Induction cooking is gaining more and more traction with residential use. In big part due to energy efficiency, quick cooking times, and greater demand that has led to more reasonable price points.

 

My husband and I purchased an induction range in 2014 and we really like it a lot. So I’d like to share my opinion on how induction stacks up against the arguments often made about them.

• Gas is best:  To be honest, I haven’t used many gas cooktops in my life. But I feel like the induction top has very good response times/sensitivity to temperature changes; dare I say even better.  Water boils so fast when I have it on the highest setting! And then when turned down, it instantly adjusts.
• You need all new cookware: We bought a few additional pans and pots that were compatible with the induction cooking surface, but many of our existing ones worked as well. Cast iron and stainless steel are both suited for induction cooking. You can also check your existing cookware. As long as a magnet sticks to the bottom, it should work with induction tops.
• They are really loud: Another designer mentioned to me that clients have said a con of the induction top is the noise that it produces. I will say that some pots or pans make more noise than others. In my experience, if you have one that’s a similar size to the heating zone or “burner”, I feel like the sounds are reduced. And yes, sometimes it makes a bit of noise in the beginning when it’s just turned on or there is not much in the pan other than oil. But it quiets down pretty quickly. Personally, the noise is not that noticeable or bothersome to us.

 

Here are some other articles if you’d like to read more about induction cooking:

https://www.consumerreports.org/electric-induction-ranges/pros-and-cons-of-induction-cooktops-and-ranges/
https://www.reviewed.com/ovens/features/induction-101-better-cooking-through-science
https://clankitchen.com/what-is-induction-cookware/

 

 

Lastly, if you are considering an induction top or want to know more about them, please contact your local appliance store and see if you can try them out in person or watch a cooking demonstration. We like to send our customers to appliance pros like Warners’ Stellian and All Inc.

 

While I highly recommend induction cooking, it’s best to see for yourself if it’s something you would like.

 

Written by: Amy Hinck