Does anyone have experience with induction cooking? I'm remodeling a kitchen and we must have electric cooking (there's no gas in the building).
I've lately read that induction is catching on. I wonder, is it good at regulating heat? Is it easier to adjust the heat with induction than it would be with electric? And can one use Le Creuset pots (that's basically all I have).
Thanks!
- Stacey
Induction ranges have been become very popular in Europe in the last ten years, but they are still catching on over here. What's an induction range? With induction, each burner on a stove is a powerful, high-frequency electromagnet, generated by electronics under the ceramic surface. The field transfers, or induces, energy into any metal pan placed on its surface, and the transferred energy causes the pan to heat up. You can adjust that energy instantly, so you can reduce a boiling pan of water to a simmer in just a few seconds.
Induction is very efficient, and professional cooks have long loved its instantaneous heating and cooling. They are also quite easy to clean. We are fascinated by induction cooking - its utter precision and efficiency is very appealing. There are no hot surfaces except directly under the pan, so they're also a good choice for households with children.
So yes, they are very good at regulating heat, and much better for that than electric and even gas.
And to answer your question on Le Creuset - yes! They are fine for use on induction stovetops. Here's a quote from their FAQ: You can use Le Creuset cast iron with confidence on whatever heat source you choose - Induction, halogen, ceramic, gas, electric ring and solid plate, and solid fuel (e.g. Aga, Rayburn).
We don't have any direct experience with induction cooking, though, so we'll throw your question out to the crowd - what's been your experience with cooking on induction stovetops? Would you recommend induction?
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I don't have an induction top myself, but rumours from friends say that induction is really, really fast - and easy to adjust. It's at least a greener alternative to a regular ceramics top, if that's one of your options. Good luck on choosing!
view Marianne (Norway)'s profile
I don't personally have any experience with induction cooking, but a co-worker couldn't stop talking about it when he had his induction cooktop installed. He said it was great for simmering, as the temperature controls were very responsive. He did discover that a few of his pans were incompatible with it and had to give them away.
view Michelle of Montreal's profile
I heard that the Everest Room in Chicago has an all induction kitchen due to some sort of building regulation against having gas so high up in the building.
If that's true, it shows that if a 4 star professional kitchen can operate with this technology it could be easily adapted to home use. I think it is still far off but I'm pretty sure it will be pretty commonplace in the home kitchen.
Right now it's kind of like magic to a lot of people. They can't believe that you can remove a pot of boiling water from an induction burner and then place your hand flat on the "burner" without getting burned.
view art's profile
Pots and pans do need to be compatible with the induction burner but they do not need to be made especially for induction cooking. I don't know the specifics but I do know that I've used other pots and pans with an induction burner.
view art's profile
Here's an induction "hot plate" for under 500 bucks.
It will boil a pot of water in a few minutes.
This would be perfect for small apartments without a stove or with questionable stoves.
http://www.galasource.com/prodDetail.cfm/84705
view art's profile
I work with Wolf's Indurion Cooktops quite often & they're great. Veryy efficient & easy to use.
Just as a little more reassurance, here's some details from Wolf's Induction Cooktop specbook:
"Cookware selection is crucial in the performance of induction cooking. Use the following guidelines when selecting cookware:
-The bottom surface of the cookware must be a ferrous material (containing iron). Aluminum, copper, glass and certain stainless steel cookware will not work.
-Magnetic stainless steel or cast iron cookware is required for induction cooking. To test the cookware, a magnet must stick to the bottom of the vessel in order to
function.
-Select cookware with a diameter that matches the diameter of the induction element. When a pan is placed on the
element, it should not extend beyond the ring around the element.
-Avoid pots and pans with uneven or rounded bottom surfaces. Some specialty cookware such as woks, pressure cookers, canning modules and deep fat fryers must be carefully selected to meet induction cooking criteria."
view Jessa's profile
I recently upgraded to Gaggenau's Induction Cooktop and am absolutely obsessed with it -- It heats everything faster, is more energy efficient than gas or electric, is safe, is easy to clean and its gorgeous.
http://www.gaggenau-usa.com/US_en/Cooktops/Cooktops-Overview/Product-Detail.do?protocol=*~VI 411 Vario induction cooktop&contentId=6313150
view biteoutofthebigapple's profile
biteoutofthebigapple,
Fllickr photos by chance?
view art's profile
Awesome.. I love it! You just have to be really careful cleaning it (for example, waiting for surface to cool down completely before wiping)
view bclynn's profile
bclynn,
you may be thinking of an electric radiant heat cooktop. These induction cooktops don't actually get hot.
view art's profile
Please don't be mistaken-while the induction burner itself does not generate heat, the pan in contact with it does. The induction burner will remain very hot from contact with your pan after cooking(though usually not so hot as a conventional burner). You don't want to touch an induction burner after boiling water on it.
Also-some induction burners are better than others (obviously). Induction got a bad wrap for awhile because most producers made low wattage versions in the seventies and eighties. Today's versions are generally better/hotter.
view haisoodewa81's profile