SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

I have been doing my homework with regards to our major renovation job on our new home. I asked our designer which trades have the longest lead times right now, so I know which to tackle first. She said cabinets and appliances. So we have to decide which direction we're going to go with our cooktop. While there's no gas to the house right now, we plan to bury a propane tank in the backyard so we have propane for our fireplaces (no thank you to wood - what a mess). So we can go either way with the cooktop. Our daughter, who lives a few houses away from our new place, also does not have gas to her house (this part of the neighborhood does not), so they opted for an induction cooktop. Yes, it's more expensive, and you have to buy new pots and pans (hey, the ones I have now I got over 40 years ago, so I'm not going to feel guilty about getting new pots and pans) that are compatible with induction cooking. I've used her cooktop several times when we've been visiting, but I'm wondering how others feel about their induction cooktops.

Are there any cons I'm missing, other than the cost? I REALLY like the idea of wiping up messes off of the glass top after cooking, as opposed to taking apart a gas cooktop and getting in all of the crevices to get it clean.

For those who have induction, what do you think? Would you do it again?

I am at the same stage as you. Planning a major renovation on our old home. We currently have an electric range and WH has always wanted a gas range, like major that's all I want. We do have gas to our semi-rural home but comes in on the other side of the house (and we recently converted woodburning fireplace to gas insert, really good decision btw). Kitchen is on concrete slab so would be jackhammering floor to get gas to a new range. Not going to happen and WH quite accepts that.

Therefore, I've been really, really researching cooktops and wall ovens. I have issues that make bending down into a range oven difficult hence the wall oven choice for height purposes. But back to your q, I have family members with induction and on a facebook group dedicated to kitchen renos and my decision from all the feedback is definitely induction. Yes, more expensive (as are wall ovens) but in my case lifetime home so just do it. If it means new cookware so be it. In my case not, we had already upgraded our pots and pans and they happen to be induction friendly.

So am sorry I'm not reporting on my personal experience but piles of research and thought. My current kitchen is original to 1963 so you can bet I'm planning and going to make it the best of the best.

Also cleaning is a big part of all my decisions - the easier the better - and again induction seems to be the way to go.

I'm a real cook and would NEVER choose electric of any kind over gas. Gas is much easier and responsive. It's clean, and always available even when the electric is out.
There is NO comparison in the quality of gas to electric.

Having gas actually allowed us to stay in our home when we had an ice storm that had the power out for 4 days.

My BFF moved to Cape Coral last year. No gas lines. She has a developmentally disabled young man. I found out the induction doesn’t get hot. They ordered it and love it.

I would like it. We have solar panels do the electricity wouldn’t be a factor.

[This message edited by PricklePatch at 3:28 PM, Friday, March 3rd]

Yes, we have solar now, too, so it wouldn't be a problem if we lost power. Also, we plan on installing a propane-fueled generator, so we could have electric power.

I've cooked on my daughter's induction cooktop, and it's as responsive as gas. As soon as you turn it off, the burner cools down immediately. It only stays hot if you leave the pot or pan on the stove because the pot or pan retains heat. If you move that pot or pan to a trivet, etc., that burner is cool immediately. When you adjust the heat, it responds immediately. You just have to get used to knowing how the numbers correspond to the level of heat you'd have with gas.

I've had gas all of my adult life, and from the cooking I've done, it is as responsive as gas; you just have to get used to the numbers representing how low or high gas would be.

Our designer has worked with many families on kitchen renovations, and everyone who has converted to induction vs. regular electric has loved it (except for the price).

I have been using induction for the last 15 years and would never go back!
To me it’s safer and more reliable than gas and I have really good control of the level of heat. The only downsides being that the heat is slower to reach it’s correct level (if gas is 30 seconds, induction is 45 and conventional electric hobs 5 minutes) and you can’t charr as you can on gas.
I charr using a small gas-torch.
The pots aren’t really an issue IMHO. Test your pots with a fridge-magnet. If it sticks they are fine.

A couple of pointers:
The induction hob needs a very good source of electricity. Codes where I am are that the electric hob has to be isolated on it’s own fuse/breaker and I had to upgrade that breaker when I installed the induction hob. Have a certified electrician make 100% certain the cabling and connections are adequate.
Not all induction hobs are equal… Try to get reviews and preferably real-life experiences. I thing there is a really good link between price and quality here…

@Bigger - well, 15 years of experience with one is better than my daughter's 1.5 years, so I'm going to take that as a major thumb's up. Regarding the charring, we don't really char anything on our cooktop, never really have. We have always grilled on our Big Green Egg, or roasted in our oven. Also good to know about the electricity, and that will be easy to take care of as the whole house needs to be rewired and panel upgraded. H is finally going to get a dedicated charger for his EV, although when we move, he won't be driving into work anymore (will be working from home), so I'm not sure if we'll keep it. We may become a one-car family, especially given that our daughter will live a two-minute walk from our house, and they both work from home. If we were ever desperate that both of us needed to be somewhere at the same time, we could borrow one of their cars. I digress. 🤣

Also good to know that not all induction cooktops are the same. Also, when we visit our daughter (we've spent five weeks there since last June), we do most of the cooking, so we've both had some experience with it, albeit minimal, which is why I'm looking for someone who has used one longer.

My BFF got the kitchenaid induction range. I liked the one with 2 ovens. I was raised cooking on electric range. When I switched to gas it was a bit before I got the hang of it.

Also BFF neighbor just got a solar generator. I would love to find something like that.

I had lived my whole life using a gas range until 5 years ago when I moved. I still can’t get used to cooking on it. One burner gets hot too quickly and burns food half the time and my husband has made a mess when he tried to clean it.

That said I don’t have gas lines in my part of our neighborhood. I am currently researching getting propane set up for a gas stove because that’s what I prefer.

Two years ago we bought Frigidaire Slide-in induction range for about $1300 on sale.

It had a 90% satisfaction rating on Home Depot website. It is induction + convection + air fry + a roast setting.

Very happy with performance. IT takes less than two minutes to boil tea pot. However, the bigger burner seams to be slower. Great oven for baking. We like the roast setting for meats.

From what I have read, the only down side is inductions are expensive to repair when a burner goes out.

BTW- Frigidaire is known for their induction ovens/ cooktops.It was bought by Electrolux many years ago. They specialized in induction, producing them some years ago.

After reading up on our trip to Europe, I learned that the top restaurants use induction cooking. Seems like US is behind on this.

Test your pots with a fridge-magnet. If it sticks they are fine.

Looks like number4 is getting new pots and pans later this year! Mine failed the test.