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The case for induction cooking

nytimes.com

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Re: The case for induction cooking

#241

Post by nojonestownpls »

noveltyaccount wrote: post #218
Aaargh20318 wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It heats and cools instantly, performing the essential function of a wok. The bottom has a flat surface inside and out. It performs one essential function, it needs both a round shape and has to be made of thin sheet steel. You can only have one if you need to place it on a flat induction stove: either it’s thin and flat on the inside, or it’s round on the inside but thick.

Instead of arguing, why don't you educate? You're clearly passionate about this issue. We've covered the importance of thin carbon steel. Why is the round bottom so essential that without it we can't call it a wok ?

From another part of the thread:

> Easy tossing for stir fry is just one feature of a wok. For example, the round bottom causes liquids to pool in the center.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#242

Post by BaseballPhysics »

noveltyaccount wrote: post #150
angry_octet wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, never had a scratch.

I have microscratches on the ceramic surface but nothing horrible. The instructions said explicitly to lift pots and not drag them. I don't baby it and it's fine.

And if you're worried about it just buy a silicone cooktop mat to put between the ceramic and the pan, something you can't do on any other cooking surface.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#243

Post by gcheong »

bluGill wrote: post #228
gcheong wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any like that anywhere? I would think part of the problem is that induction settings are usually in discrete steps so a knob, which is what I assume you mean by physical control, may not be any better than a simple +\- control and would stick up from a seamless cooktop. Also, the highest end ones like Thermadors seem to focus on making the entire cooktop usable which kind of breaks the discrete burner area…

I want 200 discrete settings then, so a knob is better. Or at least I think I want that considering how many micro adjustments I make on all stoves I've used before

I don't know what it is about induction that makes a rheostatic-like control unfeasible but the most I've seen is about 20 levels so you might be waiting a while.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#244

Post by SamBam »

sjburt wrote: post #208
omginternets wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So now we need two different kinds of cooking surface? I'm reminded of Dijkstra's story about trains.

I've never understood why we need 4 or 5 burner ranges, possibly with a slight size variations. I really only ever want one high power burner and one simmer burner. A dedicated wok burner sounds like a great addition. Another option would be to abandon the dedicated range entirely, and have a variety of countertop induction units that can be stored away when not in use. I don't think you could sell a home with a kitc…

> I've never understood why we need 4 or 5 burner ranges, possibly with a slight size variations. I really only ever want one high power burner and one simmer burner.

I don't mean this to sound rude, though I know it will, but this is the literal definition of "argument from ignorance."

You don't use more than two burners, so you don't know why a stove needs more than two.

I personally frequently cook with three or all four burners. Further, there are meals where I might use the two small back burners, and meals where I might use the two large front ones.

I guess you could be describing a need for stoves that came with just two burners, for those who couldn't imagine using more. But, seriously, would you have bought a two-burner model if it had been available, knowing that you might have wished for more even one night a year?

Re: The case for induction cooking

#245

Post by seanmcdirmid »

ouid wrote: post #188
onli wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article explains pretty well the advantages of induction. I had induction in my last appartment, gas before and currently a glass-ceramic cooktop (without induction). Induction was clearly the best. Very fast to make water boil, no issues with the gas sometimes not starting to burn or other maintenance work the gas needed. And I see no reason to doubt the negative health effects of gas, burning stuff is always ba…

I have never had any luck broiling anything inside an electric oven. The heating elements just don't cut it. As to the non-universality of induction. Many cooking techniques require you to be pretty active with your pan. Perhaps to toss the contents to stir, perhaps to collect hot oil that you are spooning over your fish to brown the top. Many techniques depend on the pan having different temperature at different spo…

You are talking about an oven and the article is talking about cooktops, those are different things right? There are also new kinds of convection ovens with air circulation to consider (so they support air frying), but that is a totally different topic.

I agree with the AQI aspect: get a good range hood that is vented to the outside (not just recirculating).

Re: The case for induction cooking

#246

Post by nine_k »

londons_explore wrote: post #120
upofadown wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might want to do the math. Induction is quite a lot more efficient at actually heating the food. Even regular electric is more efficient at heating the food than gas.

When gas is 4x cheaper per kWh, electric isn't going to win cost-wise, even if 100% efficient.

On one hand, I agree.

On the other hand, if induction cooking lowers the air conditioning bills in the summer, it may pay for itself, compared to gas.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#247

Post by snoopen »

tedunangst wrote: post #71
azalemeth wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

120V is only standard in a part of the world. It's much more helpful to talk about power -- where I am 3 kW is limiting on a standard socket, at 230V. What is it for the US (I don't know!) Note -- electric hobs and ovens are often wired into far far chunkier circuits and the high efficiency of induction is a big boon. It's wonderful to cook on -- all the responsiveness of gas, none of the pm2.5. It's just a shame tha…

Somewhere around 15 amps is almost always the limit for basic circuits, making voltage an easy proxy for available power.

Do you have a source for amp standards? My limited search suggests much of EU have 10A plugs. Also here in AU our standard is also 10A along with our NZ family.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#248

Post by samarthr1 »

sjburt wrote: post #208
omginternets wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So now we need two different kinds of cooking surface? I'm reminded of Dijkstra's story about trains.

I've never understood why we need 4 or 5 burner ranges, possibly with a slight size variations. I really only ever want one high power burner and one simmer burner. A dedicated wok burner sounds like a great addition. Another option would be to abandon the dedicated range entirely, and have a variety of countertop induction units that can be stored away when not in use. I don't think you could sell a home with a kitc…

Perhaps because you will want to cook 4-5 things at the same time?

Aor of Indian households when preparing a traditional lunch will have 5-6 items (in the south, particularly in a Brahmin household, you will have one sambhar, one rasam, three vegetable currys, rice, and a fried item usually appalam). This entire meal takes three hours or so to prepare from scratch on my stove (a three burner lpg stove). Two more usable burners will cut this down to about 2 hours

Re: The case for induction cooking

#250

Post by unmole »

samarthr1 wrote: post #248
sjburt wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never understood why we need 4 or 5 burner ranges, possibly with a slight size variations. I really only ever want one high power burner and one simmer burner. A dedicated wok burner sounds like a great addition. Another option would be to abandon the dedicated range entirely, and have a variety of countertop induction units that can be stored away when not in use. I don't think you could sell a home with a kitc…

Perhaps because you will want to cook 4-5 things at the same time? Aor of Indian households when preparing a traditional lunch will have 5-6 items (in the south, particularly in a Brahmin household, you will have one sambhar, one rasam, three vegetable currys, rice, and a fried item usually appalam). This entire meal takes three hours or so to prepare from scratch on my stove (a three burner lpg stove). Two more usab…

> south, particularly in a Brahmin household, you will have one sambhar, one rasam, three vegetable currys

This is not even remotely typical.

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