With Induction Stoves, Chefs Discover a Foolproof Path to Perfection | From Michelin kitchens to home wok burners, induction delivers consistency that gas can’t match
With Induction Stoves, Chefs Discover a Foolproof Path to Perfection
As a middle European I haven‘t really seen anything else in like 10 years. A few years back they were a bit more expensive than regular electric ones, but nowadays even the cheapest model from IKEA (which is produced by a reputable company here in Europe) works pretty well.
I love magnets
As great as the improvements have been, I've still not seen an alternative that can compete with gas when it comes to tilting a pan or wok. Losing heat every time you lose direct, flat contact is so frustrating for certain cooking styles. Also being able to roast (and not fully bake) a pepper over the flames is so helpful. If an alternative could do those two things, I'd be very excited.
It should be possible to do a 2-3cm gap between induction coils and base of pot.
There are wok induction stoves with a curved surface for a matching wok
Commercial use hopefully will help with the under-specced components that routinely failed when I last looked into induction. My gas stove hasn’t got a chip or board on it, which I appreciate.
I bought a $50 nuwave induction cooktop 3+ years ago and have since used it as my main stove, and even taken it camping. It's still going strong and hasn't shown any signs of wear and tear, other than a sticker peeling off a little. One of the best purchases I've ever made, I hate my gas stove.
This is the main thing. Gas doesn't need power.
under-specced components that routinely failed when I last looked into induction.
Whether mine is an outlyer and this is survivorship bias, but my Frigidaire range from 2007 (2 induction + 2 electric thermal) from 2007 is still going strong with zero failures or repairs.
I think it’s the ones with the capability for “overdrive” were the worst; people used them (as one does) and they simply failed a heat death. Yours may have survived because you’ve got the hybrid, or because it was early before they engineered in the cost savings.. If the bean counters let them use then correct components, they’d work well.
Have used so many induction stove tops, and none of them match my gas one.
Being able to tilt my pans and concentrate where I want heat is invaluable.
I keep clean as o cook also, and the touch interface they all seem to have on the glass breaks the cook when I wipe over with a damp cloth.
Sure, they can bring water to the boil fast, but it's not for me.
Got one of those induction round bottom wok setups. It's great. Especially compared to a flat bottom on an electric. But yeah, I wish it was more tolerant of moving and lifting the wok.
I literally stopped eating anything from gas after I got my induction stove. I was invited couple of times for dinner by friends who consider them foodies but since I know they use gas I just pass. Once you go induction you don't go back.
With gas you may think the result is good but it really just more or less where it should be. With induction it takes a little bit of practice but you can repeatedly make it absolutely perfect. Yes, it's more difficult to cook on induction and I get it that some people simply don't have necessary skills but good cook + induction will always beat gas stove. Once I got used to it I could always tell when something was made on gas. It got to the point for me that I just as what type of stove restaurant uses and if it's gas I simply walk out and go to a different place. One with induction stove of course.
...you flake on dinner with your "friends" because they cook with a gas stove. I hope this is satire.
Mine has a lock controls button that I use to prevent things turning on when I clean. You need to long-press it, and a brief wipe with a damp cloth won't trigger that button
Oh, that's a good point.
Bro, spaghetti is the ultimate test. What are you even doing?
Ive just switched to an all electric household. The cooking got a little challenging initially but once we replaced all pans with high quality ones it became good. We have a Bosch hob and oven.
Yeah, some of the older pots don't have a ferrous layer and won't work with induction.
I plan on buying one of those countertop wok induction stoves. I hear enough good about them to want to try. Range oven, I need a new one and have planned on induction for a while
Its great to hear the tech is progressing. I’ve had terrible experiences with them 10+ years ago. I really wish there was a practical way to try before buying
I got one last year, replaced a shitty old school electric coil one.
Similarly, I was kinda skeptical, but in my mind I reasoned it can't be possibly worse than the shit electric one I had at the time and I'm not going to pay to have a gas line installed sooo I went with it.
It's the best fucking stove I've ever cooked on in my life. By a LONG shot.
I can watch a pot of water boil
Oil is up to temp faster than you can turn around and grab your meat and seasonings
Almost-magic fast temp adjustments
The best part? You know those black burned on crud spots(that are most prevalent on glass tops) that you have to scrape off? Non existent. Idk if its unique to Samsung, but it's surface is fucking dead easy to clean, it never got the burned on crap after a year when I've had new stoves in the past develop it in a matter of weeks
The easy clean is really due to how the induction coil heats the pan but not the cooktop surface. With the surface only heating indirectly it's really not possible for stuff to burn on nearly as badly. At least when compared to a conventional radiant electric. The surface just doesn't get as hot.
I went from induction to a house with a gas cooktop and miss the induction a lot.
I had a terrible experience with one just last year. Had to replace it. Went back to an electric cooktop with simmerstats just last month. We're much happier now. Can cook again without all the burning and boiling over.
I know an induction cooktop could be much better but the one we had couldn't simmer anything: it could only intermittently overheat it. And occasionally it would switch to either full power (very dangerous - it was very powerful) or no power (absolutely ruins a steak when you're trying to sear it). Technicians came multiple times and concluded 'there's nothing wrong'. Fortunately, after almost two years, they agreed to an 'upgrade'.
I expect commercial induction cooktops are much better than consumer grade but they're too expensive.
I wouldn't buy another that I hadn't tried first. I know one place that has a showroom with everything powered. Not that they would let me actually try cooking anything, but at least one can put a pot of water on and try out the controls.
I think you had the same problem I have with my induction hot plate: The pulse width modulation is too long. When you’re going low and slow having it at full power for a whole second is going to burn/boil things over.
I still love it for searing or boiling big pots of water, and even for making stock.
This is a far worse experience than I have had with a consumer induction cooktop. Im able to simmer, low-temperature frying, and the likes just fine
Get a decent counter top induction plate. Don't get a fancy one, because they are all limited to the same power. So get one that has the basic features you might want to try. Also try to get one with a reasonable size heating zone.
Then get a good solid stainless steel or cast iron pan.
It won't be quite the same power level as a full cook range, but it will show you how the heat can be managed. It will probably be able to boil water faster than gas, but not quite as fast as a modern electric. Try something that requiresgood heat control, like pancakes.
These induction plates are also just generally useful for doing stinky/messy things outside or adding another burner to the kitchen during big holiday or family events.
Pancakes, steaks and simmering anything were my biggest frustrations.
Any recommendations? All the countertop ones I've seen online max out at 8 inch diameter cooktop, and almost all my skillets are 12 inch
Fuck yes! They already have the appliances set up in kitchens in the stores, let me cook a meal and figure out wether I like it or not!