My idunction range boils water faster than any gas range I have ever had. I have never had a high end gas range so there's that. I have never used the portable burners, but I have seen people here say that the ranges or cooktops are better.

Crl. Thank you, I just have a kenmore, not high end, paid 700$. But it has 1 very fast burner (1800 watts). The portable induction was also 1800 watts,. So that is what I was comparing it to.

Induction ranges are more expensive than gas, so that's why I am comparing and trying to get as much info as possible. But mayb comparing a portable with a full induction range is not a good comparison either.

There are a few factors involved in induction hob efficiency. 1.8kW induction hob shouldn't be too bad, but it also depends on your cookware as well.

For typical permanent induction, it will output 3.7kW which is twice as powerful as your 1.8kW portable hob. It is probably much better to bring a pot to a local appliance store and ask for a test to see how fast an induction can be.

Also 1.8kW gas burner is not powerful at all. Domestic gas burner should be somewhere around 4kW - 6kW. Are you meaning that a gas burner is 18 k BTU/hr because that sounds more like typical rating.

For conversion 1kW ~ 3413 BTU, so 18kBTU with 40% efficiency is ~2.1 kW. Induction hob should be somewhere about 85%.

A type induction hob in boost mode @ 3,700W should be equivalent to a high-end open gas burner @ 25,000 BTU. Since gas burner heats more surface of cookware than induction does, the result would also be affected by the cookware and cooking style.

Now if you want to test who boils three or more pots of water faster at the same time, then the said gas range will win because a typical IH cannot boost more than 2 hobs, or does not have more than 2 full power hobs. :-)

It's faster.

Even with my 1983 (really!) Kenmore induction cooktop, I'd boil water faster than on my current 25k BTU gas burner. My modern induction cooktop (Windcrest, 2012ish) was even faster.

(I have a countertop model induction burner left over from a remodel and while it's quite good, it doesn't compare to the built-in versions.)

But it's not the water-boiling speed that makes induction good. It's the ultra-low control that makes it shine. If you make candy...

Chanop. Good idea to have a test done at a store. And yes, I meant 18k btu for the gas stove. And thank you for the explanation re difference between portable burner and regular induction range,.

This won't compare to your good gas range, but I did a race to boil a cup of water between my induction cooktop, gas cooktop, microwave, electric teakettle, and very fast electric percolator that "burns water". The table fomatting went away when it was converted to the Houzz format, but it's still decipherable. The discussion further down the thread is interesting. The pan comparison I did at the bottom is harder to read, but still parsaable, though only interesting in that the weight of the pan didn't make a difference.

Link location:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2249140/boiling-water-efficiency-question

Induction isn't favored just because it can boil water faster. It truly shines when simmering and is much more precise than gas. It also doesn't heat up your home as much as a gas range does.

Thirty-six inch induction cooktops made by Electrolux vassals Kenmore and Frigidaire have three power boost capable power generator boards so three of five hobs can be on boost at the same time. (I've never had a reason to do so, however.)

Induction benefit over gas -- it takes less than a minute to clean up.

Induction benefit over gas -- electricity can't escape into the air and combust where it is unwanted

Primitive gas range (if you can find one) benefit over induction -- can be used without electricity. (A UPS might solve the electricity-off problem for a non-dual fuel electric ignitor gas range.)

kas

Pllog. So cool and thank you for sharing.

Hi kas: Since power was just out all over this area, great idea about throwing a ups in if necessary for gas unit control, but my brand new basic whirlpool gas cooktop will light with a match just fine.

But back to induction: I got an induction hot pad when it showed up at COSTCO several years ago and found it didn't heat faster than my electric tea pot. I returned it. Like the above posts point out, I was comparing 110V induction against 220V induction. At the time, I was only interested in speed rather than control. My old gas cooktop had decent simmer control, but this new one is outrageously poor at low flame settings. I would have returned it gleefully causing whirlpool as much grief as possible, but the cooktop was much less expensive than the next lowest decently solid cooktop from any brand. I should have kept the little hot pad induction thing for long simmer control needs.

Khinmn. Clean up is also my concern. I hate having to remove the grates from my gas stove and cleaning the thing. It's a real pain and never truly is clean.

Kaseki the ability to not use electricity to turn in any stove would be a great lifesaver during power outages.

Chas I'm slowly leaning toward induction but the high cost of these stoves are a turn off. The prices don't remotely compare to very good quality gas stoves. I paid 700$ for my kenmore 4 years ago and it's awesome.

Chas, get a "simmer plate"--it's cheap and should make simmering possible.

P House, If your Kenmore is awesome, keep it!

There are many advantages to induction, only some of which have been touched upon here, but there's nothing every wrong with awesome. With ranges, additionally, you have to find one with both a cooktop and an oven which you like, and while most induction cooktops are just fine, some ranges have limitations on the number of power levels (ten rather than 17+ (1-9 with half steps)). Too few levels and rather than great cooking control, you're constantly changing up and down because you want a point in the middle. Add that to finding an oven you like, and it's no wonder that most people prefer to get separate induction cooktops and ovens. That's also a savings when one or the other dies, which anything with a digital control board in it is likely to do sometime sooner than you'd like.

While you're happy with your range, be content to be happy! When you're required to get something new, or when you're unhappy with your current range, is soon enough to change. If you want some of each, you could perhaps install a 15" induction cooktop to accompany your range. Or perhaps have an electrical line with an outlet put in for it and use a 240V portable. Those tend to have loud fans, however. ;)

Regarding power outages, that's always an issue. It's one factor in why I got both induction and gas. Since then, however, I've also gotten a little charcoal barbecue and a propane fire table, so if both the electric and gas are out (which they could be following a big earthquake), I still have potential heat sources--at least as long as the fuel lasts. When ice/snow is the likely culprit, lightable gas makes a lot of sense.

Pllog the reason why I am exploring induction range, is because we will be moving and I will be purchasing a new stove.

Induction is intriguing and I am highly interested in it. I hate cleaning the gas range and induction, I understand is very easy to do. I am learning a lot about induction ranges, the biggest issue, is that they are so much more expensive than gas. Perhaps their prices will drop with consumer demands.

Kaseki. far as power outages, Plllong had wonderful suggestions. And we have experienced many of them where I am in western Canada. ( Don't ask, it's really a nuisance and irritating, it has to do with the power company transmission lines ) . So we have since purchased a generator.

Are you sure it's not worth bringing the awesome range with you?

If not, induction is awesome. Not only is the ceramic-glass a breeze to clean because it doesn't get hot enough to make really intractable burnt on stuff, but you can clean as you spill. You know those peas that jump out of the pot and half burn/half adhere to the burner? With the glass, you just pick them up and put them back in the pot! And use a towel or sponge to wipe up the smudge. If you're frying, you can put old newspapers or junk mail all over the stove (keeping track of the correct position for your pot) and throw away the spatter with the paper. You might need to invest in microfiber cloths and maybe some alcohol to get it really shiny perfect, but that's for removing the watermarks left by your cleaning sponge. :)

Do you have hydro at the new house? Or some kind of more expensive electricity? If the latter, perhaps an all gas range would be better because electric ovens are one of the greediest kW eaters. Otherwise, I think skimping on the range (unless it's going to be as awesome as your old range) is the wrong way to go. The cooking appliances (cooktop and oven) have the biggest impact on how you use your kitchen and how you enjoy cooking. Does it get hot there? Too hot to want to cook? How's the outside cooking? Too humid? Too many bugs? Because you can think of induction as the anti-AGA. The oven is still a regular old electric oven and will heat up the house, but the induction, while it, along with the pots, does give off a little heat, will not get hot enough to prevent you from making a quick meal. It really takes all day stewing in a giant pot to dump enough heat in the room to really notice it.

If you're in one of the less temperate parts of Western Canada, you might want some gas in the house, even if it's just a fireplace where you can have a wienie roast in a pinch. Or if you're of a hardy nature, we had an Alaska member who talked about barbecuing on a Big Green Egg in the dead of Winter. But...if you're trying to keep the heat in during a power failure, perhaps the going in and out isn't such a good idea.

One thing to also check out is whether there is adequate electrical service at the new house for an induction range. You can't just swap out an old electric range for one, and you might also have to upgrade the electric panel. If it's an old house, that could potentially trigger a need to rewire. There are a lot of considerations on both price and function, and you're doing the right thing by researching so much ahead of time.

Plllog. We are moving from the west to the east where we plan to build a new home. But not for a few years, hopefully the gas stove stays alive till then, it's 5 years old now. Love the microfiber cloths...

but electricty is crazy expensive up to 18cents kW at peak hours...electric oven may not be the way to go...mayb separate cook top and oven?

Love the green egg, friends love theirs in Florida. Never saw one till a few years ago. Thought it was original and amazing now they are sold all over the place and have been copied in different colours I.e black!

Kaseki,

You and I must live in the same neighborhood! I did the same thing by investing in a gas generator, not a whole house and Pepco got their act together. The did kill alot of trees unnecessarily:-(

I have a grill outside in the event that i need to bake or grill something during a power outage.

Okay, I get it now. :) So one thing you can do, since you'll be building, is make the kitchen flexible. Make the panel upgradeable, and run sufficient conduit that an appliance or two can be added at various positions. Also put in gas lines to anywhere you might want cooking equipment. It doesn't cost much when it's in the plan at the start, and it allows you to leave your options open for the future.

I can imagine there might be roof top micro turbines in 10-15 years, for instance, with some kind of netting to protect the birds. Solar shingles that are practical for Northern latitudes. Even electric storage that makes environmental, cost and space sense. Or not. Revolutions in energy are coming, but the pace is decided by politics and money.

Having a separate oven from cooktop is significantly more expensive than a range, and, at least in the U.S., there isn't a lot of choice available in gas wall ovens, which are out of style. Induction ranges have compromises because of the huge power demands, but gas ranges really don't, though you pay more for dragon's breath, and you have to worry a lot more about venting and make up air. For cost effectiveness, I think you might be interested in a gas range, especially if you can find one you like as much as your current one, and a small induction cooktop. The good news is there isn't a huge quality gap in induction given the same power output rating. So long as you have the 17 power levels (1-9 with half steps), you have sufficient control. Given that, the big differences are in things like timers, how the controls operate, memory programs, color/trim/style etc. Induction isn't inexpensive, but you don't gain a lot by going with a more expensive unit.

Hi Plllog. Thanks for the info, very helpful. But throwing curve balls, guess what no natural gas where I am. But that may come eventually, and we will definetly put as many gas lines as we need. For now, we are stuck with propane and/or electric. And wood of course, planning to put a wood stove in basement.

An aside regarding electrical rates. I am in Nor California, I have three different rates based on usage amounts, tier 1 is the lowest rate, called baseline, allowance is about 300kw/ month, 10kw/day is $0.18/kw, plus a fixed charge of about $20/month plus about 10% taxes. I have heard, if I get into tier 3, the cost is $.36/kW.

My lowest rate is similar to your highest rate.

Over time, the rates and supply of energy will change, and change relatively to each other. I have Canadian friend who have cheap hydroelectric electricity, so as long as the water keeps flowing and the dynamos are maintained, they're pretty much set. Propane and natural gas depend on the petroleum deposits and industry. Conventional electric generation does, too, but there's some flexibility with wind, solar, and some pie in the sky clean nuclear that hasn't been dreamt of. I have a lot of solar, but usually end up paying for some conventional electricity.

BTW, besides the Big Green Egg, there are grill top ovens and solar ovens. Neither are great in a storm, but if the sun's out and the lines still aren't back in service they work.

Another argument for an all gas range, especially with a UPS with a solar charger which will allow you to use the oven without having to resort to an old range with a pilot is that with LP you'll have your own tank on premises. :) Or is piped in natural gas stable there? I mostly know sunshine and earthquakes. :)

Jim. I heard that California is outrageously expensive. In Ontario Canada we also have tiered rates, depending on season and depending on time of day. Really who wants to do laundry at 2 am...

At one point, we were fortunate to have lived in Boise Idaho, which has very low rates, we were spoiled.. Not the case now, however.

Plllog. So true re sustainable energy, it would be awesome to be totally off grid. re natural gas, yes there is lots of natural,gas, just not in our specific neighborhood, which is semi rural and 20 years old. I doubt the gas co is in any rush to pipe it to our area due to costs.

In Ontario, the lowest tier always starts at 7 pm no matter in winter or summer tier schedules. If it is weekend or a holiday, the lowest tier lasts all day long. There is no need to do laundry at 2 am to catch the lowest rate. :-) But it does affect making dinner.

Eshmh

You are right, but hydro one has been criticized extensively for their mismanagement, and nothing ever changes.

But I think we hijacked the op's thread, sorry OP.

LOL! Yes, we sort of hijacked the thread, but it's appropriate since part of the cost of a range is the fuel, and we're talking relative costs of differently fueled ranges, but considering it's your thread, I don't think you need to apologise!

Pllog. Thanks, didn't know if it was ok to go off topic on a thread. Lol

After new appliances were in last year, a 3.7 kW combi oven, a 3.7 kW domino induction hob, and a recently put in 3.2 kW induction wok hob, I put in a roof top solar system, 6.3 kW panels and a 5 kW inverter earlier this year. That was as much as I could put on a small cottage house on North and West roof.

Since solar has been in, most cook during day time is free, and now with daylight saving starting, dinner cook is getting almost free as well.

Cheers to solar, now that we are talking green enerygy and appliances ;-)

Oh. We do tangents here. It's rude to have a whole big side discussion when there's an active OP discussion, but once what is going to be said has been said, or if it's a sidelight that informs the OP on topic, it's fine. The beauty of the newest posts first system is that the same questions get answered over and over in a new way, suited to the circumstances and nuances brought by each poster. That way the new people asking the old questions get personal responses even if it's from the same old people saying the same old things, for the most part, and the posts stay fresh and new, with the same old things being constantly updated. So we don't have thread police here. In particular, if it's your thread, you can take it wherever you want it to go.

So, if you want to stop talking about fuel costs because you want your thread to focus on another aspect of your range decision, feel free to assert that. It's not absolute, but the tangent will die down.

"Really who wants to do laundry at 2 am..."

HA! I decided to be really clever and set my washer for 5 am because I wasn't going to stay up long enough to transfer clothes to dryer or line. Completely forgot I had done that and when I remembered, I ended up having to re-wash the load because it had been sitting too long. That will teach me to be energy conscious.

From my experience, anything is faster than gas. Gas is terrible. Can't wait for my new induction!

Chanop so true with solar panels, we have portable ones which we take camping with us. The ultimate goal would b to to be totally off the grid.

Pllog. Thanks so much for your last comments

sherri. I have done that too with laundry. But it's so frustrating to hav to be aware of the time in order to do laundry or even turn on the dishwasher.

Kelsey. I just wish induction stoves were not so expensive.

" I just wish induction stoves were not so expensive" You have a lot of company on that point.

But speaking of expensive, it seems to me that "fast" gas stoves are getting up there in price, too, if you are talking about the "speed-to-boil" kind of fast.

The other kind of fast is "speed-to-adjust" which is how quickly a
change in settings takes effect. Full boil to dead still and back
again, that kind of thing. Induction more than holds it own in that
department.

Seems to me that speed to boil with a boosted 3700 watt burner versus a 25,000 btu burner on, say, Blue Star stove, you are looking at $3500-plus pro-style gas stove compared to which a $1500 Frigidaire slide-in suddenly does not seem so expensive. Less expensively, you might be comparing that 3700 induction burner on boost to a 12,000 btu GE stove burner, induction is going to be a whole lot faster, as others have pointed out above. Got a two-year-old who wants her pasta right now? The induction range is going to blow the doors off the GE in that speed department.

Hi jwv. Price, speed though important, how about clean up. That's the issue I have with gas stoves. Those grates...sheesh removing them cleaning them and underneath...too...Now to find decent induction at the price of the GE..

Clean-up is a breeze. Seriously. Because anything that boils over or splatters doesn't burn, it's no more difficult or time consuming than cleaning a spill on your counter. It's one of my favourite features and since I've noticed you've mentioned the cleaning aspect a few times I know that you will love it as well.

I have a gas stove in one house and an induction cooktop in our permanent house. I will never ever lift another grate to clean a gas stove. You just spray non-ammonia glass cleaner, I use Sparkle, and wipe-swish, swish-all done. it is really that easy. There are many reasons to prefer, love induction, but cleanup is my fave. Also, in summer, the house is cooler. And the pot cools down so quickly when you shut off an induction hob. You dont have to bend to look at a flame. Induction is so much safer with kids and elderly.

Spend less than $200 for a fabulous 13 piece set of Circulon pots from Costco. The saucepots have drainage holes in the lids, to drain stuff. Non stick, dishwasher safe, and oven safe to 500 degrees. Of course, induction compatible.

If this is a new build or renovation kitchen, then clearance underneath the cooktop may be important. Thats if you want to build cabinetry under the cooktop for a utensil drawer.

West....thanks for the tip on building the new kitchen, great idea. It's the clean up that's so cool. I wonder if the prices will come down over time

Oh, btw, people here on gw love their ge induction cooktops. And for the most part, peeps here love their inductions, no matter what brand. I love my Bosch which has shutoff timers. And me, now an old lady loves the touchpad even tho I was raised on knobs. You just learn how to work them. Easy peasy and certainly easier cleaning to wipe a touchpad than clean an intricate knob. Its not brain surgery to learn touchpad touch. But dont press too hard, just rest your finger. I thought I had a lemon, at first, but I was pressing too hard. That's the learning curve. Isnt there always a learning curve with a new appliance?

We have a gas moratorium in the area we live in, which means if you dont already pull gas from the street, you cannot start until 2019 (or something like that). In our new home, we don't have gas and our kitchen was a total blank slate, no cabinets and just a freestanding electric coil apartment stove, dorm-sized mini fridge and a laundry sink.

So I decided to do induction. I have a Bertazzoni induction range and the looks are fantastic and so far cooking is great. The water boils FAST. I turned it on the other day to make oatmeal, and in the time I went to the pantry to get the oats, s literally like 15 seconds, it was full boil.