Since the advent of fire, humans have taken much interest in cooking. Over some time, the cooking methods kept changing. Initially, food was cooked on a fire and wood. Then came the gas stoves, electric stoves, induction cooktop, microwaves, and ovens. There are various types of food and they required specific cooking methodologies. All the mentioned cooking modes help you cook food conveniently. However, induction-cooking technology is considered as fast and eco-friendly.
The induction cooktop passes instant heat to the cookware; hence, your food gets cooked quickly. The heat is evenly distributed around the cookware and therefore, there is no wastage of energy. When you cook food using an induction cooktop, there are hardly any spillovers or overboils. That way, your cooktop remains clean and the little leftovers can be cleaned away easily. Most of the induction cooktops are equipped with settings that allow you to preset before cooking various items. The cooking is done efficiently and without any hurdles. Induction is one of the sophisticated and proficient modes of cooking. It is a modern way of cooking food quickly.
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How does the induction cooktop work?
Induction is quite different from other types of heating sources. In this process, the cookware gets heated through induction. The main element of the induction cooktop is a coil of copper wire through which alternating electric current runs. This creates an oscillating magnetic field. The field and resistance of the cookware cause the cookware to get heated up. The mechanism is the same as that of your charger. Induction cooktops are more responsive than the traditional cooktops because the heat changes instantly.
Just as the microwave uses micro-energy waves and electric stoves use radiant heat, the same way, induction uses electromagnetism to get the food cooked inside the pot. The electromagnetic reaction happens between the burner and the cookware. That is why if there is no cookware kept over the induction base and the cooktop is switched on, it will not generate any heat. A specific type of cookware is required to cook food in an induction. That is because; only a magnetic pan will be able to make the electromagnetic reaction with the induction cooktop. Cookwares made up of magnetic stainless steel and cast iron are the ones that can be used on an induction cooktop.
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How to quickly check if your cookware is induction ready?
First and the foremost thing that you should check is whether the base of your cookware is flat enough to fire up the cooktop. Another good way to check the credibility of the cookware is by checking whether the base can hold on to a magnet. If you find the base is magnetic, it is a perfect fit for your induction cooktop. Many of the new brands of cookware have a small coil on it to show that it is induction ready. Whenever you plan to shift your cooking mode to induction, you should grab some of the induction safe cookware for the efficient results. Investment in cookware is one of the tips to get the cooking right.
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Advantages of induction cooking
There are several advantages that induction cooking offers. Some of the prominent ones are mentioned below:
Fast cooking – The heating process of an induction cooktop is instant and direct to the cookware. This increases the responsiveness and you end up cooking extremely fast. Induction has always won against the traditional electric coils and gas cooking stoves. When you have sudden guests at your place or are struggling to fight the morning hurdles, induction would save lots of your time.
It is energy efficient – With induction, there is no wastage of energy during the process of transferring heat from the stove to the cookware. That is the reason you must have noticed that your kitchen does not get heated up when you cooking with an induction cooktop. The gas stoves are famous for making the kitchen warm as chunks of heat is emitted from the stove to the entire room instead of directly transmitting to the pot or pan.
It is accurate – Many of the latest models of induction stoves have preset temperatures on them. This allows you to get the right temperature set at the time of cooking. The induction heating is directly proportional to the flow of electricity and that is why the heat transfer is accurate and highly responsive. When you have the right temperature for cooking, you can cook and relish the desired flavor.
It is safe – Induction doesn’t have any naked flames, also it doesn’t heat up without the cookware over it. This feature makes the cooktop safer than the other traditional cooktops. With the induction, you can create a safe environment in the kitchen, especially when the kids and pets are around. Even when the children are interested to get involved in cooking, they can do it safely without any worry.
It is portable – Induction cooktops are portable and that is why it is not always required to use it as the traditional cooktops. You can carry the induction anywhere you want to. As the base does not heat up like the other cooktops, this can be used on any surfaces and can be stored away easily. This can be easily carried for outdoor picnics and long travel journeys.
Easy to be cleaned – The induction cooktops come with a smooth glass surface and they can be wiped off easily with a paper napkin. The plain surface allows you to clean it easily. As the surface does not heat up unnecessarily and instantly cools down after switching it off, you can clean the surface as soon as you are done with cooking. When you clean it instantly after cooking, you do not allow the burns to stick to the surface forever.
Fewer spills and burns – When you cook food on regular cooktops, you always have the fear of milk getting spilled over or the food getting burnt if you are not near the stove. With induction, you do not have to worry about it. You can set the required temperature and can relax. Neither will your food get burnt, nor is the milk spilled over. This leaves you with less work of cleaning up after each cooking session.
Stylish look – With the latest technology, the induction cooktops have taken a big leap in terms of design and look. Their design gives a beautiful look to your kitchen by blending seamlessly into the decor of your kitchen. You will find the inductions of various shapes and colors available in the market. You should get the one that you feel would complement the other appliances present in your kitchen.
Nature friendly – The traditional gas cooktops emit gases like nitrogen oxides. This increases the air pollution inside your home, which is strictly not good for your health. The electric ones also emit some harmful particulates that again goes against your health. When you cook with an induction cooktop, you are not exposed to any harmful pollution and can keep up your good health.
The performance is consistent – The induction is equipped with the facility to preset the temperature setting. When you can control the temperature manually, you can lessen the risk of overcooking and undercooking. The even flow of the heat helps you to cook the food quickly and issue consistent results. The food is prepared as expected. It also saves much of your energy and cut down the electricity bill.
Disadvantages of induction cooking
Induction cooking is a great option, however, every good thing has its pros and cons. Some of the disadvantages of induction cooking are mentioned below:
It is expensive – The induction cooktops are generally expensive than the traditional cooktops. That is because it built up with the latest technology. Therefore, buying an induction cooktop would be a good investment. You might not be always prepared financially to buy the induction cooktop. As it is an expensive investment, always try to get the one after much research.
Special cookware is required – Buying an induction stove is not sufficient. You also have to buy a special kind of cooktop for cooking efficiently. Not all the cookwares are compatible with the induction base. You have to understand that you need cookware that has magnetic cookware to cook on an induction. Therefore, it will again be an investment to buy the cookware that will work with induction.
Electricity is always required – The gas stoves are not dependent on electricity. You can cook food even when there is a power cut. It is not the same as induction gas tops. Electricity is a matter of concern when it comes to cooking on induction. You have to rely on the power of electricity to make the cooking happen. When there are long power cuts, it becomes difficult to cook food.
Now that you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of induction cooking, you can take your decision on whether to move on to induction mode. Though there are a few cons, still the induction cooking is a healthy way of cooking your food.
