Would you recommend an induction cooktop over regular electric cooktop? (countertops, grill)

[homeonthelittlemountain]

Hi CD land. . I'm looking for any advice you can offer regarding your experience with induction cooktops.

We moved into a new home a year ago. We are installing new countertops and will be putting in a new cooktop as well. In my previous home I had a gas cooktop and I miss it. But we have an all electric home now.

So I've been researching induction cooktops and they sound fabulous....like a reasonable substitute for gas.

In reading the reviews on various sites, there are a fair number of reviews where the poster claims the cooktop suddenly stopped working or was faulty in some other way. And this seems to happen with all the brands. Yes, I understand those who are least happy are most apt to post reviews so I'm keeping that in mind as I read.

So, my questions:
Are you satisfied with your induction cooktop? Is it that different from a regular electric cooktop? Have you had any maintenance issues?

I have old cast iron pans that I must use for certain family favorite recipes or I might as well not make them. I've read that cast iron can be used on an induction cooktop but is this really so?

I think that covers it. Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond.

[noodlecat]

I am doing research on this now too. The only thing I've learned so far is that you can use any cookware as long as a magnet will stick to the bottom.

I took a magnet off my fridge and it stuck to the bottom of my cast iron skillet. But it did NOT stick to my anodized aluminum pots, my stainless pots with aluminum bottoms, or my enamelled cast iron Dutch oven. I'd pretty much have to buy all new cookware to use an induction cooktop. But I'm still interested in what others here have to say about it.

[LifeIsGood01]

I would rather buy a combo with 2 electric and 2 induction burners. That way you can use any cookware.

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by noodlecat

I am doing research on this now too. The only thing I've learned so far is that you can use any cookware as long as a magnet will stick to the bottom.

I took a magnet off my fridge and it stuck to the bottom of my cast iron skillet. But it did NOT stick to my anodized aluminum pots, my stainless pots with aluminum bottoms, or my enamelled cast iron Dutch oven. I'd pretty much have to buy all new cookware to use an induction cooktop. But I'm still interested in what others here have to say about it.

You can get a conversion piece, which sits on the induction plate and gets hot, and any kind of pan can be used on this. I have one of the NuWave plug ins, as my gas stove isn't lighting right. I haven't gotten around to having it fixed since I like the nuwave so much. I've used the adapter for some of my pans which I can't cook without but I also love the quality of the induction rated pans.

The concern I have is that my plugs need a good review, and I have ONE which can charge the phone with the mulit plug adapter, run the nuwave or the hair dryer. What I hope for is to get that problem fixed. But right now, I keep checking the nuwave when cooking something since its a new toy. The stove had the flame adustment changing without adjusting it so I felt I had to stand next to it.

Honestly, I think I could do just fine with a good induction set up, and I'd just use the adapter with my long beloved roast pans. You don't need to toss the old and trusty pans, just use one of those and procced as normal.

[turf3]

I would just go with the traditional, Calrod electric burners if you don't have gas service.


If something eventually goes wrong you can replace them for a few dollars in a couple minutes.


I have always just lined the pans underneath with tinfoil and changed it out occasionally, so cleaning is not really an issue.


I would prefer gas, but most houses I have lived in have only had electric despite my preference for the gas burners.

[Brian_M]

As an avid home cook, gas is easily my favorite heat medium. Unfortunately it's just cost prohibitive to have gas stove if you don't have something Else that needs gas, like heating.

So that leaves electric for me.... the only difference between the old coils and the "smooth top" is the smooth top (which can be both easier to clean AND more prone to damage because it's a PITA to clean well). Induction is firmly between "normal" electric and gas in terms of how it cooks, and doesn't have the worst of the negative issues with "smooth top" traditional tops that heat the ceramic/glass which then transfers the heat to the pan (and burns Everything that gets on the eye).

Yes, you need the right kind of pan, and before you assume something Won't work because a magnet won't stick, TRY IT. I have a number of pans that work just fine but are seemingly non-magnetic. Some pans (the cheapest I own that work on induction) cause a Very high pitched whine that drives me insane... these are all "bottom clad" units, my "fully clad" Tramontina pots/pans don't have this issue and neither do my parents All-clad $$$ pans.

Thankfully testing out induction is Easy and Cheap. The best rated/reviewed plug-in unit is $60:

https://www.amazon.com/Secura-8100MC...eywords=8100mc

The "heat" is delivered just like any other electric stove top, where it turns on and off, it's just much faster but still can't compete with the constant heat of an adjustable flame. Maybe they'll work this out in higher end units in the future...

If I had the money, I'd make the change. It's pretty expensive though, 3 times the cost for the cheapest of an induction range and a "smooth top" traditional electric. Induction units start about $1500 and run up north of $10,000 with the lions share of units in the $3000~5000 range.

[WannabeCPA]

I'd prefer induction over an electric cooktop, both the coils and the flat top. However, I do know it's significantly more expensive than electric cooktops so you have to weigh that too. Plus the costs of possibly buying new cookware for the induction cooktop. I can't comment on whether your old iron pans will be able to cook with induction but I think they would. You'd probably want to test them before buying an induction range. If they can be used, and if the increase in price is acceptable to you, I'd go with induction. Right now I have an electric flat top stove and an induction single hot plate type cooker. I try to use the induction cooker whenever I can. I also heard it uses less electricity than your typical electric range.

[Aery11]

I would change out my glass electric cooktop in 2 seconds if I could. Hate it with a passion. Mind you what I 'really' want is another Jenn-air downdraft stove with an induction module and a grill module - but they don't make the former piece. I have 2 single induction burner units though and they are wonderful, safe (the pot will get hot as will its contents but the burner never does), fast heating, accurate and almost all my cookware works on them (but as someone noted, if it doesn't you can buy a trivet like thing that allows it to work fine even if it wouldn't straight on the burner.. And yes, cast iron works fine on them.


If you want to try out induction and check your pots - get yourself a single burner one at the department store. Cheap. And once you install a full cooktop you will still have it around for more 'portable' or overflow meal needs.

[riaelise]

I loved my glass electric cooktop and would love to convert my current gas cooktop to one.

[tnff]

We have the standard glass cooktop and I hate it. I'd love to go with induction if I could find a combination stove/oven that I could afford. We do use an induction hot plate and love cooking on it, but a full cooktop/oven is mega times as expensive as a conventional stove.