Induction Cooking
When you are choosing to renovate your kitchen, it is often the time you are also choosing to upgrade your appliances. New fridges are different sizes, new dishwashers are much more powerful, and there are new cooking technologies to consider. I am a big fan of technology, and always want to learn about the newest and greatest products for your home.
Let’s talk about Induction cooking. Now available in both ranges and stand alone cooktops, induction cooking is slows transforming the marketplace for several reasons.
What is induction cooking?
Induction cooking is when you are heating the cooking vessel itself (your pot or pan) instead of the electric we’re all used to where the elements heats the glass, which heats the pot or pan.
How does induction work?
When alternating current is passed through the coil of copper wire it creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field transfers the current to the nearby ferromagnetic materials (your pan).
This means that your pots and pans need to have iron in them – and it’s easy to check. Just take any magnet and see if it sticks to the bottom. If so, you’re good to go!
What makes induction so great?
Control – Temperature changes are instantaneous as you don’t have to wait for the element to cool down or heat up. Temperatures are precise, you’re not just guessing by the flame height, and you’re able to achieve a true low simmer which is not possible on most gas ranges.
Safety – As shown above, the cooking surface doesn’t get hot. The only chocolate melting is in the metal pan! This makes the cooking surface safer for both children and seniors. Also most units have a safety stop built in that will not even allow a pot to boil dry.
Efficiency – Induction cooking offers about 85% energy efficiency, compared to electric maxing out at about 70%. Gas cooktops lose a lot of heat and are only giving you about 40% efficiency.
Cooking area – Traditional cooking methods have set areas where you need to put your cookware. With some of the new induction surfaces, you can place the vessel, no matter the size or shape, where you wish!
Care & Maintenance – Because the surface doesn’t get so hot, it’s easy to wipe up spills as they don’t instantly burn to the surface. One of the vessels that loves induction is a cast iron pan, but you might be worried about scratching the cooking surface. No problem – just slip a silicone baking mat under your pan! This will keep your pan in place and prevent damage to the ceramic top.
What’s next?
There are new countertop materials being installed so that you will be able to integrate your induction cooking. The kitchen of the future is fluid and multi-purpose, and this is going to be a major part of this movement.
Is induction right for you?
Stop in at your local appliance store to learn more. Many of these centres will also have live demonstrations so you can try it out yourself!
Jackie