Building a house: Which cooktop? radiant or induction

[Roger Feeley]

We are building an all-electric house and are considering an induction cooktop. Two questions:

1. Do you have experience with induction and how do you like it? I already know that I will have to replace my cookware.

2. What do you think about the flat glass cooktop? Does it scratch? I think I would really like being able to clean that flat glass.

[Larry Browning]

I cannot answer question #1, but on #2 we have a glass cooktop and really like it. We built our house 20 years ago and the cooktop looks as good today as it did when we got it. We also have one in our rent house that does not look as good. Not really that bad, but it has dark stains around the most used burners that won't come clean. I believe the difference is just basic house keeping by cleaning the cooktop after each use. Most messes can be cleaned up with a sponge and cooked on stuff easily comes off with a razor blade scraper. We have never had a problem with scratches, even the one at the rent house have very few scratches.

[Bruce Volden]

I have a "glass" cook top and so far NO scratches. There are however, MANY cooked on looking scuff marks!
There is no way I have found to remove them##!! I am looking into induction also as it is very fast in coming into heat
and would serve great for pasta making, canning. The glass top also looks like the "scuff" marks are under the glass.
There is no way of removing them!!!!!
If you go induction, you have to use a ferrous pan/pot/skillet.
But then again I am not finicky as I like to cook and eat! So whichever way you choose to go I'm certain you will
be satisfied.
I REALLY LOVE cooking on my wood burning stove which also heat the house!

Bruce

[James Baker SD]

I would prefer a gas cooktop as it spreads the heat on almost any type of cookware. Instant on and instant off. However, the builders of the house decided gas was for the furnace on the opposite end of the house. Kitchen was originally all electric with a downdraft cooktop with coiled burners and rotating knobs. We did a lot of frying and the grease splatters were heck to clean up, especially on the fan's grill, around the knobs and under the coils. When two the controls died (too old for replacements) we went with an overhead vent fan (downdraft did not catch anything) and an smooth glass induction cooktop.

1. hated to lose my copper pans, but did so. I find that thin steel cookware tends to mimic the location of the induction coils under the glass creating hot spots in the pans and often burnt food over those locations. Ended up with many heavy enameled cast iron cookware which spreads the heat well. Induction is as close to instant on/off as gas would have been with these cast iron simply do to their mass. All in all I am satisfied with the performance of the induction cooktop and just for the memories, polish my copper pans now and then.

2. cleanup is a breeze to get to a presentable, if not perfect, level. Surface is completely flat with touch pads for heat control. Soapy sponge does a pretty good job. Glass cooktop cleaner does a better job, but kind of hard to get all streaks removed. In just the right light angle, there are some blotches that are hard to remove, but under most lighting cannot see them.

3. I did chip a small piece of glass out of one side edge. It was a stupid freak accident that I doubt you need to worry about. I am very careful to not drop the cast iron on the top as I am sure it would shatter. I have not scratched it yet and it is about 4 years old. I think outright breakage is a bigger risk than scratching.

4. Would I buy induction again? No, if I was willing to pay a plumber to run gas to the kitchen island (not a small, easy job). Yes, if I am was staying with electric.

P.S. I also have a modular little cooktop in the island. It is usually configured as a grill, but also has griddle, coil, and halogen radiant modules. I prefer the induction of the main cooktop to the halogen radiant burners

[Andrew DiLorenzo]

I can put on the water for a cup of tea, get a teabag and put it in the cup. By then the water is boiling -- that fast. One has to see it to believe it, as my wife did not believe it after seeing it!

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Our glass cooktop is 16 years old, and looks like the day we bought it.
Doesn't scratch at all, and burnt on stains cleanup fairly easily with cooktop cleaner. It's sort of a liquid rubbing compound, and can take a little elbow grease on thick spills.
But for the most part, it cleans up fine with windex.

[Brian Elfert]

My mother got a glass top range recently because the old range died and part was not available. She likes it, but she hates keeping the top clean. Regular cleaners just make the top look streaky. She has to use a special cleaner supplied with the range to get the top clean.

[Roger Feeley]

Many thanks to all that replied. My wife and I grew up with electric stoves. Our last one was gas and we liked it.

Our new house is really an in-law 'pool house' on our daughters land. It would have gas only for the cooktop and the contractor would have to run pipe underground about 150'. I didn't ask for an exact estimate because I suspected that the price would be high. I just asked if running the line would be over $3K (northern VA) and he said 'oh yeah'.

So, is a gas cooktop worth an extra $3K+ to me? No.

I looked up cookware and the most expensive All-Clad set is about $1200 on Amazon.

I think we have a consensus that the glass surface is fine but you have to take care of it and not drop things. There also seems to be agreement that, if you have the right cookware, induction rules.

Again, thanks. I knew the creekers would come through for me.

[Michael Weber]

Don't try to separate a package of frozen hamburger patties by slamming it down on a glass top range. DAMHIKT:(:(:(

[Don Kondra]

I purchased a new glass top range a year ago, hated it.

You can't fry an egg without having to clean the top, every little thing shows..

But more importantly, the heat isn't consistent. The heating elements pulse on and off and over time the temperature climbs. Simmering sauces means you slowly have to turn the heat down until the element is almost at off.

Sold the darn thing and purchased a new - old style coil element version with a convection fan, couldn't be happier :)

Cheers, Don

[Thomas Hotchkin]

I do not do much of the cooking in out home. But when the grand kids are here I do make pancakes, on her glass induction cook top. I do like my old cast iron fry pan to make them in. I just place a paper towel between glass cook top and pan, no clean up and no scratches.

[Ruperto Mendiones]

After 4 months of induction cooking with new All Clad pans I remain impressed. The surrounding area does not heat up. The heat levels are totally consistent from day to day [with gas I could not duplicate the consistency--not even close]. Glass top takes some more effort to clean relative to a gas stove. However [may not be recommended practice] I find that a sheet of brown paper bag material on the cooktop takes most of the splashes and splatters and does not interfere with heating.

[Roger Feeley]

Don,

Was that a radiant cooktop or induction.
Also, can you recall the brand? Model is probably too much to ask.


I purchased a new glass top range a year ago, hated it.

You can't fry an egg without having to clean the top, every little thing shows..

But more importantly, the heat isn't consistent. The heating elements pulse on and off and over time the temperature climbs. Simmering sauces means you slowly have to turn the heat down until the element is almost at off.

Sold the darn thing and purchased a new - old style coil element version with a convection fan, couldn't be happier :)

Cheers, Don

[Jim Laumann]

Speaking on behalf of wifelet - she wouldn't have a glass top. She cans (preservation of food in glass jars - so why is it called canning? ;) ) and glass tops w/ a canner full of jars and hot water won't cut it....

[Mike Ontko]

Speaking on behalf of wifelet - she wouldn't have a glass top. She cans (preservation of food in glass jars - so why is it called canning? ;) ) and glass tops w/ a canner full of jars and hot water won't cut it....

I was just having a conversation about this issue yesterday--water bath canners can concentrate too much heat on the surface of the cooktop and there's presumably a risk of cracking or damaging the surface as a result. I think most owner manuals for glass top stoves provide a caution for this situation. For that reason, I do all my canning in the garage/shop using a Coleman cook stove.

Cleaning the surface of splatters and spills needs to be a regular thing. There are glass top cleaning products available that make the process relatively easy--just scrape off any burned on residue with a razor then squirt a little cleaner on, wipe and buff.

[Don Kondra]

Don,

Was that a radiant cooktop or induction.
Also, can you recall the brand? Model is probably too much to ask.

Radiant elements, Kenmore 30" self clean smooth top range from Sears...

332093

Cheers, Don

[Roger Feeley]

I'm looking at the manual for the cooktop and they have a special section on canning. They say it can be done.

Are you speaking about the weight being too much? We don't do canning and probably never will but you never know what we will be doing. Last summer we learned metal spinning metal and how to make soap.


Speaking on behalf of wifelet - she wouldn't have a glass top. She cans (preservation of food in glass jars - so why is it called canning? ;) ) and glass tops w/ a canner full of jars and hot water won't cut it....

Here's the text from the manual on canning:
Canning can be performed on the induction cooktop. See the
“Cookware” section to check if the canner will work on the
induction cooktop. When canning for long periods, alternate the
use of surface cooking areas or elements between batches. This
allows time for the most recently used areas to cool.
■ Center the canner on the largest surface cooking area or
element. On electric cooktops, canners should not extend
more than ¹⁄₂" (1.3 cm) beyond the surface cooking area or
element.

■ Do not place canner on 2 surface cooking areas or elements at
the same time.
■ On ceramic glass models, use only flat-bottomed canners to
avoid damage to the cooktop and elements.
■ For more information, contact your local agricultural extension
office, or refer to published home canning guides. Companies
that manufacture home canning products can also offer
assistance.

[Roger Feeley]

I'll be. I wasn't expecting that to be a problem. I would think that blackening chicken would impart much more heat. Maybe it's the fact that you have to warm such a huge volume of water. A radiant element would really have to run hot to produce that many BTU's. Following that train of logic, an induction cooktop might be different. Heating a lot of something would just mean that you up the voltage to the coils. You don't have to heat an element any hotter but you are causing the bottom of the canner to get hot.

This is interesting. Like I said, we don't can but we do make big pots of soup and chili for the week. Generally, I start them out on the cooktop and then move them to the oven for simmering because I never could get a good simmer on our gas cooktop (or any other).

[James Baker SD]

Roger,
We have 2 All Clad frypans. While they clean up easy (ours are the non stick versions) both are thin enough that they tend to warp when they got hot presenting a convex cooking surface (high in the center). I still use oil when cooking even with non stick, but in these the oil all runs to the sides of pan. This experience, admittedly only with a sample of 2, is what led me to the Le Creuset cast iron cookware. I am very happy with it.

[James Baker SD]

As I wrote in my original reply, I also have the modular grill cooktop. I have a heavy duty coil burner for it just for the purpose of canning. My induction cooktop manual warns against canning.

[Jim Koepke]

When we had a gas stove life was good. We now live in an all electric house. Our electric stove is getting to the point of being time for replacement. I am seriously considering the cost of installing a gas cylinder in order to have our new stove run on gas.

jtk

[Graham Wintersgill]

Roger

My mother has an induction hob from Ikea (so probably a rebadged Hotpoint/Whirlpool) and while it seems to cook okay actually using it annoys me intensely. It has touch control rather than knobs which always seem unresponsive which makes it awkward to control and has a habit of turning everything off, maybe I would get used to it if I used it more often. It has warning beeps if you place something on it. Yes the splatters show up but are easily cleaned. Cookware was also bought from Ikea so not too expensive. If I had to get one I would check the user interface.

Regards

Graham

[Mike Null]

Having spent my working career in the appliance business it might surprise you to learn that we were selling induction cooktops as far back as the 60's.

If you are inclined to cook like a "chef" then a gas stove top is mandatory. But gas is dirtier, much more difficult to clean and can leave some gas odors. The advantages of instant, well distributed heat are undeniable. There is a caveat: in order to do such things as canning you must have higher btu burners. So if considering gas check on the btu specs of the stove top.

We have used a glasstop electric stove for about 20 years. It doesn't look like brand new but it looks surprisingly good for a 20 year old range. As you might imagine, precise control is not achievable with an electric range but experience is a good teacher and you can cook quite well, as millions do, with an electric range. In terms of cleaning nothing matches a smooth top range.

I could have had an induction range anytime but chose not to get one because of the need for new cookware and mostly the need to learn to cook all over again. Heating element control is even more of a challenge with this type of product. Incidentally, one of the issues with early models was radio wave interference.

FWIW, electric ovens are the superior oven choice for all baking because of superior heat distribution and temperature control.

[Jim Laumann]

Roger

I can only tell you what I learned from the wife. We remodeled the kitchen in 2009, and as part of that remodel, she go new everything - cabinets, appliances, wiring, plumbing, floor, you name it.

When we went for the appliances, the dealer tried to steer us to a glass top stove (she will not use gas). When she asked about canning (she uses the large blue porcelain (water bath) canners and pressure cookers), the dealer took us to the conventional electric stoves. They had control knobs, and the ability to swap out burners for ones that sit higher on the surface - allows the stove surface to stay a bit cooler).

She has two pressure canners, and w/ both of them are quite heavy when loaded full w/ jars and water. She likes me to be around when she does that sort of thing just to help w/ the lifting of the canners on/off the stove.

Maybe you can do it w/ smaller pots, but I'd say that based on the wife uses - you'd have trouble.

For what it's worth....

Jim

[Roger Feeley]

I remember the gas odors from when I was a kid. Back in the days of pilot lights, you could walk into a house and tell instantly whether they cooked with gas. We had electric in our house.

Our stovetop in our last house (gas) never gave off any odors so that doesn't scare me. I think if you smell gas these days, you have a faulty part or something.

I'm in total agreement about a gas top being a pain to clean. I do the kitchen cleaning and that's a big driver of my desire for a glass top.

Our choices are all electric because gas is simply too expensive to run. It's really down to radiant or induction. Our cookware is all kind of old and funky anyway so I'm sort of looking for an excuse to replace it with something nicer. I will miss my cast iron if it turns out to be unsuitable. I won't know until we unpack it.

There seems to be wide disagreement about induction (cookware aside). Some folks love it and others hate it. I'm thinking that, coming from gas, I'm going to be a bit more in the love it camp. I'm used to the instant adjustment of gas and I should get that same adjustment with induction. As to adjustability, I agree with you that knobs would be very nice. I'm not a fan of numbers. The human brain is essentially analog and we just don't do well with digital adjustment unless we are trying to match a setting. My ideal would be a knob with a digital readout. Best of both worlds.


Having spent my working career in the appliance business it might surprise you to learn that we were selling induction cooktops as far back as the 60's.

If you are inclined to cook like a "chef" then a gas stove top is mandatory. But gas is dirtier, much more difficult to clean and can leave some gas odors. The advantages of instant, well distributed heat are undeniable. There is a caveat: in order to do such things as canning you must have higher btu burners. So if considering gas check on the btu specs of the stove top.

We have used a glasstop electric stove for about 20 years. It doesn't look like brand new but it looks surprisingly good for a 20 year old range. As you might imagine, precise control is not achievable with an electric range but experience is a good teacher and you can cook quite well, as millions do, with an electric range. In terms of cleaning nothing matches a smooth top range.

I could have had an induction range anytime but chose not to get one because of the need for new cookware and mostly the need to learn to cook all over again. Heating element control is even more of a challenge with this type of product. Incidentally, one of the issues with early models was radio wave interference.

FWIW, electric ovens are the superior oven choice for all baking because of superior heat distribution and temperature control.

[James Baker SD]

Roger:

I have never heard of any cast iron failing to work with induction. The electrons in iron are pretty free to move when subjected to a magnetic field. Some steels, mostly stainless steels may fail to work (or heat very slowly) with induction as their electrons are less free. Aluminum, copper and glass all fail as they are not magnetic. Laminated pans like All Clad, tend to have an iron or soft steel layer somewhere in the inside to respond to induction cooktops even if they have a hard stainless cooking surface for the food.

Our digital readout on the induction allows 10 settings, that is pretty fine resolution.

Only downside I see to induction (cookware aside), and it may apply to radiant cooktops as well, is if a single element dies it may be difficult to have the unit repaired, then you buy a new one or live with 3 heaters. Coil burners are certainly easier to replace and it is hard to imagine how gas could fail. I will take that risk because of the ease of cleanup as I am also the one responsible for cleaning the kitchen.

[Roger Feeley]

Thanks again,

We will certainly give the cast iron a try before adopting it out. I will be looking for flat bottoms that will work well with induction and not make funny buzzy noises. I will also make darn sure that the bottoms are smooth so I don't mess up the glass. I suspect that some pans will be ready to go and others may need some remediation.

Most of my CI is over 100 years old so I don't expect perfection.


Roger:

I have never heard of any cast iron failing to work with induction. The electrons in iron are pretty free to move when subjected to a magnetic field. Some steels, mostly stainless steels may fail to work (or heat very slowly) with induction as their electrons are less free. Aluminum, copper and glass all fail as they are not magnetic. Laminated pans like All Clad, tend to have an iron or soft steel layer somewhere in the inside to respond to induction cooktops even if they have a hard stainless cooking surface for the food.

Our digital readout on the induction allows 10 settings, that is pretty fine resolution.

Only downside I see to induction (cookware aside), and it may apply to radiant cooktops as well, is if a single element dies it may be difficult to have the unit repaired, then you buy a new one or live with 3 heaters. Coil burners are certainly easier to replace and it is hard to imagine how gas could fail. I will take that risk because of the ease of cleanup as I am also the one responsible for cleaning the kitchen.

[Judson Green]

I had a client that somehow melted a small hole in her glass cooktop. i dont know how she did it. remember that the company wouldn't replace it under warranty

[Jim Becker]

If you cannot do gas...which is IMHO the best for cooking (although electric ovens are preferable for that function)...then go induction and don't look back. Induction gives you most of the fine control with timely response you have with gas but with electrical power. Any other form of electrical cook tops are marginal at best at providing any kind of consistent cooking capability and are slow to respond to temperature changes. That can compromise the cooking experience, especially with delicate operations.

I wouldn't give up gas for anything if I have the choice, but if I had to move to electric for some reason someday, induction would be it. I'm a "serious" foodie when it comes to cooking and provide more than half of the meals for my family weekly.

[Peter Kelly]

Lot of info in induction if you decide to go that route: http://theinductionsite.com
The Yale Appliance blog is also a great resource about appliances in general: http://blog.yaleappliance.com/most-powerful-induction-cooktops

I tried out my brother's induction top a while back and didn't particularly care for the feel of it but lots of people who own them rave about them. My main concern with induction is the longevity of the electronic components which all seem to flake out after not too long. Replacement of a burnt circuit board typically equals a totally new (expensive) induction range or cooktop.

Going to bite the bullet and get an electronics-free Bluestar (http://www.bluestarcooking.com/products/cooktops/cooktops-details) cooktop for my upcoming kitchen remodel. Should outlast me.

[Kev Williams]

about 2 years ago we picked up a new JennAir 5 burner ceramic top stove, with a $1745 price tag--- for $240. White. You want to talk 'clean after every use', a white stove wins! - or loses ;)...

I found out $2.35 a bottle Bar Keepers Friend liquid cleanser works exactly like $7 a bottle Cermabrite. While it dirties up fast, it's pretty easy to clean.

We also have one of those induction cooktops from the TV ads. I use it quite a bit, and I like it! But I've found some interesting anomalies with induction- The cookware that comes with it, takes a bit of time to get hot, but the temperature you set is quite accurate. The on/off cycles of the electro-mag corresponds perfectly with the size and thickness of THEIR cookware. It's nice once you get use to it. However-- put a cheap $4 dollar 22 gauge steel frying pan on the thing, and it goes nuclear! Almost every moring I cook a pair of frozen spicy sausage patties in the microwave. 1 minute gets them done enough to eat, but I like to brown them. And this is the procedure: Microwave beeps, I turn on nuclear frypan. Turn around, remove 2 patties from microwave, turn around, put in pan. They sizzle and smoke immediately. Turn sausage before 10 seconds pass, remove from pan before another 10 seconds pass. If you go just 15 seconds, it'll burn it. No fooling. It's literally less than 30 seconds from "on" to both sides nice and brown. A half a cup of room temp water will start to boil in 8 seconds. It's amazing! Cheap thin steel pans get hot FAST! Renders the temp settings, and most cooking in general useless. Use the good pans! :)

But as much as I like how induction cooking works in general, I don't think I'd want it to be my ONLY form of cooking...

[Jim Becker]

Kev, you point out a good point for induction cooking (actually for ANY cooking, but...) and that's quality of the cookware can make a huge difference. Buying "cheap" cookware is like buying "cheap" tools (which they actually are)... ;)

[Val Kosmider]

Three years into induction and like it VERY much.

There is a gizmo which you can only buy on the internet which you place on your induction "burner" and then place a non metallic pan on top. Comes in two different sizes and works very well. Cookware places just look at you when you ask about it.

Linky: http://www.amazon.com/Max-Burton-6010-Induction-Heat-Proof/dp/B00213L3PK

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1359-induction-interface-disks

[Roger Feeley]

I'll be. I never knew these existed. I guess if you are really attached to some non-ferrous pan...
It's great to know about this but I will pass. I think I would rather replace my cookware. Besides, I am hearing that there is a pretty good chance my antique cast iron will be just fine. Other than that, I have very few pans to which I am attached.


Three years into induction and like it VERY much.

There is a gizmo which you can only buy on the internet which you place on your induction "burner" and then place a non metallic pan on top. Comes in two different sizes and works very well. Cookware places just look at you when you ask about it.

Linky: http://www.amazon.com/Max-Burton-6010-Induction-Heat-Proof/dp/B00213L3PK

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1359-induction-interface-disks

[Jim Becker]

Yes, your cast iron should work very nicely with induction. And "most" quality cookware available today is induction capable. While I don't use induction (gas for me), the Zwilling ceramic non-stick cookware I've recently moved to supports it, AFAIK.