What is Induction cooking?
Induction cook tops work via a magnetic field that essentially turns your cookware into the element. Food is cooked via the heat of the cookware, not from the cooktop itself
So basically this means that the heat is produced in the saucepan, rather than the coil getting hot and then heating the pan. This saves energy and produces quicker results. With gas or conventional electric cookers (including halogen), the energy is first converted to heat and only then directed to the cooking vessel. The surface of the induction cook top is only heated from contact with the vessel. There are no flames or red-hot electric heating elements as found in traditional cooking equipment.
How does it work, without getting too technical? To be used on an induction cook top, a cooking vessel must be made of a ferromagnetic metal. The current creates a changing magnetic field and the field generates a loop current–a flow of electricity–within the metal of which the pot or pan is made, and that current flow through the resistance of the metal generates heat, just as current flowing through the resistance element of a conventional electric range’s coil generates heat; the difference is that here, the heat is generated directly in the pot or pan itself, not in any part of the cooker.
Do I need specialist cooking equipment?
The cookware for an induction cook top will be generally the same as used on other electric or gas ones. Some cookware or packaging is marked with symbols to indicate compatibility with induction, gas, or electric heat. Induction stoves work well with any vessels with a high ferrous metal content at the base. Cast iron pans or stainless steel will work well. They must be of a reasonably high grade with a sandwiched base. Straight aluminum will generally not work, however most people do not own wholly aluminum cookware these days as it is considered unsafe. Straight copper and ceramic vessels will also not produce the required magnetic field to work. Nearly all cookware is labeled induction suitable in stores today. A simple test with a magnet will confirm its suitability; if a magnet doesn’t cling very well to the base of the saucepan it is not suitable and should be avoided. This may mean that some flimsy baking trays or woks will not be suitable when making gravies and sauces on the stove top.
What are the benefits of Induction Cooking?
- Unlike most other types of cooking equipment, induction units are typically very thin, often requiring not over two inches of depth below the countertop surface. A cooking area designed to allow for wheelchair access is easy, as the cook top takes up no space at all. This extra room can also be beneficial in conjunction with special design features for certain kitchens that have limited space for draws and storage, saving room.
- There are no open flames.
- Once the saucepan is removed, the heat source instantaneously turns off. Heat stays in the cook top for a little while after a pan is removed only due to the residual heat left by the metal of the vessel.
- It is a viable replacement for gas stovetops where there are no gas lines from the street. The heat source is as instantaneous as gas.
- Saves energy, as after the initial heating there is very little wasted energy through heating vessels or escape while cooking.
- Safety advantages .A hand placed on the stovetop even while it is on will not be burnt as it will only be activated by ferromagnetic material.
- The cooking surface is made of a glass-ceramic material which is a poor heat conductor
- They heat up incredibly fast, heating the cookware faster than any other method of cooking. When you change the temperature, this change is reflected immediately, not gradually as with a radiant ceramic element. The approximate time to boil 1 litre of water on a gas cooktop is eight minutes, on radiant ceramic six minutes, and on an induction cooktop just two minutes
- With gas, when you adjust the element setting, the energy flow adjusts instantly. Induction cooking is equally exacting
- almost all of the source energy gets transferred to that vessel without heating the kitchen or escaping around the sides (gas). It allows instant control of cooking energy similar to gas burners.
Information sources; Wikipedia, www.theinductionsite.com, www.choice.com.au