What is the difference between an induction cooker and a glass-ceramic one. The difference between glass-ceramic and induction cooker

Increasingly users household appliances give up gas panels... Fire hazard, problematic rearrangement of the slab to another place, difficulty in repair - these are the shortcomings that negatively affect such a decision of buyers. To date, the most popular and positive reviews remain behind the electric hobs. Modern design, a variety of colors, mobility in installation and a variety of additional functions significantly attract the attention of users. It remains to figure out which is better - an induction cooker or glass ceramics.

Properties of induction and glass ceramic hobs

The main technical differences these representatives are as follows: the nature of the heating element, the method of heat transfer and the specifics of work.

The induction heating method is relatively new. Under the working surface of such a plate is electromagnetic coil for inducing a magnetic field... This heats the bottom of the cookware, not the hotplate. In comparison with other methods of incandescence, it is this one that provides a high speed of reaching the required temperature, energy savings and safety in use. Technically, "induction" can be distinguished by the presence of a fan for cooling the surface, as well as by the effect on the operation of nearby electronic equipment.

Glass ceramic panel

In the burners of the glass-ceramic hob under the hob, spiral, tape or halogen heating elements can be used. The principle of operation of such electric stoves is intense heating of the hotplate, which in turn transfers heat to the cookware... Therefore, considering the heating method, it is recommended to focus on safety when using this equipment. It is worth noting that it works silently and does not affect people and nearby devices.

Important! In most cases, modern electrical hobs made from glass ceramics. It is an impact-resistant and refractory material of special hardening, but it can also lose its properties if used improperly. Pinpoint damage from sharp, heavy objects or surface care with abrasive cleaning agents can significantly shorten equipment life.

Comparative characteristics

When choosing an electric stove, the consumer is faced with a wide range of prices. Usually, the cost depends on the set of additional functions and the manufacturer's fame... The more popular the brand, the better the level and reliability of the assembly. To this should be added a wider range of services.

What is the difference between an induction cooker and a glass-ceramic surface, this summary table will present:

Value		Glass ceramic plate
Efficiency,%	90	60-70
Heating feature	Bottom of dishes	Hob under the hotplate
Boiling 1 liter of water (min.)	2-3	6-7
Surface temperature	Limit value 55-60 ° C	The average hotplate temperature ranges from 180 to 280 ° C. The limit value is 400-450 ° C.
Security	Burns are virtually eliminated.	The equipment requires special attention during operation.
Specificity exploitation	1. Use only specialized metal cookware with a built-in magnetic bottom. 2. There is noisy fan operation when using the equipment. 3. If the stove is located close, it can affect the operation of electrical engineering.	1. Cookware made of stainless steel or with the sign "for glass ceramics" is used. 2. Ceramic hob should not be hit with heavy sharp objects, as well as surface care products with abrasive particles.
The cost	Average price range: 15-25 thousand rubles High price range: 82-125 thousand rubles	Average price range: 12-19 thousand rubles High price range: 29-37 thousand rubles

Important! Interaction with induction cookers is contraindicated for people with pacemakers.

Induction and glass ceramics: pros and cons

There is, of course, a difference between induction and glass ceramic models. And every consumer who chooses a technique is looking for a combination of advantages and disadvantages that is acceptable for himself.

Induction surfaces

Benefits induction model can be called such indicators.

Security... A notable option to prevent a fire is to switch off automatically when the cookware is removed from the hob. It should be recalled that the electromagnetic field heats only the bottom of the cookware, which has ferromagnetic qualities, which prevents scalding.
Practicality... The advantage manifests itself when cleaning equipment. A dirty place can be washed immediately, without waiting for the end of cooking or the moment when the hob turns cold.
Profitability... Taking into account the cost of consumed electricity, an induction cooker is more economical.

Among disadvantages you can note the need to purchase specialized tableware. Induction surface will work exclusively with pots (pans, kettles) containing ferromagnetic alloys. It should be noted that such dishes are often used before purchase. induction hob.

Advice! Due to the difficulty usually encountered when searching the desired pan for frying, most manufacturers complete the cookers with a special magnet that checks the dishes before purchasing. Therefore, when choosing induction hob you should pay attention to this.

The most important disadvantage induction hob at the moment is its high cost.

Glass ceramic surfaces

Benefits glass-ceramic hobs the following can be said:

they have more loyal requirements for the selection of dishes;
such panels allow you to finish cooking the dish using the residual heat, thanks to rapid heating and long cooling;
glass-ceramic surfaces compare favorably with cost, which is the most important advantage in comparison with induction counterparts.

TO disadvantages glass ceramics can be attributed to the fragility of equipment. The surface can easily cope with high static pressure, but cannot withstand the impact of sharp and heavy objects. As a result, chips and cracks can form, which can affect the performance of the equipment.

The panel is also impractical to clean. It is recommended to care for the surface only with products without abrasive particles, otherwise scratches may appear, which will affect aesthetic appearance equipment. Unlike the induction model, all dirt, fat and food residues should be removed immediately after cooking.

Advice! It is not recommended to use ceramic and glass cookware, as it has low thermal conductivity. Also, utensils made of aluminum and copper are contraindicated - they leave damage on the surface of the burners. An exception in this case is the infrared stove, which also has a glass-ceramic coating and can be used with any kind of cookware.

All preferences in favor of induction or glass ceramic hobs are very relative. Which electric stove to choose should be decided taking into account the conditions of use, the availability of the necessary functions and, of course, personal preferences. It is especially recommended to choose equipment from a number of trusted manufacturers, which guarantees quality and high service.

The hob is a necessary attribute of any kitchen, so its choice should be approached as carefully as possible. This will significantly increase the efficiency of cooking, as well as regularly save energy resources. Now the most popular are electrical and induction panels, which have fundamental differences... This material will be devoted to the question of which hob to choose: electric or induction.

Important: Immediately, we note that both panels operate on electric current and, in fact, both of them are electric. But the principle of operation (heating) is very different for them.

All hobs are divided into 3 large groups, depending on the heating method:

Gas... They are used in apartments and houses equipped with gas supply systems and are quite economical. All burners of the stove are supplied with gas, which is used to heat food. Warming up is quick and the degree of heating can be manually adjusted by decreasing or increasing the gas pressure.
Electrical... They can be cast iron, in the form of several pancakes, or they can be a single glass-ceramic surface with various heating elements under it. They consume a lot of electricity, especially in the cast iron version. Are environmentally friendly. An economical option for electric stoves is their induction version.
Combined... Gas and electric burners are usually used together. Their ratio may be different. Such designs are convenient if there are periods of no gas.

The combined induction and electric hob are more modern. Apartments in new buildings are equipped with such plates.

Dependent and independent panels

Hobs are also subdivided into the following types:

Dependent on included oven... Usually ready-made kits are sold from one manufacturer. The control panel is usually located on the oven.
Independent of the oven. Convenient in that you can purchase a panel without an oven, or install an oven of another production. The control of such a panel is located right next to the burners.

Which hob to choose based on the listed types? If you already have an oven, then it is better to prefer an independent option. Such a panel will work by itself. If you buy equipment from scratch, then ready set may be cheaper and look better.

Hob material, heating elements

Hobs differ in materials of manufacture:

The difference between heating elements:

Metal pancakes with electric spirals inside. They heat up and cool down for a long time.
Rapid burners... Used on glass ceramic panels. These are ordinary spirals that generate heat. Heating time 10-12 sec.
Hi-Lite hotplates... A tape heater is used in an asbestos base. They are smoothly regulated, they heat up faster than the rapid ones, in 5-7 seconds.
Halogen burners... In addition to the main coil, there is a halogen lamp on the burner, which allows you to quickly heat up the entire panel. Advantages - very fast heating in just 1-2 seconds. Disadvantage - lamps have a short lifespan, often requiring replacement.
Induction hobs... The coil generates an induction current that only acts on the bottom of the cookware placed on the top. The hotplate does not heat up.

Differences between induction panels and electrical

Let's see how an electric hob differs from an induction one.

Electrical panel

The heating elements of an electric stove are heated up from exposure to an electric current. After heating, the heating elements themselves give off heat to all objects in contact with the hob.

Electrical panel advantages:

combustion products are not emitted, as on a gas burner;
silent work;
convenience and ease of use;
a huge assortment allows you to choose not only the type of heating element, but also the color, number of burners, type of control;
acceptable cost;
possesses inertness, cools down longer. After switching off, the food continues to heat up for a while.

Disadvantages of electrical surfaces:

increased electricity consumption, as the burner heats up to 400 degrees;
the stove itself heats up, as a result of which you can burn yourself when you touch the hob;
long heating time. The hotplate itself heats up for 4-5 minutes, depending on its type. The water in the pot can boil only after 10-12 minutes.

Induction panel

To understand which hobs are better - electric or induction, we will give the principle of operation of an induction hob.

Its operation is fundamentally different from the action of electrically heated burners. The cooker has a built-in coil through which it circulates alternating current... As a result, a magnetic field is formed, in which currents arise that affect the dishes installed on the hob. However, not every one. Cookware must have a bottom with certain ferro magnetic properties... This bottom heats up, the dishes are heated, as well as the food in it.

Induction hob advantages:

low electricity consumption. The hotplate only heats up to 60 degrees;
the hob does not heat up during the heating process;
security. In addition to the fact that the panel does not heat up, it also will not start working if the dishes installed on it do not occupy more than 70% of the burner area. That is, accidentally hitting the stove cutlery will not provoke the panel to turn on;
has many modes of operation;
if there is empty dishes on the stove, the panel will not work or will automatically turn off when the water boils off;
food is heated very quickly, since energy is not consumed to heat up the heating elements and the hob. The dishes are able to heat up in 1 minute, and the water in it boils within 2-3 minutes.

Disadvantages of an induction hob:

in the process of operation, makes a small noise emanating from the cooling fan;
has a higher cost;
for cooking is required.

To decide for yourself which hob is better to choose - electric or induction, weigh everything positive points of these surfaces, necessarily taking into account the cost of the products. If any of the shortcomings seem critical to you, then choose the option without them.

Tip: You can do without buying special cookware for the induction hob if you buy an adapter on which ordinary cookware will be placed. This adapter is magnetic. It will heat up and heat the dishes standing on it.

Panel control

Before choosing an electric hob, it is advisable to inquire about its type of control. It can be mechanical or touch:

Mechanical control... This is the most simple and reliable way switching the hob on and off. To control it, just turn the knob of the burner, or press and turn;
Touch control... It's over modern versionwhich you can quickly get used to. For any action with the stove, you just need to put your finger on a specific sensor. The good thing about this type of control is that the control surface is very easy to clean, unlike mechanical handles.

Additional options

Some useful additions can increase the comfort and safety of using the hob:

automatic shutdown when the liquid is boiled out of the dishes;
work on the program. The timer gives a signal after a certain time, and is also able to turn off the stove;
the presence of a lock function from small children will increase the safety of using the stove;
overheating protection will work when the surface reaches its maximum temperature;
digital indication of the operation of each burner will increase the convenience of using the stove.

Popular manufacturers

It remains to decide which company the hob to choose. The selected model can be of different quality. We list the most popular manufacturers of such equipment, dividing it conditionally into three quality categories:

elite series products are produced by such brands as AEG, Miele, Kuppersbusch, Gaggenau;
middle-class models with an ideal ratio of quality and cost are produced by Whirlpool, Zanussi, Siemens, Bosch, Electrolux, Gorenje;
the budget series is represented by the products of Ariston, Hansa, Ardo. However, the quality even budget models usually at a high level.

Tip: On sale now there are hobs that combine induction burners and electrically heated elements. Both types are powered by electricity, so you can use the burners you want in any way. If you cannot make a choice, then such combined option will be perfect for you.

It is up to each person individually to decide which stove to choose, electric or induction. Having weighed your requirements for such a panel, as well as your financial capabilities, it is quite possible to make the right choice.

Plus

Gas stoves have long ceased to be considered the best option for cooking in the kitchen. The interior of a modern kitchen cannot be imagined without hobs built into the furniture. Choose an efficient model for work cooker, and thus equip the kitchen with the last word fashion and modern technology is not difficult. But figuring out how an induction hob differs from a glass-ceramic hob is sometimes difficult. Which is better - glass ceramics or an induction cooker, we will help you find the answer to this question in this article.

Glass ceramic hob

Before deciding which stove to choose - induction or glass ceramics, it is worth learning a little information about the principle of operation, the pros and cons of each option. Let's start with glass ceramics.

99% of induction hobs are made of glass ceramics, although stainless steel cookers sometimes come across on sale. For example, V-Zug and Teppan Yaki. In addition, several types of plates with different types heating:

Spiral.
Halogen (infrared).
Hi-light.

Thus, we can draw the first simple conclusion: the difference between an induction hob and a glass-ceramic hob is that the first concept includes a wider range of options.

Important! Any of the above heating elements is located under a coating made of a single sheet of glass-ceramic. The working body of the panel is cast iron discs with heating elements placed inside. The hotplates are heated first, using the maximum power. After that, the automation switches the operating mode of the stove to a reduced power. After turning off the hob, the temperature is kept and maintained for a long time.

Advantages of a glass ceramic hob:

Attractive look.
Relative cheapness.
Automatically reduces and increases the heating zone, depending on the size of the base of the pan.
The hotplates create an even heat flow.
Not the entire surface of the hob is heated, but only the area under the bottom of the cookware.
The panel has a residual heat indicator, so if you forget to turn off the hotplate or it hasn't cooled down for some time, the red dot will always remind you of this.

Disadvantages:

Higher energy consumption compared to an induction hob.
Traces of copper and aluminum dishes remain on the glass-ceramic surface. Find out what cleaning products you can use for.
Chips often occur at the edges of the panel.
Requires careful maintenance and constant presence, for example, hot sugar syrup or "run away" soup can completely ruin the surface material.
Special products are required to clean the glass-ceramic surface.

Induction model

The main difference between the induction model is that the cooker itself does not heat up. The current flowing through the built-in coils creates a magnetic field and acts on the magnetized bottom of the cookware. Thanks to this principle of operation, electricity is not consumed to heat the entire hob, but is concentrated in only one place.

Important! At presentations of induction models, managers use a very spectacular presentation: they put a pot of water on the panel, and put chocolate next to it. While the water in the pot is boiling, the chocolate isn't even going to melt.

Despite the many advantages of an induction hob, it is not always possible to use it. In addition, it should be noted that the generated magnetic field affects the microclimate of the room, the work of others household appliances, as well as on the well-being of a person.

Important! Due to the special operating principle of induction hobs, special cookware with a magnetic bottom is required. As a rule, a magnet is also included with the stove, which allows you to check the cookware for suitability.

The advantages of an induction hob:

High performance with moderate power consumption. Modern induction models of household appliances have high efficiency (from 90%).
The hotplates heat up and cool down very quickly. Due to the special heating mechanism, the hob very quickly reaches the right temperature, thanks to which the cooking process is significantly accelerated.
Safety of use. Since heat is transferred not to the surface of the stove, but only to the dishes, the probability of getting burned by touching the stove is 0. Even children can safely touch household appliances.
Does not depend on the voltage in the mains.
Allows you to accelerate the heating of one hotplate at the expense of the second.
The stove is equipped with an automatic on and off switch. As soon as you put the pan on, the stove will turn on, remove the dishes and turn off.
Induction mechanisms do not heat up the air, so there is no need to ventilate the room.
Ease of use.
Attractive appearance.
Harmonious combination with any interior details.
The hob will only recognize cookware of a certain size. If you forget or accidentally drop a spoon on the hob, it will not heat up, since the minimum diameter of the bottom of the cookware cannot be less than 12 cm, and in some models - 8 cm.

Important! This feature of the panels made life a little more difficult for coffee lovers, however, there is a way out and it is quite simple - get a disc adapter.

Disadvantages of the induction model:

High price. The price of the model will directly depend on the number of functions of household appliances.
The need to purchase a special one, which is also not cheap.
Heavy loads on electrical wiring.
Exposure to radiation on certain things, such as flash drives, credit cards.
The difficulty of choosing the optimal area for embedding the panel. Over metal surfaces induction hobs cannot be fixed, so you have to figure out how to move the oven to another part of the room.

In order not only to understand how an induction hob differs from a glass-ceramic hob, but also to determine for yourself which model is better, consider the following:

Choose the version of the induction hob with a practical side that is convenient for you: there must be at least one large hotplate on the hob.
Household appliances must match the style kitchen interior... For example, a black glossy hob without certain contours in the zones of the location of the burners will be appropriate in modern design trends (high-tech), and light hobs with black or red burners are well suited to older interiors.

What kind of cookware can be used for modern panels?

As soon as you have decided for yourself, induction or glass ceramics - which is better, you will have to be puzzled by the choice suitable dishes for a specific plate model:

All utensils that you will use on electric hobs should only have a flat bottom, without any edges or recesses.
For cast-iron burners of glass-ceramic hobs, it is necessary to select such dishes, the diameter of which will fully correspond to the heating zone. Otherwise, the burners will quickly wear out and waste energy during operation.
For induction models, it is permissible to use pots and pans only with a wide and thick bottom that has feromagnetic properties. You can also use thinner dishes, but there should be special ferromagnetic stickers on the bottom.
Cookware should be made of a metal that has magnetic properties, such as enamelled cast iron or stainless steel.

Which hob to choose: induction or glass ceramic?

Choosing a model of a hob - glass-ceramic or induction, evaluate all the pros and cons of each of them. The fundamental difference between them is not too significant:

The induction hob only heats the bottom of the cookware and does not take a long time to reach the set temperature. Food that is cooked on such a panel never burns, therefore, the main difference between an induction cooker and glass ceramics is that it consumes less energy with a higher productivity.
A glass-ceramic panel with a spiral electric heating element first heats up itself, and only then begins to heat the dishes.
A glass-ceramic hob is cheaper than an induction hob, and there is no additional cost for new cookware.

Important! The induction model will delight you with the level of safety and the absence of an unpleasant smell, while a slight burning smell is always felt from the stove with a conventional heater.

The choice of model for your kitchen will depend on many criteria, such as:

Functionality.
Security.
Profitability.
Beautiful sophisticated design.
Additional functions.

All of the above factors are very important when choosing a hob, not only for consumers, but also for manufacturers of a new kitchen appliances, which delight us with new developments in this area.

Important! Also, select the optimal number of burners based on the number of family members and the frequency of cooking. Many induction models have not only 4 burners, but also 2, 3 and even 5.

Choosing additional functions

Modern manufacturers delight consumers with the following additional functions hobs:

Protection from children.
Changing the power and heating area of \u200b\u200bthe burners.
Touch control system.
Possibility of setting a timer with notification.

An unlimited number of new and interesting functions allows each housewife to choose the most optimal and convenient option household appliances. When choosing a stove, consider whether you need all the features on offer, so as not to overpay for those that are not necessary. When buying a stove, give preference only to trusted brands that have quality certificates. Thanks to the above advantages and disadvantages of glass ceramic or induction hobs, we hope you can choose the one the best option, which will become not only the best assistant in the kitchen, but also a stylish addition to the modern interior.

Hobs are gaining popularity in the market of new technologies different kind... The most demanded of them are glass-ceramic and induction cookers. Before making a purchase, you need to find out which one is better. You can understand this by reading customer reviews.

General characteristics

And glass-ceramic plates meet the needs of the modern buyer. Despite the fact that each of the declared has its own advantages and disadvantages, there are factors that help to make a choice in favor of a particular stove.

The most significant are:

the size of the working surface;
type of equipment: full-fledged stove with built-in or portable;
number of burners;
components of the heating element;
consumed electricity;
protection from children;
additional functions.

Modern are characterized by various color schemes: white, gray, black or gold.

Attention! Both types of cookers are powered by the mains.
Advantages of glass-ceramic plates

In the burners of the glass-ceramic hob, one of three types of shades are used, located under the cooking panel: spiral, tape or halogen.

The advantages of a glass ceramic hob include:

The obvious advantage of a glass-ceramic plate is its price. It is significantly lower than on induction hobs.

Cons of glass ceramic plates

Along with the advantages, this hob has disadvantages. These include:

The need for special dishes.

A glass-ceramic stove needs specialized dishes, with a flat, even and thick bottom, not exceeding the size of the burner itself.

An important factor is the material of the dishes. It is not advisable to use pans with low thermal conductivity, such as ceramic or glass. Copper and aluminum cookware, since after using it, hard-to-remove traces remain on the burners. It is best to use pans with a glass ceramic label or stainless steel.

Stove maintenance

It is necessary to wash the hob with products intended for glass ceramics. Conventional detergents leave scratches, sometimes slight oxidation. The remains of burnt food are removed only with the thin scraper included in the stove kit.

Advice. The hob will last much longer if you use pans that match the size of the hotplate. The only exceptions are hobs, which have a function for automatically detecting the size of the cookware.

Benefits of induction cookers

The induction heating method is considered quite new. An electromagnetic coil is located under the working surface, thanks to which the food is heated, and not the dishes themselves. The table top of such a plate is made of glass ceramics.

The advantages of induction cookers include:

economical power consumption;

the fastest heating of the burners;

the working surface itself does not heat up;

after cooking, the dishes remain slightly warm;

up to 20 operating modes;

instant change temperature regime from 60 to 1 degree;

automatic shutdown in the absence of dishes or boiling;

locking the entire panel when the wrong mode is turned on;

different functionality in more expensive models.

Attention! A spoon or ladle accidentally left on the hob will not trigger the burner.

Disadvantages of induction cookers

Induction hobs also have disadvantages, albeit not significant ones. These include:

observe caution during installation, since ceramics is a rather fragile material;

it is best to install the hob away from metal household appliances, such as or, since this can harm the operation of both appliances;

use only dishes with a magnetic bottom;

noise during operation due to the fan designed to cool the dishes;

high price.

Advice. The mechanism of induction cookers uses magnetic coils, so it is best for people with pacemakers not to use such cookers, as the magnetic field can negatively affect the health of the person using the pacemaker.

What to choose?

As you can see, both glass-ceramic and induction cookers have their pros and cons. For economic reasons, it is best to choose a glass-ceramic hob, since it is several times cheaper than an induction hob. If priority is given to time and effort, then it is worth choosing an induction cooker, since food is cooked on it much faster.

Speaking of dishes, it is worth noting that special pots and pans are needed in both cases. Any metal cookware can be used on an induction hob, but its efficiency will be several times lower than that of special cookware with a magnetic bottom.

Comparisons of glass ceramic and induction hob:

on an induction hob, water boils in 2-3 minutes, while on a glass-ceramic hob - in 5-7 minutes;

on an induction hob, only the burner is heated, on a glass-ceramic - the entire working surface, and therefore an induction hob is safer than a glass-ceramic;

the hotplate on the induction hob turns off automatically when the desired mode is selected; you need to follow the preparation of food on the glass-ceramic hob yourself;

an induction cooker consumes less energy than a glass-ceramic one, thanks to an automatic shutdown immediately after removing the cookware from the hob.

The advantages and disadvantages of both hobs are relative.

Each hostess chooses a stove based on her preferences and requests. The Internet will help you find both positive and negative reviews about induction and glass-ceramic hobs and make your choice. Much depends on the manufacturer and model of the hob itself. Therefore, when choosing a stove, you should pay attention not only to its characteristics, but also to the company. Best Buy hob famous brands.

How to choose cookware for an induction cooker: video

The choice of a hob is one of those issues that have to be solved both by happy newcomers and simply by those whose old stove has become unusable. Today, the choice is usually made between electric and induction hobs: gas stoves are also good in their own way, but now many new buildings are not even supplied with gas. And this choice, for all its inevitability, is not too obvious. So which stove is better - electric or induction? ..

I have long planned to write an article about the pros and cons of electric and induction hobs, but I wanted to do it from a practical standpoint, which I now have every right to: for six years I have been cooking on an electric stove, which I recently replaced with an induction hob Pyramida IFEA 640 B. and now I can tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of both solutions from my own experience.

How is an induction cooker different from an electric one?

Before giving an answer to the question of which stove is better - induction or electric - let's figure out how they differ. Let's start with electric hobs as they are older. Their principle of operation is quite simple: electricity passes through a resistor, it releases thermal energy, and it, in turn, is transferred to the placed on heating element dishes. Modern electric stoves mainly have a surface made of glass ceramics, but in terms of their structure, they have gone from old electric stoves with metal burners not so far.

The induction hob works differently: under each hotplate there is a high-frequency generator, which creates vortexes in the metal cookware placed on the hotplate. induction currents... In this case, the dishes act as a conductor, and it is she who heats up, and not the coil or the surface of the stove - provided that the dishes are conductive. If all this does not sound very clear to you - do not bother with theory, let's better find out what this means for us in practice.

So let's compare induction and electric cookers in different parameters, and then display the final score. For each indicator, both types of plates will be awarded from 0 to 2 points, depending on how well they show themselves in one aspect or another.

Suitable dishes

The first thing I did, becoming the proud owner of an induction cooker, was to go to the store and buy an adapter, this steel pancake, which costs much more than you might think looking at its shape. As already mentioned above, an induction cooker is capable of heating only those dishes that have ferromagnetic properties, which among the pans and pots that have served me faithfully and truthfully turned out to be surprisingly few.

The adapter is able to turn an induction cooker into an ordinary electric one, heating up and transferring its heat to the cookware placed on it, but it deprives it of all the advantages that will be discussed below. If you place an unsuitable pan on the induction hob, it won't even turn on.

To understand if the cookware is suitable for an induction cooker, attach a magnet to it or just turn it over, the following pictogram is usually placed on compatible cookware:

At first glance, electric stoves are devoid of this drawback, but in practice they are far from ideal. An electric hob is capable of providing uniform heating only if the cookware has a perfectly flat bottom, but even the most reliable pot or pan deforms over the years under the influence of intense heat. For the same reason, it is inconvenient or simply impossible to cook on an electric stove using an ordinary wok or cauldron with rounded sides and bottom; you will have to use dishes adapted specifically for electric hobs.

Induction hob - 0 points
Electric hob - 1 point

Ease of use

The main virtue you will need when using an electric stove is patience. The hotplate heats up quickly enough, almost instantly, but it takes time to transfer the heat to the cookware. A lot of time. It takes about 7 minutes to heat the pan to a temperature suitable for frying, and it takes about 15-20 minutes to bring a pot of water to a boil.

In order to change the temperature of already heated dishes, it is also not easy - quickly increasing the "fire" from low to maximum simply will not work, and the most reliable way to quickly reduce the heat is to remove the dishes from the stove. Perhaps this is the most main drawback electric hob - it is slow, inert, and this makes it terribly uncomfortable.

This is not the case with an induction hob. The source of heat in her case is the bottom of the cookware itself, so an increase or decrease in heating occurs literally instantly: if your previous stove was gas, you will not even notice the difference.

I did an experiment and timed the time it took for my Pyramida IFEA 640 B to bring 2 liters of water to a boil in a pot without a lid. It took 9.5 minutes - more than half the time I would spend using an electric stove. In addition, the induction hob has other advantages arising from its operating principle.

Firstly, it is high efficiency - thermal energy does not go "into the air", but is almost completely used to heat food.

Secondly, its economy - since almost all energy is used for its intended purpose, an induction cooker, other things being equal, consumes less electricity and costs you less. Considering that electric and induction hobs cost about the same, this is an extremely useful property in modern times.

Thirdly, the stove will turn off automatically if you remove the cookware from the hotplate, which also helps to save and natural resourcesand your money. In general, in terms of convenience, the induction hob deserves a solid five (which on our scale corresponds to a solid two).

Noise

During its operation, the induction hob makes various sounds, which was a discovery for me, because the electric stove is absolutely silent. This cannot be said about induction, it crackles quietly, turns on a fan hidden in its depths to cool the coil and radiator of the transistor, in a word, it lives its own life.

In no case think that these sounds annoy, frighten or somehow interfere with my life, but they are, and after the electric stove has not made the slightest sound for several years, this is surprising. To the credit of the induction cooker, I can assure that these sounds are quite quiet, and you stop noticing them quickly enough.

Induction hob - 1 point
Electric hob - 2 points

Heating the hob

The principle of operation of an electric stove is that heat is transferred to the dishes by contact with a heated burner. In other words, an electric stove simply has to be hot, heat up quickly and not cool down too quickly, which entails several not very pleasant consequences.

Firstly, such a stove poses a danger of burns, especially for children and pets, and even a moderate, but still a threat to fire safety.

Secondly, when it cools down, the stove gives off residual heat to the surrounding air, and if it happens in a hot summer, and you also do not have an air conditioner, you can imagine what kind of hell the kitchen turns into when cooking several dishes at the same time.

Thirdly, any liquid, like a sauce or soup, dripping onto a heated burner, instantly turns into acrid smoke, remaining on the surface with a hard-to-remove black spot. Of course on sale wide selection means to combat such pollution, but the very fact of the appearance unpleasant odors and additional headache cannot please.

An induction hob is a different matter! As mentioned above, it does not heat up itself, but generates heat directly in the dishes placed on it - and this alone creates a huge gap between electric and induction cookers. Yes, an induction hob can get hot, but it will be warm from the pans placed on it, and if you remove the pot from the stove, the hob will cool down quickly. There will be no burns, there will be no overheating of the air, and stains, if any, are wiped off with much less difficulty. In a word, in this parameter, the induction cooker is ahead of the electric one by a large margin.

Induction hob - 2 points
Electric hob - 0 points

Verdict

Of course, I have not listed all the differences between induction and electric stoves - but he gave the most basic ones, so it's time to summarize. Let's calculate the points scored:

Induction hob - 5/8
Electric hob - 3/8

What does this mean? The fact that the electric hob is quite suitable for use, which I have proved from my own experience, and you can check it yourself, because 99% of the recipes from this site over the past 6 years have been cooked on an electric stove.

In turn, an induction cooker cannot be called an ideal either - and if it is quite possible to close your eyes to such a trifle as a small noise, then incompatibility with big amount otherwise good dishes are much more sad. This means that technology has room to grow, and we can hope for the appearance in the foreseeable future of hobs and stoves without these shortcomings.

However, at the moment, an induction cooker is today, and an electric one is already yesterday. Does this mean that an induction cooker is definitely better than an electric one? Perhaps I am ready to answer this question in the affirmative, because the advantages of my new Pyramida cooker outweigh its disadvantages, and there is no shortage of cookware suitable for induction cookers.

For those who have managed to acquire their favorite dishes and do not want to send them to the dustbin of history along with the old stove, there are quite working solutions - the already mentioned adapter for induction cookers or combined hobs, some of the burners of which are conventional electric, and the rest work on induction principle... This will allow you not to part with your favorite dishes, but at the same time open the door to the future - since you are still afraid to open it wide open.