What Is a Flat Top Induction Stove?

Though they are on the expensive side, flat-top induction stoves are more portable and efficient than electric or gas units for home cooks, caterers and professional kitchens.

Magnetism

The coils in an induction cooktop are used to create a magnetic field. This field will cause molecular friction in the pan, causing it to heat up.

Cookware

The cooking surface on a flat-top induction oven will only heat ferric pans. Though stainless steel and iron pans will work fine, copper, glass and aluminum will stay cool.

Burns

The surface of a flat-top induction cooktop will remain cool when in operation. The pan will heat, and caution should be exercised while handling cookware in use.

Temperature Control

Cooks who prefer gas ranges cite the ability to quickly change the pan temperature. Induction cooktops allow similar, if not superior, temperature control.

Installation

Induction cooktop ovens use the same outlets that electric cooktop ovens use. No additional equipment is required; it is ready to cook once it is plugged in.

Efficiency

The efficiency of an induction cook top can be as much as 90 percent, while electric or gas alternatives only rate up to 65 percent.

References

• Greening Your Home: Sustainable Options for Every System in Your House; Clayton Bennett; 2008
• The Professional Bar & Beverage Manager's Handbook; Amanda Miron, Douglas Robert Brown; 2006
• Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs; Wayne Gisslen, Mary Ellen Griffin, Le Cordon Bleu; 2006