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I've always had gas and like it because it's easy to control... but what of induction?
Any fans on here, or anyone care to comment negatively (as is the STW way 😉 )?
Induction might mean throwing your old pans out - not all pans are suitable.
So if you have expensive cookware I'd think twice.
Same as you. Always had gas and like it but my sources tell me induction is the way to go. Will be looking into that when 'new kitchen' time comes around. You have to make sure your pots and pans are compatible though.
needs to be magnetic so easy to check if urs will work
Went to induction for the barn (no mains gas) and it's been excellent.
As responsive as gas. Far easier to clean as its just a ceramic glass sheet. Also programmable - you can set hobs to come on or go off after certain times. Got some new pans (Le creuset tri ply) and theyve been fine. Our old Aluminium ones were knackered anyway.
Cooks in professional kitchens use gas, I know what I'm sticking with 🙂
You may also need an electrician - induction hobs are typically 30A or more, which is far too much for a standard socket.
toby1 - Member
Cooks in professional kitchens use gas, I know what I'm sticking with
What, eating out at restaurants? 😉
Cooks in professional kitchens use gas, I know what I'm sticking with
Thats what my wife says...
Pretty sure all my pans would be fine with induction as they are all heavy duty.
I'm pretty sold on sticking with gas but am willing to be "educated".
gas i can spell it out GAS.. its simple clean and infinitely variable
My sister has an induction hob...it's UTTER SHITE. Not saying all are, but hers is not comparable with gas in any way shape of form.
One thing to bear in mind is what happens when you have a pan over boil. With gas, the fluid falls around the burner head harmlessly. With any flat surface hob I've seen the liquid covers the surface and starts bubbling under the pan making lots of noise and mess.
And as to having special compatible cookware...really? No cast iron skillets then? How about earthenware?
And as to having special compatible cookware...really? No cast iron skillets then? How about earthenware?
My range ha 4x induction hobs and 2x ceramic. Means I can use my skillet and pyrex etc on the top.
Any boil over is easy to wipe up quickly.
My only neg is the magnetic field induced doesnt come far enough up the sides of the wok.
And as to having special compatible cookware...really? No cast iron skillets then? How about earthenware?
It has to be magnetic so Iron should be okay but earthenware won't work. As far as mess is concerned, because there is no heat in the hob itself only in the pan it should be less of an issue than with conventional electric hobs.
Only old kitchens and cheap kitchen fits are gas these days to be honest, I'd go induction unless it is, Bonnet,Molteni,Rorgue or Charvet.
and [b]*BOOM*[/b]
Cheers for that saleem... but I'm not after catering equipment 🙄
Lets keep it home kitchen please 😉
Induction or gas?
After having seen a pan of water almost instantly and uniformly boil i've been lusting after an induction hob.
Surely there are show rooms where they can demonstrate such things though?
I've just got one and whilst it's really good for most things, it lacks the ability to get the pan "pinging" hot like you can with a gas hob for sealing/caramelising certain foods.
My ideal would be a range with 4 induction and a couple of big gas rings for wok etc.
No gas out where we live so I went for the induction hob. I like it. It is very similar to gas in the way it is controllable. My slight quibble is when I want to tilt the pan up to one side when cooking the ring starts to cool, but it does heat up again straight away when it goes back down. Not really a major issue. There are more positives than negatives. On balance I am happy with it. It heats quickly, looks good and does what I need it to do.
Why limit yourself, get something like this...
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3x gas
2x induction
I've worked kitchens that are fully induction so it's abilities at commercial standards are proven. In fact, all the top kitchens I've been in have had at least a standalone induction hob even when the main stoves are gas.Cooks in professional kitchens use gas, I know what I'm sticking with
I had induction in the last house. Gas now.
In a nut shell, Induction is more expensive and you might need ferrous pots but I would choose Induction every time if I could.
Very controllable, very easy to clean (just a glass surface), very fast at boiling something if required (faster than gas easy) and much more efficient as there is no heat escaping up the sides.
Only 1 down side - it's crap if you like to use a wok as there is very little surface area on the glass.
Get it!
Oh, and the surface around the pan only gets warm because the pan is hot. There is no transmission of heat from the hob to the pan.
and much more efficient as there is no heat escaping up the sides.
Yes, but it runs on electricity, which is mostly made by burning gas!
I believe that they cost about the same to run.
I've always had gas (mains and LPG latterly). New house has induction, both of us reckon it is fantastic. Better than gas in many ways and just works. Wok the only issue but we have an electric wok that works really well so tend to use that instead. All our old pans work on it better than the special induction ones we bought and our iron skillets are fine.
Cheers folks, some good info here.
By the sounds of things those that have tried induction like it and those that haven't are worried it might be crap... just like me then 🙄
Our induction hob is excellent - much prefer it to gas. It feels as responsive as gas, perhaps even quicker, and is so easy to keep clean without faffing around taking the hot plates and burners apart. It turns itself off if you remove the pan, and can be locked to stop little fingers switching it on. Even if they do, there is no heat produced unless you stick a pan on.
For an average home cook, I can't see the need for gas unless you like using woks and other unsuitable pans.
Induction here.
fors :
1. Easy to clean
2. more efficient as all the power goes into the pan
3. Just as easy to control as gas
4. hob do not get too hot, so more child safe.
5. Turns itself off if not using it
6. Fast to Boil, ours has an extra setting that boils really quickly, although when you do this the street lights seem to dim 😉
against
1. None really. it works for me
everyone I know who has gone over to induction rates it, All others that use gas and have not used induction do not!
Why do you need to throw out all your pans? They still work.
Induction here. Give me gas any day of the week. I hate it (and thats with the right pans).
I like fire and chucking my wok around the hob.
Gas every time.
Why do you need to throw out all your pans? They still work.
no they dont mark.
Any aluminium/other non ferro-magnetic material pans will not work.
I must have a special one then?! They definitely work. Maybe not 100% efficient but they definitely transfer heat very quickly- start bubbling immediately.
Why do you need to throw out all your pans? They still work.
no they dont mark.
That really depends on what pans you started with.
If you've got aluminium pans it's probably best to change them, induction or not.
One of them that I used a lot is a some French named-thing with hard-anodized thing on its underneath. Cost me a fortune so no-dice 8)
Having experience with both, I would recommend the gas hob. Induction is fantastic, but it's a gas substitute. If you've already got mains gas, it's a no brainer.
A word of advice if you go gas, don't bother with Cannon cookers.
We paid £600+ for a stainless slot in which has been nothing but trouble.
Afterwards I remember speaking to a guy who sells cookers that Cannon are now owned by Indesit and manufactured in Poland. The quality is not what they used to be!
Funnily enough a work colleague also bought the same cooker and has had trouble too.
Any stainless pans you have will most likely be austenitic stainless, which you'll need to replace with martensitic stainless pans. I expect most manufacturers will start to move over as induction hobs become more popular.
I hate cleaning my gas hob. So induction seems interesting. As for gas being infinitely variable, in practice this is often not the case since on many, including my current hob, the lowest setting is still too high for simmering some things. So then you put it on the smallest burner which results in only the middle of a big pan simmering.
Interested.
i had a top of the range NEFF £1200 induction hob at old place and wouldn't have another. They are a pain to clean, the over boil is a nightmare, one second nothing happens then it's all over the hob. you need [b]ferous metal[/b] pans so aluminium don't work as they don't conduct and they are still hot when you remove the pan. Cooking in a wok is nigh on impossible.
the only positive is an induction hob looks nice when there's no pans on it.
stick with Gas.
😕 Question, we have a couple of non-stick pans. I'm SURE they are aluminium as they aren't heavy.
Cooking in a wok is nigh on impossible.
Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!
Nothing better that whipping the wok out, cracking open a beer and cooking up a nice meal.
Sorry fannylion but a wok works on the flame lick as much as the base, no flame no lick!
Hora, the only hard n fast rule is try it, it may work but the more ferrous the metal the better the hob will work.
Its probably made out of old slag' 😆
aluminium don't work as they don't conduct
Science fail. Aluminium conducts electricity better than steel. It's not ferromagentic, but it'll still get hot with an induction hob. Just not anything like as much because the magnetic qualities of steel concentrate the magnetic field in the right places.
You are right about alu pans but for the wrong reasons 🙂
perfect hob for me would be induction with a large gas ring for woks. Considered building a wok burner into my worktop to the side of the electric hob from a large gas ring and a gas bottle hidden in a cupboard and fitting an extra wide extractor above. Chickened out though due to concerns I might kill myself or blow the place up which was probably a wise move!
PS the word someone was looking for above was 'induct' not conduct. Aluminium will induct but there is something not as effective - they are working on getting hobs to work with aluminium cookware. Personally I won't use aluminium anyway. Give me cast iron or stainless steel any day.
Considered building a wok burner into my worktop to the side of the electric hob from a large gas ring and a gas bottle hidden in a cupboard.
Did the same in the folks house in mid wales - elec Aga not so good for steak 🙂
I can survive with a wok working at 80% perfection so not bothering with a gas hob in the barn.
Did the same in the folks house in mid wales - elec Aga not so good for steak
That's where the blow torch comes in handy to char up the outside while the inside still wants to moo! 😀
We switched from gas to induction in January.
2 observations
1. Obviously your pots and pans have to be suitable, but I have found some pots work better than others. Maybe a different percentage of iron or whatever.
2. Controls on our hob are touch controls. When you cook your hands get wet and the touch controls do not respond correctly. This is a MASSIVE pain.
Heating is instant on and off which is great