Induction cooking -- What is it?

In recent months, you might have run across an article in the news such as this:

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a42490007/gas-oven-ban-stove-top-health-concerns/

Now, just to put your minds at ease, we know of no pending legislation that attempts to outlaw gas ranges, so if gas is your fuel preference when it comes to cooking, with the pinpoint flame control and  instant cool-down, you can go ahead and buy that new gas stove with confidence!

But, perhaps you are concerned about the future of gas ranges.  Or, perhaps you currently own an traditional electric range, but would like to have the ability to instantly adjust the burner heat that only gas cooktops have offered in the past.

Well, there is a solution,  That solution is "Induction cooking".

No doubt by now you've at least heard about, or read an article about, induction electric ranges, You may know someone who has purchased an induction range.  Maybe you have friends or family in Europe, where induction technology has been the norm for decades

So, just what is induction cooking?   This is the best explanation I could find, from an article on Whirlpool's website:

"Induction cooking is a method of cooking that uses a copper coil underneath the cooking surface to generate electromagnetic energy. This energy transfers directly to your cookware to make it hot enough to cook food."

As I said, I think that's a great explanation of the science.  But let's get practical -- what does this do for me, in my kitchen? Just how will an induction range benefit me in my kitchen?

Again, I quote from Whirlpool's article:
https://www.whirlpool.com/blog/kitchen/what-is-induction-cooking.html

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Speed

Induction cooking allows for fast cooking because the energy transfers directly to the cookware, so little to no hear or energy is lost between the cooking surface and your food.  This means you can boil water or sear food quickly.

Responsivness

Heat adjustments on an induction cooktop or range happen instantly, so you can heat or cool down your pot or pan quickly.

Induction vs. electric cooktops 

While electric and induction cooktops may look the same, they transfer heat differently. Electric cooktops radiate heat from coils beneath the cooking surface through to the bottom of the cookware sitting on top. Induction cooktops transfer energy to create heat directly within a pot or pan.

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Basically, with an induction range you get the pinpoint control of gas - but with so much more power!  Because the cooking vessel itself becomes the heat source, the energy is transferred much more efficiently. Pots of water boil several times faster than an old gas range!  The surface doesn't get hot as it does on traditional electric ranges, so cleanup is easier, as spillovers don't burn on the cooking surface.  The cooking surface is cool within seconds of turning off the stove, so the range is much more kid-friendly!

So, what are the downsides?   Well, the biggest obstacle I hear when customers ask me about this relatively new technology involves their cooking pans.  Yes... your pan has to be able to hold a magnet - either it does, or it doesn't.  Cast iron, and many modern cookware sets, work fine. If you have access to a magnet at home, stick the magnet on the side of your cooking utensil.  If the magnet stays put, you're good to go!

If your pans are not magnetic, it's easy and not that expensive to replace them. Two years ago my wife and I purchased an induction range.  It's easy to spend a lot of money on kitchen gadgets, but she was able to find a full set of useful, induction-ready pans for under $200.

What are the downsides?  First, you will pay more for an induction top range than a traditional model, (but the price will be a LOT less than converting a kitchen from electric to gas!)  Because interest in induction cooking has spiked since the potential pitfalls of gas have been in the news, you may run into a short-term availability issue. Also, the electromagnetic waves may affect people with pacemakers - check with a medical professional to determine whether you can use an induction cooktop.

However, if you cook as a hobby, or even if you cook because you "have to", I think you'll find induction cooking pretty amazing!!

Before signing off, I'd just like to post one more article that gives a balanced looks at induction cooking, including some reasons why this technology hasn't taken off in the U.S. the way it has in other parts of the world.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/why-dont-people-use-induction-cooktops/

If you have any questions on induction (or anything else appliance related for that matter!) please reach out to us, either on this website, or by contacting any of our ten locations.