In anticipation of a kitchen redo, I obtained a little cheapo induction portable cooktop in the $100 range. That obviously is not as good as having a full fledged cooktop in the kitchen, but I was impressed.

You might want to do a search in the Appliances forum here at GW; there are beaucoup threads discussing this. Most people who switched from gas to induction liked the switch, but a few didn't.

Also, check out the link to the Induction Site--a clearinghouse for info on all currently available induction units.

Advantages of induction: safer, more efficient use of energy, good control (although that's a function of the cooktop--a cheapo unit with five power levels won't be as sensitive as a full fledged one with more levels), doesn't heat up the kitchen as much (that would be a big selling point in the summer), instantaneous change in power.

Disadvantage: only works with ferrous pots and pans, so your anodized aluminum Calphalon or hyper expensive copper Falk Culinair won't work. Many stainless pots work, and all cast iron (raw or enameled) work fine.

If you're considering induction, you might want to try a portable induction hob to try it out. There are several in the $80 to $200 range which will work on a 120v outlet. And even if you end up not liking it, the portable unit is useful for cooking stuff on the back porch (such as frying fish when you don't want to smell up the kitchen).

Here is a link that might be useful: induction site

Here's one thread where several reasonable people and an occasional wacko discuss induction vs. gas

Here is a link that might be useful: induction vs gas

I recently moved into a house with an (older) induction unit and after a period of cussing about my lack of gas (and need for new cookware), I'm getting the hang of it.

As far as control, it's much more adjustable than gas. And it's incredibly easy to clean, even moreso than traditional electric smoothtops. If you spill, you can just wipe the cooktop ASAP with a paper towel--no need to even turn off the burner. In fact, if you KNOW you're going to boil over (that's me again), you can cook on top of a paper towel.

I can melt chocolate and keep it melted for long periods directly on the stove instead of using a double boiler, and I couldn't do that on gas. For candymaking in general it is absolutely perfect. (That is not a good thing for me!)

I do think I prefer gas because it's just more fun--you get flames and pizazz and stuff--but I do think I can actually cook better with induction. And I am a messy cook so induction really is perfect. (Like there is someone who covers her cooktop with newspaper to fry chicken for easy cleanup.)

Mine is over 20 years old. I bet the new ones are even better.

psst...I'm probably the wacko. :)

But I do have a grill for when I want to play with fire. I guess...

I frequently hang out on the Appliances Forum, and I find the "gas vs induction" flame wars most entertaining.

I can add a few more disadvantages to the list for this technology, although they aren't applicable for everyone. First, induction units are available as cooktops only. There aren't any one-piece ranges because of the air space needed below the unit to cool the electronics. Some of us don't have the space for separate cooktops and wall ovens. Secondly, they require dedicated 50-60 amp circuits. Rewiring for this may be much more costly than running a gas line to one's kitchen.

I'm using a plug-in induction hob in my temp kitchen while the real one is being rebuilt. One the whole, its performance is impressive, but it does have a few annoying features. Its fan runs constantly, and it's not very quiet. And it turns itself off if you lift the pan off the surface. I'm sure this is a safety feature, but it is a bother when trying to make an omelette and the burner shuts off whenever you tilt the pan to let the unset egg run under the edges.

I've had my induction cooktop for about 2-1/2 years now. It's a Kenmore Elite 30 inch unit. I've cooked on both gas and coil electric model before switching to induction. I don't think I'd ever go back to gas now. I think even if we moved, installing a new induction cooktop would be a top priority.

Right now there are only cooktop's available. And, yes, installing an oven underneath can be problematic depending on the make & model. Yes, you have to use pans that a magnet can stick to. That wasn't a problem for me because my pans were already induction-ready. Yes, they can emit a buzz when used on the power boost mode. But since I rarely use that mode for more than a few seconds at a time, it's not a problem to me.

The thing I like the most is the control. I can go from my teapot whistling from the boiling water to absolute silence by just flicking the burner off. I can keep things on the warm setting indefinitely. I am able to sear meat much better than I ever did with either gas or the electric coils. As others have mentioned, the cleanup is great, much better than regular smooth top units. I can wipe up, right next to a boiling pot, without worrying about burning my sponge.

The unit shuts itself off after five minutes if I remove a pan. That's a safety feature I like. Also, because there is no flame or hot coil element, a misplaced towel will not catch fire. Even if you turn on the burner and get distracted, if there isn't a pot on, it will automatically turn itself off. You don't have to worry about stray cooking utensils, etc. catching on fire or melting.

It's not a perfect system, but, as you can tell, I'm sure satisfied.

Thanks for all the information. It's certainly eye opening and I can see where an induction cooktop would not be good for a small kitchen wich is something I didn't know, and I had not thought about the needed dedicated circuit. There does seem to be a lot of wacko's on the appliance forum. I don't understand people who think no one is supposed to have an opinion different from their own. It sounds like there is a lot considered best about both gas and induction.

I have a pretty small kitchen and I use my cooktop for prep--I like cutting onions under the hood and I don't have much counter space.

Mine doesn't turn off when you remove a pan (at least not for several minutes) but it will beep at you. It doesn't have a noisy fan. And it IS awesome how you can turn off the "heat" instantly to stop an imminent boilover. We were so accustomed to just moving the pan from the burner (usually sloshing) that it took us a while to get in the habit of just turning it off instead. Yes, we are inattentive, messy cooks here!

Regarding the dedicated circuit, I had an all electric kitchen to begin with. So my electric coil cooktop already had its own dedicated circuit, just like my electric double wall ovens. I did not have to upgrade the circuitry at all. What I had was adequate for the new induction unit.

And I know some folks on the appliance forum successfully installed ovens underneath their inductions cooktops. They just had to be sure to leave adequate room for the unit's cooling fans to work. My Sears Kenmore unit has fans that exhaust out the top so there's a bit more room underneath in my cabinetry.

What's old is new again. Anyone remember when GE brought out their first induction stove, free standing stove at that.. way back in the late 70's. They called it the MagnaWave, too pricey and it didn't last on the market very long

I had no idea PK. Did you ever use it?

We got one a year ago and I absolutely love love love it.
It's clean, cool, and really quick. Wiping/cleaning is so easy because nothing ever gets hot or cooked on. Luckily for me, we needed a cooktop in the island and I already had quite a few All Clad pots and pans. I understand that Ikea has some very reasonably priced cooking utensils that are induction compatible. So does Crate and Barrel, and, of course, there's always Marshalls or TJ Maxx.

I'd get another one in a heartbeat!

Happygram, which did you switch from gas or electric?

Beverlyal

I've used both electric and gas for cooking. When we made the switch to induction, we were using electric.

The induction cooking is the fastest and cleanest kind of cooktop I've ever used. (I have to laugh...what's my hurry anyway? It's not like I'm saving the world with those extra few minutes I save... LOL) Sorry for the answering delay; I was out of town.)