# Induction Stove Top vs Regular Electric Element Stove Top



## NorPlan (May 23, 2015)

With the Go Green, Environmently Friendly , Energy Efficientcy, Etc. Etc. We're looking into Induction Stove Tops..  The Query is the Cost Savings as Advertised, Do they take less Energy to Operate ?? We are also considering just using 2 Single Burner Units as (1) We never Cook with all 4 Burners on at the sametime (2) A complete Induction Stove Top is rather Pricey $$$.. Thoughts & Opinions Appreciated.. Cheers Thanks


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## beachguy005 (May 23, 2015)

I've never used one, but from what I've read I wish I purchased one rather than the 2k I spent on my GE Pro range.  They save energy because most of what's consumed is used for heating the pan rather than losses to the air and surrounding area as with gas or electric.
They are also quick to respond to temperature adjustments , much like gas.
Frankly, reading how cool they operate, they would be great to use here in SW Florida, especially when the ac is off.


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## zannej (May 25, 2015)

I don't have an induction stovetop, but I do have a single induction burner from NuWave and we love it. The surface does get hot from being in contact with the pan, but it tends to cool off very quickly. It doesn't get too hot, so when the plastic end of the bread bag touched it, it didn't melt. The one I have got some dirt or something on it that won't seem to go away with scrubbing, but that is possibly because its a cheap little thing. 

I have heard that you can put a paper towel underneath the pan and still have it work. Although I'd worry about the paper burning somehow.

The pros are that it heats up right away and cooks very fast. You can wipe it off shortly after cooking and it has a smooth surface-- don't have to worry about crumbs falling into crevices. Cons are that it takes some adjusting to get used to the pace. I had some trouble getting my grilled cheese sandwiches to cook evenly but that could have been a problem with my pan or because (as I mentioned before) the burner is cheap. Despite some of the drawbacks, we really love the induction burner and wish we had a full induction stove.

My scrambled eggs cook very fast because the pan heats up quickly and there isn't as much waiting. So, if you get an induction cooker, it is important to make sure that you have all of your ingredients out and ready to put in so you don't overcook things.

I forgot to mention that my current regular stove (which is not working right now) is a regular electric range with those coil burners. They don't always heat evenly, they are a pain to clean, and it is very inefficient. I've never used a gas stove though. I don't have gas out at my house, so all of my appliances are electric.


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## NorPlan (May 26, 2015)

zannej said:


> I forgot to mention that my current regular stove (which is not working right now) is a regular electric range with those coil burners. They don't always heat evenly, they are a pain to clean, and it is very inefficient. I've never used a gas stove though. I don't have gas out at my house, so all of my appliances are electric.



  The Overriding Factor is Looking at Ways to Lower the Monthly Hydro Bill as the Cost of Hydro in this Province is Hurendous.. The Gas Line is so near but still so far away, to petition and gather interested Homeowners ?? Just to Run a line down our street , the end cost to the Consumer is out of the Ball Park..


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## bud16415 (May 26, 2015)

I have cooked quite a bit on an induction stove top and I wouldn&#8217;t buy one for my home. The one I&#8217;m most familiar with is the GE and I believe they went out of that business. They are quite expensive and all your cookware has to be steel or better yet cast iron. So you can put an aluminum teapot on there and wait a month it won&#8217;t heat up. The thickness of the pan also changes how well it heats. The coil under the top has to act on the iron in the pan to work so a thicker pan will induct more. You can put a paper towel under a pan and fry an egg the paper will heat up from the pan but not the stove. The ones I have used require the pan to be there to work so if you pick the pan up to serve or flip the contents the stove will start beeping and shut down after a few seconds. I don&#8217;t know how much electric they save I never saw that as the selling point. 

I like gas best and then the electric smooth top glass stoves and electric stoves with exposed elements are my least favorite. 

I would look into propane just for the stove if I didn&#8217;t have gas coming to the house. As a kid half the houses in town cooked with propane. They had two 100lb bottles and the truck would come and replace the empty one within a week or two when it would run out.


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## zannej (May 27, 2015)

They sometimes sell large gas containers that you can set in a safe spot to power your gas appliances, but you have to take them to get them refilled or replace them. That was the system my house had when we first moved in, but we didn't like it.

I've heard that because the induction cookers heat things so quickly, they don't use as much electricity. I don't know how much energy they save though.

Another con I forgot to mention is the cost of the pans and pots. Induction will not work with non-ferrous cookware. You can use a fridge magnet to test which ones are magnetic and whether or not its a strong magnet or weak one. The special ones designed just for induction tend to be pricey.


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## NorPlan (May 28, 2015)

zannej said:


> I've heard that because the induction cookers heat things so quickly, they don't use as much electricity. I don't know how much energy they save though.
> 
> Another con I forgot to mention is the cost of the pans and pots. Induction will not work with non-ferrous cookware. You can use a fridge magnet to test which ones are magnetic and whether or not its a strong magnet or weak one. The special ones designed just for induction tend to be pricey.




  There is a Natural Gas Pipeline running down into the Village 1 1/2 km away but will never be routed by Our house no matter how many people sign up for it .. We Installed a New Propane Furnace last Winter with Attachments for further Gas Appliances down the road ie: Oven .... (Last Winter, Furnace Oil $1.12 Litre vs $0.57 Litre Propane)... The Aim of The Game is to make a Valant Attempt at Cutting our Hydro Consumption... :trophy:  btw... The Wife carries a Fridge Magnet in her Purse..lol..:hide:


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## slownsteady (Jun 1, 2015)

We have propane for both our stove and clothes dryer. The gas company won't even try to lay lines in this part of town. Propane works well. But it is a little pricey; cheaper than electric though. The propane company figures our usage based on history and refills the tank as needed.
I don't have experience cooking with induction ranges, but I like the idea of a smooth cooktop that can be used as work area when not hot.


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## zannej (Jun 2, 2015)

slownsteady said:


> We have propane for both our stove and clothes dryer. The gas company won't even try to lay lines in this part of town. Propane works well. But it is a little pricey; cheaper than electric though. The propane company figures our usage based on history and refills the tank as needed.
> I don't have experience cooking with induction ranges, but I like the idea of a smooth cooktop that can be used as work area when not hot.



Yeah, the induction one has a lot of perks. The drawback is in finding the pots and pans that work for it without costing a lot.. But, I imagine it might save some $ over time if people get the EnergyStar efficient ones.

I'm curious, NorPlan, does your area run on hydroelectric power (hence the "hydro")?


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## NorPlan (Jun 3, 2015)

zannej said:


> I'm curious, NorPlan, does your area run on hydroelectric power (hence the "hydro")?




:hide: Eastern Ontario.... Just the very word "Hydro" in the Province of Ontario is a Dirty Word.. It's the #1 Hot Potatoe on all Political Fronts... And the Energy Minister doesn't understand Damage Control.. :help:
Off Peak Rates (7:00pm / 7:00am) have Increased.. Tuff on a Working Family as you can't hang clothes on the line at night when the Sun is down...lol...


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## zannej (Jun 3, 2015)

Ah. Where I live I think most of the electricity comes from burning coal. My state is dead last in terms of ecology and the local legislature is trying to pass a law to make this state exempt from certain EPA regulations. I wish they would find a way to use hydroelectric power here. We have a ton of water. Hell, even solar power would be nice. But the fossil fuel companies are making way too much $.

Did you ever come to a decision on what type of cooker you want? Or are you still debating?


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