Why I Am In Love My Induction Cooktop Range

Recently my husband and I had some unfortunate luck when our gas stove stopped working.  We have been big fans of cooking with gas since we have been together.  We both like to cook so a suitable cooktop is necessary for us to be fed and happy.  During this same time, I happened to be reading the book, “How Not to Die” by Michael Greger, M.D., FACLM and in it he talks about the health risks involved in breathing the fumes that are produced while cooking with a gas range.  So after some thought, research and planning we decided to make a change and purchase an induction cooktop range with an oven. 

PREPARE FOR INSTALLATION

Preparing your Asheville kitchen for installing an electric range with an oven is necessary and better to do a couple of days before the appliance arrives. For a lot of folks this will be no problem but if you are like us, you will need to convert from gas to electric.  

Hiring a qualified electrician and permitting the work is recommended to make sure that the conversion is done properly and safely. This is also be a good time to discuss Solar power options.

LEARNING CURVE

One of the benefits of the induction cooktop is the quickness in which food heats up.  This is because an induction cooktop radiates heat directly to the pan.  Our Frigidaire can boil water in less than 2 minutes!  After cooking with gas primarily for the last seven years, it took a little getting used to.  The digital settings for adjusting the stove top burners is definitely different from adjusting a gas burner, but after a couple of days of cooking, it was no problem.  You know how the old saying goes, “a watched pot never boils?”  Well, this one sure does.

Cookware

A lot of people do not know that if you own an induction cooktop, you have to use a specific type of cookware.  Why is that?  Well, science.  Here’s why:

There is an electromagnetic field just beneath the surface of the glass range.  This electromagnetic field transfers heat directly to a piece of cookware with a magnetic bottom.  This conduction process eliminates the middleman - meaning the electric burner or the flame in the instance we are speaking of gas ranges. 

Induction compatible cookware isn’t cheap and especially a nice set but it is essential if you want to use an induction stove top.  You can try to use stainless steel but the burner simply will not heat.  

Safety Features

One of the best benefits to induction cooktops is the safety features.  Due to the conduction process when a pot or pan is removed from the stove top, the heat will stop automatically.  There’s no doubt that the glass surface will remain hot, but it will cool way quicker than a gas range or electric range.  Conversely,  if you happen to turn on a burner to heat and there is no pot or pan there then the surface will not heat. 

Another benefit is the improved indoor air quality without the combustion of a gas stove. Our four legged friends are much happier without the fumes.

So if you find yourself shopping for kitchen ranges consider purchasing an induction cooktop.  It will require some learning and possibly even some time and money preparing for the new appliance but trust me, it will be worth it when you shave minutes off of each meal without any bad burns.