BeckyC
 
Intermediate
MN USA
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Date: 3/28/11 5:45 PM I'm entertaining the thought of putting in an Induction Cooktop. I'd love to hear from people who have them - why they chose induction and what they do and don't like about it. The one drag is that my current non-stick cookware won't work on it. I'll just have to learn to cook all over again on stainless if I go with induction heat (I do have some stainless pieces).
If you're wondering why I'm considering induction it's because I hate, hate, hate my ceramic cooktop because it's so hard to control the heat. (The lowest setting on mine gives me a low boil instead of a simmer or warm.)
When I spoke with the sales person the other day he suggested I think about induction as an alternative to gas because it responds so well when the heat is adjusted, it doesn't heat up the kitchen and I wouldn't have to pipe gas to my kitchen. I do like the fact that it's easy clean up like my current cooktop.
Any thoughts from those of you that have used induction? ------
I feed my soul by the stitches I sew.
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Mom to 5
Beginner
MD USA
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 1 member likes this. I do not have induction but I hate my ceramic cooktop enough for me to consider manners of having gas piped to our home... ------
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Elizabeth made this
Intermediate
CO USA
Member since 8/8/07
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Date: 3/28/11 6:10 PM I'd be interested in knowing too. I know that they're supposed to be super responsive and I love the idea of the cooktop itself not being hot, especially with little ones around. I bought All-Clad before I got married, but we have a gas range that shows no signs of deterioration, so the dream of induction might be a long way off (I will say that it didn't take long to get used to the non non-stick pans. My parents have a parrot, so we had to get rid of the Teflon because of the fumes...it was a couple of charred steaks before I got the hang of it).
I read somewhere years ago about someone who was trying to evaluate the various pros and cons of various cooktops. She called up a higher end design center and asked if she could bring some groceries and literally work on the various stoves. It seems a perfectly logical sort of thing to do, but I don't know how many places would let you do that. ------
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Seams2Sew
Intermediate
USA
Member since 8/15/08
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In reply to BeckyC
Date: 3/28/11 6:31 PM Love, Love, Love my induction cooktop  . I really LOVE it!!!
Clean up is so easy and no more dragging out the razor or scrubbing forever to get it clean. Heating is nice and even. I love that it senses when I lift the pot or pan and it will turn itself off (it's not immediate, but I have been known to get distracted and forget  so I like that feature).
Also only the area that is covered by the pot or pan gets hot (wonderful). There are some non-stick cookware that work with it. I have gotten in the habit of carrying a magnet in my purse. If the magnet sticks to the bottom of the pot or pan, you can use it with your induction cooktop. Most importantly, my presser cooker works with it.
Food cooks evenly because the heat distribution is so good. I think that it cools down quicker than my ceramic cooktop did too, but that could just be in my mind because I LOVE my induction cooktop.
Mine is made by Bosch. We've had it for a couple of years now and I really enjoy cooking with it. DH likes that it has push buttons versus knobs  .
The heat does adjust well. The top range gets really hot quickly and the low range truly does give you simmer/warm.
Mine also has a child lock and timer.
-- Edited on 3/28/11 6:33 PM because I can't seem to spell today. --
-- Edited on 3/28/11 6:35 PM -- |
m/m
Intermediate
NJ USA
Member since 4/4/05
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Date: 3/28/11 7:29 PM I've been wondering about induction cooktops because they are recommended for households with people who may forget to turn burners off.
One universal design book suggests trying induction out by buying and using a single burner induction unit - lots cheaper than a whole cooktop and you can use it as a buffet warmer or similar later on. Anything that's easy to clean, super responsive and safer than an open flame appeals to me! |
tourist
Intermediate
BC CANADA
Member since 7/23/07
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Date: 3/28/11 7:39 PM DD spent some time doing demos of induction cook tops and loved them. She did the phone book between burner and pan trick! A friend has one and says that because of how it works, food doesn't get burned onto the burner and she dusts rather than clans it. Sounds good to me!
I grew up with gas and every stove I have had since then has been a pale imitation. Certainly nothing as responsive as gas. I like my glass cook top and although I dislike cleaning it, I realize it is a) much easier to clean than any electric coil I have had and b) if I did it daily, it would not be so much work! When I had a bad shoulder injury I bought an electric scrubber - just like a cordless drill but with scrubbers on it. That is the best thing on the glass once you scrape the bulk of the crud off. ------
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GlButterfly
Intermediate
CA USA
Member since 8/28/08
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In reply to BeckyC
Date: 3/28/11 7:54 PM Can't help you with the induction cooktop, but I was wondering if your ceramic cooktop just needs adjusting? I have one and love it. There are 9 settings and the lowest does keep it warm, then low simmer, and all the way up.
All types of pots and pans can be used on mine, including pressure cookers and cast iron.
Anyway, just a thought. ------
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Learn To Sew
Intermediate
WA USA
Member since 4/12/05
Posts: 7999 |
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In reply to tourist
Date: 3/28/11 8:31 PM Tell me more about the electric scrubber. Our cooktop is a Jenn-Air and I only have 2 burners. The other side is the grill. This will be replaced someday, but for now, that constant cleaning drives me nuts. Even a spot of water on the burner requires I clean it. Yes, it does. 
Learn To Sew (if I ever sit at the sewing machine, that is) ------
Quilting is relaxing to me. I love to play with fabrics, patterns and colors.
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Coconuts
Intermediate
MI USA
Member since 12/2/09
Posts: 1100 |
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Date: 3/28/11 8:40 PM Gardenweb has an absolute boatload of info about ranges and kitchen remodeling.
If we build, we'll probably go induction, but it's overimproving for this house, and we would have to upgrade the electrical to do it.
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JDpenelope
Intermediate
KS USA
Member since 9/9/03
Posts: 1315 |
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Date: 3/28/11 8:48 PM Around 20 years ago, I chose an induction cooktop mainly for looks, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit today. I didn't want any knobs and certainly no nasty trays to clean up. It was sleek and that's what I was into. I'd heard bad things about ceramic: It's difficult to clean and the element stays hot too long, which is a safety concern.
I had iron cookware covered with porcelain, which worked with this cooktop, and yes, if I'm not mistaken, my copper and aluminum pans didn't work. As others have mentioned, I liked the clean up, which was very easy with no electric elements staying hot to burn on spills. And did I say that I hated cleaning up around knobs?
In case you wonder why I don't have an induction cooktop now, I got married and we've moved a few times. Changing out the cooktop in an otherwise acceptable kitchen hasn't been a priority.
I would want a demo again to be sure it could stir fry at high temperature, if I were in the market for a new cooktop today. My husband prefers gas for stir frying, so that would be my main concern.
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