Induction Cooking

posted 01/18/2024 by Ceci Mungovan

Most people grew up and are familiar with gas stoves, and they are preferred by chefs because it allows for more precise temperature control. The downsides are that it is slower to heat up and can’t get as hot as its electrical counterparts. There is also the issue of safety. Gas stoves have an open flame, which can present a risk for fires and accidents. The bigger issue, though, is the invisible one - the natural gas. Natural gas is highly combustible, only needing a small spark to ignite, which is why it is used so frequently, but that also makes it dangerous. When the stove isn’t turned all the way off but doesn’t have a flame, it allows the flammable gas to leak into the rest of the house. This means a tiny spark could cause the house to explode. Burning natural gas also creates all sorts of byproducts that can have long-term effects on your health, including carbon dioxide and other gasses like benzene, which is carcinogenic. 

Electric stoves do not have the same issues as gas ones but the surface of the stove gets very hot and is slow to cool down. The surface gets very hot because the coils beneath the surface have an electric current running through them. The current creates heat that affects the surrounding surface. This is where induction stoves have a key advantage. Induction stoves are a subtype of electrical stoves. They use magnets to create heat, and as a result, the pan receives most of the energy, leaving the stovetop cooler. This is more energy efficient because it does not waste any heat. It is also safer because only the pan gets really hot and the surrounding surface stays pretty much the same temperature.

In order to understand how induction cooking works, it is important to understand what heat is scientifically. Heat and energy are considered different in everyday life, as heat is thought of in context to the temperature of something. In physics, heat and energy are interchangeable. Heat is a form of energy that is measured in joules, which measure the amount of heat energy exerted. 

Induction is the process of creating electrical current through the manipulation of magnetic fields. Induction cooking is unique because it doesn’t need direct heat or flame to work, it transfers energy (heat) from the coils to the pan. This is why only the pan gets hot, and the surrounding surface of the stove stays cool. This process of heat transfer is also why the pans need to be magnetic in order for the cooktop to work. Induction uses an electromagnet, which is a magnet that isn’t naturally magnetic but becomes magnetic when an electric current is passed through it. In induction, the magnetic field is moving around rapidly and the pan is able to absorb this energy and turn it into heat. 

Although gas stoves are preferred by chefs, most people are not looking for the same precision to cook their weeknight dinner. Electrical stoves take a while to heat up and cool off, which makes them less popular. The best alternative is induction, which is more efficient because it can quickly change temperatures and focus the heat energy in the pan. The only downside is that only magnetic pans can be used because it uses electromagnetic energy. The majority of pans already have this property. The last thing to keep in mind is that only gas stoves will work if you lose power.