hob and treat induction as a backup.
Can I use my existing kadai on an induction cooktop?
Only if it is flat-bottomed and induction-compatible (a magnetic base). Induction cooktops like the Prestige PIC heat the vessel directly, so round-bottom kadais and many older aluminium pans simply won't work and you'd need induction-ready cookware. A gas stove like the Prestige Iris has no such limit — its sturdy pan supports hold tawas, kadais and pressure cookers of any base as they are, which is a real advantage if you don't want to replace your existing utensils.
Is induction cheaper to run than a gas stove?
Induction is generally more efficient because it heats the pan directly, while a gas stove's open flame loses some heat to the surrounding air — the Prestige PIC's high-efficiency 2000 W element is built for economical everyday cooking. Whether that translates into a lower bill depends on your local electricity and LPG prices, so treat it as efficiency rather than a guaranteed saving. For the running-cost picture across appliances, see our Cost of Running Appliances in India 2026 guide.