Everything in this world moves, grows and develops. Progress and household appliances are not spared. Moreover, this is one of those industries where development is especially noticeable. Washing machines, Food processors, microwaves and other wonders of modern household appliances cannot but surprise and delight a person.
Pros and cons of induction cookers
And one of these devices is an induction cooker. Once upon a time it was even impossible to imagine how "smart", safe and convenient a simple kitchen attribute for cooking... It's not even so much about being attractive appearance, which will give the interior additional sophistication, as much as in convenience and safety. After all, a modern induction hob is able to independently control its work and even manage the cooking process by adjusting the temperature, which allows it to maintain a given cooking mode.
Externally, an inverter (or induction) cooker is not much different from the usual electric cooker with a panel and touch control. In reality, they are united only by external similarity. Then what is an induction cooker? it kitchen appliances, which allows you to cook food, the principle of which is based on the action of an electromagnetic field, which makes it unique. But, like any technical novelty, such a stove has a number of its disadvantages:
Despite the above disadvantages, if they can be called such, there are much more advantages for this unit:
Any modern technology that works on certain principles and is designed for specific tasks, has a kind of variation to cover a wider area of \u200b\u200bhuman needs. Inverter cookers are no exception. and are also divided into several types, each of which is more preferable in a particular case:
The principle of operation and capabilities of the device
The hob is made of a non-magnetic dielectric material, like glass ceramics. Directly below the surface is inductor (therefore, an induction cooker), which has good electrical conductivity and a cylindrical shape.
When turned on, a high-frequency electricity, which, in turn, excites an alternating magnetic field. Leaving the panel, the magnetic field captures the dishes on the surface, from the material with magnetic properties (cast iron, iron). An electric current is excited in it, which experiences resistance to its movement. As a result, the material of the cookware heats up. Simply put, the pan or pan itself is heating, not the surface hob.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that if you touch the work surface near the dishes with your hand during the operation of the stove, then it will be approximately room temperature... But under a frying pan or saucepan, the temperature is slightly higher. This is because the surface heats up not by itself, but from the dishes in which we cook. If, for example, you remove the pan, the panel will return to normal room temperature pretty quickly.
All inverter cookers are equipped with a built-in timer, which is quite versatile. Let's say it allows not only to restrict the amount of energy expended when preparing a dish, but also extremely accurately set various cooking modes. Many models are equipped with a "boil mode", which makes it possible, after boiling the dish, to let it boil for a specified time, after which the stove will automatically turn off.
Certainly so "smart" devices equipped with an electronic scoreboard where you can see:
- Clock;
- Power consumption;
- Temperature;
- Time for preparing;
- In the event of a sudden shutdown, an error code is displayed to make it easier to determine the cause of the failure.
Of course, depending on the brand and model, these parameters can be much wider. There are such models in which both induction burners and conventional electric ones are implemented.
Features of induction cookers
I would like to note some features, which may be interesting and useful for a more accurate understanding of inverter cookers:
It is clear that such things require knowledge of some points in terms of installation:
This technique requires specialized dishes. Of course, you can cook in the usual one, but you should know that the stove won't workif your dishes:
- Does not conduct electric current;
- Conducts too well;
- Less than 5 inches in diameter (≈ 12 cm);
- Already warmed up above acceptable value (usually ≈ 100 ° C).
Otherwise, any material that contains metal is suitable, so both cast iron and stainless steel are quite suitable for cooking on such stoves.
If you choose cookware with the calculation of use and on "induction", then pay attention to the presence of a special icon, which says that such cookware is suitable for these purposes. It looks like a spiral with the inscription "Induction" at the bottom.
For many years we have all been using the already familiar gas and electric stoves... However, progress does not stand still and new technologies begin to claim the place of the usual plates. One of these technologies is induction.
As a matter of fact, this is not so new technology, and this physical process has been known for many years, but it has become relatively recent to use it in stationary electric stoves or hobs. I won't lie that for me the use of such an innovation is a routine exercise. I even honestly admit that I have never used an induction cooker in my life, but I have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat it is and how it works and I will try to tell you. Suddenly, someone is interested.
Recently I came across a beautifully designed colorful presentation of the Samsung hob. Using the visual aids of this presentation, we will try to understand the technology of the induction cooker and its advantages over conventional electric cookers.
To begin with, the induction technology is also not without some disadvantages:
Firstly, not all utensils are suitable for cooking on an induction hob.
In the above figures, we can see which dishes can be used and which ones will have to be discarded.
Secondly, the cost of a stove using induction technology is much higher than that of its usual counterparts: ceramic electric stoves or gas stoves.
How it works?
In the picture, we can see two pots standing on a working induction hob. The left pot is intended for use with this technology and you can see that water is boiling in it, while the right pot is made of glass and the water in it remains cold.
Under the glass surface of the slab there is a copper coil through which a high-frequency electric current flows. According to the laws discovered by Faraday, the magnetic field of this current, penetrating the bottom of the dish, induces electric currents in it. At the same time, the bottom of the dish is not a long wire, but a disk, so the currents in it go in a circle, and do not flow "along the line". It is these eddy electric currents rotating in the bottom of the pan that heat the bottom, and with it, accordingly, the food.
What are the advantages of an induction hob?
First, the heating rate. Due to the fact that the bottom of the cookware is heated directly, and not the surface of the stove, which transfers heat to the cookware, heating is faster and saves time for cooking.
Secondly, energy savings. The energy consumption of an induction hob is significantly lower than that of conventional hobs. And this is logical, because the current is not spent on heating up any spiral, but only on creating a magnetic field in the induction coil. Anyone who is familiar with the basics of electrical engineering understands what I mean.
Third, security. Using an induction cooker at home, you will never start a fire by forgetting to turn off the burner, because without the cookware standing on it, nothing will heat up. And it is not possible to burn yourself on the surface with induction burners, since this surface itself remains cold even during operation.
And fourth, easy cleaning. Using an induction surface, you don't have to worry if something is spilled on it. Since it is cold, it will be enough to simply wipe it with a soft cloth and there will be no trace of dirt.
Such a wonderful technology is an induction cooker. It is hoped that, like all new technologies, its cost will eventually become available to a wide range of the population.
More from the site:
Any radio amateur understands the principle of operation of an induction electric stove. Stove + frying pan is a transformer. The cooker has a coil that creates a magnetic field. The coil is usually made thick copper wireto reduce losses. The core is a frying pan or other iron cookware, eddy currents occur. In conventional transformers, the cores are made of thin steel plates to reduce losses, which are heating of the core. The efficiency of transformers is more than 95%. But here, on the contrary, they use the heat generated on the core, so you need to use steel or cast iron dishes with thick walls. If the core is removed from the transformer, then the current through the coil increases sharply, and the automation turns it off.
One more point is not covered in the article.
The surface of the induction hobs still heats up. But this is the "opposite" effect - i.e. the surface is heated not by heating elements, but by the "heating object" itself.
Naturally, it heats up much weaker than the heating zone of conventional (non-inductive) hobs, and it cools down much faster.
Power regulation is carried out, as a rule, in two ways: continuously and impulsively. For a series variable-frequency invertor (VFI) it looks like this. At maximum power, the stove operates at the highest frequency (usually 50-100 kHz). With a decrease in power, the frequency decreases. But lower than to about 20 kHz, the frequency is not reduced, in order to avoid the appearance of sound uncomfortable for users (people do not hear frequencies above 20 kHz). Therefore, if you set the power below that at which the inverter operates at a frequency of 20 kHz, the burner switches to intermittent heating mode: it turns on and off every few seconds. The shorter the time it turns on, the less power will be. Most modern electric cookers using resistive heating elements work the same way (at any power except full), but with induction cookers, due to their low inertia when cooking in a dish with a thin bottom, this can sometimes cause an unpleasant "intermittent boiling" effect. Induction cookers high class are spared from this: there are used more complex schemes, capable of heating dishes continuously with almost arbitrarily low power.
And I read somewhere that induction surfaces cannot be placed over METAL objects, including over ovens. Is it so??? The oven IN GENERAL can not be "shoved" under the hob or you just need to maintain some distance ????
Hello! Has anyone encountered such a problem, the hob starts to heat up, but then after a short period of time it starts to turn off, with an error that it does not recognize the dishes. And immediately turns on, and so on several times. And once it heats up normally, without any errors. Has anyone had similar cases?
Like Oleg and Alexei, I am very worried about the presence of an electromagnetic field. After all, as you know, an alternating magnetic field causes an alternating electric field ... You cannot close your eyes to this, it is very harmful to human health. The feeling is that this answer to this question is being hushed up ...
I would very much like to get a competent answer to the question of how dangerous the radiation from induction electric cookers is.
But still, guys. But what about radiation? After all, 1 kW of radiation with a frequency of 100 KHZ is worth something!
Hello Oleg.
To be honest, I stopped paying attention to such things for a long time. In our everyday life so many objects emitting something that one more - one less ...
In the last century, Gen Gorbachev decided that military factories should produce pots and pans. The directors of the factories, so as not to kill the production, "were spinning like snakes in these pans." In particular, the Irkutsk aircraft plant produced Ilga induction cookers. It is scary to look inside - apparently they were "molded" from what was at hand. But it works like a Soviet tank! For more than twenty years, I have changed power transistors twice (3 pcs.). Naturally, there are no sensors (they just appeared) - a simple variable adjusts the power, six LEDs show it, the "buzzer" beeps if the wrong dishes. I am very pleased with the stove, we do not have gas, an electric stove, a microwave oven, and induction plays its role - fast heating, zero inertia, regulation like on gas. "The old woman" is working, but I thought about updating - the sellers in our town do not know what an induction furnace is! And the choice of hotplates is large.
The instructions say that when "idle" or in
intervals between pulses, electricity consumption is 4 watts, but in fact it is 380 watts. (2-x comfortable pltita
"CUISINE3400").
I am very concerned about security issues. As far as I know electromagnetic radiation large capacities are very dangerous to health. I am interested in how the plate is shielded from this radiation. Everything is clear with the magnetic field !! And where did the electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of 100 kHz go?
I took a cooker working on the Kitfort-102 induction effect. So far, the test has only been conducted on heating a kettle and a saucepan with dumplings. The kettle warmed up in 4 minutes, the dumplings were cooked in 14 minutes. The result is excellent, especially outstanding compared to a conventional electric stove. Plus the convenience of cleaning. I will continue to test and unsubscribe about the possibilities that Faraday gave us :)
Recently we bought a JOYOUNG induction cooker model JYC-21FS33 from Suifenhe (its User Manual is attached). The instructions for this model allow the use of dishes with a bottom diameter of 12 to 26 centimeters.
When testing this model, it was found that this stove is well suited for cooking in all sizes of pots, for frying and small flat pans. Frying in raised pans or in a large flat skillet will not work on this stove.
Test results are below:
1. Cooking mode with big amount water. For testing in this mode, we used pans made of magnetic stainless steel with a thick bottom with a diameter of 16 to 24 centimeters. It is good to cook soups and other liquid dishes, the water boils very quickly. The heating is regulated perfectly and in the entire power range. If you turn on 2100 watts, it quickly boils and boils very strongly, but if you set the power to 300 to 600 watts, then the boil is uniform. I liked it very much, better than on gas. We believe that boiling with plenty of water will work well in a saucepan with a thin bottom.
2. Cooking in a small saucepan. For testing in this mode, we used a small 12 cm thick stainless steel saucepan with a thick bottom and tried to boil eggs in it. Although the pan was completely filled with water, it boils very quickly, but during cooking it turned out the following: with the most suitable for boiling eggs in this pan at a power of 120 watts, the cooker can only work in intermittent pulse mode. That is, at the moment of switching on, the water instantly boils in the entire pan with eggs, and during switching off, the boiling stops. This did not affect the taste of the boiled eggs.
I believe that the minimum possible continuous power of this model is 600 watts, and the intermittent pulse mode is used to provide less power.
3. Fry in a large convex skillet. For testing we used the supplied steel pan with a base diameter of 13 cm, height 8 cm and a top diameter of 32 cm. Only the bottom of the pan is heated. Food will burn in the center if not continuously stirred.
4. Fry in a small, flat skillet. For testing, a non-stick pan with a thick bottom with a bottom diameter of 16 centimeters was used. On high power the dish heats up quickly and evenly. But in the mode low powerwhen it is necessary to fry slowly, the problem of having only intermittent pulse mode in the low power range has been discovered. The food burns slightly on the outside without having time to steam from the inside.
5. Fry in a large, flat skillet. Three pans were used for testing:
- with non-stick coating with a thick bottom with a bottom diameter of 26 centimeters
- stainless steel with a thick bottom with a diameter of 24 centimeters
- massive cast iron pan for pancakes with a diameter of 26 centimeters.
The following unpleasant feature was found out: food burns in the center of all frying pans. This is especially noticeable when cooking pancakes. The center of the pancake with a diameter of about 10 cm is burnt, while the edges of the pancake are undercooked.
For the experiment, we poured 5 mm of water into a massive cast-iron pan and turned it on at maximum power. Despite the thick bottom, the water in the center of the pan boiled instantly, while at the edges of the pan you can safely keep your finger in the water. The diameter of the water layer boiling in the center is about 12-14 cm. Perhaps, in this model, the diameter of the coil is only 12-14 centimeters.
It is strange, because the manufacturer indicated the maximum permissible diameter of the bottom of the dishes 26 centimeters.
When buying induction cookers, we recommend choosing a cooker
1. With the presence of a continuous heating method in low power mode.
2. Inquire about the diameter of the induction coil. The larger it is, the larger the permissible size of the cookware. In some expensive models of stoves, dual-circuit coils are used, each of which is automatically turned on in accordance with the supplied dishes.
In the near future we plan to test models from other manufacturers.
I wonder how induction machines from venerable manufacturers cope with frying?
Now trying to repair Alaska IC-1800 / China.
The 15 Ampere fuse and the Output microcircuit (a powerful transistor with a diode, cost 6-8 USD) are blown. The price of this plate is wholesale $ 18. I bought it for $ 10 /.
Under the hob is a special glass, there is a temperature sensor. It determines the temperature of 60-300 degrees C.
A 30-watt fan blows all of this.
The microcircuit and the diode bridge for 20-25 Amperes, and they heat up in 10 seconds to 100 degrees, if the fan does not work, they fail, thermal breakdown and the fuse burns out within 4 seconds.
If the weak wiring or the outlet can burn out. You need to protect this outlet nearby circuit breaker 10 amperes non-triggering current, short-circuit-"B" groups (about 40 amperes will be disconnected in 0.1 seconds).
Power 1800 watts - why? 8 Amperes to a simple outlet, to which it is not known which wires are screwed with 3mm screws?
Always check the plug - if it is warm, and even more so hot, you must check the socket and plug, otherwise there may be a fire.
Other induction cookers and 3 kW and 2.5 kW.
This is only for a powerful electrical wiring of 2.5mm square in copper at least. And special sockets, check all sockets for phase-zero loop resistance. Every 2 years. Better-annually.
Considering the cost of repairs (and this is constantly hanging over you), because. some expensive parts work to their limit, a 30-watt fan cooling the stove circuit from below (does not help heat the water in the pan), it is not yet advisable to buy cheap induction stoves. In a year they will be finalized, and they will be cheaper.
Ludmila - the first - the panel is placed above the oven with a gap of 5-10 cm to ensure the operation of the induction panel fan (the panel is forced to cool), the second - the burner turns on if there are dishes (with contents) with a bottom diameter of at least 12 cm
Glukovich - if the "temperature" mode (function) is turned on, then the value that is selected (1 or 2, or 3, etc.) is constantly maintained, if the "power" function is turned on, then the power brought to a boil is automatically turned off and when drop in temperature below 100 degrees. turns on again and works like a thermostat all the time. Therefore, the water boils and calms down! All these wisdom are present in the descriptions for a specific model of an induction hob or burner. The main thing, in my opinion, is that you need dishes with a thick bottom and with good ferromagnetic properties of this very bottom!
Should it be so or not, to be honest, I don't know. As I said, I have never used an induction hob.
Glukovich, thanks for the addition.
And I will add one from myself, perhaps a drawback, or maybe not ... I have not understood yet.
When you boil water in a saucepan with a thin bottom, it is frankly incomprehensible how it boils.
I don't know about other surfaces, but our induction sends waves with periodicity.
That is, I go to 1 wave rarely and for a short time, and I go to 9 waves constantly.
So I get it to boil and translate to 5. And it turns out that the waves go every 2 seconds for 1 second. And the water is accordingly calm for 2 seconds during a pause, and when the waves are coming, the water boils.
Any housewife spends a lot of time in the kitchen. Modern cooking can make cooking easier and faster. appliances... The main attribute of any kitchen is no exception - a stove, which must still be safe and preferably beautiful. Therefore, many manufacturers of modern kitchen appliances pay attention to technical innovations precisely to create new types of cooking appliances. The newest developments are
How the induction hob works
Electromagnetic induction is not a new technical solution. It was discovered back in the 19th century by Michael Faraday and has been used in technology for a long time and successfully, including in everyday life. In kitchen technology, contactless current induction began to be used in the last twenty years of the twentieth century. works as a source of electric current. The voltage is applied to a copper inductive coil, which is located under a glass-ceramic coating. Between the coil and the metal bottom of the dish, a powerful build-up occurs at the bottom, which are accompanied by the release of heat, heating the bottom itself, and the walls of the dish, and the food that is in it. This does not heat up either the hotplate or the surface of the hob around it.
Insofar as thermal energy is allocated only in the space limited by the diameter of the dishes, then it is consumed only for cooking, therefore the efficiency of the induction hob is unusually high - more than 90%, while just electric - only 50%.
Induction hob harm
Induction panels in the process create electromagnetic fields and eddy currents. This is what causes a lot of talk and a negative reaction from housewives, because it is believed that electromagnetic radiation is harmful to humans.
The question about the dangers is most often asked on forums on the Internet by users choosing induction hobs. The owners' reviews are unambiguous - no harm. Even women who cooked on induction cookers throughout their pregnancy confirm that eddy currents had no effect either on their condition or on the health of the child.
The magnetic field that is created during the cooking process is, firstly, low-frequency, and secondly, it acts no further than thirty centimeters from the surface.
Induction hob advantages
High efficiency, minimum energy consumption, fire safety are the main advantages of induction panels. Since it does not heat up, it is impossible to burn yourself on it, and food that accidentally gets on it does not burn, which greatly facilitates the care of the stove. You can even remove the stain with a paper napkin, without waiting for the dish to cook and the stove to cool down.
Since heat is generated in the pan itself, the heating rate is very high. In addition, the speed of preheating and further cooking can be efficiently controlled using a modern electronic unit. The electronics very precisely regulate the power of the hob using the Quick Rapid function (or Par Boil, Heat Up depending on the manufacturer) on the quick heating zone.
An attractive design with such an impressive list of advantages is already just a pleasant bonus.
Disadvantages of an induction hob
Induction hobs, possessing significant advantages, are also distinguished by their high price against the background of very similar externally electric glass-ceramic hobs.
In addition, the built-in induction hob cannot be mounted over metal appliances such as an oven or dishwasher, which can be critical for some kitchens.
The restriction on the use of dishes is often inconvenient. will not work on glass, ceramic, porcelain, copper or
Additional functions of induction hobs
Different models induction surfaces have convenient additional functions.
For example, they can change the diameter of the heating zone in accordance with the diameter of the bottom of the pan within the diameter of the hotplate, or give a light signal if the diameter of the pan is much smaller than the diameter of the hotplate.
In some models, there is a FlexInduction function, when the entire surface of the induction hob becomes a single heating zone. This is convenient for families where food is prepared in large containers (pans or oval saucepans).
Additional convenience is provided by the PowerBoost express heating function for each individual hotplate, the power of which can be increased by one and a half times at the expense of the power of another hotplate in order to shorten the cooking time.
The burners can be so powerful that the one with which the energy is transferred can continue to operate at the rest of its own power.
Many models are equipped with a Stop & Go function.
Induction hob manufacturers
Today, all manufacturers of household kitchen appliances also produce induction hobs. The reviews point to the optimal price-quality ratio of devices from Bosch, Zanussi, Hansa, Electrolux, Hotpoint-Ariston and Gorenje.
Bosch induction hob model PIB651N14E remembers and maintains the heating temperature of the dishes required by the hostess using the constant temperature adjustment function. The hob is equipped with a PowerBoost function for each cooking zone, while the DirectSelect function sets the power level of any hotplate and activates the oval hotplate's expansion zone.
Side profiles in stainless steel and brushed front edge - Built-in induction hob Gorenje IT642AXC looks great in the worktop of any kitchen.
Each of the four cooking zones is equipped with a timer on which you can set the desired cooking time. The set heating mode and the entire appliance can be locked. The burners recognize the presence of dishes and can acquire additional power. The stove can turn off when the burner overheats, it is equipped with an error indication system.
For the Hotpoint-Ariston KIO632CC induction hob, selective operation is interesting. The magnetic field does not turn on if there are metal objects with a diameter of less than 110 mm on the surface, that is, nothing will happen to a large spoon forgotten on it. Three heating zones can be switched off automatically after a set cooking time. If there are any irregularities in the surface,
Original solutions for induction hobs
Induction surface Gorenje IT641KR unusual white with curling lines on the glass instead of the usual designation of four burners, each of which is equipped with its own separate timer, in addition to the PowerBoost and Stop & Go functions, it can thaw frozen food, has a child lock, a sound signal and an alarm clock.
This is an expensive but popular induction hob. Reviews about her are noted first of all chic design, and then very fast heating, power adjustment, no residual heating after shutdown, as is typical for electric stoves.
The induction hob Hansa INARI BHI69307 is made of absolutely black glass without any images on it. In the zone touch control There are symbol-shaped finger recesses that allow you to change the operating settings of the device. This hob uses the "Bridge" function, which allows you to combine two into one large heating zone. Another useful solution is a keep warm function that keeps food warm after cooking.
The expensive Gaggenau CX 480 premium induction hob is a continuous heating zone covering an area of \u200b\u200balmost three square meters.
You can install on it in any place at the same time four items of dishes, the size and shape of which do not matter. The dishes are displayed on the touchscreen large TFT-display, and for each item you can set the cooking time and one of seventeen levels of heating intensity.
For each of the zones where the pot or pan was placed, there is an indication of the residual heat of the surface. Provided with child protection and display protection for safe surface care.
The Neff T44T43N0 induction surface implements the FlexInduction function: on the left, the heating zones are combined into one, which, if necessary, can work separately. In addition to the fairly usual PowerBoost and Power Management functions (economical energy consumption), there is also a Cleaning-pause mode, when the heaters are stopped for 20 seconds so that, for example, crumbled cereals can be removed.
This induction hob features an unusual magnetic switch control system. If removed from the surface, the panel turns off.
Single burner induction hobs
Compact induction hobs include a single hotplate, but have all the positive qualities of a multi-hob induction hob.
According to consumer reviews, the best single-burner induction hob is OURSSON IP1200T / S. It is usually purchased in addition to the base plate, but then, as a rule, is used instead of it. A wide range of settings allows you to set different temperatures, starting from 60 ° C. It heats up quickly, is easy to maintain and operate, and has a protective shutdown.
There is a domestic electric induction cooker "Darina", it is cheaper and easier than OURSSON. It is equipped with a residual current device, a timer with a preset and has seven operating modes, including universal, for boiling water and milk, making soup, stewing, frying, barbecue.
Induction heating is the most advanced technology in everyday cooking today. High efficiency, safety, time and energy saving, easy maintenance, wide range of sizes and number of burners, attractive design - the advantages of induction hobs, which look so organically in modern kitchen interiors.
Harvest a high harvest positive emotions and saving money is the primary goal of a person who equips a kitchen room.
Induction cookers are gaining popularity among our fellow citizens, thanks to their competitive advantages and distinctive properties from other types of plates.
Principle of operation
How does this type of stove work? The whole process is as follows:
- A glass or glass-ceramic hob hides a coil of copper wire beneath it.
- When electricity pierces the turns of the coil, it creates a high-frequency electromagnetic field, which subsequently produces an induction current.
- A magnetically permeable cookware placed on the hob closes the circuit, acting as a kind of conductor.
- The electrons in the bottom of the dish come into active motion, whereby heat energy is generated, which heats the contents of the container.
How they work - we figured out induction cookers. What are they, relative to their size?
Bench and built-in cookers
In order not to complain that a huge stove eats up useful space in kitchen area a tabletop can be purchased.
Household appliances that do not take up much space will allow you to cook your favorite meals with the same speed and efficiency. Compact induction hobs are ideal for small kitchen or cottages.
Manufacturers suggest choosing a tabletop with one or two burners. Such a device will fully satisfy the household needs of the average person.
These are often professional kitchen appliances for restaurants, cafes and other establishments where you need to cook a lot. Has high performance. Has, in most cases, four burners with a mass of regulators temperature regime timers and other operational benefits.
You can install such a stove at home, if finances allow, because it costs more than a small induction tabletop stove.
What kind of utensils can I use?
Before buying a new induction cooker, you need to know about the features of its operation. The choice of pots and pans will now be more scrupulous than for the usual electric and gas stoves.
This is all due to the fact that not every material reacts to an electromagnetic field, which sets electrons in motion in the bottom of the dishes.
Many people looking to buy tiles that work on the basis of electromagnetic induction the question often arises: is it possible to leave old dishes for cooking food.
Ceramic pots, aluminum pans and other containers are not suitable for induction hobs. You only need to use metal utensils. It's easy to check which containers are suitable for cooking.
You need to take a magnet and try to attach it to the container. If the magnet has stuck, the cookware is ideal for use on induction hobs.
The most suitable dishes for induction cookers are made of stainless steel or cast iron. Let's consider the materials in more detail:
- Stainless steel.
The material is resistant to corrosion and oxidation. Food products cooked in stainless steel containers retain the lion's share of nutrients.
These dishes can be placed in the refrigerator. The taste and aroma of food will not change in it.
From the refrigerator, the stainless steel is immediately placed on the induction cooker. The only drawback of this material is the nickel content, which causes an allergic reaction in some people.
- Enamelled dishes are made from various metal alloys.
Suitable for induction hobs. It is better to buy saucepans with a flat bottom.
- Cast iron.
Although this material is heavy and brittle, it is often used for cooking on induction cookers.
It is also indispensable for people who prefer healthy eating, because this material does not distort the taste characteristics of food, and also allows you to save the maximum amount useful elements in cooked food.
How do you determine if a particular cookware is suitable for use on an induction hob?
Another small addition. The sides and lid of kitchen utensils do not have to be made of materials that react to magnetic waves.
Now manufacturers often equip the bottom of ceramic, copper utensils and cooking containers made of other materials with a special ferromagnetic metal plate. These cooking utensils can be used on induction hobs. 
Here are some practical tips to get the most out of your induction hobs:
- Although manufacturers of modern kitchen utensils are improving their products more and more, they make them suitable for use in different conditions and on different heating elements, but old cast iron cookware should not be thrown into a landfill. After purchasing an induction cooker, you can safely take it out of the pantry - it will serve for many more years.
- The special cookware for induction surfaces is ideal for use on other heating elements: gas and electric.
- Old pots and pans that have been magnetically tested should not be immediately placed on induction hob... Check the condition of the bottom. It may have irregularities and defects from mechanical damage, which can scratch the glass-ceramic surface of the new plate. A bent bottom may not ensure proper contact between the bottom of the container and the induction surface.
Advantages
This technology is relatively new, so it has a whole string of advantages. The induction cooker has the following advantages:
Like all electrical appliances, an induction cooker has disadvantages:
It's up to you to buy a new stove or use an old electric or gas stove. If your friends are thinking about buying an induction cooker, share the above information with them.
The choice of a hob is one of those issues that have to be addressed 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: an electric current passes through a resistor, which 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 when I became 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 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 put 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 cookers lack this disadvantage, however, 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 a regular wok or cauldron with rounded sides and bottom; you will have to use cookware specially adapted 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, to bring a pot of water to a boil for 15-20 minutes.
In order to change the temperature of the 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 quickly reduce heat - remove the dishes from the stove. Perhaps this is the main drawback of an 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 saucepan 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 a high efficiency - thermal energy does not go into the air, but is almost completely used to heat food.
Secondly, its efficiency - 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 electrical and induction hobs cost about the same, this is an extremely useful property in these times.
Thirdly, the stove will turn off automatically if you remove the cookware from the hotplate, which also contributes to savings 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
In the process of 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 quietly crackles, 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 for yourself 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 cookers - but I have given 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 little noise, then incompatibility with a large amount of otherwise good cookware saddens much more. 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 disadvantages.
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.