Why You Should Consider Induction Cooking
In recent years, induction cooking has rapidly grown in popularity - and for good reason. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, induction technology offers a host of benefits that make it a very appealing alternative to traditional gas.
From their superior cooking performance, that is a surprise to many, to their energy efficiency, these appliances are changing the way we cook for the better.
In this blog post we want to explore the features and advantages of induction, so, if you're a gas cooker fan, let us sway you towards living in electric dreams...
What is meant by induction?
Induction refers to the heat transfer when cooking. They may look similar to an electric ceramic hob, but they work in different way. Beneath the hob's ceramic plate, induction coils made from copper create a magnetic field as electricity is passed through.
If a pan made of a ferromagnetic material is placed on the hob, the magnetic field causes it to directly heat up. The benefit of this is the hob stays cool, with only a little residual heat from the pan and because of this heat transferral method, there is a limited amount of residual heat on the hob's surface.
A thermostatically controlled fan cools the electronic components below the surface. Due to the extra contact with the heat below it, induction hobs will stop the pan developing hot spots and therefore reduce the chance of burnt or scorched food.
What are the advantages of induction cooking?
1. Controllability
Cooking on an induction hob provides precise and instant temperature control, allowing for better management of the more delicate dishes.
Induction cooking has a focused connection between the pan and the coil underneath the hob, allowing it to hold a temperature perfectly. Precision temperature control on many induction cooktops allows you to melt, simmer or boil using various functions.
Booster
Allows you to focus all of the power of the induction hob in a particular zone, speeding up both boiling and cooking times.
Slide Controls
A handy touch control system on many induction hobs makes it easier when increasing or decreasing the temperature, by simply sliding your finger from left to right or vice versa.
Bridging Control
Many induction hobs offer a bridging function, providing you with the option of simultaneously controlling two zones next to each other as if they were a single zone. It creates an internal 'bridge' that joins the zones together. This can broaden the sizes and the shape of the pan used on the hob.
2. Energy Efficiency
One of the main and most important advantages of an induction hob is the safety. As there is no open flame or exposed heating elements, the cooking surface remains cool and reduces the risks of burns or items catching fire.
Only heat conducted from the pan will affect the cooking surface. It is possible that after cooking for a longer period, the glass surface may get slightly hotter to touch, so residual heat indicators alert users should the temperature rise too high.
You should also look for these handy functions:
- Child safety locks: often feature as standard on the majority of induction ranges
- Safety shutdown: this means if the hob is unattended for a long period of time, all zones will automatically switch off
- Residual heat indicators: indicate if the glass is hot and therefore you should be careful when touching it and when placing items on it
3. Easy To Clean
The ease in which induction hobs can be cleaned makes cooking with them all that more enjoyable. The flat surface means a hot soapy cloth can have your hob gleaming in no time. As the hob doesn't get as hot, any accidental spillages can be cleared with just one wipe (do always ensure the hob is fully cool before cleaning it).
...and a question we get asked a lot is "do I need to replace all of my pans for an induction cooker?". Well, as there is a certain way an induction hob works, you need pots and pans of a particular design for it to cook to the best of its ability. However, don't go throwing all of yours away as they may still be suitable.
If your pans have a flat base made of a ferrous material, you can use these on an induction hob. One away you can test this on your own is to take a magnet and if it sticks to the pan, it is suitable to use. Some manufacturers also include a symbol on the bottom of their cookware to make it easier to tell.
Enamelled Steel: pans in enamelled steel, with or without non-stick coating, will work very well.
Cast Iron: these are great with induction but to avoid the risk of scratching the glass top on your hob, use pans with an enamelled base, or avoid sliding the pan across the surface.
Enhanced Aluminium Pans: Aluminium is a great conducting material, but you will need induction compatible pans with a thick base to ensure more even cooking.
Incompatible Cookware: glass, ceramic or earthenware pans, aluminium pans (unless they have a special base), copper pans.
What about built in induction hobs?
If a range cooker isn't necessarily for you, built in hobs are a sleek addition to your kitchen after being levelled and integrated into your kitchen countertop.
In particular, induction venting hobs (also sometimes known as downdraft induction hobs) have emerged as a sleek and smart solution to cooking and air filtration all in one.
The venting system is built directly into the induction hob. These hobs feature a ventilation system that extracts the air from the cooking area. The hob has a cross-flow of air that is stronger than the rising vapour, which means this flow draws the steam and odours into the central vent.
These hobs offer all the same handy features, technology and benefits that an induction range cooker brings, just without the ovens.
Some induction appliances we think you should take a look at...
Fratelli Amalfi 90 Single Induction
Starting us off is a new brand to our website, Fratelli. Designed for chefs and home cooks who are interested in both beauty and function, the Amalfi range cooker combines this with modern innovation.
This single cavity range cooker has one large 100 litre capacity oven, featuring eight cooking settings that include quick defrost and underheat with fan. On top there is a five-zone induction hotplate, with residual heat indicators for each zones and automatic stop in case of overheating.
AGA Masterchef Deluxe 110 Induction
The AGA Masterchef is designed for those of you who have always wanted an AGA in your kitchen but felt it was either a little out of reach or completely impractical.
Bringing all the features and flexibility you could need, this cooker is luxuriously enamelled and the chunky bevelled doors feature characteristic AGA towel rail handles.
Bottom left is a large multifunction oven with fanned, conventional and grilling functions. On the right is the same size cavity, another versatile multifunction oven, plus a dedicated grill with dual circuit element and a slow cook oven to the right of this.
Next generation induction zones give you the very best this impressive technology can offer - there is also a cast iron griddle plate supplied to take advantage of the bridging feature, where two zones can work in unison to give you evenly distributed heat.
Stoves Richmond Deluxe 110Ei Induction
The Richmond Deluxe 110Ei combines modern functionality with traditional styling.
Designed to support a variety of cooking techniques, the Richmond Deluxe 110Ei is equipped with a QuadOven™️ setup, providing a total cooking capacity of 196 litres across four ovens. These include a conventional oven and Maxi-Grill, an Equiflow™️ fanned oven, a multifunction main oven with 13 settings and a dedicated slow cook oven.
On top the induction hob includes bridgeable zones for larger cookware and utilises the induction technology. With a balance of traditional aesthetic and modern performance, this range cooker is designed to complement a range of kitchen styles.
The Select 90ei2 is a sturdy and reliable product that should suit your budget nicely without compromising on quality.
Featuring a multifunction, programmable main oven and a conventional second oven, two integrated grills and a sleek induction hob on top. The Select 90ei2 is manufactured at a specialist Italian factory, chosen for its engineering credentials and proven track record.
A two-year parts and labour guarantee is further reassurance of the integrity of the Select products, which have proved a great investment for many happy cooks.
Bertazzoni Professional 90 Single Air-Tec Induction
This innovative 90cm single oven range cooker perfectly integrates three appliances in one: the highest performance of the Professional series cooker, an induction hob and a premium integrated hood.
The oven has 11 functions, ranging from convection and grilling to fast-preheat. On top you have the latest induction technology to give you ultimate power and controllability, plus the added benefit of an easy-to-clean vitreoceramic surface, with four zones that include a booster feature, pot detection and residual heat indication for each.
The handy bridging function also allows you to use the two cooking zones on either side of the hob as one single cooking zone. The integrated 10-speed hood can be installed in suction or filtering mode and is 100% safe against water spillage.
Rangemaster Estel Deluxe 110 BC Induction
The Estel Deluxe is one of Rangemaster’s newest models, bringing a timeless and classic aesthetic. The unique control dials and handles feature a chunky design that enhances the traditional look, suited to both modern and traditional kitchens with the choice of eight colours.
This 110cm model offers a popular symmetrical layout, with a spacious 80-litre multifunction oven, plus a flexi-grill with telescopic runners and four different grilling height options. Alongside this is an 80-litre fanned oven and above is the addition of a 27-litre slow cook oven, which can be traded for a handy proving drawer in the alternative offset configuration.
On top, this electric model boasts the impressive Series 2 induction hob, with five powerful induction zones including boost, child lock and hot hob indicators. There is also a useful bridging zone.
A beautiful heritage style range cooker, this twin cavity ILVE model offers a 97-litre multifunction main oven, plus a 43 litre second multifunction oven alongside it.
ILVE’s unique E3 technology allows you to digitally adjust the temperature of the ovens using a control dial to nudge the setting in five-degree increments – from 30 to an impressive and pizza friendly 300°C.
On top is a superb seven zone induction hob, with the advanced and efficient technology you would expect from this top brand. Power boost, automatic boil and a heat up function all add to the convenience, plus both medium induction zones feature bridge zone technology that can be connected to create one large cooking area.
...and what about something a little smaller?
Caple 60cm Induction Venting Hob DD610BK
Combining intelligent design with beautiful finishes, Caple understand how people want to use their space and appliances and consistently deliver cutting-edge kitchen appliances.
This 60cm induction venting hob with downdraft extractor is the perfect combination of function and form. The frameless black glass cooktop, with black extractor grille, features 10 power levels, including a booster function on all zones and Auto Boost mode. Invisi touch control provides direct access, plus child safety lock and anti-overheat protection.
The integrated hood can be ducted or recirculated, but a recirculation kit will need to be ordered separately for the latter. The downdraft is directed by touch control and offers 10 speeds, plus an auto 10-60 minute timer and automatic switch-off after 10 minutes.
Faber Galileo Stripes 83cm Induction Venting Hob
The Galileo Stripes is created with efficiency in mind and utilising precise cooking technology with an ultra-modern design.
By featuring a narrow space saving central extractor grille, the Galileo Stripes cooktop allows for increased induction cooking zones whilst still maximising the amount of air that is being extracted.
The four induction zones are interchangeable between four individual cooking zones for four different pans, or four flexible cooking zones that can adapt to the size of your cookware. This allows you to cook with larger pans or create extra-large cooking areas for the use of griddles.
This hob not only looks fantastic but it is extremely efficient when it comes to cleaning the air in your kitchen, with a powerful 620m3/h motor.
Fisher & Paykel Series 9 83cm Induction Venting Hob
This 83cm venting induction cooktop from renowned brand Fisher & Paykel features four cooking zones, including simple pairing of two zones to create a larger SmartZone.
Touch & Slide controls react immediately when you adjust the temperature, so you can go from a boil to a simmer in seconds. Pan detection system, safety time out and surface hot indicators make this hob safe and efficient to use.
Eliminating the need for bulky overhead ventilation, this hob helps to create a seamless flow between kitchen and living spaces. With nine speeds, plus booster function, for quickly removing odours and steam, the integrated ventilation works effectively and unobtrusively in the background by recirculating vented air.
ILVE 83cm Induction Venting Hob HVI90TCRF
Known for their highly impressive range cookers, ILVE offer just as impressive built-in appliances.
This 83cm induction hob gives a contemporary styling, designed to fit flush with your work surface. This ceramic glass hob features four 3kW induction zones, each of which has the option of a boost function.
Integrated in the centre of the hob is a ventilation system, with the hob providing exceptional cooking and extraction for your kitchen. The left and right cooking zones can be combined into two large bridging zones and the intuitive touch control panel allows you to select cooking power levels and activate the central fan, achieving a powerful 650m3/h extraction rate.
On top of all this, the hob also includes several safety features such as residual heat indicators, overheating and liquid spill protection sensors and child safety lock.
Miro Spectre 80cm Induction Venting Hob
Miro offers a unique and stylish range of high-performance kitchen appliances. Suiting all styles, Miro’s surface hood selection is designed perfectly for the demands of modern-day kitchen living.
This 80cm Spectre venting induction cooktop features four cooking zones, plus two bridging zones allowing you to combine two cooking zones into one larger area. Nine speeds, plus a power boost function on each zones, are all controlled by electronic touch control and safety comes first with auto protect detection and security lock functions.
The Spectre’s waterproof brushless motor is positioned under the glass and offers a total height of 254mm. This hob is also equipped with an internal water collector for humidity and accidental spillages.
To find out more about any of the technology or products mentioned, call our team on 01244 402 975 or visit our website here.
