"I'm not quite clear on whether induction heating requires direct contact or not"

Yes it does, and you are not going to be able to use your beloved combo unit on those tops, or at least you won't like the performance you get from them.

This might appeal to you, though it's a one trick pony and very expensive:

Here is a link that might be useful: induction Wok

If you like waffles, I would buy an electric waffle griddle. They aren't expensive.

Greg

You'll need new stuff. But you'll probably want to stick with cast iron. It works really nicely on induction.

I've done OK with a flat bottomed wok. I know it's not quite as good, but it's alright. I'm not sure what your griddle is, but there are some flat bottomed cast iron griddles available. Do a search for "Lodge cast iron" at Amazon and see if anything there will work for you. In general, a reversible griddle is probably not going to work because they're usually not flat enough, but the pieces aren't that expensive.

Thanks antss, $3700 for an induction wok! Others for $1800+ at Amazon. Wikipedia's article on Induction cooking says these are very popular in Asian countries where kitchens can be tiny.

Greg, we tried a few stand alone electric waffle irons. They are like cheap toasters, self destructing within a few years. Amazon has a cast iron waffle iron listed for $20. Our antique waffle iron minus the cast iron support ring may work as well if the handle does not get too hot to manually flip it over.

I found the Lodge cookware at Amazon Fori. A flat bottom wok may work better than our ring supported wok. Nothing in the Wikipedia article on Induction cooking says cooking vessels have to actually touch the ceramic stove surface for the Inductor coil to transfer power to the iron.

fori, what type of wok do you have? I'm planning to get the Lodge 14" from Amazon for my induction cooktop. I've been doing small batches of stir fry in a regular skillet with good results but I'd like to try the Lodge wok.

"$3700 for an induction wok!"

yep ...............but that includes the wok, so maybe it's titanium.

The power transfer from the induction coil to the pan falls off by the square of the distance (D x D) as the pan moves away. Most, if not all, induction tops have a sensor that shuts off the coil if the pan is either lifted or is considered to be 'not present'.

As to Wiki, it is only as good as the people who write it. I wonder if they mention that a car's tires have to actually be touching the ground in order for the car to move?

Erika, I don't quite have a wok (but I DO have that Lodge one on my Amazon shopping list--I was waiting for the kitchen to be finished before getting it and of course waiting for it to go on sale). I have a large bowl shaped pot that is almost a wok. It's not quite big enough which is why I've been looking at the Lodge one.

Apparently my previous cooktop was a wimpy form of induction (we almost feel stupid for getting an instant hot dispenser!) so I really ought to dig out my almost-wok and see how it does. Or yeah, order the REAL wok.

Apparently the carbon steel woks work well on induction as well, though, and they're a lot easier on the back. I'd have to see one of those in person before buying though since I'm not sure they're going to be reliably flat.

There are two kinds of flat bottom woks that work on induction, the kind that is squished flat on the bottom, and the kind that is flat on the bottom and curved on the inside. You might want to try the latter if you're a traditional wok cook.

Since gas is not an option, then the question isn't whether the induction will work with your old cookware, but whether induction or plain electric will suit your cooking best. If you want to wok with high heat you'll probably prefer induction, even with a new flat bottomed induction wok. If you're happy with your results on electric and aren't looking for more power and responsiveness then save your money.

On some induction units the cookware only has to be within 1/4" of the surface, but as Weedmeister said, the power drops off. The best result will be with direct contact between the unit and the pan. Even though the round bottom of a traditional wok might be pretty much in contact, most inductors need a pan that's minimum of 4" diameter to register with the sensor and work. Induction spreads up the iron in the sides of the pan, which is why it works so well with a wok--this is a similar effect to the way the flames of an open fire heats the sides of the wok.

Regarding your waffle iron, the surface of the cooktop only gets warm from the heat of the pan, rather than from the energy of the inductors. If it's square the corners might not heat as well as the center, but that's something worth experimenting with. If the handle is iron, it'll get hot, but you should be able to use an oven mitt or something to flip it. The mitt won't burn or anything. Or you could put a wood or silicone sheath over the handle. They sell the silicone ones.

Fori -- does this mean you're enjoying your new cooktop?

Yes, Pll. It's fine. Except for boiling fast, it doesn't seem any more special than my old one, but except for boiling I haven't done any high heat cooking on it yet. My 4 year old's hatred of most things cooked has spoiled the joy of cooking I think, as well as the kitchen not being MINE yet because it's not done and I'm not moved in.

I'm annoyed that I need to use my thumb to control one of the hobs while the rest work with a little finger, but it WAS a very cheap cooktop. I think I'll order that wok.

That wok has been in my Amazon shopping cart forever. I think I'm going to pull the trigger too. Fori, if you're ordering from Amazon, that wok is a 4 for 3 item.

My cart too. One reason I've balked is because it went up $4 the day after I put it in. Cuz four dollars would break me. :)

You try it first! It'll take me a while to find 3 other things in that price range I have to have. Report back please!

Fori, I think I'm going to order it from KaTom Restaurant Supply. They have it for $48 with free shipping.

Ugh, never mind. Free shipping is only for appliances. I'll keep looking.