Are Induction cooktops worth the extra cost?

So as per the title, are induction cooktops worth the extra $$$$?

We are updating our kitchen, and trying to figure out if it’s worth the extra cost or if it’s just all hype.

Nope,

I loved my previous good quality ceramic cooktop just as much!

I moved from gas to induction. I LOVE my induction cooktop.

If the choice is electric or induction, then yes, worth it.

If the choice is gas or induction, it's personal preference, in my view.

I cook a lot and like mine, but could probably live without it all the same.

I like that I can bring water to the boil super fast (a huge pot for pasta boils faster than my electric jug) and that the temp is far more controllable and subtle. Previous non induction stoves never seemed to gently simmer, it was all or nothing.

Another cost was I had to upgrade all my pots and pans for induction.

My mum and sister both have induction and rave about it. Make sure if you do that your current pots are compitable and you don't have to buy new ones!

I don't like mums. They beep at me alot (like bingo and the fridge lol)

I'm a gas girl.

I cook a lot and like mine, but could probably live without it all the same.

I like that I can bring water to the boil super fast (a huge pot for pasta boils faster than my electric jug) and that the temp is far more controllable and subtle. Previous non induction stoves never seemed to gently simmer, it was all or nothing.

Another cost was I had to upgrade all my pots and pans for induction.

Just on the controllability of heat on induction - you can melt chocolate safely and reliably without a double boiler, so pretty good temperature regulation!

Ps OP, the way to test saucepans for induction compatibility is to try a magnet on the base. If it sticks, it's compatible.

We went from ceramic, to gas to induction. DH was not keen to lose the gas in our kitchen Reno. I am so glad we did though. Induction cooking is so quick. No more mucking about with gas bottles, and induction looks cleaner and is a lot easier to clean.

It is not a life changing product though, unlike my dishwasher and dryer! I could live with ceramic. But I do love the speed of it and it was not thst much dearer. I am a fan of good quality applicances.

gas bottles

Why do you need gas bottles? Doesn’t your house have gas supply?

gas bottles

 

Why do you need gas bottles? Doesn’t your house have gas supply?

We have had and use 9kg gas bottles.

I prefer gas. My mum has induction. I don't like it personally

mum raves about hers, she says they're a dream to clean because no food gets cooked onto it, unlike my glass/ceramic top stove. Though I do enjoy using that scraper thing it came with, so satisfying lol.

I don't have one, but they're a good choice environmentally. Electricity is becoming greener, gas is a fossil fuel, and induction is an efficient electricity user.

gas bottles

 

Why do you need gas bottles? Doesn’t your house have gas supply?

Nope, no gas supply. I live in an area where there is very little gas supply to houses. And the bigger bottles did not seem worth the cost given the small amount of gas we used. Always a PITA (and of course DH was never home) when the bottle ran out.

Following as our current ceramic stove is HOPELESS! We don't have a gas supply so that's not a good option, and I loved an induction stove I used in an airbnb. But I am guessing we would have to upgrade our electrical circuit in order to install an induction? Anyone done this and remember the approximate cost?

It depends if you have insurance and accidental breakage as part of your cover...a simple crack would render the whole cooktop useless.

I personally rather we didn’t have induction but I’m not the cook in the family.

I do love that it boils water really quickly but not to the point I’m happy about shelling about a fortune for it.

Hate it. I prefer gas

My mum had one and she knocked over a bottle of olive oil and cracked it, had to get the whole thing replaced

gas bottles

 

Why do you need gas bottles? Doesn’t your house have gas supply?

Lots of places don't have piped gas and you just use bottles which are either filled or swapped when used. Most of the places I've lived have had bottles. i have gas piped at the moment.

So as per the title, are induction cooktops worth the extra $$$$?

We are updating our kitchen, and trying to figure out if it’s worth the extra cost or if it’s just all hype.

I think so! I have longed for it for so long. I bought a portable induction cooktop about 10 years ago (still going strong) because i had a stove with coils and it took forever then forever to cool down. I loved it so much i continued to use it even when i had gas.

The only problem is that a cheapish portable cycles up and down so you don't get the simmer so i really want a full installed one.

I know i need a new amp installed and glass taken out when i get a new kitchen. I don't care what it costs I want it so much. I love the quickness, the low simmer, the control.

And it makes sense when i can afford solar.

Most cookware is compatible including cast iron, all of mine works because that's pretty much what i've been using for 10 years. Yes gas is better than other options but induction is better and i look forward to much easier cleaning. My old gas cooktop has lots of awkward places to clean. You can get cheaper excellent ones nowadays though i'm building my dream kitchen.

Does induction work for wok cooking?

Does induction work for wok cooking?

A professional induction hob can. Watch Uncle Roger cooking egg fried rice with a Michelin star chef on Youtube to see her do it.

We looked into induction ( we have gas), but were put off that we would have to upgrade the circuit the oven was on as it wouldn't handle the oven and cooktop going at the same time. It was an extra expense we didn't want at that time.

We’ve gone from ceramic to induction however our ceramic stove was maybe 40+ years old and only had 2 hobs working, So for us induction is a fantastic improvement.

Because of the age and somewhat dodgy set up for our kitchen we were up for some fairly expensive electrical updating anyway but we picked our stovetop and then got an electrical quote for the whole lot including the amp upgrade before we bought.

Upgrading the house was around 1600 -1800 sub urban Melbourne and the install was similar but we got a few other things done at the same time.

I should add I don’t have a “cost” for electrical stuff as mine was put in as part of a 3/4 knockdown/rebuild/extension.

I went from gas to induction 2 years ago and love it. I'm not sure that my Fisher and Paykel was that much more than a gas hob though. It is only a 4 burner. What I most love about it is the set and walk away functionality. as it turns itself off by timer, up to 2 hours length, It also has an auto function which heats to a boil, then turns itself down to a simmer, which I can also then set to turn itself off. Other things I love about it are: super fast heat up, super low heat for e.g. melting butter or chocolate, and that I can sit other appliances over it easily (e.g. pressure cooker, slow cooker) to make use of the exhaust fan. It's like having another 60cm of bench space. It automatically turns itself off if anything boils over, Oh and that I never have to scrub around the gas burners again - it is so super easy to wipe over.

So as per the title, are induction cooktops worth the extra $$$$?

We are updating our kitchen, and trying to figure out if it’s worth the extra cost or if it’s just all hype.

If I could only have one type, I would choose induction over gas or ceramic.

Admittedly, I have only used higher end induction cooktops so I’m talking about Wolf, Gaggenau and Miele. Cheaper ones may perform differently though.

I like that a massive pot of water for pasta (14L) will boil in 6mins (yes, I’ve timed it). I like that I can melt butter or chocolate on a low temperature and it won’t split, seize or burn. I like that it is so stable and consistent that it makes it easy to give precise cooking instructions to others like kids or friends when helping in the kitchen - gyozas are temp 8 for 10mins in x pan or porridge can be on temp 3 and not burn with no need to stir.

We also have a gas wok burner in our kitchen because I do like some foods cooked over a flame. One gas burner is enough though. The majority of our meals are cooked on the 5 burner induction cooktop.

I don’t think the cost of equal quality ceramic to induction cooktops is that different these days. A 60cm Miele ceramic is around $1400. A 60cm Miele induction is $1900. For something I use multiple times a day, most days, I am happy to spend a bit more.