Induction cooktops

[steady saver]

We need to select new kitchen appliances for our renovation. I wanted to start first by asking this group for thoughts/recommendations on inductions cooking. I know there was a thread started in 2021 but alot can happen in appliances in 4 years so...

In the past I would have never even considered induction. I LOVE gas; I cook a lot and I love the control one has over the flame - and also the flame itself (roasting poblanos, cooking tortillas...). That said I'm at least now willing to look at induction because, admittedly, both DH and I have, uh, left the gas on after making tea, etc. Not alot but maybe just enough to make me reconsider. I'm thinking well, gee, the likelihood of us getting less forgetful as we get older is a big fat nothing burger...

One thought I've had (saw one at an appliance store last week) was getting an induction stove with a single gas (for us that would be propane) burner installed separately. That would be partly b/c I hate to totally give it up and partly b/c when the electricity goes out, we can still cook/make tea with gas. Has anyone installed just one gas burner along with whatever other cooktop you have? (I know it's kind of overkill, but there are just some things you can't do without the flame from gas).

If you have an induction stove, would you get it again? And what brand do you recommend and why? Any regrets, esp if you were once a gas stove user?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts on induction (and single burner gas...)

 

[Just_Steve]

I did a kitchen reno about 5 or 6 years ago full suite of samsung appliances, the induction cooktop is the last man standing so I say DO NOT BUY SAMSUNG. As far as induction, I will never be without one ever again. The response time for heat is almost instant. I forgot a pot boiling on the cooktop once and after the liquid boiled out the stove shut the burner off. I don't know how but the stove knows.

 

[folivier]

We have a gas stove at both our condo and cabin. But we use the portable Duxtop induction burner most of the times. The heatup time is so much faster and it doesn't heat up the house. The only drawback is when I'm simmering something for a few hours it will shut off after a set time. So I have to reset it occasionally. Despite that small drawback I'd probably replace the gas with induction when needed.

 

[braumeister]

If you have an induction stove, would you get it again? And what brand do you recommend and why? Any regrets, esp if you were once a gas stove user?

I bought an induction range about a year ago and I love it. The brands didn't seem to be too different from one another, so I got a Frigidaire at a good price from Home Depot. No problems at all.

I grew up with a gas stove, and have always disliked electrics. Induction is as close to cooking with gas as you can get -- very similar technique.

 

[Aerides]

I've read you do need to be very careful with a cast iron pan?

 

[athena53]

I've read you do need to be very careful with a cast iron pan?

Yes- many people I know ended up getting a whole new set of pans. From what I've read, cast-iron is OK as long as the pan bottom is smaller than the induction surface but I have some that have pretty large bottoms and I'd be reluctant to give up my cast-iron pans.

 

[Jerry1]

I always guessed that some cast iron pans would not work because many of them have a ring on the bottom that would keep the majority of the pan from contacting the surface.

 

[folivier]

I use my cast iron pots frequently on my portable. It's amazing how quickly it heats up.
If you're still undecided maybe buy a portable burner? They're pretty inexpensive, under $100.

 

[TripleLindy]

We still have a gas stovetop but use a portable induction burner outdoors, especially for fish. We love it and would consider an induction top indoors if remodeling. Cast iron works fine on our portable burner, including large pans.

 

[OldShooter]

Within a week of installing a new induction cooktop at our lake place, DW went shopping for one to install in the city house. Gas is in a distant second place for us though we believed in it for 40+years. Never again.

She uses cast iron fry pans all the time. No issues.

 

[skyking1]

I think a portable purchase is in order for us. We can interview it here and decide if the new house gets induction rather than a ceramic top.
The portable can go in the common space upstairs on the kitchenette counter.

 

[AllDone]

I bought an induction cooktop in 2005. When we moved, I didn’t even consider anything else for the new kitchen. I talked up my induction cooktop so much that my parents put one in. They moved some years later and my mother lasted one week cooking on gas before she stomped off to the appliance store for another induction cooktop (their house had been built with both a gas line and a 220v line so that you could put in whatever you wanted!). I'm not a cavewoman and I won’t cook on an open flame. If I move again, I will have induction again.

The best part is clean up. A spritz of countertop cleaner and a quick wipe, 30 seconds tops. Eventually a little haze builds up on the burner, but it comes off easily with some Soft Scrub. If something spills while cooking, you can just wipe it up without turning anything off. I even put towels around the base of a pot as I cook, if there's danger of a boil over or splatter.

I just use ordinary pans on mine; stainless, cast iron, enameled cast iron. I have a little steel plate that I can use to heat a moka pot.

 

[MBAustin]

We've had induction for the 15 years we've lived in this house and I wouldn't want anything else. The only issue I've found with cast iron is that it heats so well that you need to keep the power lower than you would on a regular stove. I rarely use power levels over 6 to sauté in my cast iron skillet or dutch oven, compared to 8 for a steel skillet.
Ours is a GE. The first one had an electronic failure after about 10 years and we replaced it with the current model of the same cooktop.

 

[skyking1]

Fortunately for us, gas is not really a consideration. I do cook things on the side burner on a gas grille.

 

[savory]

Gas vs induction? Had both, induction wins

 

[Chuckanut]

I have a 30 amp circuit for my electric stove. I’ve heard that many induction stoves require 40 amp circuits. Has anybody ran into that?

 

[MBAustin]

I have a 30 amp circuit for my electric stove. I’ve heard that many induction stoves require 40 amp circuits. Has anybody ran into that?

Yes, we had to put a 40 amp in for ours.

 

[TrvlBug]

I have a 30 amp circuit for my electric stove. I’ve heard that many induction stoves require 40 amp circuits. Has anybody ran into that?

Mine (Bosch) requires 50. IIRC, my contractor told me that most require 50 but some require 60.

 

[folivier]

Another advantage when cooking things that splatter I'll put a paper towel on the surface then the skillet. Still works and keeps the splatter down.

 

[Zathras]

We found induction faster, and more responsive that gas.
I also did some reading on interior air pollution. Turns out gas appliances are a big contributor.

The induction ranges do rely on magnetism. Cookware with iron work great. Aluminum cookware won’t.

 

[braumeister]

Mine (Bosch) requires 50. IIRC, my contractor told me that most require 50 but some require 60.

Mine takes 40, which I think is the most common. Some actually need only a 30 amp circuit. Induction cooktops use less energy than electric ones.

 

[TrvlBug]

Mine takes 40, which I think is the most common. Some actually need only a 30 amp circuit. Induction cooktops use less energy than electric ones.

I suspect the contractor was confusing induction with electric.

 

[Zathras]

Mine (Bosch) requires 50. IIRC, my contractor told me that most require 50 but some require 60.

My induction is also on a 40A circuit.
By chance do you have more than 4 burners or a built in fan?

Edit******
I got curious and did some more digging.
It seems the Bosch 36” Induction cooktop has 5 burners and does use a 50A circuit.
The Bosch 30” has 4 burners and only requires a 30A circuit.

At a glance, it may be that the 36” uses just a bit more than a 40A could safely supply?

 

[braumeister]

I think we can chalk this up to an uninformed contractor. My electric range (that the induction replaced) had been happy on that 40 amp circuit as well. The induction has five burners so it's a pretty standard system. However, the manual did say that you shouldn't use all five at max heat at the same time.

 

[TrvlBug]

I have a 36" induction cooktop with 5 burners, 4 'normal' sized ones and one huge one in the middle. We did check the manual to ensure the correct size circuit was installed and it required a 50A circuit.

I had gas but used an induction cooktop in my makeshift kitchen while the kitchen was gutted. Loved the induction so much I had them put in electrical and tossed my 3 year old gas cooktop!