Induction hobs: what they are, how they work, pros and cons

Women spend a significant part of their time in the kitchen. It would be desirable that cooking took as little time as possible. One possibility to reduce this process - to install an induction hob. It heats water or product 5 times faster than a classic electric stove.

How an induction hob works

An induction cooktop differs significantly from other types of cooktops in that the burner stays cold during cooking. The surface of the pot is heated by the effect of the induction current from the coil on the bottom of the cookware.

Induction cooktops have an efficiency of 90% and electric cooktops have an efficiency of 70%. The induction stove heats the surface of the pot instantly. The elements of an electric stove first heat the body, then the air layer, and only then the bottom of the pot. By comparison, a 3.5 kW induction cooktop will boil 2 liters of water in 6 minutes and an electric stove in 30 minutes.

Pros and cons of induction cooktops

Pros:

• Food cooks quickly.
• The burner turns on only if there is a pot with a diameter of at least half of its volume. When the pot is removed from the stove, the heating mechanism turns off automatically and immediately cools down. This increases safety. A child safety key blocks heating.
• The burners are flush with the surface of the body. Cookware can be moved, it will not move or tip over.
• Panel surface is not heated, so runaway food does not burn.
• Induction hob looks attractive and stylish.
• Environmentally safe operation - no harmful substances are emitted, as in the case of gas combustion.

Cons:

• The main disadvantage - only metal cookware with magnetic properties is suitable for induction hobs. The bottom must be flat. Due to this heating occurs. Glass or aluminum cookware will not heat. The exception - if the bottom of such pots is made of metal. To avoid changing cookware that is not magnetic, you can buy a special adapter.
• Induction hob is designed to work on electricity, so in gasified homes, it is important to check whether the wiring is powerful enough. It is worth installing a voltage regulator.
• The hob is made of glass ceramic, so it is important to be careful when installing.
• Induction hobs are much more expensive than those that work from an electric heating element.

Myths about induction hobs:

• Myth 1: induction hobs are harmful to health. The voltage from the field that an induction coil creates is 91 times less than that of a regular hair dryer. It is important to keep in mind that if a person has a unipolar pacemaker, it may malfunction if they are close to an induction stove.
• Myth 2: Induction stoves should not be installed near equipment and appliances with a metal surface. Some manufacturers provide for this and make magnetic insulation on induction stoves. Then there will be no impact on other appliances.
• Myth 3: You will have to change cookware. If a magnet is attracted to the pot, then it will be heated on the induction hob.

Induction hob can be adjusted to several temperature modes - boil water quickly or stew vegetables for a long time. Some models adjust the duration of cooking, and you don't have to stand over the pot. After the set time, the stove will turn off. You can also pause the process.