More and even more homeowners are adopting the induction cooking method on a daily basis. This may force you to ask the question – what does induction cooking has to offer homeowners. Instead of flame or heat from an electrically powered element, induction cooker heats your cookware electrically using magnetic induction. In other words, the technology uses a magnetic current to directly heat your cookware.

Induction cooker heats pots and pans relatively faster compared to electric and gas cookers. If you are trying to determine if the induction cooker is right for you, then you are in the right place as this post will provide you with all you need to make an informed decision. There are many models of induction cookers from different brands on the market, which invariably means you will not have issues finding the best induction cookware one for you. Read on for details.

Benefits Offered by Induction Cooktops

Heats Quickly

We are all impressed about how fast gas heats our pots and pans, but induction cooktops work even faster. It is reported that it heats pans 50 to  70 percent faster compared to gas and electric cooktops. This will go a long way to allow you to prepare meals fasters. Since the heat generated by induction cooktops is evenly distributed to all parts of the pan, it will consistently provide you with heat supply thereby enhance the taste of your meals.

Safety

When bringing electrically powered and/or heat generating appliances into your home, safety should be a priority. Most homeowners who are looking to adopt the induction cooktop technology feel about their safety and that of other individuals in the home. This worry is mostly expressed by individuals who have kids. It may interest you to know that induction cooktops are completely safe.

Some may even say it is safer compared to gas and electric cookers. This is especially because induction cooktops only heat the surface and not the entire surface. Furthermore, induction cooktops do not generate heat until the cookware is placed in the right spot which invariably means that it will remain cool until you are ready to use it. This makes it ideal even if you have kids.

Also, unlike gas and electric cooktops, inductions cookers cool down significantly faster to further ensure your safety with the appliance. If like me, you regularly forget to switch your electric cooker off after use, then you will likely not encounter any issue with induction cooktops. This is especially because the cooktop is designed to automatically size heat generation the moment you take off your pot or pan.

Ease of Maintenance

You may already enjoy cleaning your traditional electric cookers because of their smooth and mostly stainless steel or tempered glass surface. If this is true, then you will enjoy an even better experience with induction cooktops. This is especially because only a part of the surface is heated thereby preventing splatters, spills and boil overs from baking and sticking to the surface. Also, since the cooker cools down relatively, you will find it easy to wipe your cooktop as soon as you finish cooking. All you have to do is wipe the induction cooktop with a damp towel.

Style

Although this factor is insignificant to many people, others appreciate it. Induction cooktops feature a sleek design that will go a long way to add style to your kitchen. Also, most induction cooktops are designed in a way that allows them to blend seamlessly into other appliances and accessories in your cooking area.

Disadvantages of Induction Cooktops

Power

Induction cookers are powered by electricity. This simply means that you may not be able to use the appliance when there is a power outage, which is unlike gas cooktops that can be used at all times. Also, when choosing the best induction cooktop for you, it is best to go for one that ships with a power saving feature so as to maintain low power bills.

Cost

Induction cooktops cost a little bit more compared to gas and traditional electric cooktops. This is especially because of the technology used in making induction cooktops. Also, it offers better value and experience compared to that offered by other cooktops.

Cookware

This is another disadvantage of induction cooktops. Not every type of cookware will work on induction cooktops. This may pose issues for individuals whose cookware will not work well on induction thereby prompting them to invest additional funds into induction-compatible ones.

Cookware That Works Well on Induction Cooktops

There are different types of cookware specially designed for use on induction, but there are also a few others that work well for all cooktop types including induction. For your pot or pan to work on induction cooktops, the bottom must include ferromagnetic materials such as magnet, iron and the likes. This is why some stainless steel pots and pans, enamel cast iron, cast iron, the similar cookware works perfectly on induction cooktops.

However, cookware made of aluminum will not work on induction. Also, some stainless steel cookware that contains a large amount of nickel may not work well on induction since the metal will likely obstruct the magnetic field integrated into the cooktop. Other cookware made of glass and copper may not work on induction.

How to Tell If Your Cookware Will Work on Induction Cooktops

It’s true that cookware made of certain materials will not work on induction cooktops, but there is an exception. Aluminum, copper, glass and other cookware not designed to work on induction may work properly on the cooktop if they feature ferromagnetic properties on their bottom.

If you are not sure if your cookware features these properties, you can determine whether they are compatible by holding a magnet to the bottom. If the pot or pan attracts the magnet then it will work well on induction, but if it doesn’t then it will not work.

How to Get Your Cookware to Work on Induction Cooktops

If you find that some of your favorite cookware doesn’t work on induction cooktops, there is no need to worry as you can still use it on the appliance. All you have to do is purchase an induction disk interface to use the cookware on the appliance. Different brands of induction disk are available on the market. A popular one is the Max Burton 6010 8-Inch Induction Interface Disk.