Induction Hobs

Leory

The house we are buying has an induction hob - what are the benefits and negatives to this?

i know you need special pans - are they very expensive to buy?

Meepster

Benefits - more responsive and quicker to cook on than even gas hobs. Safer as they don't heat up, only the pan which is in contact with it. This also reduces the energy consumption.

Negatives - you need to use a pan which has a base made from iron (or at least an alloy) but these can be picked up quite cheaply

fitshase

Any magnetic pan will work on an induction hob. Most of our pans worked and they are stainless steel. Not expensive at all.

Control and speed are a major advantage of the induction hob. Easy to clean as it all just one bit of glass with touch controls. Not sure about the one you are looking at but mine has timers on each "ring" so I can time them to switch off at different times.

I wouldn't go back to any other type of hob.

Leory

Thanks for replies,

So not every stainless steel one will work - just magnetic ones?
if so is the easiest way to check to take a magnet whilst shopping for them?

fitshase

Yes - take a magnet along with you.

Also, have a look on pan boxes or labels as they normally say "suitable for all types of hob including induction" when they work and "suitable for all types of hob excluding induction" when they don't.

sphrp2

They have the easy to clean advantage of electric with controllability of gas. We had one put in because we have a small kitchen and we can use the hob as extra work surface when not cooking.

TBH I think gas is more responsive because even though the surface isn't heated it gets a bit hot because a pan full of hot liquid has been sitting on it (if you see what I mean).

I wouldn't avoid one, but I wouldn't replace a gas hob with one as the only real advantage I've experienced is having more work space.

Our bog standard pans work on it (do the magnet test!)

lovethymini

Induction hobs are very energy efficient, and when you take the pan off there is minimal heat residue, making it very safe. I was very impressed with the speed that it heats up and cools down. We bought an inexpensive pan set which was fine, and the next kitchen I fit will have an induction hob.

totalsolutions

The kitchen also does not get warm during cooking sessions as there is less radiant heat loss around the pans heating the air making the room hotter, IYSWIM. Our induction also has timers to turn itself ON, a memory program to cook from, and switch OFF again, child locks, no boiling over and no spills get burnt in, as there is no heat from the glass top.

Negatives - you may need an extra mains power circuit for the larger models.

theonlywayisup

I know this is a plug in portable induction hob, but this will give you a good idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fww2h9hRCzo

We have induction and I would now not go back to anything else.

It is safer, cheaper to run and much much cleaner.

Edit, just a quick look at the bay for induction pans http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=judge+induction+pans there are probably thousands on there, but they are no dearer than normal pans and as has been said, if your current pans attract a magnet, then you won't have any problems using them. I use cast iron.

pimento

This won'ty apply to the OP but anyone thinking of having one should be aware that a certain amount of clearance is required if you want to install one above a built under oven. Most built under ovens are too close to your worktop to have enough clearance (from memory I think this is about 6.5cm) between the top of the oven and the bottom of the hob.
This was the reason I couldn't have one and I was a bit miffed.