Induction: What You Need to Know

Cooking on induction has become increasingly popular in recent years. And that makes sense, induction heats faster, is more energy efficient and safer. Yet there are still many questions about it. Here we teach you all the pros and cons and which cooking pans you should use.

How Does Induction Work?

The induction meaning in cooking refers to a process that works with magnetism. In an induction stove there are electric coils that generate a magnetic field under the pan. This causes an eddy current to pass through the induction pan which is converted into heat by the resistance of the bottom. In addition, heat is also released through magnetic hysteresis .

The following video shows exactly how induction works.

Advantages of Induction

Energy Efficient Cooking

More economical and efficient cooking methods, are one of the biggest advantages of an induction cooktop. Induction hobs communicate with pans through magnetism. The plate is activated as soon as a pan is placed on it. The plate does not heat up itself but heats the pan directly. As a result, you lose no heat (and therefore energy) to the environment, making it an excellent choice among modern cooking tools.

Safer Cooking

This is the second advantage of induction cooktop: safety. Remove the cooking pan from the hob and it will switch off immediately. The plate itself never gets hot, only a little warm from the residual heat of pans. You can therefore never burn yourself on an induction stove or plate, making it one of the safest cooking methods available.

Fast Water Boiling With Induction

But the point where you will notice the biggest difference is the speed and convenience. Because the pans absorb all the energy, they will also heat up faster. Water will boil faster and your frying pan will be at 200 degrees within 30 seconds on an induction cooker.

This is important to know because many people think they have to preheat their pans with induction. This is not the case! When you put the induction pan on the plate you can immediately put oil or butter in it, otherwise the pan can't lose its heat and it can get damaged. Understanding this aspect of induction meaning in practice can greatly improve your cooking experience.

But those are not all the advantages. An induction hob is also:

Easy to Clean

The glass surface has no edges, corners or cracks. This allows you to clean the entire plate in one sweep, making it one of the most convenient cooking tools in your kitchen. 

Flexible Heating Spots

With many induction cooktop models, it does not matter where you put a pan. The whole plate can be used so you can easily move your cooking pan around, offering versatility in your cooking methods.

Fast to React

Induction reacts quickly to temperature changes. Is something burning? Turn down the power and your pan will immediately become less hot. This responsiveness is a key feature that many consider when looking at the induction cooker price.

More Precise

Many induction stove models can be set to specific temperatures. This way, it never gets hotter than what you've set, allowing for more precise cooking.

Less Dangerous

With gas, you have to be careful that a flame in the pan does not spread to the gas. With induction, this cannot happen, making it a safer option among cooking tools.

Safe For Children

Many induction cooktop models have a child lock so that they cannot be turned on just like that. Children also cannot burn themselves on the hob, unlike traditional stoves.

Turns Off Automatically.

Out of the house? Turn on the built-in timer and the induction cooker will switch itself off. This automatic shut-off feature adds another layer of safety and convenience to cooking with induction.

Disadvantages of induction

Like any product, there are not only advantages to induction cooking, but also a few areas where it falls short.

Plug Group

For induction, you need an electricity group (with a special perilex connection). In new houses this is often already built in, but with an old house you will have to extend the meter cupboard.

Old Pans Sometimes Won't Work

Poor quality pans or pans with warped bottoms will not work on an induction cooktop. You can buy an induction plate that you place under the pans, or buy new induction pan sets. This is an important consideration when calculating the total cost of switching to induction cooking methods.

Too Much Power

Not all induction stove models can heat on low power. This makes stewing with a frying pan a lot trickier because it always gets too hot. There are hobs with a special cooking zone for casseroles and roasting pans, these have a zone with low adjustable power.

Wok

Unlike gas, induction does not heat the side of a wok. It is also not possible to use a wok with a round bottom on a standard induction cooktop.

There are special hobs with a wok bowl, but in both cases it is important to buy a wok with good heat conduction. This is why we recommend the tri-ply / 5-ply / 7-ply pan. This ensures that the heat from the bottom flows evenly to the sides.

Shaking the wok to move the ingredients is also a bit more difficult. The induction switches off when there is no contact with the pan. If you put the pan back in place, the cook top will turn on again, but this costs some extra energy. Therefore, it is best to shake the pan back and forth when using induction cooking methods.

Expensive to Buy

The induction plate itself is more expensive to buy. The technology is still "fairly" new and more advanced. But in consumption and ease of use this is quickly recouped. When considering the induction stove price, it's important to factor in long-term energy savings and improved cooking efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Induction

Are My Pans Suitable For Induction?

The biggest disadvantage of an induction plate is that not all pans are suitable. You can test your pans by placing a magnet on the bottom. If it stays put, your pan is suitable for induction cooking. If the magnet does not stay in place, it's time for new induction pan sets. Understanding this is crucial to grasping the full induction meaning in practice.

Does The Bottom of The Pan Have to be Exactly The Same Size?

We get a lot of questions about the size of the bottom of the cooking pan. However, this is not important. Induction adapts to the size of the bottom. So you can just use a small pan on a large induction plate.

What Does the booster function do?

The booster function takes the power from two hobs and passes it to a pan. This makes it a lot faster (up to 30%), but this is only allowed for boiling water. In an empty pan too much energy will be given and it will be damaged.

Can I Also Use Cheap Pans

In cheap pans there is a small magnetic ring. Sometimes so small that only part of the pan is heated. This results in hotspots and the food will not heat up evenly. For example, the food in the middle of the pan will already be cooked, while at the edges it will still be raw. This is why quality cooking tools are important for induction cooking methods.

Do You Have Pans For Induction?

Almost all pans and frying pans in our store are suitable for induction. We offer a wide range of cooking pan options compatible with induction stove technology. For starters, check out the GreenChef Diamond Induction Frying Pan, or browse the full selection of induction cookware by clicking HERE!

I Want to Use my Old Pans, is This Possible?

Is your pan not magnetic at the bottom? Then the hob will not switch on. Fortunately, we have special induction plates. You place these between the induction plate and the pan. The plate heats up and passes this on to the pan. With these products you can continue to use your old pans.