Amber in AUS Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We will be doing a kitchen renovation later this year and i was thinking about an induction cook top as we don't have access to gas at the house. I was talking to my Aunty about it on the weekend as she has one which she loves and she was saying all her friends in Japan think induction cooking is bad and they won't use it and won't eat her food if she cooked it on the induction cook top. Just wondering if The Hive have any thoughts on this? Good? Bad? Jury still out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anabelneri Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We have one in our rental right now, and it's not my favorite. I don't find it to be as easy to keep clean-looking as our previous electric stoves, and I can't use some of our cast-iron skillets on it. Also, this past fall I had an urge to learn to do some canning (applesauce, tomatoes, etc.) but learned that you can't can on most induction stoves because the heat isn't constant. Bleh. Good luck! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 That doesn't sound good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I've had a 'Falcon' range cooker with induction hob for three years now and love it. It did take a bit of getting used to, but I much prefer it to gas, it's clean and safe, and much quicker to heat up/cool down than a traditional electric hob. Best wishes Cassy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca VA Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We recently got a hybrid cooktop -- two burners are regular heat, and two burners are induction. I love that compromise, because I'm able to get the benefits of induction while still being able to use various types of cookware. Induction cooktops will spoil you with their quick heat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My parents got an induction rooftop when I was in High school, I do not like it! If I can't have gas, I would rather have a regular electric range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My parents Have a Thermidor induction range, and it is awesome! It will boil water in 45 seconds on turbo. If a piece of paper, or something else flammable gets between the pot and the eye, it will still cook, but won't catch on fire. If I could afford it, I would buy one today. They have had no problems or complaints. My mom did buy new pots and pans, but she was excited about it, as some of hers were 40 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I like mine - I am able to can on it fine. I also like how easy it is to clean. I'd prefer gas, of course, but that's not an option here. I really dislike cleaning drip pans so that made a huge impact on my decision to get the induction cooktop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I've had induction for about a year and I absolutely love it. My mom has an electric smoothtop and regularly has to get out a razor blade to scrape burnt food. I have never needed more than a warm rag to get anything off. Because the top just doesn't get that hot, nothing ever burns to it so cleanup is easy. I boil my huge canning pot of water in 18 minutes (yes it's safe to can, I'll explain below), on my old stove it took an hour. I love how fast it comes to a boil and I love how quickly it adjusts temperatures. I can be boiling potatoes and the "scum" is crawling up the side in danger of boiling over and I can hit the button and the sides drops just that fast. I don't have near the number of boil overs as before because when I push a button to change temp, the temp changes just that fast. The biggest "drawback" is that your pots have to be magnetic, if you don't have many of those you may have to buy new ones. I was able to keep about 50% of the stuff I had so it wasn't a big deal to buy news ones for the other half. We have one in our rental right now, and it's not my favorite. I don't find it to be as easy to keep clean-looking as our previous electric stoves, and I can't use some of our cast-iron skillets on it. Also, this past fall I had an urge to learn to do some canning (applesauce, tomatoes, etc.) but learned that you can't can on most induction stoves because the heat isn't constant. Bleh. Good luck! :) I use a silcon mat under my cast iron pans, so I don't have to worry about scratching the stove top. Not sure why you can't use some of your cast irons but maybe this idea will help? As far as canning goes, you do have to have a stainless steel pot but induction doesn't cycle like a smoothtop does. With a smoothtop, the heat actually turns on/off which is what makes them unsafe for canning. Induction (at least mine maybe different models works differently) doesn't do this. The magnets move faster or slower depending on the temperature you select, but they are always moving so you have a constant heat source. This is something I researched extensively because I do a lot of canning and I wanted to make sure it was safe before we bought the stove. Bottom line: I love my induction stove and my husband already knows, we will never own any other kind again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My parents got an induction rooftop when I was in High school, I do not like it! If I can't have gas, I would rather have a regular electric range. :lol: I'm guessing auto correct took over there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We have one in our rental right now, and it's not my favorite. I don't find it to be as easy to keep clean-looking as our previous electric stoves, and I can't use some of our cast-iron skillets on it. Also, this past fall I had an urge to learn to do some canning (applesauce, tomatoes, etc.) but learned that you can't can on most induction stoves because the heat isn't constant. Bleh. Good luck! :) I have not hat that problem at all! Regular glass tops are hard to clean because crud cooks on. The induction looks like new! I use cast iron, I just don't shake it around. If my husband is going to use cast iron, I put a Silpat sheet down (got that hint here!). Mine cooks evenly. I love mine, and I'm a person who, when house hunting, used to ask "is the cooktop gas?" before even going to look at it. Now, I'll never go back. Clean, easy, Yahoo. I love, love, love mine. It is a GE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My parents got an induction rooftop when I was in High school, I do not like it! If I can't have gas, I would rather have a regular electric range. How long ago? Mine is terrific. To the OP, read the comments on Amazon. That is what gave me the courage to try. Rave, rave, rave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 How long ago? Mine is terrific.To the OP, read the comments on Amazon. . Oh that reminds me, I researched on Gardenweb and there is tons of posts about induction there. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/appl/ The site has tons of posts about it but the search function on the site is less than desirable. Use the search bar on the bottom of the page, for some reason the one at the top of the page there doesn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Thanks everyone. Looks like an induction cooktop is back at the top of my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Thanks for starting this thread, Amber - dh is suggesting an induction cooktop for out upcoming kitchen renovations, as we would have to connect to the gas mainline (there is gas in the street, just not to the house yet). We grew up with electric, but have used gas for most of the last 8 years, and I love it. This current house came with an electric cooker and keeping it is simply not something I'd consider. Sounds like induction might be an option, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Niki my Aunty LOVES her's she has a house down south, one in Japan and one in Perth and they all have the same induction cook tops! She said stick with european brands. Good luck with your reno. Ours is going to be a challenge :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 We have one and I HATE IT!!! :glare: It is only 3 years old -- and a massive pain in the butt to keep clean. I love to cook and hate it when a pot boils over and a "burn" mark will be created on the surface. I tried every method of cleaning, and basically you need a razor to scrape off the crud. For someone who cooks a lot at home, I despise this type of cleaning. I found it was easier with gas to clean and cook, personally. The heat regulation of the cooktop is very hot and I find olive oil will burn quicker compared to cooking with olive oil on a gas top. Be careful. We have had neighbors who did not realize the high heat action of an induction cooktop and we had the fire department show up as the fire alarms to the complex were set off. (No damage.) Another issue is I cannot use any of my expensive high quality woks or cast iron pans/skillets on the induction top. One tenant in our building was terrified when she placed a super hot pot on a cold area of the induction glass top and the entire surface shattered on her. It took the rental management 3 weeks to fix the cooktop (they were too cheap to replace it). Most of the tenants in our complex (it is a brand new facility built in 2009 with over 300+ tenants) complain to the management about the stovetop/induction. I'm not alone. ;) P.S. If you do get one... do not buy it in "black" as it will show every stinking piece of dust making you fixate on cleaning the stupid device more than usual. Mine is black to match the black granite countertop. I hate black. I am always cleaning it. Aaauuugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I use cast iron, I just don't shake it around. If my husband is going to use cast iron, I put a Silpat sheet down (got that hint here!). Our apartment complex specifically tells us in the lease NOT to use woks or cast iron pans/skillets on the induction cooktops. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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