I'd never heard of induction till I joined GW. To be honest, I've never seen one in person. If you get an induction range, can you have a gas oven, or must it be electric?

Well, it seems to me that 1700.00 already buys you an induction range, so I don't understand why the upgrade would be that much.

YES!! Ours is the Electrolux range which is not quite as sleek as the Electrolux slide-in, but it was $2700 vs $3200 from Sears over 3 yrs ago so we went with the range. last year my inlaws bought the Same range from a Sears Outlet store (in Brampton Ontario) for only $1300! I am certain it had never been used . . . But it worked perfectly for them. I think it must have been purchased and returned because the customer couldn't figure out how it worked and thought it was a dud. they wouldn't be the only ones . . . We couldn't figure out how to turn ours on til my son showed us we had to "swipe" the control panel to turn it on rather than push or poke at the screen. If price matters, try a Sears warehouse if you have one and be sure to purchase the extended warranty within the first 30 days if you want some insurance.

as far as pots and pans go, some of mine already worked. Just test the bottom of your pots to see if a magnet will stick. if it does, your pots will work. if you have an IKEA close by, you can get a full set of very serviceable pots, pans, and frying pans for very little money.

I'm also not sure why it would cost that much more - but I would pay anything for an induction stove with an electric convention oven.

I've had gas, coil and smooth top electric stoves - nothing compares to induction. No smelly gas to worry about, no asthma from the gas. Instant control over the temperature and a surface that is so easy to clean because nothing burns on the stove top. Nothings heats up a pot of water to boiling as fast as an induction stove and you can turn that water down to simmer or stop the boil in milliseconds - as quickly as you can push a button.

You may need new pots and pans for cook with induction.

nosoccermom, I can't speak for the OPer. But she mentioned cooktops. If that's what she's looking at, the price for induction cooktops was bigger than I expected when I was briefly flirting with switching from a range to a cooktop and wall ovens in my remodel. It seemed to me like the price jump from gas or radiant to induction was higher for cooktops than for ranges. And of course, someone might have brand preferences that change depending on the exact type of appliance involved.

And the electric service for an induction is different so depending on the situation it might call for a whole new circuit or some significant re-wiring. Or if it is new construction (or even a remodel sometimes) sometimes there is a fee for change orders once a contract had been signed/construction has started.

I'd never heard of induction till I joined GW. To be honest, I've never seen one in person. If you get an induction range, can you have a gas oven, or must it be electric?

Isn't that a bonus? I thought a gas oven was a negative, and that's why dual fuel ranges were so popular?

Okay, so you didn't have an electrical outlet near the cooktop before, at least not a 220v. So I guess that explains the need for a wiring change. And I am aware of the cost of changes to new builds.

But a $1700 upgrade on an APPLIANCE change? That would only be justified if the builder had already gone out and bought the gas top, and now you want a different one. In that case, I'd probably take it, but have him put in the wiring so you could replace it later.

Yes, it is a new build. But we do have the option to choose any appliance we want from pretty much almost every brand. The electrical part that needs to be added is nearly $500. I did think about having them put in the electricals, and upgrade the cooktop later. But then, I would have to pay at least $2000 on a new induction. So weather or or I go with the builder now or upgrade later, my out of pocket might be the same or even more if I do it later...

amber, I like gas ovens. I'm not interested in a dual fuel stove because I'm not interested in an electric oven enough to switch and/or justify the extra cost. My question is mostly one of curiosity.

Linelle, I'm not aware of any dual fuel induction ranges. I think most people prefer electric ovens because they are generally considered to provide a more even/consistent temperature. So there's probably not much of a market for an induction top and a gas oven. I guess someone could always get an induction cooktop and gas wall oven if they preferred that combo.

Induction is a way to cook without a hot surface. You can put your hand on the induction cooktop with it on and you wont burn. It makes special pots/pans hot through magnetism. They also cook faster and are the most efficient cooktop type. If I get the chance to get induction in the future I will.
Also, gas burners require combustion air and also can be a carbon monoxide risk in an air tight house. Many people forget this little tidbit when they rave about gas. Natural Gas and propane produces carbon dioxide and water when completely burned. Although these arent too bad you could use up enough oxygen and produce enough carbon dioxide to suffocate anyone in the building. Complete combustion never happens in the real world so you end up with partial combustion products some of which is carbon monoxide which displaces oxygen in blood and suffocates the vicitim from the inside.
I prefer electric over gas for saftey reasons, however gas is more 'fun' to cook with because its fire! Who doesnt secretly love an open flame? Gas is also instant heat where electric takes a bit of time to heat up. I think people like gas for the instant heat. Induction is as fast if not faster than gas.

Do they make gas wall ovens? I thought people only had gas ovens because they wanted a gas top and weren't able, or unwilling, to get dual fuel.

Yep, you can get a gas wall oven. Gas ovens do have some advantages and are desired by some.

There's nothing faster than induction, and it's also got a great low for...candy. So there's one reason against it. Easy candy is healthy for nobody.

Yes, you can burn yourself with induction--everything gets just as hot except the burner itself, which is still plenty of hot stuff. You can even start a fire with an induction cooktop if you're me, but most people won't.

You might want to pick up a portable countertop unit (under $100) to test it out. They're noisier than the built-ins and not quite as good but you'll get an idea.

I too am in love with my GE Profile slide in induction range. I had the old coil burners before. We didn't have to change any electrical so unless you were going with a gas oven as well as cook top I don't know why electrical would be so expensive. It takes the same as a regular range, or at least any model we looked at did.

Ease of clean up is a huge bonus as well as the absolute control of temps I get. Rice has never boiled over since I got my new range and figured out what setting to cook it at. Perfect every time. And the response to more or less heat is instantaneous. Wouldn't want any other type of cook top now.

I've not cooked on induction, and am tempted but probably fear change too much. A friend who bought a new home and never really cooked just RAVES over her induction. I currently have electric in the kitchen I'm about to renovate and hate it more than anything I've had in a kitchen. Really. My pasta sticks to the bottom of the pot no matter what unless I babysit it and stir and stir, and stir....I've never burned so much food in my life. Don't make fun of me. :) My husband keeps giving me the eye, and I blame the stove. But it's true!

Induction all the way. I've cooked on gas, coil tops, ceran smoothtop electric, and induction beats them all. It is stunningly responsive and holds an even heat forever; easy to clean is a bonus. Another option for cookware which won't break your bank is Cuisinart Multiclad.

Cast iron! Also IKEA has some stuff, and being IKEA, it's all labeled as induction compatible so no guessing.

I got some Cuisinart triple clad (made in France) pots and pans from Amazon.ca at a decent price. They work well.

Yes. It is worth it. Do it now. Do not wait.

In addition to the Tramontina, I have a small IKEA pot (they didn't have a 1-qt. in the Tramontina) that I got for $10 and it works perfectly, and I also use a Lodge cast iron pan and a couple of nonstick (Kitchen Essentials by Calphalon from Target, and my favorite, a ceramic by Zwilling from Bed Bath & Beyond).

I do have a 1-qt Tramontina pot; I ordered it through Walmart since Cuisinart didn't have the 1-quart. and like sjhockeyfan, I also use Lodge cast iron and a nonstick pan from Target. They all work beautifully on induction.

" The electrical part that needs to be added is nearly $500. "

What electrical part would that be?

If it's new construction, you already have at least 200 amp service. All that would be needed is some heavy gauge wiring (this could be somewhat expensive depending on how far your range is from your panel) and a breaker (usually no more than $30).

Raenjapan - this is what they need: A 4-wire or 3-wire, single phase, 240 volt, 60 Hz., AC only electrical supply is required on a separate, 50-amp circuit.

How far is your main panel from the range?

All of that is kind of basic wiring for an electric range. The only thing that would drive up the cost would be a long run of wire, and unless it's a REALLY long run, materials shouldn't be more than maybe $150.

edit: I just looked it up. 6/3 wire, which is what you need for a 50 amp breaker, is $119 for 50 feet at Lowe's, or $200 for 125 feet at Home Depot. Breakers depend on brand, but most are $10. The expensive ones are $20. Heavy gauge wire like this is harder to pull than light gauge, but I can do it, and I'm a girl. This should not add $500, unless your house is huge and the box is on one side and the range on the other.

Aw, why'd you have to show me that induction Viking range? Now I have to have one and it's not in the budget AND I'll have to spend time researching induction which I never even considered before seeing that range. Sigh. Gardenweb, you've done it again.

Here's a sole dissentng view: nope, I wouldn't pay an extra 2k for induction.

I've been cooking on induction with AllClad pots and pans for the last three years. You will have read all of the above, and most of it is what all of us say after a big purchase to justify our decision. Induction is remarkably similar to smooth top electric. The only real differences are that induction is faster to heat up, more restrictive of the cookware you can use, and less likely to burn you if you touch the top while cooking. (It is most certainly not a way to cook without heat. At most, it's an alternative way of generating heat). If you're not a cook that burns and over boils things, you'll never notice the difference.

I didn't spend any more on induction than I would have on gas so no need for me to justify my purchase. In fact, for looks I'd really rather change from induction in this remodel because I don't like the looks of any induction range I can afford (I am not a stainless steel appliance fan,). So I wish I didn't prefer it.

I find induction much better than radiant. It is significantly faster. Five minutes or less to boil water for pasta instead of twenty or more--a task I do at least a couple of times a week and usually trying to get dinner on the table ASAP so I can then get my preschooler to bed. That matters to me. It's also substantially more responsive than smooth top electric. You can adjust temperatures much more quickly than you can with radiant. And you can hold a very consistent low temperature, which allows for meling chocolate without a double boiler and other cooking tasks that require that kind of control.

And it is easier to clean than a radiant cooktop because the burner itself does not heat up spills do not get baked on in the same way.

Having cooked on all kinds of surfaces, my preferences would be induction first by a mile, then gas, then I guess a smooth top radiant cooktop and then a coil top electric.

I desperately want an induction range. OP, sounds like maybe they are ripping you off on this "upgrade"??? I would check the prices, learn more about the electrical needed, etc. and then call the builder out on it.

This NYTimes article talks about induction vs gas and mentions that induction is used in commercial kitchens. Radiant smooth top isn't even in the equation.

I wish IKEA started offering their inexpensive induction cook tops, like 350.00 (in Europe) instead of 1K here in the US.

www.ikea.com/gb

www.ikea.com/us

Anybody know why you can't install the US induction cooktop above an oven?

I first got induction when I moved into a pink kitchen with a very old induction cooktop, Kenmore, circa 1983. (While signing on the new house, the sellers popped in and mentioned,
"oh, by the way, that cooktop only works with magnetic cookware....".
Induction had just barely started getting popular 6 years ago so that
'80s relic was a novelty.)

I hated that cooktop and it was the driving force behind my kitchen remodel. But you know how long the planning stages can be for some of us. By the time I remodeled, I had decided to put in a new induction cooktop. (The old one was a weird size but still worked great.) And in a small kitchen, a smooth top ANYthing is nice to serve as extra counter space.

Anyway, my affection for induction isn't to justify a purchase to myself. It actually took some work.

I moved after that and have been using smooth top electric. Yeah, it's faster than gas but without the fiery fun. And it sucks compared to induction, except for when you need to use the WhirlyPop. This time around I'm getting a gas range (and it's not cheaper than induction) but I have the electrical in place to swap out for induction. I love the new induction ranges--there weren't any for my last remodel. Ranges are so much more interchangeable than cooktops!

I don't have induction. When I bought my new slide-in range last fall, I went with an electric smooth-top. I do get a bit envious of induction when I read all the posts by happy induction users. However, I priced ranges at Home Depot, Lowe's, Sear's, and AJ Madison and it would have cost me a minimum of $1800 more at the time to get an induction range. I just couldn't justify that extra expense. My electric smooth-top is very easy to clean (Barkeeper's Friend is my friend) and both the front burners are rapid-boil burners. I'm always amazed at how quickly the tea-kettle whistles.

I think the price difference is less between induction and electric smooth-top cooktops but I don't have room in my kitchen for separate wall ovens.

I'm certainly not trying to talk you out of induction. I think it sounds like great technology. I hope the price of induction ranges come down. If they ever come down to a price that feels comfortable to me and if a range dies at one of my rentals, I might then move my current range into a rental and get an induction for myself.

I don't even know anybody with induction. I think it's possible that if I had ever seen one in action, that I might have been more willing to splurge on the extra expense.

This probably isn't very helpful but I thought this was an interesting discussion and just felt a need to add my 2 bits, probably worth less than that.

We chose to go induction after being a single induction burner from Costco to utilize during our remodel/tear-down. We just love it, for lots of reasons. For me, though, it came down to cleanability as a most important factor. We put paper towels down over the burner when cooking - take them away and there's basically a spotless surface again...

I developed health issues and now we are mid-life. We are remodeling the whole house - inside and out - with an eye towards making things simple and minimizing cleaning and maintenance.

And, yes, that Viking induction range is a curse to me. It's equal to or more expensive than my entire appliance budget. And, I love it. I want it. I almost can't live without it...*sigh*

I was going to go Electrolux slide-in, but then I found the Bosch Benchmark and I think I'm changing to that, unless I lose my mind and go Viking....

As much as I would love to have induction (I have a portable induction single burner), we are choosing a GE electric smoothtop range for 4 reasons:

1. Price - about $700 difference. The countertop estimate is more than I thought it would be, so, for now, that is where we are spending.

2. Color - I don't like stainless appliances and can't afford Viking or Bertazzoni. Maybe by the time we replace the GE we are buying, white induction ranges will be available by other manufacturers.

3. Double oven on GE - I bake a LOT. I want the option for 2 ovens at separate temperatures. We do not have room for wall ovens. The upper small oven preheats quickly which will be great in the summer. The only induction range w/double ovens has very poor reviews.

4. Canning - my pressure canner is aluminum and would not work on induction.

As funkycamper said I also don't know anyone with induction. In fact when trying to look at induction models in local stores, they don't have any. You can order them but they don't keep them on display. I asked about this and was told there isn't much interest in our area.

I'm so glad we have gardenweb to learn about these things!

I don't know if you have a Sears Home store near you. I wouldn't necessarily buy from them, but they had most models of the mid price induction ranges. None of them are ever hooked up to try but they were on the floor to inspect at least. Home Depot also had one or two.

Like debrak, I was unable to view any in person within a 60-mile radius. I'm guessing they must not be popular here yet. Too bad. I think they're kinda futuristic Jetson-cool. If they came with Rosie, I would have splurged on the difference. :)

Positively futuristic! Most new ones don't have the cool feature of being able to pick your power level directly, but that was a lot of real estate for the controls!

Incidentally, this is the cooktop where I started a fire. Yeah, you can cook on top of a paper towel, but if you're seasoning a cast iron dutch oven on the cooktop for a few hours, you might want to skip the paper towel. You WILL achieve ignition. =D

That's actually pretty cool looking in a nerdy way, Fori. Now we just need those flying cars and personal jetpacks and I'll be a HappyCamper instead of a funky one. :)

OP here. Just went to my local Best Buy and they had several induction cooktops on display, but none for demo. I saw some from Jenn Air, Thermador, and I believe there was one from Kitchenaide. Very tempting to go induction...

Steph - wanna go halfsies on the Viking? Six months each?

Yes! That's the other one I saw! Amazing.

have it and LOVE it. would never go back to gas, electric coil or electric smooth top & i've had them all... for us, its simply the best. no smell, top doesnt stay hot, no wasted heat, EASY clean up, seriously!!!, no heavy grates, extra counter space..... its just a dream to use and clean. i wouldn't let buying new pots stop you, its a small price to pay for this appliance. and who doesn't love something new. u can get them anywhere: Home goods, tjmaxx, outlets, target etc... they don't have to cost a fortune. just bring a magnet with you and make sure u get a "solid catch".
FWIW, i have a cooktop with wall ovens

I always enjoyed how I could wipe up a boil over immediately--lift pot, wipe while avoiding hot liquid, replace pot.

Or how if I managed to spot an imminent boil over I could just poke a button and save it instead of trying to move a pan with a mountain of seething bubbles ready to slosh out.

Bertazzoni is coming out with an induction range, if pretty is your thing. Probably more than a GE, but has to be less than a Viking and likely just as pretty.

The speculation at the appliance forum was somewhere in the $4,000 to $6,000 range for the Bertazonni if I recall correctly. Still so pricey for me. Maybe when my current range dies. . . . .

AJMadison shows them from $3299 to $5499 depending on color and self clean or not. Colors are stainless,white, orange, yellow, black, red, and burgundy.

Oooh, they have hit the market? Must go see. Just in case I win the lottery this month.

Edited to add: Link to bertazonni on ajmadison. All the colors, including white, are $5,499. The $3299 is a stainless steel with manual cleaning oven The self-cleaning stainless is in between in price. Too bad there's no blue. Available May 1, according to AJMadison.

Today we are planning on going to HD and purchasing a Frigidaire Gallery, Induction Electric Range with Air Fry and True Convection. Since I just got a notification of a "like" to a comment I made on this thread from 6 YEARS! ago, I'll take it as a sign that this purchase is meant to be.

There are still very few, if any inductions on display anywhere around my area. Just spoke to the owner of an appliance store who said induction just isn't catching on in the US. Interesting as I read a lot about building green and/or off the grid and induction is toted as the way to go. Uses much less energy than any other cooking method. Does not pollute the air like gas does. This along with the quicker cooking times and cooktop not heating up makes it a winner.

Excited about finally getting induction!

Yay! You’ll love induction! I don’t understand why induction hasn’t caught on because imo it’s the perfect way to cook. I am also not a big fan of cooking but if I were I would love induction even more as it is so easy to control the heat level. Easy clean up is the biggest factor for me because a damp cloth is all it takes to keep the cooktop clean and lustrous.