Induction Cooktops

There are three main types of Cooktops on the market today: Gas, Ceramic and Induction. Gas and Ceramic Electric Cooktops work by getting hot and applying that heat to your pots or pans. Induction Cooktops work differently by producing an electro-magnetic field that causes the Cookware placed on top to heat up.

This means the surface of an Induction Cooktop will never get hot even when turned on. This makes Induction Cooking great from a safety perspective with children and pets you are concerned about.

Induction Cooktops heat frypans and Woks up quicker than other Cooktop types, so you can cut back on cooking times. Temperature adjustments are instant, the same as Gas Cooktops and can be made with more precision. An Induction Cooktop tends to cost more but their superior performance, safety and generally minimalist, easy to clean designs make them an attractive option, which is why their popularity is only building.

Because Induction Cooktops use a magnetic field rather than heat, you'll need to make sure any Cookware used is responsive to magnetic energy, meaning not all of it is compatible.

Although you do need to make sure it is compatible, the good news is that you may already have it. Cast iron, steel, some enamelled steel and stainless steel pans with an iron base or core should all work with Induction. If you are unsure, check existing Cookware is compatible by seeing if a magnet will stick to it or look for an induction compatible symbol on packaging when buying new.

If you have aluminium or copper Cookware, chances are you will need to replace them for use on a new Induction Cooktop. Keep in mind they are more expensive upfront than Gas or Ceramic, so it's important to factor the cost of new Cookware into your budget if needed when shopping around.

When compared to Gas or Electric Cooktops such as Ceramic or Solid Plate styles, an Induction Cooktop maybe the most expensive to buy upfront but they are the most energy efficient to cook with saving on bills in the long run.

Because Induction uses electro magnetic fields to heat rather than getting hot then transferring heat, there is less heat loss (entropy) and waste with Induction Cooking. Faster heating and cooking means cutting back on cook times for the same meals versus Gas or Ceramic.

Many Induction Cooktops can also detect when no pots or pans are present, which means less energy is wasted if the cooktop is forgotten after use and is a huge positive for safety.

Look out for models with Boost functions that start at a high heat before lowering to a pre-selected level, great for cooking perfect rice, pasta or thickening sauces, and a Keep Warm setting if you're waiting for the family to come around. Many Smeg and Miele Induction Cooktops have flexible zones that can merge two or more zones into one for searing in a large casserole dish before roasting, or making legendary gravy.

Induction Cooktops are very easy to clean thanks to a smooth, uniform surface with no corners for food to get trapped. Food spills also don’t usually get cooked on to the surface (unless in contact with a hot pot or pan) because the surface itself never gets hot. Some can even automatically turn off when they detect overflowing liquid from a pan preventing further mess. Some also offer great additional safety features like child lock and overheat detection to turn off automatically, great if you are prone to forgetting water boiling.

Always start with the required cutout size to suit the benchtop space and how many cooking zones you want or need after that. These can range from 30cm with two zones through to 90cm wide with five zones like some Bosch Induction Cooktops.