What to Consider When Buying an Induction Cooktop
How to choose Induction Cooktop? before knowing it, you need to understand some basic facts about induction cooktop:
What is induction cooking? How does an induction cooktop work? What about power consumption?- will it cost more money than a gas stove? How safe is it for our health?
Well, we have tried to address all these issues. So, continue reading. By the end of this article, all your doubts and questions will be solved and you will be able to choose the most suitable induction cooktop for you.
The induction mode of cooking is comparatively new to the traditional mode of cooking on a gas stove. So, if you are interested in learning more about induction cookers and do not know how to choose or select an induction cooktop, then read on for detailed information about the most important factors that you need to know before you actually buy an induction cooktop.
What is induction cooking?
‘ Induction’ is a process in which electrical power goes from one object to another without touching the objects. It is a cooking technique in which the copper coil in the cooktop creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field creates a flow of electrons that travels to the bottom of the cooking pan and generates heat due to the friction between the electrons and the base of the cookware. So, in an induction mode of cooking, only the cooking pot gets heated without heating any other surrounding objects.
How Induction cooktop works?
An induction cooker has a copper wire coil. When electricity is passed through the coil an electromagnetic field is created. This electromagnetic field produces electrical currents. When an iron bottomed cooking pot is placed on the induction cooktop, the currents get resisted by the bottom of the pan and friction happens. This friction actually generates a lot of heat at the bottom of the cooking pan and cooking is done.
The entire process of induction cooking happens without producing and flame or heat outside the cooking vessels. It does not even heat up the surface of the cooktop, so there is no chance of accidental heat burning.
Is induction cooking harmful or safe for health?
Comparing the safety parameters of gas cooking or cooking in an Electric stove, Induction cooking is the safest of the three.
This is largely because the induction cooktop does not produce any kind of flame. So induction cooking is flameless cooking and therefore there is no question of burning your hands.
Moreover, it is not at all harmful for human health or for the environment, because it neither emits any smoke nor does it heat the surrounding atmosphere. As a result, it is non-pollutant and eco friendly.
But, having said that, even induction cooking is not a hundred per cent safe.
Though some recent studies have found no significant harmful effect of induction cooking on our health, still it is advisable for people with heart disease or pacemakers to avoid induction cooking.
5 things you must consider on how to choose induction cooktop
First, You have to look for the maximum wattage power of the induction cooker. Select anything between 1800 to 2100 Watts induction. This will enable you a wide range of power as you might need various thermal capacities to cook different dishes.
2ndly, Always choose induction with a higher range of watts. Don’t worry about the electricity consumption bill because a more powerful induction will cook your food faster. This will not increase the cost of electricity. Check out the table below to get an idea about the electric cost.
3rdly, Select the induction that has a variety of Indian cooking menu options, for example, stir fry, slow cook, pressure cook, Dosa, boiling milk, frying vegetables, cooking rice etc. Indian menu options will help you set the ideal temperature automatically, you won’t have to select them manually. This truly helps as even an inexperienced person also can cook with ease.
4thly, Go for the branded products only. Companies that are famous in making top quality induction cookers and have a large number of satisfied customers generally will provide you with original quality products. The most important part of induction is its heating coil. Select only those with copper coils. It will ensure that it generates maximum heat and lasts longer.
5thly, Use the right kind of induction compatible cookware or utensils. Induction cooktop works best when you use ferromagnetic utensils ( cookware that has an iron base like cast iron, stainless steel etc). Avoid using cookware made of copper, glass, ceramic etc. because they will not work with induction.
Now, let us discuss some essential points that come to our mind first.
Power Consumption:
Since an induction cooktop runs on electricity, the first thought that comes to our mind is whether it will cost us huge electricity bills or not. So, let us first address the issue.
It is a myth that low electricity consuming induction is better compared to high power-consuming ones. However, in reality, high wattage induction takes less time in cooking while low wattage induction will take a longer time to cook food. So, low and high have almost equal power bills.
If you want to save time and money, go for high wattage induction.
Related: List of Best Induction Cooktops
Induction cooktop buying guide india:
How many watts induction stove is good?
Anything between 1800Watts to 2000Watts induction cooktop will be the ideal induction stove for your perfectly comfortable and fastest cooking.
If the wattage is high, the cooking time will be less. The opposite is also true because low wattage means longer cooking time. The following table will help you understand the point clearly. induction stove runs on
You can check how many watts of electricity you need to cook a particular dish.
| No. of Watts in Induction Stove | Cooking Time | Electricity consumed per hour | Cost of one Unit of Electricity | The actual cost you pay |
| 1000W | 8
Minutes |
200 Watts/Hour | Rs. 6 | Rs. 1.2 |
| 1500W | 5 Minutes | 123 Watts/Hour | Rs. 6 | 75 Paise |
| 2000W | 3 Minutes | 100 Watts/Hour | Rs. 6 | 60 paise |
So, from the above table, it is evident that higher watts not only reduces your time of cooking but also saves your money too. Therefore, if you want the best cooking experience, go for at least an 1800 Watts to 2000 Watts capacity induction stove.
You can always adjust the heat that you need. For example, for boiling food you need a higher temperature. But, slow cooking or frying something you have to set your induction at a lower temperature.
look for the following essential features in a cookstove that will provide more knowledge on how to choose an induction cooktop.
Automatic Switch off:
Almost all cooktops come with this function. Whenever no cooking pan is in the cooking zone, the sensor automatically shuts down the induction preventing the wastage of electricity.
Size of Cooktop:
If you use a large cooking pan then go for the cooktop with a bigger cooking zone. But if you want to for two to three persons, then choose the cooktop with a smaller cooking zone.
Induction cooktops vary from single to multi cooking zone. In India, single cooking zone inductions are mostly available in the market. They are easily portable, easy to carry and handle. Also, single-zone cooktops are less costly. Multi-zone cooktops are expensive and not portable. Moreover, it is still not popular in India.
Pan Detection Technology:
The inbuilt artificial intelligence system can detect the ideal cooking pan and act accordingly. If the pan is not of the ideal size of the cooking zone or not made of cast iron or stainless steel, the cooktop will not turn on.
So, choose your induction cooker and cooking pan wisely. Buy only induction compatible cookware according to the size of the cooking zone.
Touch Controlling System:
Most of the modern induction stoves have touch buttons instead of control knobs or push buttons. These touch control buttons enable you to operate the cooktop smoothly and comfortably. Moreover, the touch buttons have no hole or punch or leak. So any type of liquid can not enter inside the cooktop and it enhances the safety and durability of the cooker.
Whether portable or not
Most of the Indian induction cooktops come with single zone freestanding categories. So, they are generally portable and you can carry it wherever you want. If you have a small family or a bachelor and move a lot, then choose a small, lightweight induction.
Besides the above-mentioned features an induction cooker should have the below-mentioned functions:
Power settings, Preset Menus, Voltage display
Food warming function, Pause cooking option
Overflowing Protection, Child lock facility
Conclusion:
By now with this induction cooktop buying guide india you have got enough knowledge about how to choose induction cooktop. Moreover, selecting the best induction cooktop depends upon your preference of cooking, size of the family members, your work schedule, and budget. Nowadays the cost of an induction cooker in India is not at all expensive. So, go for the brand that has almost all the features that we have mentioned in the article and the one that has been liked and chosen by a lot of happy customers. Don’t forget to read the customer reviews before considering to buy induction because the real users actually will give you the best of genuine feedback and opinion.
