Most chefs start their career cooking in a gas cooktop and are usually found in many households. However, induction cooking is going mainstream in the US market nowadays. The younger generation is becoming more interested in these modern cooktops because of the new benefits it brings to the table. What about you? Do you need help to decide which cooktop is the best option for you? If you do, we’ve got a helpful guide you can read right here!
Energy Efficiency
An induction cooktop uses 80-90% of the heat energy to the food converted from electricity. In comparison, gas cooktops only use 38-40% because most of it disperses to the atmosphere. It gets the job done, but this cooktop produces a lot of heat that doesn’t involve cooking the food in the pan. Why are induction cooktops energy efficient and how do they work? Induction cooking is a new, modern method that uses electromagnetism for cooking. The metal coils underneath pass a current through the cooking pot to heat it. It doesn’t create a fire so there’s less wasted heat in the process is only one of the benefits of induction cooktop.
Fire Safety Precautions
Fire hazards are less likely to occur because of the modern approach to induction cooking. The hob itself doesn’t get hot because the heating process occurs directly to the pan. Even if you put your hand on top after turning it on, you won’t burn your hand no matter what. One thing you have to be careful about is touching the metal pan because that’s where the source of heat is coming from. The gas cooktop poses a lot of safety problems. This is especially true if you have children, older people, and pets walking into your kitchen. If you don’t know how to install and use it properly, you’re more prone to fire accidents and gas leaks. There’s no doubt the induction cooktop is the safest option for stoves in the market.
Heating Speed
One of the key selling points of an induction cooktop is the fast heating speed. This can cook your food at a much faster rate than most types of cooktops. You can expect to boil 2 cups of water in only less than 3 minutes. For the gas counterpart, it will depend on the physical condition and quality of your burner. Heating the same amount of water could take more than 4 to 7 minutes to boil. Take note that induction cooktops have a slower response when changing temperatures. It also turns off by itself when you pick up the pan and you’ll need to set up the settings again. This may affect your cooking style if it requires instant temperature change and flipping the pan.
Cooking Temperature Control
Cooking at the right temperature is important to gauge the doneness easier. Some meals are best cooked at a specific temperature, depending on the cooking methods. An induction cooktop makes precise and steady temperature throughout the cooking process. However, you’re limited to the 1 to 10 temperature settings. The standard temperature for this cooktop ranges from 37C to 260C. This is where cooking in gas stoves have a bigger advantage when it comes to gas vs. induction cooktops. Gas cooktops have an almost unlimited range of instant heat temperatures. You can control the fire at any time when you feel like the heat is too little or too much. If you’re relying on the fire to control the heat, transitioning to induction cooking might be hard.
Price Affordability
One of the best-known benefits of gas cooktop is you’re more likely to afford this type of stove. The biggest pet peeve for induction cooking is the limited use of pans. This cooktop uses electromagnetism so it will only work with metallic pans. These types of pans are usually more expensive than buying normal cooking wares. The price for the induction cooking may be higher, but consider the installation cost of gas cooktops. You have to add a new gas line if you don’t have one. Installing a propane gas tank among other things is a bit pricier than you think. Don’t worry—the growing demand for induction cooktops are making it more affordable. There is a wide range of quality from the basic to the best induction hob for every budget.
Accessibility
You might find weird humming noises annoying coming from the induction cooktop. If you like to cook in a quiet kitchen, induction cooking is going to make it hard for you. It can even get painful for people who have hearing sensitivity to high frequencies. Do you have a cardiac pacemaker installed near your heart? Stay away at least 2 feet away from induction cooktops. An induction cooktop creates a magnetic electromagnetic interfering with your pacemaker’s settings. Benefits of gas cooktop include availability when there’s no electricity at home. You don’t have to worry about cooking meals in the middle of a power outage. For induction cooktops, having a backup propane-powered generator is a must.
Maintenance Clean
Gas cooktops are notorious for their “difficult to clean” nature. You have to get through every nook and cranny of the cooktop. Scrubbing the metal grates also takes a lot of time to clean, especially if you don’t clean it as much as you should. Induction cooking makes cleaning so much easier and faster in record time. You can spray the occasional cleaning solution and wipe it off with a towel. There’s also no possibility of food getting stuck on because the cooktop has a smooth, sleek surface. You do have to be careful to prevent small scratches on the surface when you’re cooking.
Which Is the Better Option for You: Gas vs. Induction Stoves
These are some of the benefits of gas vs. induction stoves along with their drawbacks! We hope this guide helps you decide which cooktop is the right choice for you. Do you want to check out more options for gas or induction cooktops? Check out more of our guides to learn about the different options today!
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