Not the same but we went from Gas to Induction and have no regrets.
Very efficient way to cook, no real heat around the cook top
no hot spots in the pan and very fast to heat a pan or boil water.

Thanks! I'm really leaning toward induction.

Induction wins hands down. Just make sure you have, or are willing to buy, the right cookware. You can buy a nice set of Tfal Ultimate Stainless Steel Cookware for just over $100. from Amazon.

Our new house came with a new glass top electric. I couldn't wait to get rid of it, and buy Induction. Conventional glass top electrics are slow, and unresponsive. I actually prefer an old fashion coil range to the typical glass top electric. Induction is fast, and very quick to respond to changes in heat settings, including "off." Another big plus is that you don't have to constantly scrape cooked on food off the cook-top with induction, like with a conventional glass top.

There was no doubt for me. I switched from electric coil to induction and I love it.

If I couldn't have propane or natural gas I would go with Induction.

If I couldn't have induction, I would go with natural gas or propane.

I do not understand pillog's comment about the Le Creuset soup pot, however. We have several rounded bottom puts (not the Le Creuset soup pot, to be sure) that are perfectly induction-compatible; certainly they work much better than they ever did on a coil-top electric, and better than when we had gas before that.

It's anyone's guess why they even MAKE electric anymore; it seriously has no advantage whatsoever. It's yesterday's technology.

There are, however, differences between the manufacturers--some rounded or small pans work fine on one unit and not so well on others.

thanks everyone. I was really leaning toward it and this has confirmed it for me...1 decision down...200 to go! I've always hated my electric in my house after having gas in apartments. Enmnm...do you have any info on which manufacturers to look at/which to avoid?

Replaced a 20-year-old working coiltop with induction and could not be happier! It's great having a range that does so much. Plus the oven has convection bake and roast features.

We've had a Samsung for about a year (just made final "no interest for 12 months" payment). Some people complain about the burner layout, but we are OK with it. I also got a floor model unit for an amazing deal, probably because no one I know IRL even knows what is induction, LOL.

I only had to get rid of a few nonstick skillets that didn't work. I have Emerilware stainless cookware, some Infinite Circulon which were part of a Samsung rebate, a Greenpan, and then LeCrueset cast iron.

Misunderstanding. I didn't explain well enough. The Le Creuset soup pot works fine on induction in terms of does it work or not. It's just that what makes the shape work so well on gas, which Chefkev explained but I forget the technical stuff, is a disadvantage on induction because of the relatively small amount of the pot that's touching or near enough the surface to directly engage with the inductors. It's hard to see how rounded the bottom of the soup pot is in the picture. It's bigger capacity, but has only 3/4 of the contact area of the sauce pan.

Soup pot 2.75 qt., 4.5" max. contact surface:

Sauce pan 2 qt., 6" contact surface:

The "problem" with the soup pot is that rather than heating faster, and distributing the heat better to the contents, like it does on gas, on induction it heats slower, and because it takes longer for the sides to heat up, would take a good long pre-heat for the shape of the sides to provide extra heating.

Another change is that my 5 qt. braiser is now a big time favorite. My old under powered gas had hot spots and the full capacity of the pan was under utilized. Now it's in constant use because the big element can heat the whole danged thing, evenly.

My point wasn't that the old pot won't cook! It does! It's that the size, shape and construction of the pots seems much more important when it's the pot itself that is developing the heat, and that what was once a favorite is now an also ran, and vice versa.

Induction still wins, hands down.

OP, you will have to take your pots and pan to the store and try the appliance out. It's likely a combination of factors. For example, manufacturers say that the diameter of the pot needs to be 6 inches, but several people on chowhound claim that they have no trouble at all with their butter warmers. One poster's favorite pot only has 3 metal feet that come into contact with the surface.

A few years ago there were problems with either Viking or Wolf's induction tops, Le Crueset wouldn't work on them. Oops. The units have since been discontinued and the problem fixed.

Ya wanna know why plain old electric ranges/cooktops are still made and marketed? Because a HUGE number of consumers cannot afford induction!!!

I totally agree with cooksnews.

Most people haven't even heard of induction, let alone consider it. For induction to become commonplace there has to be a huge reduction in price.

I agree, induction is not cheap, and the only person IRL off Gardenweb who knew what it is was a former chef!

You can buy a smoothtop electric range, self cleaning, for ~$500. If you want a smoothop with convection oven, it maybe $900-1,000. Induction is double that. I am fortunate we got the Samsung as a floor model for the cost of a smoothtop with convenction, probably because they weren't selling.

They're selling a lot of induction hot plates now. Excellent for buffet or table use because the units themselves don't give off heat. What is a curious gizmo now will be the demand for induction in the future. Induction is very popular in places where they pay more for energy than we do. Standard American calculation, how much does the unit cost to bring home from the store, not how much does it cost to run. Same for stoves and cars. :)

Of course, a huge number of low end electric ranges are designed for volume sales for working class apartments. That isn't going to change to induction until induction is so pervasive that only ultra high end cookware, like Mauviel copper, won't work with it--doubt it'll happen so long as ordinary people have Pyrex and ceramic. Failing that, the cheap electric range is pretty foolproof (i.e., hard to blow up) and works with everything the tenant has.

I went through this decision a couple of years ago. I had a 40 year old coil top range which worked fine, but being used to cooking with natural gas I was dissatisfied with the control. I seriously considered induction... until I realized I would need to chuck my lovely heavy aluminum and copper cookware (which are the best materials to cook with) and that I could not shake my pans and lift to toss. I also found most induction products used touchpads which beep at you when you press them, which I found annoying. I finally decided to just stick with the coils while I saved up to have a gas line run into my kitchen. Honestly by the time I got the gas in I had gotten really good at cooking with the coils. If I had no gas where I live, I would just buy the best coil top I could find.

Also keep in mind that if you go with induction, and I think you really should, you may have to run a new electric line as some of these units require 50 amp service.

I cannot imagine anyone picking electric over induction unless $$ was an object, and then I think I would rob some other appliance to pay for induction. My induction makes me smile every time I use it. And yes, I am a legitimate Gwebber and not a shill for an induction company. You will love induction.

The Samsung requires 40 amps, but we did have an electrician come out to check. He had to recess the plug into the wall.

Just make sure your electrical panel can handle it, then you might have to buy new cook ware if you mostly have aluminum.
Cast Iron works but may be harsh on the induction glasstop.

Myself I prefer gas

Even though cast iron could scratch the glasstop, with induction you can provide a barrier between the pot and the stove if you are concerned. I use the progressive silicone mats they would fabulous with my cast iron and induction top. So I don't have to worry about scratching with cast iron. I also used them under my regular pots because then I can stir one handed without worrying about my pot sliding around the top. The mat keeps it in place. Love my induction. I would never cook on anything else if I had the choice.

I'm curious if anyyone that has induction actually has scratches on the glass cooktop.

I use my cast iron pans without any barrier. I don't think cast iron is harsh on the induction glasstop. I dropped a cast iron domed frying pan lid on the glass top and the only thing that happened was it created a tiny, ( less that 1/2cm), scuff where the first edge hit.. It dropped from a height of probably 10 inches. I have no other scratches after 2 1/2 years. Cast iron works beautifully on induction. The glass top is not like window glass it is vitroceramic glass capable of withstanding high temps.

It is nothing like electric coil.

THe main thing is to make sure you have the proper amperage.

I have an E'lux induction range and the top was a mess of scratches within a few months. I think they're all due to salt as I don't use any rough-bottomed pans.

warmfridge - could you post a picture?

I doubt very much that I can capture scratches in a photo. Imagine a lot of scratches of varying lengths, extending in all directions, on a piece of black glass.

We have the Elux Icon Induction cooktop (for over a year now), it still looks brand new, it even has the SS trim around it, which still looks great, the newer ones don't have the SS trim.

That's really a "bummer", Warmfridge, No better luck with your Induction range than your fridge. Do you have any appliance you are happy with???---I sure hope so!! At least
Rhome only had oven problems, which have been solved.Better luck in the future "WF".

Our Conventional Electric smooth Glasstop cooktop was replaced with induction. What a Difference!!!!---Like night and day. Induction very easy to clean (if cleaning needed at all as), (We usually cover it with paper towels when we cook especially cooking things that splatter (bacon, spaghetti sauce etc). If something does gets spilled on it, easy to clean as the induction cooktop does not get hot enough to burn stuff on.

Good luck on your upcoming Decisions,stephct !

Gary

Thanks, Gary. My fridge is actually fine. And I'm very happy with my KA DW, Broan Elite hood, and the Frigidaire freezer. But this E'lux range has been a major headache and definitely my worst-ever appliance purchase.

Well hopefully there will be a happy end to that story too.

Have you asked them to take it back?

We should have Rhome give lessons on how to do that , as She has returned 3 ovens , thus far???

Heyyyyy Rhome,
is it how you "Flash those Ivories",
"Your Extreme Typing Skills",
or your "Awesome Telephone Manner"?????????

Inquiring Minds Wanna Know!!!!!

Gary

It would be interesting to see if we could come up with a difference as to why some people end up with scratches and others don't. I've had my Elux Icon induction installed for over a year, and use it heavy during processing season, and it has no scratches on the glass. Over the last 20 years, I have had four glass topped stoves, and only got one scratch (from my 16 qt pressure canner) in all that time. But I know others that got lots of scratches, so who knows what the real "secret" is.

I'm a slob, and that is the best thing about induction - the clean up. I hated cleaning that electric glass top and would let it go for over a month and it would look horrid and one would think it would never get clean, but they always did - hmm, maybe that is the secret to no scratches - rarely clean the darn thing. Another thought, in all the years I have only used one type of cleaner, maybe that had something to do with it.

Anyway, back to the subject. My husband told me yesterday that we can sell everything if we move, but he's taking the induction cooktop with us. He makes a lot of things he never tried before simply because he did not want to deal with the nasty cleanup. While I love the control for jams and other particular things, what he loves the most is the ease of cleaning.

Well, don't clean it with a Brillo pad and Comet.

I think you're right about the salt. They do warn that ceramglass will scratch from crystals like sugar and salt. I do have a few small scratches, but I don't baby my stove. I don't stop cooking to wipe up, but rather wait until the pan doesn't need me. And if I slide it across a few grains of salt, oh, well. I'm always sad for those expensive old toys in the unopened boxes. Use it!