An introduction to induction cooking
During a kitchen remodel, there are many different aspects to consider and several choices to make. One of the biggest ones centers around the appliances you’ll use in your redesigned kitchen. Induction cooking isn’t new, but it is becoming more mainstream as demand has increased and more and more people are including induction heating elements into their kitchens, especially during a remodel.
How and when to use induction heating
Most cook tops are either gas or electric ranges, and American households have been used to these two options for many decades. However, neither of these are as efficient as induction heating. Induction cook tops use magnetism and electric currents to heat, and only those elements are affected. Induction heating essentially makes the pot or pan do the cooking, rather than the heat beneath the pot or pan, which is much more efficient. Rather than transfer heating, which is what a flame or an electric coil does, induction heating changes the current of the metal just by being near enough to it. Most non-metal objects, including hands, are unaffected by this type of heating.
Induction heating requires special pots and pans that are all metal and magnetic. Cast iron and stainless steel are excellent options because they have flat bottoms and will heat all the way through. Aluminum and copper, however, cannot be used. However, there are many affordable metal pots and pans on the market, and a kitchen remodel is the perfect time to consider updating your selection of cookware.
Benefits of induction cooking
One of the biggest benefits to induction cooking is its efficiency. Induction ranges cook food faster than electric and gas ranges, and because the entire pan is heated a pot of water will boil more rapidly, losing less heat. The air around the pan is not heated, which means the kitchen stays cooler, and the heat is used almost exclusively to cook the food. Thick sauces work especially well with induction cooking because it eliminates cold spots on the pan. Cooks can also get a precise temperature that won’t change, or alter the temperature quickly. All of this makes it a much more environmentally friendly option than gas and electric. It’s also a great option for homes that don’t have easy access to a gas line and don’t want to use an electric range.
However, the most appealing benefit for many homeowners interested in induction cooking is it’s much safer for children to be around. The induction stove top is so efficient that just the pot or pan is heated and all a person has to do is move the hot pot away from the surface and it’s instantly cool. Because children are curious and often don’t know the dangers of a cook top, this can save burned fingers and make cooking with children around less stressful. Add to this that induction heating heats up quickly, a pot doesn’t have to be left on the stove to warm up, reducing the time it takes to get dinner on the table and the risk that a child will injure himself.
