Induction or Gas? I choose Induction

Although induction is not new, I find many clients are still unfamiliar with it. My family had a gas range in our St. Louis home and I purposely chose an induction range in our current house so I could compare them. Hands down, I prefer the induction over gas and have the induction cooktop shown above in the home we are currently building. I’d like to  share some interesting facts with you which led me to this choice so you can make an informed decision when choosing your next cooktop or range.

Fact #1 - Faster, according to the article Induction 101: Better Cooking Through Science, Induction is able to deliver roughly 80 to 90 percent of its electromagnetic energy to the food in a pan, compared to gas, which converts a mere 38 percent of its energy. This translates into instantaneous heat as opposed to the traditional “wait to heat up” with gas or radiant (electric) appliances.

Fact #2 - Precise temperature control, digital displays deliver exact temperatures for easier and more even cooking.

Fact #3 - Safer, induction cooktops work by employing a series of magnets that excite iron molecules generating heat. They don't use burners or heating elements underneath the pan which keeps the surface cool. There’s no hot surface with the exception of the warmth the actual pot produces from the heated food within it. Because there is no open flame, nothing could accidentally catch fire. Leaving the unit on with food in the pan still burns as it would in a traditional gas or radiant heated element.

Fact #4 - Most steel and/or iron pans will work on induction. One of the misnomers has been that you must have special pots and pans for induction. (additional info below)

Fact #5 - Price, induction has decreased dramatically over the last few years due to demand and supply, making it as affordable as some of the top-brand gas appliances. Wolf, Viking, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, GE, Samsung and Kenmore all sell induction ranges.

Fact #6 - Energy consumption, greatly reduced since they cook much faster and lose less heat - one of the main reasons Europeans favor induction due to their energy conservation issues.

Fact #7 - Cleaner, if you have had a gas stove, you know how difficult it is to keep it wiped down. Induction is a smooth surface and because it remains cool, food doesn’t get baked on. The simplicity of cleaning induction over gas is my favorite thing about it. It is so much quicker to wipe off the glass as opposed to lifting the grates and cleaning around each gas burner. I also love that I can place a paper towel between the cooktop and the pot, which I often do if I am boiling water. If any spills over, it’s just a quick wipe with the paper towel to clean up.

Now that I’ve given you several great facts for choosing induction, I must be completely transparent and share a few cons so you have have all of the information. Here are some I have experienced myself so I will pass them on to you.

Mastering the precise temperature controls present a little bit of a learning curve but totally worth the short investment of time. The biggest negative to me about induction is that not all pots and pans work. As mentioned earlier, most steel and cast iron pans will work but copper and some other decorative type pots will not. The rule of thumb is if a magnet will stick to the bottom, it will work. I literally took a magnet with me when shopping for cookware. One more note - smaller and less expensive pans can tend to scoot around when you are stirring and they must be on the burner for the induction to work. In some newer models, the whole top is induction and that would help with this issue.

Overall, after cooking on gas for years, induction is my first choice. It may not have completely caught on in the United States yet because most people don’t understand how it works or the benefits. Another reason may be that some folks want the prestige of that big gas range. If you’re still not convinced and not quite ready to go “all in”, opt for a combination unit that has induction components along with the traditional gas burners like this one from ILVE.  Bertazzoni, Blomberg and KitchenAid are all appliance manufacturers for these combination units. I love my induction unit and highly recommend you consider this fantastic option for your next cooktop or range.

For more pros and cons, check out this article with induction reviews and information.