Best cookware material to diffuse heat on induction range?
jaxo
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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kaseki
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoZalco/bring back Sophie!
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Is this cookware suitable for induction?
Comments (4)The induction field is toroidal, and extends from the field generator (sort of half of a transformer) through the Ceram cooktop into the air above the cooktop. If a steel suitable for induction intersects the field lines, high frequency alternating current will be induced into the metal. The metal is resistive, so the current causes heat. Thin gaps between the pan base and the Ceram will not cause noticeable increases in cooking time. (By thin is meant a mm or two.) Larger gaps may allow some field lines to sneak under the pan. A depression at the center of a pan having otherwise flat edges may not matter as there should be minimal field lines at the exact center of the hob. It may be instructive to recall the elementary school magnet and filings experiments to see how the steel will tend to concentrate the lines so that they go through the pan base rather than escaping around it. The actual gap limitation is determined by the magnetic sensor underneath the Ceram that shuts the field off if it senses that there is no pan above. This is a safety mechanism that protects the user and the electronics. kas...See MoreBest cookware for induction - Part II
Comments (17)> maybe your particular pan has an issue It's a lump of iron. There is not much scope to have an issue in something so very simple as a lump of iron. We can see that it is reasonably uniform in thickness (the base is flat and the inside is flat). > your sample size of one is kind of small to draw a general conclusion I don't believe there is significant variation in cast iron cookware beyond thickness (and the Lodge is by no means thinner than average). As such, I think it's reasonable to draw wider inferences from the tests we performed. I would be interested to see what results you obtain in similar test conditions. > How long did you let the CI skillet heat before you measured the > temperature variation? Did you measure more than once to get some > idea of variation vs time? We tried both rapid heating on a high (but not the highest) setting and slower heating increasing the setting in steps. We measured repeatedly during heating, dwell, and cooling - maybe 15 minutes in all. We had expected the variation to even out during cooling, but it was surprisingly persistent - heat loss to the air was apparently offsetting conduction across the pan. By contrast, the temperature of clad aluminum pans evened out rapidly (and obviously stayed even during cooling). > Also, how did you measure the surface temperature We used an IR thermometer from Thermoworks, and a bead thermistor held in contact with the pan. The results correlated between the two devices. I have since purchased a better contact probe thermistor (the bead is a bit flimsy); I will use that for future tests if/when we are able to perform them. Scorchprints are a handy technique if you don't have instrumentation (Google is your friend). Here is a link that might be useful: Thermoworks IR thermometer...See MoreInduction Cookware
Comments (5)I can answer this a little. I just got an induction cooktop (a tabletop model, not a built-in) and here are some early impressions: If a pan is advertised as good for induction, it is. I have a couple of pressure cookers which claim that (Fagor and Kuhn Rikon) and they work fine. Cast Iron works well, too, whether raw (as in a black iron skillet) or enameled (as in Le Creuset and its imitators). As far as the responsiveness, cast iron itself is a slow reactor; the cooktop reacts instantaneously, but the iron itself is sluggish. The distribution of the heat is dependent on the design of the cooktop itself. The little cheapo cooktop I have (a Magneflux cooktop--see the link for my initial impressions on it) has all the electromagnetic induction coils distributed fairly tightly in the center, so the center of any pan heats up more quickly than the peripheries of the pan. I believe that to be a function dependent on the hob design, not so much the cookware material. I have some old Cuisinart and Belgique stainless pans that don't work at all. I don't know what their bottom discs are made of. As I said, all the cookware I have that has been advertised as good for induction has worked fine. If I ever get the $$$ rounded up to do my kitchen redo, I'll probably splurge both on a good induction cooktop like Meile or Cooktek, and splurge on some Demeyere cookware as well. You only live once. Here is a link that might be useful: magneflux...See MoreInduction ranges: So we WERE VERY interested in inductions ranges BUT
Comments (33)tiffeslan, the Gagg is still working out fine for us. Occasionally (not frequently) I hear a buzz but adjusting the placement of the cookware seems to solve the issue. We enjoy the ability to place pots/pans anywhere on the surface and have the size detected. Sliding those pots and pans around so easily probably contributes to scratching, however. We also like and frequently use the cooking timer that each cooking position offers. The timer has been very useful, particularly since certain people in the house have a tendency to put something on to cook and then wander off. ;) The specs on the Gagg indicate that it allows for cookware “as small as 3 inches…” I can confirm, having had someone inadvertently “cook” their metal travel mug. Oops! I’ve had one visitor tell me she was uncomfortable using induction after “always having a gas range.” I’ve not had a gas cooktop so can’t weigh in. Although we are not gourmet cooks (the first use of our beautiful Gagg was for a can of Spaghetti-O’s lol), we would definitely choose induction again. We love our Gagg and would most likely repurchase if in the market for a new cooktop. Hope this helps! I’m happy to answer any questions you might have....See Morejaxo
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