JH, which brand did you get & how do you like it?

I went with Thermador Freedom induction and I love it. Easy to use and clean and precise cooking.

Switched over to induction a few months ago. Been using typical heating elements and gas all of my life, I dint know how I was going to like it but turns out that I absolutely love the induction oven. I purchased the AGA 48in induction.

For those who love Wok cooking and are debating between gas and induction, there are now induction hobs specifically made for Wok cooking. I noted this one while shopping for modules. I m pretty sure one of the Getman brands may produce one as well but I don't recall if it was Gagenau or Miele or one of the others.

https://www.jennair.com/custom-cooktops/custom-electric-cooktops/p.custom-15-inch-induction-wok.jie4115gs.html

One thing I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is "errors" on the induction. We recently moved into a house with a 2010 Wolf induction cooktop. The burners frequently shut off while I'm in the middle of cooking. Sometimes the panel indicates "error" that must be cleared before re-start and other times not. It is extremely frustrating, as I don't notice until I see the visible reduction in heat via observing what is in the pot. Has anyone experienced this problem with inducation or could it be because our model is older? We are embarking on a new kitchen renovation and I've soured on induction because of this experience.

My guess is it needs repair rather than being a flaw of induction. Tech is much better now so I would spring for a new one. We chose a Fulgor. The knobs are not intuitive so we have to read the manual until we learn the system. If you go with a new gas range make sure you have outside ventilation!

Interesting comments along the way..and as usual negatives on both sides of any decisions..and of course positives. I am considering the Wolf Contemporary 36” gas cooktop vs 36” contemporary induction. Couple of concerns with the induction, I keep seeing that it will scratch and do not slide pots across the surface. How careful do you really have to be? How easily does it scratch? we have previously had a glass top electric and I do not recall this being a big issue, but the type of glass may be different. Currently we have a gas range, which requires no care. Another question for anyone with Wolf Contemporary gas cooktop..since it is flush with the counter, does the adjacent counters become warm? or should I hot pot overhang on the counter does this cause burning on the quartz? thx!! appreciate the input!

for those that went from gas to induction in a newish house, did you need to do extra electric work to accommodate it? that would be a huge deterrent for me.

anoop -- You will need a 50 amp circuit. It's not particularly expensive to put one in. Your electrical panel in a newish house should have plenty of capacity.

Susanhill34, we are fairly careful ot to slide pots but haven't noticed scratching. We bought a black mesh mat at a kitchen store that is for protecting induction tops. It's an extra thing to clean so I'm not loving it, but it is an option. You cook right through it.

@janet4784, can you link where you go the mesh mat? I'd love to look into one of those!

@susanrhill34, I have the Wolf 36" framed induction. I was advised against the contemporary by the Ferguson showroom because of cleaning issues of things getting down in the crevice around it. I do love my Wolf, but a few things that I think could be better are:

1) The bridging: It will bridge front to back, left to right, and all four BUT there are "dead spots" in the bridging in that the entire area will not heat. Only the individual hobs do. Therefore, anything between the hobs will only get secondary heat that is transmitted through the cooking pan. For the most part and for what I cook, it's not that big of a deal but it could be bothersome to some people and would definitely be nicer if it was true bridging of the entire area.

2) Sometimes I find the touch controls a little finicky. Usually, it's because there's moisture or grease on my fingers. It responds better to my husband's fingers than mine but I had trouble being fingerprinted once because my fingerprints are very faint so maybe that's the problem...who knows?!?

3) As for cleaning, mine cleans well, and as for scratching, I've not had any major issues. The only thing that did happen was when I went to remove the baffles in the vent hood to clean and one fell down. The sharp corner left a small scratch but nothing terrible. I do use caution, though, and I definitely don't drag anything across mine, especially cast iron.

Obviously, YMMV on all these issues.

Someone here recently mentioned an induction with better bridging but I cannot remember which brand it was. I do believe it was significantly more expensive, though, but don't hold me to that.

@shead thank you for the thoughtful response. It sounds like we will be better off with the Wolf gas Contemporary cooktop. my husband is not ”gentle” with pots/pans etc so between the concern with not being able to slide pots, scratching and buzzing sound seems the gas might be a better option for us.

We got the mat at a high end kitchen store but didn't save the box. We hear no noises with ours, by the way. It boils water so quickly! Fulgor induction stove.

susanrhill34 -- I slide heavy Fissler pots on our Wolf 36" Induction cooktop all the time. Installed 2017. No scratches. I've heard salt under the pots will scratch but no actual data or photos on this, just rumor.

@susanrhill34:

>>>"I keep seeing that it will scratch and do not slide pots across the surface. How careful do you really have to be? How easily does it scratch? we have previously had a glass top electric and I do not recall this being a big issue, but the type of glass may be different."<<<

Same "glass" which is mostly Schott's Ceran®. If it wasn't a big issue for you before with radiant electric , it won't be a big issue for you with induction.

>>>"Another question for anyone with Wolf Contemporary gas cooktop..since it is flush with the counter, does the adjacent counters become warm? or should I hot pot overhang on the counter does this cause burning on the quartz? thx!! appreciate the input! "<<<

Do not own one but have cooked on one of the flush Wolf gas cooktops. I did not find that it heated the adjacent cooktops to any noticeable degree. But, from what I observed, it seemed that the owners had used at least one pan with a base large enough to extend beyond the edges of the cooktop. It had singed/marked their quartz countertops.

@anoop

Whichever unit you are interested in take a look at the specifications page. It will spell out exactly how much power is needed to operate the unit safely. 50 Amps will certainly cover any residential induction unit you can buy right now, but may not be necessary. It does however provide a nice margin if you decide to upgrade in the future.

@susanrhill34

he surfaces of these units are designed with a certain amount of abuse in mind. While it is not necessary to treat it very gently, dropping lids or dropping a stock pot full of water down without care is certainly not advised. Most people have issues on the corners so that is where I would place most of my concern. breaking off or cracking the edges where care was not taken to completely remove a pan for instance and s a result cracked or broke the edge. There is one incident on here where someone supposedly laid a hot glass lid on the surface. I am guessing it created so much suction force that once removed (would have taken quite a bit of force) it broke the cooking surface. First time I have ever heard of anything like that and no reports that I am aware of since.

Salt and sugar will scratch the surface if they are on the bottom of the pan and the pan is dragged across the surface so if you decide to buy, please be aware of that. As someone else mentioned, silicon mats are awesome. You lay them on the surface, place your pans on top of them and cook like normal. If you like to fry or can, keep an eye on them and get the most heat tolerant ones you can find.

Buzzing...is a function of the construction of the pan. In decent quality pans you will only hear this when using maximum or high power. with nominal power levels it is usually not a problem unless you have a high sensitivity to the noise. Induction technology itself is silent. the only noise you will hear from the unit is the hum of the cooling fan to keep the electronics cool. The take away, don't buy cheaply constructed pans if buzzing is an issue for you.

Edited for spelling error

@jwvideo

wow..the damaged edges next to the gas cooktop definitely make me concerned. although I imagine even with an induction, if the pot is on the adjacent counter this could be an issue too.

@Jerry Jorgenson

I have All Clad pots so likely should not be a problem with induction. but I do have a tea kettle from Alessi, so good stainless and flat but does have 2 recessed circles around the bottom. do you think that would be an issue to use on the induction? I know they have to be flat, but wasnt sure if this would be flat enuf.

@kevinande

thank you for the info..sounds like less to be concerned aobut the buzzing if with my All Clad pots.

The surest way to check if a pot or kettle will work with induction is to test it with a magnet. If the magnet sticks, it will work.

@susanrhill34

"Flat enuf" has been discussed in dozens of threads over the decades I have participated here and in the predecessor forums, if you want to search on the topic.

In brief, flat is a bigger deal with radiant electric. Usually not for induction heating. This is because induction heating does not require contact with a heated surface but, instead, uses magnetic fields. Those Induction fields extend a short distance above the surface, enough so it is not necessary (for induction heating) for pans' bases to be perfectly flat or in perfect contact with the glass/ceran surface. That's why you can use silicon mats, paper towels, etc. beneath your induction pan on an induction burner.

The problems with warped pans on induction are: (a) not that they won't heat properly but that they can spin too easily on the Ceran surface (something you can mitigate with paper, towels, and silicon mats or disks); and (b) the same problem presented by warped pans on any cooking surface, which is that oil and liquids can pool away from high spots. So, circles recessed in the underside of the base won't be a problem for induction heating. (FWIW, I have never had a problem with induction heating my several non-stick pans that have various designs and/or circles indented or recessed into their bases.)

As for buzzing, experiences and sensitivities vary. Do you know anybody with an induction range or cooktop? Is there, perhaps, a showroom near you where they have an induction cooktop or range hooked up? If so, best thing to do is take some of your pans there and see how much you do or do not notice any buzzing when heating them. Easiest to test with a cup or so of water in the pan.

>>>

As for buzzing, experiences and sensitivities vary. Do you know anybody with an induction range or cooktop? Is there, perhaps, a showroom near you where they have an induction cooktop or range hooked up?

>>>

Due to ambient noise in store settings, it may be hard to hear. Maybe with extra attention like putting one's ear near the appliance.

susanrhill34 -- 1) I tried All-Clad and they warped almost immediately. No buzzing with either brand. Most All-Clads are now in the garbage. Even the pasta pot, it warped so badly the matching colandar would not insert. The Fisslers are rock solid. 2) Induction works by magnetic force so perfectly flat shouldn't be an issue. If a magnet sticks well, there shouldn't be a problem. (I haven't tried that tyype of kettle, so not a guaranteed to work.)

We used our All Clad and cast iron pots on our Bosch induction cooktop in our old house for five years. I didn’t worry about sliding them around at all - the ceramic they make the cooktop out of is many times harder than either pan.

I have several older and slightly warped crepe pans. They work just fine sitting on a disk I cut out of a silicon potholder.

I'm very happy with the Tramontina tri ply 5 qt Dutch oven I bought recently. It makes a very soft hum only on boost or high initially, but the sound goes away as the pan achieves uniform temp. Lovely pan -- light, evenly balanced, pretty, cooks great, a useful size.

@ J H We find ourselves in a similar situation and are curious about the induction brand you chose. Are you satisfied with it, or have you noticed any buzzing sounds?

I may have commented in here before but the answer is induction. It’s like asking about washing clothes in a laundry tub or In a machine. I’m used to the laundry tub with washboard and that’s how my mom does it… Induction is so much better- just the cleanup is enough for me. I have gas in my summer house (for now) and induction in my primary. I try so hard to get my clients to switch to induction, some still grasp onto gas because it’s what they are used to or it’s more ‘luxury’.

HALLETT & Co. -- Yes, induction is the way to go. Been using induction since 2017 and would never go back.

There’s one major caveat with induction — it can interfere with medical devices like pacemakers if you have one.

If you are living in a place where power outage happens multiple times a year and each outage last for days, then gas is a no brainer.

If this is a kitchen just for show and cosmetic is top priority, then get the best looking flat glass top stove, and do’t use it. otherwise, eventually it will scratch.

There is a strong progressive movement to ban everything that uses hydrocarbon fuel, including the clean burning natural gas. Get gas before the government outlaw gas stoves. Like in WA laws are getting passed to stop new construction to connect to gas altogether.

Even with higher efficiency, induction cannot match the raw firepower of gas stove for high heat, fast cooking style. I got the Wolf and never regret about it.

Electric can be installed later. Add a 50 A circuit for stove when remodeling just in case.

Tom Y -- Hasn't scratched in over six years, and I use it daily. Most of the firepower in a gas stove goes into the kitchen.

Any one of you have any experience with the Wolf 24” (CI243TF/S )Transitional Framed Induction Cooktop? We are sensitive to loud sounds and are concerned about the buzzing noise it might produce.

@Tony Y: I have an LG induction range. The cooktop has no scratches and I don't baby it.

We are installing gas and induction both and have a limited space, our options are only Gaggenau and Wolf 😊

For firepower comparisons, multiply the induction hob power (W) by 8.5 for equivalent gas burner power (BTUh). This ratio tries to account for differences in energy transfer. "The Induction Site" may have an updated number.

I don't personally have any experience with significant buzzing noises with my pans and my Frigidaire/Kenmore (Electrolux) induction cooktops. As best I can infer from messages here over the past decade or so the buzzing seems related to pan vs. surface rattle, or pan base layers not well bonded. Silicone pads may ameliorate the former, and different brand pans the latter.

With respect to power outages lasting days, I think the refrigerator contents in warm weather and household temperature in cold weather dominate the issue list over surface cooking given the wide availability of outdoor grills. So those with electric kitchens, electrically controlled furnaces, and adequate yard space might want to consider a motor-generator set with automatic transfer switch.

off topic --

When you receive a notification and click "see comment", does it go to the actual comment or does it go to the top of the discussion? For me, it goes to the top of this page and I have to manually scroll down to the end. :(

sunarakaa -- Mine is the 36" Wolf.

anoop -- It annoyingly only goes to the top of the discussion.

Expected the induction fans to come back and defend. I provide my feedback based on years of 8+ years of experience of using both in residential peoperties. There’s no way to not scratch cooktop unless the top is made of diamonds. Putting a silicon mat risk melting it when seasoning the pan, which is going to make a huge mess. and who knows whats going to release into the air when heating up plastic?

the cast iron coating is much better hiding the blemishes.

sure 60% or so of heat goes to the air when using gas stove, but it still cheaper to run in most places, and it still have more power.

People can hookup a fridge to an emergency generator. it draws around 2kw MAX and use 110v. A stove that uses electiric needs a circuit at least 30A 240V, some needs 50A. A typical house emergency generator can provide 50A. the electric stove is going to compete with other circuits when doing the panel planning and when actually getting used during emergency. And for homes that uses powerwall as backup? good luck.

remember a large amount of electricity is still produced by coal, which burns even dirtier. using electricity may seem cleaner at home, it just push the pollution to somewhere else.

let me know if I’m missing something.

This is becoming like a gas vs electric car debate. :)

Maybe we need a hybrid solution here too!!

@sunarakaa: "We are installing gas and induction both and have a limited space, our options are only Gaggenau and Wolf"

No, Jenn-Air Custom Cooktops can include gas and induction modules.

21" deep cooktops can be combined as shown in this table:

@Jerry Jorgenson - did you also
notice buzzing sound ?

RE Buzzing, my Miele Induction from 2010 had a low hum and buzzed a bit if there were multiple pans on the stove. The new Thermador Freedom has a very soft hum (I have to get my ear right to the cooktop to hear it, not something I usually do) and I have heard no buzzing at all with up to 5 pans on it. Mix of Demeyere, Staub, LeCreuset, and Tramontina cookware. Also, the glass does seem a bit tougher on the Thermador than it was on the Miele. 13 years of hard use on the Miele left it in very good, though not pristine shape. In about 4-ish months of use on the Thermador, it's still pristine and really seems to take hard use with ease. I don't baby my cooktop--but I do take care not to slide pans across salt or anything like that. I'm sure that's what scratched the Miele. I'm not sure it would bother the Thermador, but I'm not willing to find out on purpose. :-)

Logic, perhaps?

My 20 kW generator once supported a neighbor's party when the power went off and the party moved to my house, operating my 36-inch induction cooktop, wall oven(s), refrigerators, numerous lights, furnace, etc. Peak possible power for which the cooking equipment is wired is not typical usage. At 18 kW and 240 Vac, 75A is available. I do have my air conditioners, dryer, and air compressor drop out when on the generator.

Cost of gas vs. electricity may be relevant to heating, but few cook 24/7 where the price might possibly matter. Perspective suggests that the imputed interest on the cost of a kitchen renovation is one's highest cost over the next decade or two.

Gas operation at the cooktop without cooktop ventilation (because the power is off) is less healthy than whatever floats by from a remote coal plant, particularly if the (high end) gas cooktop surpasses the heat output of the candidate induction cooktop. In any case, my electricity sources are dominated by gas and nuclear.

Pan seasoning is best done in the oven if the handle is suitable.

A few days ago I experimentally seared a steak on my HexClad griddle pan while I observed the smoke paths into the hood, and found that by the time I was done cooking I had slagged the three silicone pads I had supported the pan with. (Pan temperature was higher than optimal, I think.) There was no mess on the Ceran, merely a film that wiped off. I cut out replacement pads today. That type of abuse should probably be done without silicone pads, or with ceramic pads.

*****************

After following a link to a thread and landing at the top, the "end" key will get one to the bottom where scrolling up will lead to the recent comments.

Happy Friday! Let's BURN some time :) If I were the person who created this post, I'd be like... why on earth are these guys still arguing after 2 years? LOL.

The logic is very simple:

Not everyone has a gigantic backup generator.

When the law prohibits gas, gas availability becomes a value-added feature of a house.

60% of US electricity is generated from coal (20%) and natural gas (40%)

Woah wait... did I say natural gas is the top energy source of electricity?? Yes, that's the case for the US. So burning gas at 40% efficiency at the power plant to get electricity and then getting 90% efficiency at the induction doesn't seem to save anything. The math shows it's even less efficient than burning gas directly for heating (cooking).

For me, I was stuck with electric for 20 years before switching back to gas, and I never regret about it.

Everyone's cooking method is different. Carbon/stainless steel pans need to be preheated HOT and seasoned every time so they become nonstick. It's not the kind of seasoning that's done in the oven. BTW, some people just refuse to use nonstick pans coated with "forever chemicals" that flakes into the food and release toxic chemicals at high temperature.

No one should install an under-sized ventilation system that doesn't match the stove, regardless of what stove to use. If the ventilation system can suck up the smoke, it can suck up the CO2 as well. For people with compromised respiration system, sure they should pay extra attention. But for the rest, we are just cooking food, not meth.

Okay, I've said enough, and I should retire from this. I have better things to do. People who read this have my warnings. For people who disagree, enjoy your electric stove.

Before I go, I highly recommend this for people who do stir fry or need to heat up a big pot of liquid. It can do both on the big burner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DRGUiVWsqs

Tom: this is a subject that is timeless these days. It is a subject that many who are replacing cooktops will look up on Houzz. And like any discussion, everyone, including the person who created the post, has the ability to stop seeing the comments That said, thank you for your post It contained good information. i am one of thise who continue to follow this thread because although I prefer gas, we have a lake house that has an electric cook top (the absolute worse option in my opinion), we have no access to gas, and to add induction will result in the need to add more electric capacity to the house. As the last is probably the way we will go, any information I read in this discussion is welcome.

@ wdccruise- I didn’t here good things about this( Jenn-Air) brand.

"...feedback based on years of 8+ years of experience of using both in residential peoperties. There’s no way to not scratch cooktop unless the top is made of diamonds. "

Well then, I don't know how my two sisters-in-law & I, over the course of 20 years, have managed not to scratch our glass cooktops. One SIL still has her 20-year-old JennAir radiant top which still looks pristine. The other's is about 10 years old, but she fed six kids using it. I had a JennAir radiant for 17 years, & now a Wolf induction for 3 years: no scratches despite my fondness for antique cast iron cookware. If it makes a difference, we have only owned glass cooktops made of Schott Ceran, which evidently is quite durable.

@awm03 - which model of wolf do you own? Any loud buzzing noise?

I own a 30 inch Wolf cooktop, the previous model to the current one. No noise to speak of. A few pots make a quiet tsssk noise at first, but I can't hear it if food starts to sizzle or bubble or if I turn the vent on. I cook with cast iron a lot, so no buzzing.

I like my Wolf very much. Not fussy about pan size, controls aren't fiddly, nice temp range & control, great hob placement.

@awm03 - what is the model no of your wolf please?

Wolf CI 304 CB
https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/CI304CB.html