All You Need To Know About Induction Cooktops

So, what does induction cooking mean? The process of induction cooking is not a new concept. The process was used in the early 1900s but remained almost anonymous before it gained significant exposure to the masses in the past few years. The revelation took the stove/cooktops market by storm. Nowadays, people are relying more on induction cooktops than traditional gas stoves. There are plenty of reasons for that, and we will discuss them in this article. With time, the induction cooktops became smarter, efficient, and better. The manufacturers are now working to produce new and improved models as the popularity thrives. With that said, we now come to the most crucial question, what is an induction cooktop?

What is it and how it works?

Induction means generating heat through electromagnetism. Let’s make the concept of electromagnetism a little easier. As traditional electric cooktops use heat from the electricity, traditional gas burners generate heat by burning the gas and producing flame, and microwave ovens use small energy waves to produce heat; similarly, induction cooktops convert the magnetic energy into heat. The utensil gets the direct heat from the cooktop.

Induction cooktops heat pots and pans directly without the gas or electric elements. And even then, it can boil water or heat food 50 percent faster than the other alternatives. With induction cooktops, you don’t need to worry about getting your hands and fingers burned. That’s because the heat only gets transferred to the pan. If you don’t place a pan or pot on the stove, turning it won’t generate any heat — note that you can’t just use any utensils with induction cooktops. You need to use magnetic cookware to generate heat and cook food. Utensils made of cast iron or magnetic stainless steel are two great options for such cooktops.

Pros and cons of induction cooktops

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of induction cooktops.

The Pros

GENERATES FASTER HEAT

Induction cooktops get heated faster than gas or electric ones. The heating process happens directly, and 100 percent of the heat goes to the pan, so it gets heated more quickly.

THE SURFACE OF THE STOVE DOESN’T GET HEATED

As the pan only gets hots and extracts the cooktop’s entire heat, the surface edges don’t get heated. This prevents fire hazards and the risk of getting burned. If you have children or pets, an induction stove would be a lifesaver for you. 

EASY TO CLEAN

Gone are the days when you have to scratch and remove grimes and baked food on the stove’s surface. With induction ranges, cleaning is significantly easier. As the surfaces don’t get heated up, food won’t get baked and crusty. So, you can easily clean the cooktops while you are in the cooking process.

SAFER THAN THE OTHER COUNTERPARTS

Induction stoves don’t emit gas or generate electricity. That means it won’t catch clothes or objects on fire. The heat doesn’t linger when you finish cooking; in fact, they get turned off when you remove the cookware from the heating element. 

The Cons

IT’S EXPENSIVE

Yes, you have guessed it right. A cooking stove so sophisticated is bound to have an expensive price tag. The technology is innovative, which guarantees no health risk, and that’s why the manufacturers are utilizing the opportunity to make a few dollars. If you can wait for a few years, the price will ultimately reduce, and then you can buy one easily.

SPECIFIC COOKWARE IS NEEDED

I have already mentioned that not just any cooking utensils will work for this particular stove. You need cookware made of stainless steel or iron cast. You might use your older cookware, but that might not work. So, make sure you buy induction-safe utensils that contain iron particles. When you turn on the stove, the iron particles get activated and induce heat. 

BE CAREFUL OF THE WEAR AND TEAR

Cooktops like this scratch pretty easily. This is because the induction cooktop’s surface is made with glass, making it prone to scratching. So, always use cookware with clean bottoms to avoid wears and tears. Do not slide your pots with the surface, as the friction can cause scratches. Don’t use knives or scissors on the surface for lifting off dirt or grime.

IT MAKES A WEIRD SOUND

If you hear a rattling or crackling sound, don’t panic! That’s not a rattlesnake, it’s your cooktop. Induction cooktops can sometimes cause such rattling noises as a result of high energy transfer. The sound is usually harmless and goes away when you turn down the heat or add food to the pan. Some people find it very annoying, you have been warned!

That’s it, folks! Everything you wanted to know about induction cooktops. If you have read the entire article, good job! Now go and think if you still want an induction cooktop or not.

Originally posted in:  https://steelandwater.shop/blogs/news/pros-and-cons-of-induction-cooktops