A household gas appliance includes a gas supply valve which is operated using a magnetic key. The gas supply valve itself may be magnetically operable. In this instance, when a magnetic key is placed adjacent the magnetically operable gas supply valve, the gas supply valve would open. When the magnetic key is removed, the gas supply valve would close. In other embodiments, a magnetic sensor may sense the presence or absence of a magnetic key. If the magnetic key is present, the magnetic sensor would generate an opening signal which causes the gas supply valve to open. When the magnetic key is removed, the magnetic sensor would generate a closing signal which causes the gas supply valve to close.