Which is better, induction or electric hob: features and advantages of the devices

It is not only citizens who have moved into a new home who have to choose a hob, but also those whose old kitchen stove has broken down. Today, consumers are presented with a wide range of models with electric and induction hobs. Gas-type kitchen stoves also remain relevant, but many newly built houses no longer provide for the use of gas for cooking. This article takes a closer look at whether an induction or electric cooktop is best for your home.

Modern hob stove

What is the difference between an induction hob and a conventional electric hob?

Electric panels contain a conventional cooking element, cast iron burners or coils, located under a ceramic coating. When exposed to them, the panel on the stove always heats up first, and only then does this heat begin to be transferred to the dishes in which the food is cooked.

With induction surfaces, everything is different: they do not have built-in heating elements, and when they operate, the heat immediately affects the ferromagnetic bottom of the cookware. The burner of such a stove contains a coil that performs the function of transferring alternating current, the alternating magnetic field of which directs an eddy current into the metal bottom of the cookware. In this case, it is not the surface of the stove that is heated, as in electric panels, but the cookware itself.

What cookware is used for induction and hob?

When determining which stove is better to choose, induction or conventional electric, it is recommended to take into account that only certain cookware is suitable for each type or that there are contraindications for using certain types of pans. When choosing a new kitchen appliance, you need to remember this nuance, so that after installing the stove and the first cooking tests you will not be disappointed. In the process of selecting and determining for yourself which hob to give preference to, it is recommended to consider the following points:

1. On an electric stove panel, it is possible to cook in ordinary pots and pans made of any materials (cast iron, ceramics, enamel, etc.).
2. For cooking on an induction cooker, you need to purchase special cookware with a magnetic bottom.

Attention! To be able to use ordinary utensils for cooking on such a surface, special ferromagnetic stickers must be glued to them.

Recommended cookware for induction cookers

Another feature of the induction panel is that if you place dishes with a diameter of less than 12 cm on it, it will not recognize it. Therefore, boiling eggs in a small ladle or coffee in a Turk will not work. The panel will only start working if you place dishes on it that cover 70% of its surface.

Cookware for induction cooker

On an electric hob you can cook food in any container. Place whatever you want and heat it up.

But with an induction cooker you will have to part with most pans with a thin coating. In frying pans and pots with little metal, induction does not work very well.

The wall thickness should be at least 2mm, and the minimum bottom diameter should be 8-12cm. You can’t make delicious coffee in a small Turkish coffee pot.

Therefore, special utensils made of a ferromagnetic alloy are usually used for such stoves. When buying it, pay attention to the icon.

If you don't have such utensils, adapters are available. Place this adapter on an induction hob, and place your favorite frying pan on it.

Is it convenient or not? Not really. It turns out that you return to that same extra intermediary, which means you lose most of the advantages discussed earlier.

At the same time, surprisingly, in old enamel saucepans and ladles, and even in grandma’s cast-iron frying pan, it is quite possible to cook food.

In general, cookware that is highly magnetic is suitable for induction cooking. First of all, this concerns the bottom. It is old cookware with a massive bottom that works most effectively with induction cookers.

If you want to make delicious pancakes, take a cast iron pan with a thick bottom. A thin one, even with a special induction symbol, will not work. The pancakes will either burn or not cook through.

Quality cast iron cookware can be found at Staub and Le Creuset.

You may have a kettle with non-magnetic stainless steel walls, but with a steel bottom. So, it will also heat up perfectly on such a stove.

The induction panel simply “will not see” all other non-magnetic cookware, including aluminum cookware.

By the way, cheap stoves can “lose” seemingly correct pans over time. At first they work normally for several months, and then bam, and they stop seeing and reacting to it.

Dishes with a crooked bottom are also difficult to recognize by the panel.

If you had said to your friends a couple of decades ago that I couldn’t cook dinner because my stove “doesn’t see” the pan, you would have been laughed at. And now this expression has become firmly established in the everyday life of advanced housewives.

Therefore, after purchasing an induction cooker, no matter how large and varied your set of cookware is, sooner or later you will have to go to the store and buy a lot of new things. And these are extra expenses and quite considerable ones.

But even with special dishes, not everything is so rosy. People who cook professionally and a lot clearly say that with induction all cookware spoils and becomes unusable faster.

First of all, this applies to cheap copies, when you leave them empty for a long time on the stove. The red circle is not visible. After several such overheats, low-quality Teflon begins to swell with bubbles and peel off.

Therefore, buy pots and pans with thick walls and bottoms.

There are many myths about the different taste of products cooked on induction and electric stoves. Think about how the heat source can affect the taste?

When cooking food on gas, heating element or induction, in all cases heat will be transferred through the cookware. A difference in taste sensations is only possible if a different container is used in all cases.

Using the same cast iron frying pan, you will not notice any change in the taste of the scrambled eggs. But with microwaves it’s a completely different story.

The only correct note from housewives is that you need to get used to the induction cooker. The cooking process here is slightly different.

Not everyone likes it. This primarily applies to inexpensive models with stepwise power control.

You can’t put out pilaf and other dishes properly, because it burns on the bottom. I put on the water, just started cutting potatoes and carrots, and the water was already boiling. That is, for soups you need to prepare everything in advance. Pies sometimes turn out ready on the outside, but raw on the inside. Since there is no normal “slow” fire.

And some manufacturers implement a safe shutdown function at the software level. This is when the stove itself can turn off after 3-4 hours. She doesn’t care at all that your dish has not yet reached its standard.

And so in many other things. Those who don’t want to retrain, return to the good old electric stoves, or buy combined options - two induction burners, two HiLight.

Or they use the so-called “Domino” models.

From them you can generally assemble a multifunctional work area for all occasions.

Where does food cook faster: on an induction or electric stove?

It should be noted that not every housewife likes to spend a long time preparing various delicious dishes, and some simply do not have such an opportunity. Therefore, this feature should also be taken into account when choosing a slab.

For the electric panel to bring the water in the pan to a boil, it will only need to spend about 4-5 minutes on its heating and another 9-12 minutes on boiling the water in the pan. The burner can heat up to 400 degrees Celsius.

Note! In addition to the fact that this hob takes a long time to heat up, it can also heat food unevenly. It may remain cold in one place and burnt in another.

Induction panels, on the other hand, require little heating time (a few minutes) and only 2 to 3 minutes to bring the water to a boil. The maximum hotplate temperature is 60 degrees Celsius.

Attention! Due to the fact that electromagnetic currents are directed directly to the food, the time it takes to heat it, unlike an electric stove, takes much less time.

Advantages and disadvantages

To choose a stove that will make your homework easier rather than create problems, it is important to know the pros and cons of these varieties.

Electrical panel

It is more familiar to many, so it is easier to understand its features. Modern appliances are more convenient and practical than traditional stoves. They have many advantages:

• you can use any utensils;
• works silently;
• you can select the minimum temperature for simmering food;
• It cools down slowly, so it keeps the dish hot for a long time.

To install the hob you need grounding

But even good hobs are not without their drawbacks. Their disadvantages are:

• slow heating;
• inertia, that is, when the temperature changes, the degree of heating does not change immediately;
• the surface becomes very hot, so there is a danger of getting burned;
• high electricity costs;
• requires a special outlet and grounding;
• may cause a fire if a foreign object falls on the burner;
• during its operation, the surrounding air heats up greatly;
• Stuck-on food is difficult to clean.

Inertial panels

The main advantage of such a stove is fast heating. The boiling speed of water can be compared to cooking with gas. It is more convenient to cook on it without the risk of food burning. She has other advantages:

• it is safe, only the dishes heat up, and the burner is barely warm, so it is impossible to get burned on it;
• escaped food does not stick to the surface;
• consumes little electricity, even if several burners are turned on at the same time;
• Automatically switches off when dishes are removed;
• has many additional functions and cooking programs, timer, temperature sensors.

But many people are suspicious of induction cookers. The main reason for this is the magnetic field created. It can negatively affect other household appliances, so the distance from them should be at least 50 cm.

It is not recommended for people with a pacemaker to work with such a stove; the field may cause a malfunction in its operation.

Metal jewelry often heats up and the watch may stop. Such panels also have other disadvantages:

• works only with special dishes;
• Do not stir food with metal spoons, they heat up quickly;
• makes noise;
• if the dishes have an uneven bottom, vibrations are created;
• does not tolerate voltage surges in the network;
• For cleaning you need to use special products and soft cloths.

Which hob is safer?

It is very important that the food preparation device poses as little danger as possible. This is especially necessary in families with small children. Induction cooktops are considered the safest. Firstly, it cannot be turned on until a pan or other utensil is placed on it. Secondly, due to the fact that the burners in such stoves do not heat up, therefore, it is impossible to get burned by touching them. Thirdly, even if a small metal object in the form of a spoon or fork accidentally falls on it, it will not start to heat up, since for this to happen, you need to place a pan with a ferromagnetic bottom of the appropriate size on it.

Frying pan with ferromagnetic bottom

As for electrical panels, they are significantly inferior in terms of safety, since they tend to heat up strongly to a red-hot state and take a long time to cool down.

What is the difference

Induction coil

To understand which is better – an electric stove or an induction one, you need to understand their features. If you compare them by external parameters, the differences are difficult to find. Both are powered by electricity and usually have a glass-ceramic coating.

The difference between an induction and an electric cooker is in the method of heating the cookware: with a heater or an induction coil.

But there are other differences:

• selection of dishes;
• degree of security;
• different heating rates;
• Efficiency, energy consumption and heat loss.

Operating principle

The panel marks the places where to put the dishes

The operating principle of electric stoves is no different from conventional stoves. Its heating element is a spiral or ten. It heats up the surface, which heats up the dishes.

The electrician is hidden under the glass-ceramic panel. It marks the place where to put the dishes. It warms up slowly and cools down just as slowly.

A device based on induction works on a different principle. It also turns on from electricity. But heating occurs due to high-frequency induction current.

Only the dishes heat up, the surface itself is almost cold. The principle of operation is based on the appearance of a magnetic field between the induction coil and the bottom of the cookware.

Coating options

Electric spiral

Modern hobs are a flat body with a steel or glass-ceramic coating. Below the surface there are heating elements:

• electric spiral;
• induction coil;
• halogen element.

Electric stoves may have a coating made of enamel, stainless steel or glass ceramics. The latter is less durable and is easily damaged by sudden changes in temperature or contact with sweet liquids.

Induction and halogen hobs also have a ceramic coating, although they have different heating principles.

The principle of induction heating is that only the dishes are heated. The surface does not heat up and spilled liquids do not stick to it. When choosing an induction hob or a glass-ceramic hob with a shadow, for many this is the determining factor.

Suitable cookware

You can cook in any container on an electric stove

These varieties can be distinguished by what kind of dishes are suitable for them. You can cook with an electric one anywhere. And for induction you need one that can conduct electric current.

It won't turn on with a normal one. You can use a magnet to check whether the pan is suitable for this panel. If it is attracted to the bottom of the pan, you can cook with it.

Easy to care and use

Modern tiles are easy to clean, since their surface is usually made of glass ceramics. This material can be washed with a soft cloth.

Induction hobs are especially easy to clean because they don't get hot, so any spills can be easily wiped up.

There is a big difference in maintenance with an electrical panel. Due to the fact that the surface is hot during cooking, everything that escapes from the pan becomes welded to it. It is difficult to wipe off dirt, since glass ceramics do not tolerate mechanical damage.

Heat consumption

It takes at least 10 minutes to boil 1 liter of water

They also differ in heating speed and heat consumption. Induction heaters have higher efficiency since they only heat the dishes. They do this quickly, and the burner remains almost cold.

Therefore, they are more economical, consume less electricity, and the heating level is adjusted instantly.

The electric panel first needs to heat the burner, then it heats the cookware. It takes at least 10 minutes to boil 1 liter of water, while the surface heats up to 4000. The heat is spent on heating the burner and the surrounding air. And after switching off it cools down for a long time.

Which hob is more economical?

Conventional electric burners, which are also called “cast iron pancakes,” are characterized by a long heating period, and after the end of cooking and turning them off, a long cooling period. It is possible that the dish may burn even if the burner is not working. While induction hobs heat food much faster, due to the fact that they do not waste time on heating themselves. Therefore, when operating the latter, electricity is consumed 1.5 times more economically, and unnecessary time is not wasted waiting for heating, as when using electrical panels. For example, to bring a liter of water to a boiling state, it will take a little more time than it would be done in an electric kettle.

Do induction and electronic cooktops have any effect on other kitchen appliances?

It is not recommended to install kitchen stoves with an electric hob near a refrigerator, since during cooking it becomes very hot, and this heat is transferred to nearby objects. This will lead to the fact that both devices will compete with each other in transmitting warm and cooled temperatures.

As for induction surfaces, they should not be located next to a washing machine, microwave, oven, etc. Otherwise, the magnetic field will disrupt the normal operation of these devices.

In this case, everyone determines for themselves what is best for them based on the available equipment in the kitchen.

Flaws

Despite its undeniable advantages, an induction furnace, like all equipment, has its own specific disadvantages.

Price

Not everyone will be able to buy an induction cooker, since it costs an order of magnitude more than its analogues. The average price of a hob is 20-30 thousand rubles, although there are models starting from 13,000 rubles, but with limited functionality. At the same time, an electric glass-ceramic surface can be purchased from 10 thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturer.

Additional expenses

In addition to the high cost of the stove itself, the owner will have to spend additional money on special cookware . It is believed that any kitchen utensil made of steel or cast iron is suitable for induction cookers, as long as a magnet sticks to its bottom. But in practice, this is not enough for high-quality and comfortable cooking.

On a note! Enameled cookware is also highly magnetic, but in the process of constant and systematic heating, its bottom is deformed, as a result of which the pan does not fit tightly to the hob. This means that the food will heat unevenly and slowly. Therefore, it is better to get new cookware designed for induction cookers, as it is made of special steel, chrome and nickel.

In addition, you need to take into account the high power consumption of induction furnaces, which requires significant monthly expenses for electricity. Of course, such costs can be minimized, but in any case they are an order of magnitude greater than when using a gas stove.

Harm from radiation

Any electromagnetic field with prolonged exposure is harmful to health. There is an opinion that induction cookers generally have a negative effect on a living organism. This is not entirely true. At a distance of 10 cm from the burner, the field intensity is indeed quite high - 137 Volts per meter. However, already at a distance of 50 cm, the influence of the field is greatly reduced - to 15-19 Volts per meter, which is not a threat to life and health.

Important! However, it is better to keep all radio electronics at a considerable distance from the stove to avoid malfunctions. While talking on the phone, interference may even occur if you get very close.

Noisiness

When the stove operates, a muffled noise is generated, like a transformer. In addition, it creates background sound and a fan that cools the coils. The cookware itself produces an additional buzz.

Advice! According to customer reviews, the use of steel and cast iron pans increases the noise level. To reduce it to a minimum, it is advisable to purchase a special set for cooking and frying.

You can also find silent stove models, but they will cost much more.

Auto shutdown

Induction furnaces have an auto-shutdown mode after 3 hours of continuous operation . This allows the equipment not to overheat, but at the same time excludes the preparation of special dishes (for example, jellied meat).

Installation

When installing an induction cooker, you need to take into account a number of nuances to ensure efficient and uninterrupted operation of the equipment and not damage the wiring:

• It is not recommended to install the hob above the oven and dishwasher;
• it is necessary to level and secure the equipment with screws;
• to connect to the network, you need to check the maximum permissible load of the outlet and its grounding;
• you should use a three-core cable with a cross-section corresponding to the power of the oven;
• for a single-phase network you need to use a special jumper;
• Adapters and extension cords must not be used.

Features of operation

In order to familiarize yourself with the operating features of a kitchen stove before purchasing, it is advisable to read the forums of users of this equipment.

Important! The most important thing is not to place metal objects on the hob so that they do not become hot. Some models limit the diameter of the bottom of the cookware to 6 or 12 cm, that is, smaller utensils will not turn on the burner. However, this blocking may not work if the item is large.

Also, when caring for a glass-ceramic surface, do not use metal or rough scourers, powdered cleaning agents or sharp objects.

So, above was a detailed overview of the advantages and disadvantages of induction furnaces. Moreover, the positive aspects far outweigh the negative ones, unless, of course, the potential user has a pacemaker, which makes the use of this technique impossible . But in any case, each person makes a decision based on individual needs and capabilities.

Features of induction surfaces

What are the features of induction panels? The article mentions that they have a negative impact on other kitchen appliances. In this regard, the question arises: are they harmful to the human body? The answer will be positive: the influence, although small, is there. Therefore, to minimize the impact of the induction panel, you must follow a few simple rules:

1. the ferromagnetic bottom of the pan must cover the entire area of ​​the burner;
2. When the device is turned on, it is not recommended to press your whole body against it;
3. It is better to stir the dish using a wooden object rather than a metal one.

In addition, induction has another significant disadvantage compared to electric - quite loud noise during operation. This is due to the fact that a fan constantly operates to cool this equipment. Without it, the stove cannot operate, since if it is not cooled, it will overheat and turn off.

Induction surface

Pros and cons of an induction cooker

In European countries, induction kitchen appliances are widely popular. Meanwhile, in our country, consumers treat devices of this type with caution. This is due to the fact that such products are surrounded by myths. How to figure out whether they correspond to the truth, how does an induction panel differ from traditional kitchen equipment?

IMPORTANT! The fact that induction panels are absolutely safe has been proven by multiple studies constantly carried out by both manufacturers and independent experts. It has been suggested that these kitchen appliances emit a high electromagnetic field. Meanwhile, an ordinary home hair dryer generates fields hundreds of times more powerful.

Many people consider it a disadvantage that only special cookware can be used to cook food on an induction panel. During the cooking process, the pan heats up, but not the panel itself. This approach minimizes the likelihood of injury and food burning. Many modern models are equipped with an additional security system that does not allow work to begin until the appropriate utensils are placed on the surface of the panel - that is, made of ferromagnetic material.

What can be considered objective disadvantages of this technique? With an electric stove, everything is clear - the duration of heating, low safety, etc. In comparison, an induction device can be considered an almost ideal hob, but it has its own nuances:

1. Periodically conducted studies show its negative impact on other equipment. This is especially true when they are standing next to each other. In addition, there are legends about the harm that a person receives while operating an induction furnace. Meanwhile, it has been scientifically proven that there is no reasonable evidence for this.
2. The cost of these devices is significantly higher than the price of traditional stoves. But for those who care about the functionality, safety and aesthetic appeal of kitchen appliances, such an issue as price is not of particular importance.
3. Another nuance - if the stove has a single frequency generator that simultaneously serves several burners, then a decrease in power may occur when they are turned on simultaneously.
4. Quite often, during its use, a serious load is placed on the electrical wiring and if it is old or unable to withstand the applied load, then operating the induction furnace becomes dangerous.

Advantages of electric stoves

Despite the fact that induction cookers are significantly superior in parameters to electric ones, the latter have several significant advantages. Among them are the following:

1. the price of kitchen stoves with an electric hob is much lower than others;
2. there is no noise during their operation. During the cooking process, no monotonous irritating sounds are heard;
3. the widest selection presented by different manufacturers. Modern models are able to satisfy the taste of any consumer. You can choose any configuration, color, number of burners and price you like.

Electrical surface