thanks for sharing that, Pammo. I've already planned on a 36" GE induction for my new kitchen because I worried about gas leaks and such. With a daughter in a wheelchair, those kinds of things are big worries.

Safety is certainly a consideration. I cook regularly with copper cookware on gas at home and on occasion with a variety of induction compatible cookware on induction in a professional catering kitchen. I like the induction cooktops but none of the cookware I've used there cools off as quickly as the copper when removed from the heat. The difference is subtle, but enough to annoy me. (A béchamel is a pretty revealing test.)

While induction wins on the pure numbers (efficiency - more on this later, speed, low temp cooking surface and high thermal capability) it loses on versatility in comparison to gas. It has been around for a relatively long time now and while adoption rates are on the rise, it hasn't taken over the world and the case for induction does NOT present a totally convincing argument that one should adopt induction over gas.

Induction does have some niche use cases where it may be preferable such as in the homes of the elderly, those with young children, for those who are addicted to wipe clean convenience. For those who would choose induction for the apparent efficiency, you must consider how your electricity is generated - most of it in the US comes from filthy coal or oil fired plants and what about spent reactor fuel - whose backyard is that going in - those poor folks in Nevada. Also, where did your induction unit come from - all the way from Europe or someplace in the US where it had less distance to be transported ie less fuel? Sorry to have muddied the waters but this is not cut and dried by any stretch of the imagination.

Back to versatility... You won't need to throw/give away any cookware in order to cook with gas. You won't need to run outside to roast a pepper on the grill or even grill for that matter if your range is so equipped. You won't need to reach for a match to flambe, you don't have to be gentle with your rangetop, you pans don't need silicone pads to keep from sliding, you can lift your pan to toss food without taking it away from the heat. You don't have to worry about how much "cookware" the unit senses is there in order to have it decide it can turn on and heat the pan. You won't have to start a generator or be up a creek without a paddle when the electricity gets knocked out. You won't have to worry about cooldown rates as the poster above alluded to. Gas is simple, there is little to break - contrast that with all the circuitry required for induction. Electromagnetic fields and their effects on the body are inconclusive at best and by going with gas and appropriate ventilation you can remove the uncertainty surrounding the effects of those fields until the science is better understood. Lastly, you won't lose the theatre of cooking by sticking with fire as you would with the sterile, detached and emotionless experience with induction.

In the end there are times when induction is appropriate but I'm not convinced it's going to replace nor should it replace gas and its prevelance any time soon. Is gas perfect? No, but induction is not all it is cracked up to be either.

For those that have gas for heating I would prefer to keep the gas for heating than eating. Do you realize for the last 10-15 years the US has built electrical plants that burn gas for generation of electricity. Do you think the burning of gas has helped in keeping auto gas prices down? Not

Burning of gas to produce electricity = 50% eff unless it is also used for producing steam then the eff rises to about 70% plus. Use the electricity in induction at 90%+ eff you have a net of between 45% and 63%. Gas burning in your home is about 40% eff. We could go back and forth about the pro's and con of each and the transmission losses etc. I will chose induction to cook my food and use gas to heat my home. I have canned food when the power goes out every 2 years or so. I can hold off cooking gourmet meals for 1 night.

In my mind (not a large resource), Induction is everything that it is cracked up to be.

Now that we have cooked with it for three months, I could not imagine cooking any other way. The ease of cleaning, and empty burner safety, are deal makers by themselves. The effortless way it will maintain a low temperature without boiling, and the ability to quickly heat/cook is amazing. (full tea kettle to boil in less than 3 minutes)

The single drawback to induction that I can see is the initial cost.

I am not able to get all of the data required to estimate energy use, (like how efficient/clean is the local electric generation, or the relative cost of distribution between electricity and gas) but I think I would bet on induction to win this comparison, just based on the basic efficiency of the burners.

Carguy,

I'm using an even smaller resource. When you cook with gas you are 1 step remove from early man who burnt wood to heat his/her water and food. We have improved on the element 4-6 burner vs one... but that is about it. Using induction we are using the principle of magnatism a far cry from burning gas i.e. wood (plant life) that has been decomposed for millions of years and does not sound very renewable in my life time.

Each of us has different needs and concerns. I grew up with gas and a gourmande mom who regularly made Bechamel and more on a Garland stove, so I'm not unsympathetic to the needs of professionals or those who take cooking extremely seriously. Still, I believe you can turn out fabulous meals on just about anything if you know what you're doing. I don't think many would be frustrated by the performance of an induction cooktop in doing so. Perhaps only the most exacting (a wink to you, velodoug).

For me, raising kids, teaching them how to cook, and doing the day in and day out meal prep, induction is just as good or better than gas. I find it more intuitive, which I know doesn't seem to make sense. I like gas fine, just like induction more, for all the reasons you can find in this and other posts on this forum.

I've done my share of camping and love the romance of a flame. Aesthetically, my new kitchen has more wood and tile than stainless steel. I don't find that the cooktop detracts from that aesthetic for whatever that's worth.

With regard to concern about energy usage, I don't feel I'm expert enough to make a case either way. When I looked into it, I wasn't convinced that gas was environmentally superior. I agree that electricity production is problematic but figure that my cooktop is actually one of the lesser usages driving my household's consumption. Any argument in which comparisons are made between appliances on the basis of place of manufacture and the energy required to transport them to the buyer requires analysis far beyond my capacity. (That said, my cooktop is the lightest appliance in my kitchen.)

As to the comment that induction provides a "sterile, detached and emotionless experience" all I can say is that that's a generalization that certainly doesn't apply to me or anyone I know.

For those who would choose induction for the apparent efficiency, you must consider how your electricity is generated - most of it in the US comes from filthy coal or oil fired plants and what about spent reactor fuel - whose backyard is that going in - those poor folks in Nevada.

Goodness, Sleepyhollow--you have so many issues with non gas cooking! I've been researching induction and have run across your diatribes in favor of gas more than once. You are certainly entitled to love cooking on gas, but consider this: The plants that burn that filthy coal use air scrubbers to clean the emissions. There are laws about how much pollution they can emit. I have no such scrubber for the emissions given off by a massive gas range in my kitchen--the best I can hope for is a vent hood that will suck out all the pollution so that it doesn't bother me or my kids, who have asthma.

As for the comment about cooking on induction being passionless and sterile, well, I've been cooking on a much hated ceramic flat top Jennair for the last 11 years. While I fight with that stove on a daily basis, I like to think that my passion and my love for cooking are still intact. Passion is not dictated by the tool, it's generated from the heart, and fueled by the love I have for the cooking process and the people who will be consuming my creations.

The folks here have pretty well convinced me that Induction is a great way to cook, and while I've dreamed for 11 years of a gas behemoth that will do whatever I want it to in my (hopefully soon to be renovated) kitchen, I am coming to the conclusion that induction will also do whatever I want it to. I've done hours of reading here, and there seems to be no lack of passion on the part of people who are *really* impressed with this technology, and a lot of these cooks are pretty serious. I'm convinced that inducton will use energy more efficiently, will leave the air in my home cleaner, and will be easier to clean up after. And then there are my children. My hope is that my children will catch the passion and enjoy creating meals as much as I do. Yes, they could do this on a gas range with some careful training and supervision--but I think I'll feel more comfortable about them using induction. My 12 year old made "eggs in a hole" all by himself the other day. He hummed to himself as he buttered the bread and cracked the eggs. He flipped them with flair (and a certain amount of pride that he didn't miss the pan!). They were delicious, done perfectly, and he was absolutely thrilled to be able to serve his first meal to his family. Sterile because it was cooked on a flattop electric range? I didn't think so. But, to each their own. You are obviously very emotionally attached to gas cooking, and that's fine. Enjoy it, and enjoy your cooking--hopefully as much as those who choose another method do.

Cj

I, too have taken a look at induction for our soon-to-be new house. Our architect told me that our 1964 General Motors/ Frigidaire Flair range with upper double ovens and built-in vent hood wasn't coming with us. Although I love that old electric stove, I'm starting to look forward to something new.

I am also concerned with the overall energy usage of my new house. Our architect has done a very thorough energy audit looking at the building envelope as well as heating source and appliances. He had been an advocate of heating with a gas boiler, but I have convinced him of the better alternative which is geothermal heat - both in terms of overall energy use AND carbon emissions (from the coal-fired power generating plant). This same economy applies to induction cooktops.

People on the Gardenweb forums have been the most helpful in terms of relating their personal experiences with induction cooking and I appreciate that.

As near as I can tell by reading articles and advertisments, there is very little difference between the induction cooktops in terms of features. Some have more power than others, generally the big units will put out 3-3.7 KW from their biggest 'burners'.

Does anyone have reason to favor one induction cooktop over another?

Call me primitive but I just can't get excited about cooking on induction and I have done it before. I guess each to their own but around here everyone seems to like the fire, kind of like how people are drawn to sit around the campfire or a hearth. Maybe I would feel differently if I lived in Florida? Maybe I am a post-modern caveman?

With regard to efficiency... Coal is used to produce the majority of all electricity in the US. The coal is burned to create steam in a boiler which spins a steam turbine which turns a generator. These turbines achieve an total thermodynamic efficiency that tops out around 35%. That means 65% of the heat value of the coal is lost as waste heat meaning it did not generate electricity.

When you realize how dirty coal is and how minimal the regulation is and how many of the dirtiest and oldest plants have been grandfathered in under new rules it is truly astounding how bad a process this is. You want to talk about asthma - talk to some families who live downwind of a coal fired power plant! Stack scrubbers are there to remove fly ash - they don't remove the lead, mercury, sulfur, radium and the plethora of other dangerous chemicals emitted in the exhaust plume. This doesn't even consider the strip mining of the coal or any of the dozens of attendant issues involved with coal as a fuel source.

The bottom line is that an induction cooktop is very efficient at using electricity that was very likely produced in a very inefficient way. So you are doing the Earth no environmental favors by using induction. People who say electricity is clean often forget or don't know how it is produced. You have to consider the whole picture before you can say something is efficient or inefficient. Now if you are one of the few getting their electricity from wind, solar or hydro then you can feel better about your impact but you are few in number. You want to do the Earth a real favor then cook with a solar stove/oven...

Propane and natural gas burn much cleaner and have less environmental impact throughout the supply chain from raw production to consumption. They produce a minimal amount of emissions - so few in fact that there are direct vent gas appliances with no chimney. A vent hood totally mitigates any remaining concern. Knowing where my electricity is coming from makes me feel a lot better about heating, cooking and drying with gas - propane in my case.)

Whenever someone tells you something is clean and efficient and it uses electricity then you need to be very suspicious. Just because it doesn't produce an emission in your home doesn't mean that the electrical production didn't create one in someone else's neighborhood.

It just bugs me that so many people tout induction as clean and efficient and when you look at the big picture you see that it's definitely not in most cases. We can argue opinions of the theatre of fire all day long but efficiencies are not simple and there is more to it than the 90% figure people love to quote when discussing induction and that's a fact.
Sleepyhollow

Well I guess I'm in good shape. Where I live here is the energy generation split.

Nuclear - 51%
Hydro - 22%
Coal - 19%
Natural gas - 7%
Other - 1%

Coal is third on the list and falling. Do not get into the Nuclear debate please.

This is so silly. The average household with at least one female with shoulder-length or longer hair probably spends more in electricity with the daily blowdrying than would be used for the average weeknight meal on an induction cooktop. You leave the front stoop light on overnight? That's probably close, too.

I'm 100% onboard for being green and all, but there are FAR bigger issues to be talking about when it comes to conservation and our environment than induction cooktops.

There are some far more relevant issues in this thread of interest to people who, like me, are considering induction. (Like roasting peppers, which is such a frequent need that I simply cannot fathom having to throw them on the grill or in the oven twice a day - LOL!)

Fenworth

I agree I would lie to totally understand the things people have learned about induction cooking either good or bad so I can be prepared. If I want to discuss environmental issuse there are a lot more sites I can frequent.

So what are the top 5 things people have learned about induction cooking?

My little ole reply here is gonna sound pretty simple as compared to some of the others, but here's what I've found: Cooking over a gas unit is HOT! I'm 52 and have never had anything other then an electric cooktop...even my mom had electric. We recently bought a lake place and it has a gas range. I have used it several times including at the end of the summer, and I could not believe how much heat it put out at ME! I was sweating into my marinara sauce. I also could not believe how long it took to get a pot of water to boil to cook pasta...I almost gave up! Both these things are in sharp contrast to what I am used to with my 15 year old plain jane coil electric cooktop. Another thing that is trivial maybe, but I always have to bend down when I turn on the gas burner to make sure there is a flame. I also do it when I try to turn it down to the it's lowest setting. Granted, I'm a little scared of gas as I've never had it, but I also see Rachel Ray and others on T.V. doing the same thing...cranking your head down to check the flame. I'm lazy. I simply don't want to do that.

We are going to remodel this kitchen. I have never had induction, but I think that is what we will be going with. I love the fact that it will put out the least amount of heat into the room of any option. We live in the very hot south and I'm menopausal...nuff said. I have checked my cookware and some will work, some will not. I actually look forward to purchasing some new pieces. Probably the biggest drawback will be the cost of induction unit, but we are in a position to do that. Just my simple two cents.

Call me primitive but I just can't get excited about cooking on induction and I have done it before. I guess each to their own but around here everyone seems to like the fire, kind of like how people are drawn to sit around the campfire or a hearth.

Absolutely--there is something primal and basic about fire. Sitting around a campfire is one of my favorite things, too. And you are right that there is a mystique, a romance about cooking over an open flame. I wanted it bad and would still get it--except that induction offers some benefits that I really can't ignore, while not taking away my core requirements--power and control. Life is about choices, and I will most likely choose ease of cleaning and the safety edge over the romance and mystique. There is also a financial element, as we'd have to run gas to the cooking area and install a bigger, more powerful vent hood with gas than we would with induction. Cooking is one of my great joys, and I will continue to love it no matter what I use to cook on.

That said--Sleepyhollow, you've used both induction and gas, so leaving aside the emotional and environmental components and looking at this strictly as a tool, did you feel that induction truely offered you less power and control than gas does? What kind of an induction cooker did you use, and what kind of gas? I have roasted my peppers under the broiler for years, so I am used to those kinds of work arounds, and I am not particularly worried about pans sliding around and that sort of thing. I am not likely to do another kitchen remodel in my lifetime, so I need to choose carefully. So, please, talk to me about induction vs. gas purely as a cooking tool. Besides the aesthetics, am I giving up anything important if I choose induction over gas? Thanks!!!!

Cj

Ok, here's my personal list off the top of my head, based largely on what I've read on this forum. They are in descending order, i.e. the first pro is my biggest pro, first con my biggest con, first insignificant my most insignificant.

Pros

High highs, low lows, very quick and accurate control in between
Getting 50 amp line much less hassle than permits, plumbing, etc. needed for LP. (No NG avail.)
Easy cleaning
Safety

Cons

Cookware choices limiting (Is there a good magnetic roasting pan out there anywhere?)
Will there be humming/clicking or not?!
Ive broken my ceramic cooktop yikes
Cost of unit itself
Cant use a traditional wok (but for under $100 I can buy a 65k BTU outdoor wok burner, should the mood strike)

Insignificant

Green factor, or lack thereof
Cant cook during power outage (yes I can grill outside)
Cant roast peppers (but I can broil, grill, or buy a jar)
Can put a dollar bill between burner and pot of water (ok, thatll be cool the first 5 times)
Cant keep heat on a pan while shaking (how much heat of a flame actually hits a pan being shaken a couple inches in the air? Sliding back and forth I'll give you.)
Fire is fun to play with (Yes, it is, I admit it. This is close to being on my cons list but I'm trying to be practical.)

I love many things about my induction cooktop, but the fact that I do not cook while my food does is number one.

Living in CA, the pros for me with induction is less heat on me, and more into the pan.

The con, and it's a big one - electricity rates are very high here. Somebody in a magazine article was calculating ROI on alternative energy sources and was using 8 cents per KW. I found that hysterical, since the top tier rate here is about 22 cents. Add the induction burners to the microwave and toaster oven (very little use of hairdryers in our house), and I would expect the electricity charges on my bill to at least double. And they're pretty darn high already, in an energy-efficient house heated by gas.

Also, I can lose the electricity in a storm - as is currently happening in CA right now to many people - and still cook on my gas range.

My dream kitchen would have a Bluestar 4-burner with a double burner induction unit on the side. Perfect!

BTW, power plants that run gas to produce electricity - don't they use natural gas? I wasn't aware they use oil; e.g., petroleum. The US is capable of being self-supporting on natural gas, if we had a cohesive national energy policy.

Fenworth, here's your "conventional" Wok except....better.

There is no down side to induction, period.

Can you "shake" a frying pan while using induction?

My guess is yes, but thought I'd check. Frying steak, chops, on my 1920's gas range, I tend to move the pans a lot on the burner. My guess is that induction is so quick, I wouldn't notice much difference. I've been looking at options that don't require me turning off the gas every time I leave the stove due to gas leaking. A little impetus for change. I'm allergic to death.

First time poster, long term lurker.

I think it's all about different ways to get the same thing.

I love cooking on gas, have been cruising this forum for months. Really want a Bluestar 36" 5 burner, and actually might pursue that as I've multiple gas hookups, running 240v. may be a problem. I've a set of Bourgeat copper cookware I'm rather attached to, also.

Here's the funny thing

Christmas eve, I cooked dinner for mom. Using her 20 year old electric coil range top, a Henkel's non-stick griddle pan, I cooked the best steaks ever. I mean ever. Both myself, and my mother were amazed. I wrote down everything I did in hopes of recreating it. My mother insisted on giving me the pan I'd used, in case that was a critical element.

The point being that one of the most wonderful meals I've ever had was produced with great ingredients, and to me, unattractive technology.

I wouldn't have thought it possible before now.

My reality check is that results trump expectations/assumptions.

I'll probably stick with gas due to ease of installation in my 1850's house, comfort level, and substantial investment in cookware. If I were building new, or had the finances, I'd go induction in a heartbeat.

I will never denigrate an electric coil cooktop again!

The method is less important than our ability to control the result. I think there's more inherent control available with induction than gas, electric coils.

Can't be bad.

Thanks to all that post in this forum. I appreciate folks sharing their experiences. I've learned a lot, and will hopefully get the best bang for my limited bucks. Already got a GE Monogram Advantium last week to take over oven duty. Now to find a cooktop.

Cooking the best steak ever on an electic coil burner with a middling pan, in the middle of my contemplations on the kitchen, was an eye opener for me.

Regards,
Mark

cj47,

It was a Cooktek hob and my gas is propane. As far as the power and control differences between induction and gas - they are mostly splitting hairs and which side of the hair falls your way is largely dependent on your needs. The main non-emotional issue for me is the versatility - gas has it and induction is more of a niche technology that certainly has use cases that are valid such as for people living in hot climates, elderly people who may forget to turn off a burner, young families with children or folks with unique space/utility requirements.

Your choice is really dependent on your needs and wants. Personally, I don't find my Bluestar hard to clean at all - the burner grates go in the dishwasher - the drip tray is foil lined and the burners are open which I find easier to clean. I've owned smooth tops before and the black ones (the only color I would ever have) show every fingerprint and drop of oil. Nothing that a splash of vinegar wouldn't fix but the scratches were another thing and over time they are a fact of life. I find gas, at least Bluestar easier to keep looking good than my smooth tops were.

Back to the power and control... Regarding control - Do you like analog controls where you turn a dial and see or hear a result with infinite selection over the entire spectrum of control or do you like discrete, digital, binary, stepped control where you have a defined number of choices over a spectrum of control and no more than that? Regarding power - do you want to be able to apply it to whatever vessel or food item you want or are you content to live within the confines of induction capable cookware? Power is power and both gas and induction have it - what is important is how you can control it and what you can apply it to and that is the basis of my versatility argument. Ask yourself if you will have to give anything up that you care about or if there is an overriding reason to go with induction - a use case that gas can't satisfy to your liking.

Any stove can cook but not every stoves cooks as well as the next. You must choose what works for you and to do that you must cook on both technologies before you buy, examine how you cook and choose the technology that allows you to do it best.

I would not base your decision on my opinion or anyone else's for that matter - the value in these forums is that you get exposed to a whole lot of ideas and get to make your mind yourself.

I am passionate about gas and cooking over fire in general and I will argue to the dot of an i or the cross of a t over why i think fire is better and the induction folks will do the same for their technology. You too will pick your side, just pick it because it makes sense to you and make sure you've actually cooked on it first. Good Luck!
Sleepyhollow

Sleepyhollow - You say that power differences between induction and gas are splitting hairs... but... I can't help but point out that another forum member who, like you, owns and loves and highly advocates Bluestar, and who also owns a Cooktek hob (as you've tested) readily states that his 3.5KW Cooktek boils water 3 times faster than his 22K BTU Bluestar. Now we can argue whether 3 minutes to boil or 9 minutes to boil (or whatever it happens to be) is a life-altering difference, but clearly what's implied is that 3 times the heat is hitting his cookware. Hardly splitting hairs.

Regarding control - No doubt infinite control is more precise than stepped control. But what I don't understand is how one can argue that they can tell how hot the pan is based on flame size any better than one can tell based on where the dial stands. In either scenario, pan size, shape, construction is a factor and what really counts is what's happening within the pan. As long as response is quick (unlike my conventional electric) where can you go wrong?

Honest disclosure - my heart wants a Bluestar but practicality (given MY circumstances!) has me leaning towards induction. So I'm not trying to be argumentative, just trying to encourage dialogue and responses.

Klaa - While I recall you pointing out that wok, I also seem to recall asking if you ever tried it - and if I recall correctly the answer was no. Am I wrong, or, has this changed?

Thanks everyone!

Arrrgh, Sleepyhollow--you hit directly on my biggest concerns...control and versatility. The fact that you used a Cooktek and still found control wanting is of concern, as I've looked at those and they seem to have the most control of any! Induction has enough power, that is clear. It's control of that power that I want, and my biggest worry is that the pot of rice (or whatever) I have going needs X power, which will be right between the two digital options on the induction burner! Perhaps I'm splitting hairs way too fine here. I have struggled with my smooth top electric beast for so long that I acknowledge that I could be hyperfocusing on the one thing that bothers me most about it, which is, of course, the lack of control. Like fenworth above, my heart wants a biiiig powerful gas rangetop. But, also like fenworth, I'm drawn to induction for a lot of other reasons--my kids are starting to cook (not that they can't learn to cook on gas; I just won't feel comfortable letting them fly solo as early), and I am an older mom to begin with so this will very likely my 'retirement' cooktop. I guess I will have to continue to read, ponder, and ultimately just decide what I'm going to be happiest with and not look back. Thank you for taking the time to respond in such helpful detail. I do appreciate it.
Cj

Hey dude1.

I just wanted to say that before anyone else did...

Welcome to the forums, Mark!

jkom51 -

We are going to try and create your dream kitchen. I'm putting in a 30" BS cooktop with a 12" double burner induction unit. I'm considering Diva; haven't done much digging on Cooktek (which, reagrdless of what side of the induction fence you sit on) seem to get good reviews on this forum.

I cooked on gas stove when I was younger, then electric coils, and am now living with halogen electric ceramic cook top. We are building a new home and I am planning on using induction.

I don't care that I need new pans bc the ones I have now are really old anyway. I am not a gourmet so I have never made any of those special sauces. Instead of flipping my food above the burner I tend to use utensils so no change here.

I like that induction will be cleaner, faster, and particularly safer. My mom burnt both arms badly when the pilot light when out on our stove top when I was a kid and she lighted it a bit late. OOPS! BTW: If I remember correctly our gas stove still didn't light when the power went out bc it had an electric starter. Not sure if stoves today are like that

Anyway, we will be in an active solar home so being without electricity will most likely not happen. Unless it is a cloudy day or night out.. we are going to have to wait to install a battery backup due to their high cost. Then I will not have to worry about any electrical outages.

Finally, I am moving south so grilling just outside my kitchen will be another option. And the weather will be warm enough that I won't mind doing it.. unlike here in the NE.

Inductive heat rice cooker. All the discussion is limited to stove tops. There are other applications of induction cooking. I use a gas range and oven but I prefer an electric rice cooker. I went through at least 4 inexpensive rice cookers I just could not see shelling out a lot of money for one. I finally broke down and started reading reviews for the upper end models. After reading 100s of reviews (about 3 years ago) I discover the Zojirushi Inductive Rice Cooker. I am that type person the not satisfied with next to the best if there is only a little difference in the price between the two because I will always wonder how much better the other works. I bought the Zojirushi and lied to my wife what I paid for it. It was worth it.So if you don't like the inductive stove top don't write off the entire technology .

As I said in a post in another thread, I'm thinking of going with a portable single-element induction unit to augment our gas rangetop. It's primary function would be boiling big pots of water for pasta, and it's secondary function would be as a "saute station" (similar in concept to what I've seen in restaurant buffets).

My main concerns are electrical power and ventilation. Will a dedicated 120V source be required, and will any additional ventilation be needed? While having to buy a couple of new pots and pans doesn't scare me, I'd be happy if our existing Calphalon Tri-Ply worked on it.

I have an induction cooktop and I love it! Used it for about 3 month in heavy cooking, and cooked all sorts of things - soups, stews, eggs, pasta, you name it! Induction cooking is very accurate, you can change the power output in seconds, and with great accuracy. It produces VERY LITTLE heat. The cooktop does not generate heat, only the pot does. So, it is cool around the cooktop when I make my dinner. In fact, ypu can slide a clean paper towel UNDER the pot and cook your meal. The paper towel will remain prestine. It will not burn or whatever.

To the person who complains about use of electricity I say the following. Induction cooking is so much more environment friendly, that any person who thinks of oneself pro-environment should stop whining and start useing it. It is more energy economical than electrical cooktop, generates a lot less of useless heat than electrical or gas cooktop, and does not create harmful airpolution from burning gas. The kitchen that uses induction, will be cooler and require much less air-conditioning and/or veentilation.

lastochka,

You obviously didn't take the take to read my post because you got it all wrong. The point is you could have a device that was the most efficient device in the world and if it used electricity generated from a dirty power source process, the net efficiency would be no more efficient than the dirty process used to produce the electricity in the first place.

A cooktop that is 90% efficient in using electricity to create heat through induction doesn't change the fact that the process to create the electricity in the first place was inefficient to begin with. How much environmental damage was caused to mine the coal, transport it, burn it to generate steam and then lose some of it to transmission losses on the way to your house?

Gas is incredibly clean compared to coal. That's why there are direct vent gas appliances - try that with coal. Maybe you should live downwind from the plant that generates your electricity. Maybe the picture might start to come together for you.

As I stated, induction has specific use cases and hot climates are one but that argument holds little water after you pass 40° North or South of the Equator. The bottom line is induction is not the green gift to the Earth people make it out to be. If the lowest efficiency in your energy cycle is 35% then you can build all the efficiency you want into the rest of the system and you've still got 35% efficiency. You can put lipstick on a pig all day long and and at the end of the day you've got a pig. Unless we are talking about non-induction electric vs. induction, the efficiency argument can't even be raised and even then they are both powered from the same filthy source. Sure the non-induction electric will use more of the dirty power than the induction to create the same heat but the emphasis should be on fixing the root of the problem and that is finding a better fuel source than electricity generated form coal and that is where gas wins at the moment.

Chipshot,

For your purposes you should probably look at the commercial portable induction units. The lower powered Cooktek units use 120, but the gonzo ones are 240. I don't think either takes a dedicated circuit, though. The whole point is to be able to plug them in.

I have the opposite end: The cheap Mr. Induction unit. It works fine, but it doesn't do the nigh instant boil thing :)

For saute you probably do want to be directly under the hood. If you're not using the stove at the same time you won't need extra ventilation because you can put the unit in the middle of your cooktop. Otherwise, you might want to make your hood extra wide to accomodate the induction unit, plus any other small appliances you might want to use (electric fry pan, crock pot or whatever).

Check out The Induction Site for info.

Personally, I find cooking with induction to be fun. It is so straightforward and direct, not to mention the lower risk of burning myself or the food, or starting a fire.

I don't understand the desire to use open flames for cooking. Until the gas stove came along, people didn't cook with flames, they cooked with hot coals. The size of a flame does not tell you much about the heat delivered -- that actually depends on the location in the flame. Misjudging that location is probably a good part of the inefficiency of gas cooking.

While it's nice to sit by a flickering wood fire, many of us don't find gas fires to be anything like the real thing, let alone consider a stove to be a hearth. Anyway, most of us like heating our homes with efficient, low maintenance and safer central heating, even though it means giving up those attractive flames.

As far as energy efficiency goes, the differences aren't clear enough to make a choice on that basis alone. It may sound impressive to say that one thing is umpty-ump percent more efficient than the other, but when translated into actual numbers for a single household the amounts are small. To further confound comparisons, the last unit delivered will be far more efficient than the first. Cost comparison is probably as useful as any other set of numbers.