In our country, in apartment buildings, gas is supplied to each apartment. That's why gas stoves are so popular. Standard electric stoves are used less frequently. And the induction cooker is something new for us. But those who bought this equipment have already appreciated it. What is so attractive about induction hobs?
Induction hob Bosch PIC645F17E
This technique belongs to the class of electrical devices. They are produced both in the form of small-sized, portable plates, and in the form of plates intended for embedding in kitchen furniture. There are also combined stoves, where, along with induction burners, there are also classic ones using heating elements.
The operation of an induction furnace is based on the energy of a magnetic field. Anyone who wants to know more can always find information in special sources, starting with a school textbook on physics. Most consumers are unlikely to want to delve into the details. We are interested in what we get for our money by purchasing this equipment. And this technique has many advantages.
Principle of operation
The main difference between such a stove and a classic electric or gas stove is the principle of operation. With a gas stove, everything is obvious: the combustion of gas causes a flame that heats the dishes and food in it. A classic electric stove works by releasing thermal energy when an electric current passes through a metal heating element.
An induction cooker cooks using induction current. Electric current, when passing through the turns of a copper coil located under the hob, is converted into an alternating electromagnetic field. It creates an eddy induction current, which sets electrons in motion in the bottom of the dish and heats it.
Features of choosing dishes
An induction cooker requires the use of special cookware. This is directly related to the principle of induction: the device of the stove is similar to a transformer from physics lessons, only the primary winding is a coil, and the secondary winding is a cookware.
Cooking on an induction hob can only be done in containers with a ferromagnetic bottom.
Manufacturers mark it with a special sign in the form of a spiral, and today a set of induction cookware can be purchased in almost any specialized store.
You can check whether your frying pan or pan is suitable for an induction cooker using a magnet: if it sticks to the bottom, then you can safely use it.
If you place the wrong container on the burner, the stove simply will not work. During cooking, only the bottom of the pan and, accordingly, the food in it are heated, but not the cooking surface. Therefore, if a piece of food falls on the burner, it’s okay. The whites won't curdle, the onions won't burn, and you won't have to struggle to scrape off the coals.
When choosing dishes, you should definitely pay attention to its bottom, which should be smooth, without dents or bulges. Manufacturers recommend selecting cookware so that the diameter of the bottom matches the diameter of the burner: the smaller the pot or frying pan, the less power it will have.
What if you are used to drinking Turkish coffee freshly brewed in the morning? Then you will have to additionally purchase a special adapter - a metal adapter disk that will cover the surface of the burner.
duhovka.vyborkuhni.ru
This disc allows you to cook food in regular cookware not intended for induction cookers. However, it is hardly convenient to use it on an ongoing basis. Firstly, adapter manufacturers do not recommend turning on the stove at maximum power, which already limits your dishes. Secondly, you still won’t have enough of one disk to simultaneously cook several dishes on different burners. It is advisable to think about purchasing it if you really have a need to use small dishes at low or medium power. For example, for brewing coffee or heating milk.
Induction hob: pros, cons, principle of operation
An induction cooker is a type of electric stove, but its operation is based on a different principle. The design does not have heating elements, but uses electromagnetic coils. Under the influence of current, they form a magnetic field around them.
Dishes placed on such a surface quickly warm up under the influence of vortex flows. During operation, the equipment does not heat up, and all the energy is spent on heating the dishes.
Modern models may have an original configuration
Such devices have some disadvantages. An induction hob has the following advantages:
- Increased heating rate, unlike other analogues;
- does not consume as much current as electrical structures, since the formation of a magnetic field requires less current than heating the coil;
- safety of the structure, you can’t get burned on it. The surface can cool down in a matter of minutes;
- no complex care required.
Compact products look harmonious in a small kitchen
Related article:
Which built-in electric oven is better. How to choose the best model among such a variety? Of course, study prices, characteristics and reviews. All this in a special review!
Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting that such a stove does not use glass or aluminum utensils. In addition, do not place the device above metal built-in appliances. A significant disadvantage of the equipment is its high cost compared to alternative options.
Stainless steel cookware is ideal
Note! When choosing a stove, pay attention to the availability of functionality. For example, equipping the device with burners of various diameters. Or a panel lock that protects against accidental activation. A useful function for maintaining heat or pausing when you need to urgently step away.
Economical
Induction does not require energy to heat contacting surfaces and air. Heat loss is eliminated because all efforts are devoted to heating the food.
Food cooks faster: there is no need to pre-heat the frying pan, the heating process begins instantly, and the heat is distributed strictly along the diameter of the bottom of the pan, optimizing What is Induction Cooking energy consumption.
On the other hand, there is a possibility that you will have to replace the dishes with new ones.
Variety of designs and functions
Like classic cookers, induction cookers are available in different versions:
- Full-size - freestanding stove with oven and burners.
- The hob is a built-in panel that can be installed directly into the countertop.
- Portable - a mobile stove with one or two burners.
- Combined - equipped with both induction and classic burners.
Choose any option depending on your kitchen.
To make the cooking process even easier and more comfortable, manufacturers are not skimping and are introducing more and more additional functions, some of which may actually be useful.
- Booster (Booster or Power Boost) is a function of transferring power from one burner to another. You simply borrow a little power from a free burner for a while if you need to cook a dish very quickly. Almost all models are equipped with it.
- Quick Start - you turn on the stove and it automatically detects which burner has dishes on it.
- Keep warm mode - with this function enabled, you can leave cooked food on the stove without it getting cold.
- Timer with and without automatic shut-off - you set the cooking time, after which an alarm will sound and the burner will either turn off (automatic shut-off) or continue to work (without automatic shut-off).
- Safety shutdown - will work if liquid gets on the hob: all burners will automatically turn off.
- Adjusting power and temperature - you create optimal conditions for cooking specific dishes. Some cookers offer a choice of the appropriate cooking method, such as frying, boiling or stewing.
- Pause - If you need to be distracted for a short time, just press pause and do your thing. In this case, previously installed settings will not be reset.
When choosing a stove, pay attention to those functions that you really need. The more variations they offer, the higher the price will be. But will you use them all in practice?
Induction hob design
The appearance is very diverse, you can easily choose a hob that will fit perfectly into even the most sophisticated interior; built-in kitchen appliances are especially popular today. If previously most models were presented in black, today white and silver are more popular, and you can also choose independent colored panels. Despite the fact that, regardless of color, glass-ceramic surfaces are easy to clean, stains of grease and moisture are less noticeable on a light background than on a black one; this advantage allows the white stove to maintain a presentable appearance even in the midst of cooking. Induction cookers are made not only from glass ceramics, but also from tempered glass. They are more beautiful than ceramic ones, but correspondingly more expensive.
The models also differ in the type of control regulators: touch, magnetic, mechanical. They do not differ in functionality; you can choose any that are more convenient and appeal to you in appearance. The touch buttons do not heat up at all, unlike stoves with heating elements, when it is difficult to touch them after a long cooking period.
The price depends on many factors: brand, functionality, new or old model, built-in or free-standing, independent or dependent. A brand is not always a guarantee of quality; decent models can also be found from little-known manufacturers. No matter how much the panel costs, the main thing is that the store provides a guarantee for the product, so that in the event of a breakdown, you can return the money or demand free repairs. Choosing an affordable option with a huge variety of hobs is not difficult.
Safety
The operating principle of an induction cooker causes mistrust and fear among some housewives. Manufacturers assure that it is safe and nothing to worry about. Is it really?
Vadim Rukavitsyn
ecologist-consultant
Various studies have been conducted on the safety of induction cookers Fact sheet - Induction hobs, their results are slightly different, but agree that at a distance of less than 30 cm from the cooker, the electromagnetic field still exceeds SanPiN 2.1.8/2.2.4.1383-03 Hygienic standards requirements for the placement and operation of transmitting radio engineering facilities. Also, if you place a cookware with a smaller diameter than the burner on the panel, or place it slightly unevenly, the electromagnetic radiation will become stronger and the radius of influence will increase.
However, the expert clarifies that all this matters if you spend more than two hours a day at the stove. In other cases, the standards become less strict, which allows you to cook without any harm to health.
Following instructions and safety precautions with any electrical appliances is essential. An induction cooker is no exception. As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to pay special attention to the diameter of the pan and the type of its bottom.
The electromagnetic field from an induction cooker does not affect food, since this radiation is not ionizing and acts mainly on the dishes, heating them. If we talk about the effect on the body, it strongly depends on the frequency of radiation, its power and exposure time.
Vadim Rukavitsyn
ecologist-consultant
In addition, it is especially important for people with pacemakers to follow safety guidelines. It is recommended to consult a doctor before using an induction cooker.
There is a high probability that if you approach more than 0.5 meters to the switched on stove, the pacemaker may fail.
Vadim Rukavitsyn
ecologist-consultant
Most of the household appliances and gadgets that we use every day have an impact on our body in one way or another. To ensure comfortable use of the devices to which we are so accustomed, it is important to comply with all safety requirements, not neglect the instructions and strictly follow all instructions. This way, first of all, you will protect yourself, and, of course, extend the life of your equipment.
Advantages and disadvantages of induction hobs
Advantages and disadvantages of induction hobsRecently, kitchen appliances have become more and more advanced, trying to please their demanding owners in everything. Every day there are more and more “electric assistants” (air grills, deep fryers, slow cookers...) capable of solving highly specialized problems well. However, in order to be able to perform a full kitchen “repertoire”, we will need something multifunctional, modern and at the same time time-tested - a kitchen stove.
Today, manufacturers offer us not only wide functionality, but also fundamentally different types of hobs. Until recently, stoves were gas and electric. Almost three decades ago, they were joined by induction cookers.
What is electromagnetic induction and how is it useful in the kitchen?
Let's first understand the operating principle of induction hobs, and then try to understand the advantages of using just such a work surface.
Thermal processing of products usually occurs as follows: a heat source (gas, open fire, hot cast-iron burner, etc.) heats the cookware, which transfers heat to the products inside. In the event that we cook barbecue or smoke fish, we don’t need an “intermediary” called Utensils at all. There will be enough heat from the coals or sawdust.
This is not the case with induction heating. Heat can only arise when the stove and the cookware on it work together.
Directly under the burners, marked with contours on the glass-ceramic work surface, there are induction coils. A high frequency current (20-60 kHz) passes through them. Each coil is nothing more than the primary winding of a transformer. The secondary winding, necessary for the occurrence of induction currents, will be dishes made of ferromagnetic material. As soon as it is correctly placed on the switched-on burner, induction currents will begin to be induced in the bottom, due to which the heat necessary for heat treatment of products will arise. It is worth noting that only the bottom of the cookware can have ferromagnetic properties - this will be enough.
Advantages of induction hobs
The operating principle described above provides the induction cooker with very high efficiency. Up to 90% of the heat generated by induction heating goes directly to the food being cooked. Only 10% will be spent on other purposes (for example, heating the bottom and walls of the pan, transferring heat to the glass-ceramic surface, etc.). Thus, induction confidently “overtakes” both gas and traditional electric stoves in efficiency. The efficiency of the former is only 30-60%, of the latter - 55-70%. In addition, thanks to this principle of operation, induction cookers cope with heating food much faster, saving your electricity by 50-80% compared to the energy consumption of modern equipment.
It is a common belief that it is impossible to get burned on the glass-ceramic surface of an induction cooker. Indeed, glass ceramics do not participate in the heating process; accordingly, it is heated only by the dishes and remains colder than in conventional electric stoves. But it’s worth remembering: the higher the cooking temperature, the hotter the stove will be. For example, if you heat chocolate over low heat, the chance of getting burned by touching the work surface immediately after cooking is minimal. However, if you decide to fry French fries and heat the oil to at least 200 degrees Celsius, you should wait until the residual heat indicator informs you that the device has cooled down and you are safe.
However, the stove cools quite quickly, and if necessary, you can start cleaning it very quickly. The only “but” of the rapid cooling of the induction hob is that you will not be able to finish cooking dishes using the so-called residual heat of the burner. However, these are little things that you can handle quite calmly, because induction cookers have many more temperature settings and are able to accurately maintain the set temperature at the level you need.
However, these stoves can not only cool quickly, but also instantly heat up. The fact is that most devices are equipped with a Power Booster function. In fact, this means that the stove has main and dependent burners. The former “take away” some of the power from the latter for a few minutes, so that you can bring water to a boil for spaghetti much faster or properly heat a heavy inertial frying pan or roasting pan (fortunately, if necessary, you can choose a stove with a heating zone for an oval bottom).
In addition, induction cookers are equipped with functions that make their use safer: heating only when there is a pan present, blocking the stove’s activation modes, a forced heating shutdown function, residual heat indicators, etc.
Manufacturers have also taken care of a wide range: you can choose the required number of burners of the desired size and shape, choose the preferred color scheme of the work panel and its type. Manufacturers offer combined surfaces that combine induction and traditional gas/electric burners. Induction cookers designed for one burner (for traditional cookware or wok) are also available for sale.
Does induction have any serious disadvantages?
Quite often, people are afraid to purchase induction cookers because of the need to carefully select cookware for them. As mentioned above, utensils with ferromagnetic properties are required. However, today this “minus” should not be considered serious. Firstly, most manufacturers of good cookware offer a decent range especially for owners of induction cookers. Secondly, you can independently select a suitable pot or frying pan directly in the store by attaching a regular magnet to its bottom. If he is attracted, you can safely purchase the product you like.
During operation, you may encounter another minor inconvenience: heating will not occur if the bottom of the cookware does not cover most of the burner area. This will be critical if you like to drink a cup of Turkish coffee in the morning.
It is also quite common to come across the opinion that the cost of induction hobs is too high. Yes, they are more expensive, but don’t forget that, thanks to low power consumption, the difference in price will more than pay for itself.
Well, we didn't have too many shortcomings. In any case, the choice is yours, all that remains is to wish you a successful purchase!
Results
Advantages
- Food cooks faster.
- Energy consumption is optimized.
- The arsenal has very useful functions.
- The hob is easy to clean.
- Less chance of getting burned.
Flaws
- The price will be higher than for similar stoves (gas or electric).
- You may have to replace all your cooking utensils.
- Additional adapters may also be useful to use containers with a small bottom diameter. For example, a Turk for coffee.
- Some models may seem noisy compared to the usual classic stoves.
- Strict operating requirements due to the peculiarities of the cooking method.
