How do induction cooktops work

Home cooks have been warming to the idea of induction because it cooks faster and responds much faster when you dial back the temperature. Induction cooktops and ranges still tend to cost more than electric smoothtops, but the difference in performance is significant.

Induction cooktops and ranges look a lot like typical glass-top electric models. Probably not. Contrary to popular belief, induction cooktops can get hot, but the heat is transferring from the cooking pot to the glass through conduction, much as a hot pan would transfer some heat to a countertop if you set it down to rest.

As soon as you remove the pot, that heating stops. And because the heat is going from the pan to the cooktop, the glass surface never gets as hot as it does on a traditional radiant electric range. If it does, it will work on an induction burner. Dig Out Your Dial Thermometer The magnetic field of an induction cooktop can interfere with a digital meat thermometer, so you may need an analog thermometer—an old-fashioned solution to a modern problem.

The best way to check if your pans are viable is to see if a magnet will stick to the bottom of the pan! An induction hob contains a coil of copper wire underneath the ceramic plate, and when a cooking pot is placed on top an alternating electric current is passed through it. The resulting oscillating magnetic field induces a magnetic flux, producing an eddy current in the ferrous pot, which acts like the secondary winding of a transformer.

The eddy current flowing through the resistance of the pot heats it. To find out what an eddy current is, see below. Energy transfer with induction hobs is around 84 percent compared to around 74 percent for gas or ceramic electric so there are good energy savings. Safety is an important aspect too — there is no naked flame so fire is extremely unlikely.

A pan of water will boil in nearly half the time that it would on a normal gas hob. An induction hob will also ensure the longevity of your pans because they have more contact with the heat below, and the current is running all the way through the pan. This will stop your pan from developing hot spots which in turn, will burn or scorch food. An eddy current is a current that circulates in conductors, and has been induced in a conductor by a varying magnetic field. The current is created by changing the magnetic field.

Eddy currents can heat up a metal object without touching them, they are also well known for stopping trains and rollercoasters. Sign Up Log In Follow. Double Check Do you really want to delete the list,?

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Got it. Double Check Are you sure you want to delete your notes for this recipe? You must be a magazine subscriber to access this feature. Cooktops with sealed gas burners are a nice touch because they prevent food from getting trapped under the burner, making cleanup less of a burden.

If you purchase a cooktop with continuous grates , you can easily slide heavy pots and pans across the cooktop without any hunching or heavy lifting. Certain gas cooktops, like this downdraft cooktop from KitchenAid KCGDGSS , integrate the ventilation system into the cooking surface so a separate range hood is not needed. Smoke and odors can be removed outside or filtered and recirculated inside.

Gas cooktops can act as a two-in-one appliance to keep your kitchen performing at its best. Electric cooktops heat food without a flame. There are two types of electric cooktops: coils and smooth-tops.

The electrical coils found beneath the surface heat the cooktop and transfer that heat to your cookware. The coils sit on top of the cooktop surface and are more susceptible to spills, but the drip pans located below the coils will contain most of the mess. Smooth-tops feature radiant heating elements similar to coils, but instead of being on top, the heating zones are installed underneath a smooth, easy-to-clean glass surface. They heat evenly and provide a sleek, integrated appearance in your kitchen.

Dual element burners feature an inner ring for smaller cookware and an outer ring for larger cookware. Bridge elements are a large space between two main heating elements used to create a separate cooking surface for griddles, and hot surface indicator lights add a safety element to your appliance letting you know when your cooktop is active or still too hot to touch.

Just to recap, induction cooktops are a type of electric cooktop. The main difference is the way heat is transferred. The magnetic coils heat your cookware directly so you can enjoy precise and even results without a hot-to-the-touch surface.