Induction Cooking Technology | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey teaches host Kevin O’Connor everything he needs to know about induction cooktop technology.

Host Kevin O'Connor discusses induction cooktops with home technology expert Ross Trethewey. Ross sets up a comparison test with two tea kettles, comparing the difference in the amount of time an induction burner takes to boil water over a gas burner. Ross explains how induction technology works, as well as how he believes it will be the future of kitchen appliances.

Where to find it?
Ross explains how induction works, compares its efficiencies against gas and talks about the features, benefits and downsides. Ross and Kevin set up one propane single burner and one induction cooktop in the studio to test which one brings a kettle of water to a boil first. This test showed Induction heats up about twice as fast as gas, bringing the water to a boil.

Induction is more efficient than both electric and gas cooktops at ~80% efficiency, while gas is about 40%. Induction is known for its great response when adjusting the heat level. These cooktops are easier to clean than gas stoves and they can be placed on top of or under a counter, island or oven. Induction is safer as it only heats up the pan/pot not the cooking surface and it turns off without a pot sitting on the surface. This also minimizes accidental injury (if children or pets touch the surface) or fire since hot-pads or towels won’t catch fire upon contact.

The downsides are induction cooktops can be more expensive than both gas and electric cooktop and they will not work in a power outage (unless backup battery or generator). You must use cookware that contains some iron in order for the magnetic technology to work.

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Induction Cooking Technology | Ask This Old House

[davidalearmonth]

We switched from gas to induction this summer and we love it! So fast, safe, and easy to clean!

[phlydude]

I live in a electric-only home and swapped out my ceramic electric cooktop to an induction cooktop 1st chance I had (I had grown-up and lived with natural gas for my entire life up to living in this home). So pleased with the performance and all of our cookware was already induction compatible so there were no issues. We picked ours up from IKEA during an annual kitchen sale (it is a rebranded Frigidaire) for a couple hundred off (was nearly ½ the price of the same item that had the Frigidaire name on it at the big box retailers during this sale). I really had to adjust many of my cooking times because water for rice and pasta boils so much quicker. I've also had to learn different cookware intricacies like cast iron gets hot quick, full stainless works nearly as well. OXO non-stick pans get work better than Circulon non-stick pans for heat build and searing...but that can be a benefit in that some pans I know are more tolerant to the temp build-up so cooking things like red sauce won't stick or scorch as easily as it would on a gas burner with the same pan or other pans that have a higher iron content.

[BradThePitts]

A great thing about induction cooking is the cook top itself emits no heat - the only thing that gets hot is the food itself, and this really helps a lot on those hot summer days when you just don't feel like cooking over the stove.

[tjam]

All magnetic metals will work in induction cooktops, but I was surprised to find out, it DOESN’T HAVE TO BE MAGNETIC. I have a few stainless steel pots that ARE NOT MAGNETIC (where magnets DON’T stick in the least) yet they are EXTREMELY effective at inductive cooking. They are so thin and heat up SO FAST, they are BETTER than my thicker pans that are magnetic.

[kingssman]

Showing this to my parents. Trying to convince them to replace their electric range with induction for their kitchen remodel.

[DCFunBud]

Most stainless steel cookware is not induction compatible. A pot with pasta water still takes forever to boil. “ Twice as fast, ” no. If does not attract a magnet, the pot will be useless for induction cooking. I carry a small magnet in my bag to test pots while shopping.

[allenfischer]

So what's the verdict, or is there one, concerning emf exposure with induction cooktops?

[mdavidson]

Use this tinniest gas burner to compare it to. My Family has owned an appliance store for 50 years. These are not new tech. We got these in in the early-mids 1990's. Put a glass butter dish with water under the pan. The pan with water got hot. The glass with water underneath was cold. They didn't catch on. I love my gas top and electric oven for cooking. Used my gas top to heat the house many times the power went out.

[Technie]

For professional cooking you need gas. At home you can use induction for 90% of your tasks but can keep a camping stove around for a wok or for the days you feel like getting fancy

[ryansoo]

Will this comment be seen? I'll take a chance. Ross, would you recommend an induction cooktop for an off grid cabin in climate zone 6B (Canadian Rockies)? I would like to avoid using propane and if induction would work should I consider a one burner portable unit or install a two to four burner cooktop? Which models/brands are the most energy efficient to use with a solar PV system?

[markifi]

why would you have it hidden? they look cool on the inside. have the coils on display under a glass surface!

[virginiarocks]

I do have an induction hot plate. My next purchase will be to upgrade my “stove”

[Pallidus_Rider]

With all the power failures with every storm in California, I'm sticking with gas.

[cmputer]

Now you’re cooking with induction! Doesn’t have he same ring to it but that’s ok.

[tjam]

PS: their test still doesn’t demonstrate the EVEN GREATER speed of induction over CONVENTIONAL GAS range. It appears they are using propane portable stove. Propane has more energy and heats water up faster than natural gas. So, if they used natural gas cooktop in their test, you would see even greater difference in the speed of induction over gas!

[Bremend]

I think a better video would be electric vs induction. The pros and cons of each are not well understood by the typical consumer

[byronwatkins]

Any conductor will work fine. You could even put a conductor in the bottom of glassware. Good conductors like gold, silver, and copper will experience a significant upward force, however. The 60 Hz current in the copper windings generates a 60 Hz oscillating magnetic field. This changing magnetic field generates currents in the conductor (pot bottom in this case) as if it was a secondary winding of a transformer. These currents cause the metal conductor to get hot. This same process is used in induction heaters, induction forges, induction furnaces, and wireless phone chargers.

[remxart]

yes but when it’ll broke, in 6-8 years, it will be cheaper to replace all the 2 burners cartridge than to repare...

[HoneyBadgerFarm]

Isn't this convenient...long live gas!

[marbledillon]

IMO nothing will beat gas cooking. Food taste better with an open flame.