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The case for induction cooking

nytimes.com

131–140 of 647 posts

Re: The case for induction cooking

#131
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a flat bottom wok that I am happy stir frying on my induction cooktop. The flat bottom gets rippin hot and the sides only warm. Have to work within that smaller hot zone but I prefer the wok to skillet for containing the mess.

Do you wrangle the wok on the surface (or a frying pan) for a sauté[0]? What I'm really trying to find out is: how durable is the work surface? Does it deal well with pans being slid over it, and on/off it? [0] https://youtu.be/CTyV3JExDT8

Yes, never had a scratch.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In our previous house we cooked with gas, we had a fantastic stove with a wok burner. Amazing thing. With our new house we - against my best judgement - went for induction. It's amazing, way better than our old gas stove. I'll never go back.

you find a flat induction stove better than a gas one with wok ring for wok cooking?

Yup - induction heats up quicker, although you have to use a heavy iron wok which sits still. It probably says more about how bad the consumer wok rings are though. If you have a commercial one you'd never switch from gas.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#133

I did not know that induction cooking is a novelty (or at least worthy of an article) in the US. When you go to an appliance shop in France they would be 90% of the offer (and 9% gas, 1% vitro-electric). BTW the big photo on the top of the article is not induction but vitro-ceramic (the first version of something that would look at glass and not have flames, but this is not induction, just heating of a tingie under t…

There are shaped induction systems, most commonly for woks or industrial heating applications. However, as it needs to very closely match the external shape of the cookware, the technical and commercial viability of a generic system would be relatively low, which is why you don't often see them marketed. Copper and aluminium capable induction systems exist by varying the frequency. https://na.panasonic.com/us/food-se…

These systems are used commercially all the time, just not in the backwater of the US.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#134
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They aren't as popular in the US because they're considered commercial appliances and it's assumed you are on a business budget if you want to buy one. This means the store carries like 3 models and they cost literally ten times as much as a traditional glass cooktop. $250 vs. $2500.

Whoa. Is that an import/export opportunity here? In EU the prices of both are comparable.

There are more commercial versions available but they do tend to compete at the higher end of the market. Induction is a specific choice you have to make here and people who make uncommon choices tend to be in higher budgets.

It will probably change soon though. A lot of laws are being proposed to not add new gas hookups for new construction. Induction will have to become the higher end default for electric ranges.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#135
I don't buy it, sorry. Electric ovens are garbage, and there's no such thing as an induction oven. Most of the health concerns are probably solved by requiring the installation of range hoods.

I don't believe the claims about burning natural gas being the causal factor here either. I rather think that culprit is aerosolized oil, and houses with gas ranges are simply more likely to cook with oil at temperatures hot enough to aerosolize it. I think this conclusion is reasonable at least because people who like cooking also are more likely to be more comfortable with cooking at higher temperature, and also are more likely to prioritize cooking with gas when considering homes.

The most salient argument against gas is not that it's worse than induction. In fact, I think it's pretty obvious that they are complimentary, and that gas is more universal. Instead, it is that piping natural gas to houses requires maintaining enormous amounts of infrastructure.

I will happily purchase a stove that contains some induction and some gas, and even prioritize the induction whenever I can. But the argument that induction is "better" is made by people who do not spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Induction cooking has existed for a long time. Restaurants have largely not made the switch for a reason.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#136
post #42

Let me know when you can buy one of decent quality in the US with actual physical controls instead of some insane touch system designed by somebody who has apparently never actually been in a kitchen and marketed to people who won't use it but just want a thing that looks cool.

That is the sad truth. It is absolutely maddening the control schemes on every induction cooktop I've used. It's like an 80's car dashboard and radio. Nothing is obvious or makes sense--the most simple action like turn up the power is a complex process of multiple presses, different modes, etc.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#137
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a fellow German I didn't go induction on purpose, because I prefer the ceramic hob cooking experience. "Pans cannot be used" wasn't part of the decision. Having "control nobs" on the front rather than a touch area on the cooking surface was a hard requirement for me though and seems to be getting rarer every year. I'm actually amazed how much people love induction here, but I guess that's also because it's mostly…

The heating technology and the type of control need not be linked...

They need not, but manufacturers and home builders are obnoxiously fad focused.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#138

I recently got one, and there is a major drawback: there is a coil whine that drives my tinnitis absolutely bonkers. I like how it cooks, but hate using it.

it's the cookware. move it around a bit. you can also try using a paper towel in between the hob and pan. (haven't had one catch fire - before you ask :))

Re: The case for induction cooking

#139

I used an induction stove for 6 weeks and despised it. Maybe the one I used isn’t the same as what others are using but it would turn on and off over and over again and I found the temperature to be completely unpredictable. I hated it

This was my experience as well. Very finicky surface that required the pan to be in exactly the right place, and touch controls that were a pain in the ass to use. And we were cooking Chinese food, so no woks. I'll stick with gas, myself.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#140
post #10

I fitted an AEG induction hob in our kitchen about 3 years ago. It is absolutely amazing. It's so controllable - you can go from "barely hot enough to melt chocolate" to "so hot your pans start discolouring and everything burns" - and back again - in seconds (and everything in-between obviously). I always thought gas was the best for cooking. But I was wrong - induction is. Gas is great for medium-high power cooking,…

I got a flat bottom wok that I am happy stir frying on my induction cooktop. The flat bottom gets rippin hot and the sides only warm. Have to work within that smaller hot zone but I prefer the wok to skillet for containing the mess.

> I got a flat bottom wok

There is no such thing. A round bottom is a defining feature of a wok. If it doesn’t have a round bottom it isn’t a wok by definition. A round bottom is essential to how a wok is used.

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