Induction Cooking

Have you heard of induction cooking? Want to learn more about it? Jump in here and we'll go through all the benefits (and a couple of aspects that might be tricky) of this wonderful new technology.

Safety First!

Healthy Air

Induction cooktops are SAFE! Would you be happy idling your car in your house? NO because you don’t want to breathe in all the gas. It’s the same with gas cooktops. You’re burning fuel in your house and, unless you have a good exhausting range hood, you are also going to be breathing in all the exhaust from cooking. Induction cooking uses electricity to heat your food, so there is no exhaust.

Burns and Fires

Do you have children or elderly people in your home? Induction cooktops are safer than gas or electric cooktops. They heat cooking pans by magnetism (something we’ll get into later). Because of that, the cooktop surface doesn’t get as hot as with traditional gas or electric cooktops and when you take the pan off the cooktop, it usually automatically shuts off. Less burned hands or fires.

More Benefits!

Easy to Clean!

Once you have taken the pot off the cooktop, because it is a flat surface, you can just wipe a cloth across and clean it quickly and easily. No cleaning around gas hobs or electric elements, nooks and crannies.

Speedy and Efficient!

Because an induction cooktop heats up the cookware directly, cooking times are more efficient. Traditional cooktops have a heating element that doesn’t just heat the pot, but the heating surfaces and air around the pot too. An induction cooktop uses all the energy provided to just heat the pot. A side-benefit in the summer is your kitchen (and you) don’t get hot.

For Control Freaks!

Induction cooktops also provide more even and precise heating. When you change the settings, the change in heat is almost immediate. And the way the heat is generated leads to more uniform cooking too.

Happy World!

Induction cooktops use less energy, are cleaner for the environment and help with our goals for a cleaner world.

Savings!

The Inflation Reduction Act includes up to $840 savings off an induction range or cooktop. See if you qualify here.

Chill Out!

Induction cooking heats up your kitchen a lot less than gas or traditional electric because the heat is only going into the pan and food, and not the heating elements and air around. That's one reason professional chefs love induction!

Common Questions

How Does it Work?

Induction cooking is a method that uses electromagnetic fields to heat cookware directly. Beneath the cooktop's smooth surface is a coil of copper wire, through which an alternating electric current is passed. This creates a magnetic field that induces an electric current in cookware placed on top of the cooktop. The resistance of the cookware to this electric current generates heat directly in the pot or pan, rather than heating the cooktop itself. Induction cooking requires cookware made from or containing a ferromagnetic material, such as cast iron or stainless steel, to work effectively. Watch this video to learn more about how the magnetic field works.

Do You Need Special Cookware?

Yes, you need cookware that has some magnetic material for it to work. This includes stainless steel or cast iron, which you may well have already. How can you check? Get a fridge magnet and if it sticks to the bottom of your pots, you're good to go. If you don't have any right now, check out the prices when you go to stores. Stainless steel pans start at around $20. Do you have a birthday coming up?

Are Induction Cooktops Expensive?

The cheapest gas range is around $500 or so. The cheapest range with an induction cooktop right now is around $1,000. So yes, they are more expensive, but we think the benefits are worth it if you can afford it. And every year they get cheaper and cheaper too. Also, remember from the Savings information above - you can get up to $840 off an induction range right now.

What About the Electricity to the Appliance?

For cooktops available today, you need a 240 volt electrical outlet. If you have an existing electrical range, you'll be good to go. If you have a gas range, you may need to hire an electrician to run a 240 volt line to the appliance. The electrician will also verify that you have enough space on your electrical panel for the additional load.

How Can I Try it Out?

A great way to try out induction cooking is to buy a cheap induction hotplate, plug it in and use it. There are many available from about $50 up. (Here are some to check out.)Just keep in mind that a hotplate won't have as much power available, so won't heat quite as quickly as a full cooktop. You'll still notice it heats more quickly than your gas or regular electric cooktop does.

Image credit: Rewiring America

New Technology on the Horizon

Image credit: Treehugger

Keep an eye out for new technology coming soon. Companies like Impulse Labs are creating the next generation of ranges with induction cooktops. Their stoves are 120 volt, so can plug into existing circuits in the kitchen - no need to run extra power if you don't have it available. A battery inside stores energy when the range is not in use. By integrating the battery, the stove is 3x more powerful than induction cooktops and 5x more powerful than gas. Expensive for now but expect prices to come down as the technology becomes more available. Find out more information here: https://www.impulselabs.com/

Have Fun Cooking Cleanly!

Photo credits: RHA / iStock and Treehugger