Can't Boil Water?!?!

Turn it up HIGH and put the lid on until it boils. :)

The first 5 things that came to mind:

1) What level was your flame at?

2) Your water may have been too "pure". Pure water doesn't boil. It has to have something in it for the bubbles to form on. I made the mistake of microwaving some water the other day, dropping in a bullion cube, and FWOOSH. It boiled up, over and all OVER the place. 2 cups of very hot water went to 1/2 cup in 3 seconds flat as the O2 bubble flew up and out. ORDINARILLY "plain" water boils because of debris in the water (like minerals) or on the pans. All very microscopic, by and large, but bigger than an 02 molecule... so the molecules congregate and get big enough to form bubbles, which rise to the top = boiling. Since you have spanking new pans, I'd try boiling water again, but this time add a tablespoon of salt (but saltwater takes MUCH longer to boil than fresh water), or some frozen veggies, etc. And seeing if that fixes your boiling problem.

3) Your new pans. How THICK are the bottoms. Some very expensive pans have bottoms that are 1/2 inch thick. Those easily take 5-10 minutes to heat up enough to even begin to heat what's inside of them. It's why restaurants don't use them. Don't get me wrong, they're GREAT (they don't warp, last for generations - I have a few of my great grandmothers from the 1800's) BUT they take for-freakin-ever to heat. So you "start" time is very very slow. They also take forever to cool down. So they require entirely different cooking methods than with cheaper cookingware

4) The "suface grates". Aka the part that you set your pans on, since you no longer set them on the burner. Very very occasionally, these can be too high for the flame height. In which case, you'd need new ones.

5) Gas pressure. This is even rarer. In some cases, there isn't enough gas pressure for the flame to be anything but low low low. One of two fixes: 1) Make sure the knob is "open" so you're getting full pressure (they turn it off when installing anything, when they turned it back on, it may not have been full force) or 2) the pressure leading to your house could be weak. Which would require the gas company coming out and fixing the problem, since it's on their end.

put a little salt in the water, and turn up your stove. :) I love gas ranges sooo much better than electric!

Did you put the lid on it? Just make sure the flame is high enough that it stays under the pot not around the pot, then flame is too high. Love gas so much better than electric, I find I have no control with electric yet you can control the heat and flame easily with gas. Be patient you need to adjust to gas.

did you put salt in the water? Also if your pot is small you have to lower the flame so your flame doesn't go farther than the pot because the heat will escape. If that makes sense.

I went from cooking on gas to electric when I moved to be with my hubby and I couldn't boil water then either! lol It takes time to get used to the adjustment. Gas takes longer to heat water than electric, don't know why. When we go camping I have a gas cooktop in the camper and it takes a bit longer to get foods hot on it than at home on my electric one.

Just make sure your burner is up on high, it's the right size for the pan and try adding a bit of salt to the water (supposed to speed up the boiling time).

Good luck!
S.

I have cooked on both types before (no preference since I really don't enjoy cooking) and thought the same thing - that water seems to take longer to boil on the gas one. The difference in control you have is on electric you shut off the heat and it is still there until it cools - gas it is gone immediately. I have a power burner I use alot to boil - just keep the heat all the way up on high. Maybe there is a defect in yours - you could consider having it checked if it is still new, or taking it back and getting something you will enjoy more.

I put a lid on the pot. works great for me.

The temp needs to be turned as high as possible and the flame stays under the pot. If it is at the flame is at the side the pot is too small and temp too high for it. Thats what happened to your pots. Bar Keepers Friend you can find at Bed Bath and Beyond will make those stainless steel cookware shine.

I LOVE gas. Will never cook on an electric stove if I can help it.

That being said, I do not bother using my gas stove to boil water. It takes too long! A much more efficient way is to use an electric kettle -- I learned this from my hubby's family in England, and it makes SO much sense. I have a nice big electric kettle, fill it up with water, and (if I'm really in a hurry) then I actually put a little water in my pot and stick _that_ on the stove with the gas on high, so that the pot is ready to take that boiling water from the kettle and keep it going right away. Takes about 5 minutes, tops, to get a good-sized pot of water going for pasta, potatoes, whatever. I can't say enough about how essential an electric kettle is in the kitchen -- even boils eggs perfectly! (Learned that from Alton Brown on Good Eats -- I'll never boil eggs in a pot again!)

If I have to use the stove to boil water, I always put the lid on. This is much more efficient, it keeps the heat in.

If you are doing everything that they all are tellling you-it is possible you need a repair somewhere. I have a convection/electric oven with gas top stove---I have never had a bit of trouble! Call the repairman in the morning something is wrong with the gas end--could be how much with the controls or somewhere else but you need to have it checked out before you blow up your kitchen!

I also love having a gas stove and agree there is something either wrong with your stove or you do not have it up high enough. I never put anything on high just because I hate having something too hot, but right above medium for the flames works for me to boil water.

Oh, I also like using my stainless cookware. :)