The Pros and Cons of Induction Cooking

Though induction cooking has been popular in Europe for decades, it's finally gaining traction stateside. Gas stoves, which hurt the environment, are being phased out in countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, and Australia, and some U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C., have adopted rules to ban or restrict the use of natural gas in new homes and support all-electric construction. The move away from gas means that many homeowners are transitioning to more efficient appliances, including induction stoves.

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We asked kitchen experts about the pros and cons of induction cooking and how it compares to electric cooktops.

• Rachelle Boucher is an executive chef, electric kitchens expert, and founder of Kitchens to Life.
  
• Mike Williams is vice president of sales and marketing at Kenyon.

What Is Induction Cooking?

Induction cooking uses electromagnetic energy to create heat right inside your pots and pans. When cookware is placed on the glass cooktop surface, the magnet below the glass is triggered, resulting in friction and heat generation. Pans essentially become burners. Induction cooking is available in a single "burner" or heating zone, a cooktop with multiple heating zones, or via a range.

"Induction cooktops revolutionize your cooking experience compared to traditional electric ones by directly heating cookware through electromagnetic induction, ensuring lightning-fast and super-efficient cooking," says Mike Williams, vice president of sales and marketing at Kenyon, which manufactures a specialty line of induction cooktops.

Cookware Compatibility

Because electromagnetic waves are used to cook and produce heat, induction cooking requires magnetic cookware. "If your pan boasts a magnetic stainless steel, cast iron, enameled iron, or nickel base, it's induction cooktop compatible," says Williams. Fully clad cookware brands like All Clad and Le Creuset have suitable pans. Some appliance manufacturers, like Kenyon, also sell cookware that's custom-designed to work seamlessly with induction cooktops.

Pros of Induction Cooking

From easy clean-up to faster cooking, there are ample reasons to consider induction cooking.

Air Quality

Put simply, induction cooking is better for the environment. "Natural gas creates unacceptable amounts of pollution with methane and particulate matter in the air," says Rachelle Boucher, executive chef, cooking appliance trainer, and founder of Kitchens to Life. "With induction, there's less need for air conditioning and ventilation."

Safety First

Induction cooking is flameless, so it's safer than gas. With no open flame, there is no fire, so you're decreasing the likelihood of burning a potholder&#;or more dangerous conflagrations.

Energy Efficiency

Induction stoves and cooktops are more powerful, but also more energy efficient than electric or gas, since heat isn't lost in the transferring process. With gas and electric ranges, a lot of energy is expended in the air around the pots and pans. With induction, only the cookware heats.

Quick and Consistent

Boucher prefers cooking with induction because it's faster and more precise. Not only does it heat two to three times more quickly than gas, with induction, you don't have to wait for the heating element to transfer to the pan because the pan heats up directly. "You can [also] choose a specific temperature and it's more consistent," she says. When you turn the burner off, the heat transfer stops immediately, which means there's less of a chance of foods boiling over or overcooking.

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Easier to Clean

Clean-up is a cinch, with no pesky dials, burners, or knobs to scrub around, and the smooth glass top stays cool, so drips and splatters won't stick and burn. Because the unused surface doesn't heat up, the cooktop effectively becomes additional counter space for cooking utensils, cookbooks, and other items you wouldn't place on a hot stove.

Another incentive to make the switch is government rebates. The Inflation Reduction Act, which went into effect in , provides funding for rebates to households that install new electric appliances, including modern induction stoves.

Cons of Induction Cooking

There may be a few hurdles, including a learning curve and the price tag.

Purchase Price

You may need to invest in new pots and pans if your nonmagnetic copper, glass, aluminum, and ceramic cookware is not induction-compatible. And if your favorite wok has a round bottom, you can't just add a ring to your cooktop&#;you'll need either a flat-bottom wok or a special induction wok.

Learning Curve

While induction's speed is an advantage, it requires a rhythm and pace of cooking that differs from gas or electric, and may take time to adjust to. A home cook may initially be confused by the appliance's disappearing touchscreens&#;or the fact that when pans are removed from the cooktop, it turns off. This is a disadvantage initially, but some appliance companies provide loaners and the opportunity to "try before you buy" in a showroom kitchen.

Scratches on Surface

Because induction cooktops are glass, there is a possibility they can scratch or break. Look for silicone mats to safeguard the glass top and prevent pans from slipping.

5 Pros of Using an Induction Cooktop

These pros are your payoff when you switch to induction-based cooking.

1. Induction cooking is fast.

Because of the rapid response of the electromagnetic cycle, you can shave up to 50 percent off your average cook times for many of your favorite meals.

Induction cooktops use electromagnetism to excite the molecules in your pots and pans. This magnetic field vibration creates heat, which cooks your food. Induction works instantaneously, so your pan will create heat in seconds. You can boil a small pot of water in less than two minutes, which is far faster than most gas, radiant electric cooktops, and coil top cooking elements.

Induction also affords you the benefit of control. Induction burners respond immediately so you can go from a rolling boil down to a simmer in seconds.

2. Induction cooking is planet-friendly.

Since induction cooking is faster than traditional stovetop cooking, it also uses less energy. It generates almost less residual heat (any heat will be in the pot or pan and not from the stovetop itself). This makes for less energy usage and lower energy bills.

Induction is the most energy-efficient cooking technology. It heats your pan right away; it's said that 90% of induction heat reaches your food. That amount of heat far exceeds traditional gas or electric heating elements.

Induction also requires less so it's a great solution for city dwellers, or homes where venting outside is not possible. When it comes to energy efficiency, induction is a clear winner.

3. Induction cooking is safer - especially with kids and pets nearby.

Induction uses an electromagnetic reaction to heat the contents in the pan or pot. The burner will remain less hot than regular electric burners throughout the process. Within a few minutes of turning off the burner, both the pan and burner become much cooler, making burns much less likely.

Induction is the safest method of cooking. It's a great option if you live with young children or aging family members. You can't turn on an induction cooktop by accident. Since induction causes the pan to heat up, it won't turn on unless you place an induction-ready pot or pan on the surface.

Induction cooktops are smart. If the appliance senses a boilover, most will turn off automatically. Induction heats the cookware, not the glass. This means that the glass is far less likely to cause cooking burns.

4. Induction cooktops mean less mess.

Unless there is an outright spill, cleaning up after a session of induction cooking is a breeze. The glass cooktop requires only a wipe down and since the stove stays relatively cool throughout, food seldom sticks to it.

Induction cooktops are different than radiant electric cooktops. With regular electric cooktops, a heating coil under the cooking surface heats the glass which heats your pan. When you cook the glass surface gets scorching hot. If you spill when you cook on a radiant electric cooktop, you will notice burnt circles over time which can be difficult to clean.

Induction is different in that the inductors cause your pan to heat up, not the glass. Although the glass under your cookware will be quite warm, you are less likely to experience those hard-to-clean messes. This means your induction range or cooktop will look brand new for years to come. 

After you finish cooking, you can wipe your induction surface down right away with a damp cloth or paper towel making it easy to clean as you go. For even easier clean-up, you can place a towel under your cookware to catch splatter, so cool!

5. Ease of installation

Induction cooktops and ranges are easy to install and can go anywhere in your home. If you have an old electric range, you can easily replace it with an induction model. Just make sure to check the specs to ensure your electrical breaker has enough amps. Induction cooktops come in all shapes and sizes and can make a great addition to a guest suite, pool house, in-law apartment, or even your home office.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of induction brazing equipment. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.