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The case for induction cooking

nytimes.com

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Re: The case for induction cooking

#61

Post by BrandoElFollito »

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 the glass plate)

Having used gaz since childhood for 30 years, the move to induction was fantastic. The only drawback is that you cannot cook with the cookware tilted (to pour some liquid into a small puddle and heat it directly, for instance)

Re: The case for induction cooking

#62

Post by jamesliudotcc »

farmerstan wrote: post #33

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

I have experienced cheap induction tops that do that. The better ones don't. Mine you can tell it a temperature and it sticks it there, so I can basically tell it to slowly simmer a curry or stew and it does the simmering for me. I walk away for hours at a time. It's been more than a decade, so when I have to cook on anything else but that induction top, I find that I burn everything from neglect.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#63

Post by Ekaros »

amelius wrote: post #21
rexreed wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ikea sells a portable one for $55 (in the US). I know not free like the library, but if you want quick and portable access, I've used it and it's very good: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/tillreda-portable-induction-coo...

You also need a special pan, which is probably at least as expensive.

Most of the pans you have already bought are likely to work. I think thin copper ones are only ones not likely to work. Most other general cookware at least here support induction as well. Including the cheapish stuff.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#64

Post by magicalhippo »

mikelemmon wrote: post #3

Oddly, the headline image of this article does not appear to be from an induction stove. Induction stoves do not glow red at all.

> Induction stoves do not glow red at all.

Which is great for safety. Yes it gets hot if a pot has been boiling for a while, but it's a far cry from regular resistive ceramic tops.

Just bringing some water to the boil is not enough to make it more than uncomfortably hot. Try touching a resistive heater top after doing that...

Re: The case for induction cooking

#65

Post by miduil »

I love induction stoves, I'm always a bit sad when people tell me they dislike induction cooking.

I wish there was more granular heat control aka faster on/off switching/temperature modulation, some stoves are really bad which makes frying especially complicated as the heat comes in pulses of seconds.

Btw. for my new apartment I was wondering if there are ways to avoid scratches on the induction glass plate and turns out there are protective silicone mats, which also help against slipping. Anyone tried those yet?

Random Amazon link of what I mean: https://www.amazon.com/Induction-Cooktop-Mat-Fiberglass-Prot...

Re: The case for induction cooking

#66

Post by trulyme »

jandrese wrote: post #29
musikele wrote: post #5

"Although induction technology has been around for decades and is established in Europe, it has yet to catch on extensively here. According to Consumer Reports, induction cooktops and ranges are installed in only under 5 percent of homes in the United States." That's why, for a european like me, an article like this one seems totally extraneous to hacker news front page

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.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#67

Post by [deleted] »

ceejayoz wrote: post #55
ptomato wrote: 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.

Ugh, my parents have an oven like that. Press the "bake" button and it'll happily tell you you have to press the "on" button first. Infuriating design, and you have to mash your thumb for a good 1-2 seconds before it reads the press, too. Or our old Samsung washing machine, that wouldn't let you turn it off and on again without listening to the startup and shutdown songs first. (Our newer LG is much better in this re…

[deleted]

Re: The case for induction cooking

#68

Post by upofadown »

legohead wrote: post #51

Natural gas is far cheaper, so I'll stick with that. Even though I love the idea of an easy to clean stovetop. My electric bill is already out of control (California).

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.

Re: The case for induction cooking

#70

Post by throw0101a »

prometheus76 wrote: post #30

Amateur home cook offering my experience using a portable induction cooktop next to my electric stove top. I'm in the US, so my induction cooktop is an anemic 1800 watt one because it's 120V, instead of the beefier European/Asian models that are 3500W 220V versions. That out of the way, here are the positives from my perspective: * induction boils a pot of water dramatically faster * the pots, in general, heat up muc…

> I'm in the US, so my induction cooktop is an anemic 1800 watt one because it's 120V, instead of the beefier European/Asian models that are 3500W 220V versions.

If you ever wish to 'upgrade', what you can do is change a plug in your kitchen from the typical NEMA 5-{15,20} to a NEMA 6-{15,20} and then wire it in the panel to 240V, as there are 'commercial' induction cookers available:

* https://eurodib.com/products/commercial-induction-cooker/?cu...

* https://www.amazon.com/Eurodib-IHE3097-P2-Commercial-Inducti...

* https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y7WXQMQ/

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