I originally set my website up so I could share with you some reviews on the products I’ve come across when I was searching for the perfect cooking tool in my kitchen. However, as time has gone by there are questions I’ve noticed people ask and it’s not always easy to find the answers. This is why I decided to expand my little creation and add a few pages to help you make a decision about your next purchase.
In this section, I’m going to talk about (as the title suggests) induction vs electric cooking. Now I know there are many people reading this that mistrust induction technology because, quite frankly, it seems too good to be true. In the following few words I aim to change all that so you have a better understanding of why cooking with induction instead of electric is the way forward.
So Let’s Begin….
Safety
How many times have you come close to, or actually burned yourself when cooking with electric especially on cooktops?
If you’re an avid lover of cooking like me, the chances are you’ve just taken a quick peek at the latest little scar you’ve added to your collection.
Unlike electric, induction cooking is all about making it as safe as possible. What happens when you turn on an electric burner? Heat! Well, that’s kind of the point with cooking but when you use electric the whole cooktop will heat up. With induction cooktops you only get heat where it’s needed; in the pan and not on the cooktop surface!
As you browse through the reviews I have here you will also find some other safety features you don’t get with electric:
- Heat only where the cookware is placed. This means that if your pan is smaller than the burner you’re using it will only produce heat on the part that’s in contact with your cookware.
- Many of the models I have reviewed on my website also have an additional safety feature that helps those of us that are forgetful. When you take the pan off the heat, your cooktop automatically powers off.
- The more expensive models will power off automatically, AND you can touch them within seconds.
- If you have children about the home (and I know what that’s like), you may also want to check out some of the reviews I have for induction cooktops that have child safety locks. This means naughty little fingers cannot switch your cooktop on without you knowing.
Economical
Because of the reasons stated above, you won’t use as much energy with induction as you do with electric. This is because your cook top only uses power where it’s needed, and you certainly don’t get any additional heat escaping into the air (which is great during summer, and saves on the amount you pay for your electric).
Unlike electric, the heat you get with induction is instant. This means you can move up and down the temperatures you need with ease. In fact, boiling a pan of water on an induction cook top is far quicker than either gas or electric so this helps you save energy as well. It also helps you cook with more accuracy.
Cleaning
This is going to be a very brief paragraph because cleaning an induction cooktop is just as easy as wiping down your countertops. You may think the same goes for electric cooktops, and to a certain extent that’s true, but with electric cooktops you are more likely to have food caked on it.
As mentioned, with induction cooktops you don’t get heat anywhere except where your cookware sits. This means that if you happen to have an overflow, food cannot become baked on. In fact, most models don’t need a specialist cleaner. You can simply wipe them down with a damp cloth or use the same spray as you do everywhere else in your kitchen.
Slight Cons
Unfortunately, it’s just not possible to tick all the boxes all the time. The only downside I can think of for induction over electric is the price. That said if you think about the amount of money you’ll save on cleaning products to get baked food off and the amount you will save in energy, it’s likely an induction cook top will soon pay for itself.
Oh, and don’t think you’ll have to completely replace all your cookware! More information on that can be found on my section on cookware.