What you need to know about an induction cooker so as not to be disappointed in your purchase

Induction hobs continue to gain in popularity. While some housewives take pride of place in the kitchen, others shrug their shoulders skeptically and talk about the insecurity of using them. Let's try to figure out on whose side the truth is and whether it is worth changing the usual electric or gas stove to a new induction one.

Principle of operation

The main difference between such a stove and a classic electric or gas stove is in the principle of operation. With a gas stove, everything is obvious: the combustion of gas creates a flame that heats the dishes and food in it. A classic electric stove works by releasing thermal energy when an electric current passes through a metal heating element.

They cook on an induction hob using induction current. Electric current, when passing through the turns of a copper coil located under the hob, is converted into an alternating electromagnetic field. It creates an eddy induction current, which sets in motion the electrons in the bottom of the dish and heats it up.

Features of the choice of dishes

An induction cooker requires the use of special cookware. This is directly related to the principle of induction: the device of the stove is like a transformer from physics lessons, only the primary winding is the coil, and the secondary is the dishes.

You can cook on an induction hob only in pans with a ferromagnetic bottom.

Manufacturers mark it with a special sign in the form of a spiral, and today a set of induction cookware can be purchased at almost any specialized store.

You can check if your pan or saucepan is suitable for an induction cooker using a magnet: if it sticks to the bottom, then you can safely use it.

If you put an unsuitable container on the hotplate, the stove will simply not work. During cooking, only the bottom of the pan heats up and, accordingly, the food in it, but not the hob. Therefore, if a piece of food falls on the burner, it's okay. The protein will not curl up, the onion will not burn, and you will not have to scrape the coals in agony.

When choosing dishes, you should definitely pay attention to its bottom, which should be even, without dents and bulges. Manufacturers recommend choosing the dishes so that the diameter of the bottom matches the diameter of the burner: the smaller the pan or frying pan, the less power will be.

But what if you are used to drinking coffee freshly brewed in a Turk in the morning? Then you will have to additionally purchase a special adapter - a metal disc adapter that will cover the surface of the burner.

This disc allows you to cook food in conventional cookware that is not suitable for induction cookers. However, it is hardly convenient to use it on an ongoing basis. Firstly, adapter manufacturers do not recommend turning on the stove at maximum power, which already limits you in dishes. Secondly, one disc is still not enough for you to cook several dishes at the same time on different burners. It is advisable to think about purchasing it if you really have a need to use small dishes at low or medium power. For example, for brewing coffee or heating milk.

Profitability

Induction does not consume energy to heat the contacting surfaces and air. Heat loss is excluded, because all forces are thrown into heating food.

Food is cooked faster: there is no need to pre-heat the pan, the heating process starts instantly, and the heat is distributed strictly along the diameter of the bottom of the dishes, optimizing energy consumption.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that you will have to replace the dishes with new ones.

Variety of designs and functions

Like classic cookers, induction cookers are produced in different versions:

Full size - freestanding stove with oven and hotplates.
Hob - a built-in panel that can be installed directly into the worktop.
Portable - mobile hotplate with one or two burners.
Combined - equipped with both induction and classic burners.

Choose any option, depending on your kitchen.

To make the cooking process even easier and more comfortable, manufacturers are not stingy and are introducing more and more additional functions, some of which may actually be useful.

Booster (Booster or Power Boost) - the function of shifting the power from one hotplate to another. You just borrow a little power from the free burner for a while if you need to cook a meal very quickly. Almost all models are equipped with it.
Fast start (Quick Start) - you turn on the stove and it automatically detects on which hotplate there are dishes.
Keep warm mode - with the function turned on, you can leave the cooked food on the stove, and it will not cool down.
Timer with and without automatic shutdown - you set the cooking time, after which a signal sounds and the hotplate either switches off (automatic switch-off) or continues to work (without automatic switch-off).
Safety shutdown - it will work if liquid gets on the hob: all burners will switch off automatically.
Power and temperature control - you create optimal conditions for the preparation of specific dishes. Some ranges offer a selection of the appropriate cooking method, such as frying, boiling or stewing.
Pause - if you need to be distracted for a short time, just press pause and do your thing. In this case, the previously installed settings will not be reset.

When choosing a stove, pay attention to those functions that you really need. The more variations are offered, the higher the price will be. But are you going to use them all in practice?

Security

The principle of operation of an induction cooker causes distrust and apprehension among some housewives. The manufacturers assure that it is safe and there is nothing to worry about. Is it really?

Vadim Rukavitsyn environmental consultant

Various studies have been carried out on the safety of induction cookers, their results are slightly different, but they agree that at a distance of less than 30 cm from the cooker, the electromagnetic field still exceeds the standards. Also, if you put a dish with a smaller diameter than the burner on the panel, or put it a little unevenly, then the electromagnetic radiation will become stronger, and the radius of influence will increase.

However, the expert clarifies that all this matters if you spend more than two hours a day at the stove. In other cases, the standards become less stringent, which allows you to cook without any harm to health.

Compliance with the instructions and safety precautions with any electrical appliance is imperative. The induction hob is no exception. As mentioned earlier, you need to pay special attention to the diameter of the pan and the type of bottom.

The electromagnetic field from an induction cooker does not affect food, since this radiation is not ionizing and acts mainly on the dishes, heating them up. If we talk about the effect on the body, then it strongly depends on the frequency of radiation, its power and exposure time.

Vadim Rukavitsyn environmental consultant

In addition, it is especially important for people with pacemakers to comply with safety rules. It is recommended to consult a doctor before using an induction hob.

There is a high probability that when approaching more than 0.5 meters to the switched on stove, the pacemaker may fail.

Vadim Rukavitsyn environmental consultant

Most of the household appliances and gadgets that we use every day have an impact on our body in one way or another. To ensure the comfortable use of the devices to which we are so accustomed, it is important to comply with all safety requirements, do not neglect the instructions and strictly follow all the instructions. So you first of all protect yourself, and, of course, extend the life of your equipment.

Outcomes

Advantages

Food prepares faster.
Energy consumption is optimized.
The arsenal has some very useful functions.
The hob is easy to clean.
Less chance of getting burned.

disadvantages

The price will be higher than for similar stoves (gas or electric).
All cooking utensils may need to be replaced.
Additional adapters may also come in handy to use containers with a small bottom diameter. For example, a Turkish coffee.
Some models may seem noisy compared to the usual classic stoves.
Strict requirements for operation due to the peculiarities of the cooking method.