Humans have a primal connection with fire, so it's understandable that people might have some reservations about moving away from cooking over an open flame; a human tradition over a million years in the making. But there's something else that is as synonymous with humankind as making fire and that’s tools and technology. Our bodies are arguably the least furnished in the animal kingdom - we survive because of our minds, and it's our minds that enable us to create what other animals cannot, so fear not the cooktop revolution! While many still swear by their gas cooktop, the reality is that induction cooking is superior, but it's actually not anything new...

History of Induction Cooking

First patented in the early 1900s, induction made its debut at the World’s Fair in 1933. Frigidaire brought it to market in the 1950s and Westinghouse did the same in the 1970s, but priced at more than $11,000 in today’s money, failure was probably inevitable.

Over time, the technology gained popularity in Europe and Asia, where small kitchens and energy saving concepts were more widespread than in the United States or Australia. With greater availability came cost savings and with a growing focus on sustainability plus its appeal among professional chefs, the uptake of induction and the availability of different brands and product range has been steadily increasing.

How Does Induction Work?

The speedy performance of induction cooktops can seem like magic, particularly if you're used to the slow response of electric element cooktops. But it all comes down to science.

At first glance, induction cooktops look a lot like traditional electric cooktops. But under the hood they’re quite different. While traditional electric cooktops rely on the slow process of conducting heat from a coil to the cookware, induction cooktops employ copper coils under the ceramic to create a magnetic field that sends pulses into the cookware.

They work by producing an oscillating magnetic field. Because the magnetic field is constantly changing, it induces a matching flux into any magnetic cookware on the cooktop. This induces very high currents in the cookware, causing the cookware to get hot due to the metal’s electrical resistance.

Because the pot is heated directly by the magnetic field, the amount of power being fed to the pot, and hence the running temperature of the pot, can be varied almost instantly, giving induction cooktops heat control capabilities as good as or better than gas.

Better Than Gas?

One of the many benefits of cooking with induction is efficiency, in both terms of energy efficiency and also reduced cooking times. Traditional cooktops, both gas and electric lose a lot of their heat to heating up the room and the cooktop surface, in fact gas cooktops lose about 60% of their heat on average meaning only 40% actually goes into cooking. Induction on the other hand is around 84% efficient, meaning only 16% of the energy is lost [1]. One of the most cited examples about the speed of induction is boiling a pot of water. On a new induction cooking surface, you can boil water in about two minutes or less as opposed to 5-8 minutes on a traditional cooking surface.

Safety is another reason for induction’s rising popularity. Since the technology uses no flame, the risk of kitchen fires is dramatically reduced. It also only heats the cookware, resulting in fewer burns. Heat will still transfer from the cookware back to the cooktop surface, meaning it can still be warm, or even hot, to the touch, so don't go throwing your hand down on the surface to demonstrate that it's just the cookware that heats up!

You may need some time to get used to the difference in cooking with induction. As mentioned, one of the biggest advantages of induction is how quickly it heats up, but this means that without the build up, cues you may be used to – the slow increase in bubbles, for example, when boiling – you may get a few boil-overs to begin with. Similarly, you may find yourself needing to use a slightly lower heat than called for in a recipe. And if you’re used to having to fiddle with other cooktops to keep a constant heat level, you may be surprised by how well induction can maintain a steady simmer.

Cleaning induction cooktops can be easier because there are no removable grates or burners to get under or around to scrub, and food is less likely to scorch and burn given the reduced surface temperature of the cooktop, you can even cook with silicone mats under the cookware.

Finally, don't be fooled by the best marketing campaign the gas industry ever ran. "Natural" gas is a harmful fossil fuel. It’s mostly made up of methane, the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. When you're cooking with gas you’re getting a regular dose of air pollutants quite close to your face. Burning methane forms nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and formaldehyde. NO2 is problematic because it can cause a range of very serious health problems, including asthma. Research in both the US and Australia indicate that one in eight current childhood asthma cases can be attributed to gas cooktop emissions. With an estimated one in 10 Australian children affected by asthma, this is cause for concern [2].

Dispelling The Myths

1. Wok Cooking

Dedicated wok cookers have been known to say they’d never go induction. However, induction and woks go together quite well, you just need a flat bottomed wok! Induction cooktops perform really well with stir fry cooking because they heat up quickly and evenly.

2. Induction Cooktops are Noisy

Well... they make noise, but are they noisy? For some context you might say that they're noisier than the hum of a quiet dishwasher but not as noisy as a microwave. An induction cooktop will make some noise during operation partly due to the fan used for cooling, and the amount of noise they make will vary depending on the quality of the appliance. Other noises such as clicking may be due to the cookware not registering properly, the cookware may not be on the zone properly, or may not be the right size for the zone, or may not be fully induction-compatible. If you’re concerned about noise, test one out at your local appliance store (they often hold cooking demonstrations) before you buy.

3. You'll Need New Cookware

The truth is that the cookware you have is probably already induction-compatible and if you're not sure, all you need to test if they are is a magnet off your fridge. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan, you’re good to go. Cast iron, enamelled cast iron, and many types of stainless steel (but not all) cookware are all induction compatible. Aluminium, copper, and glass cookware will not work. If you have an induction cooktop, but a favourite piece of cookware doesn't work on it, you can get a stainless steel adaptor that can be placed on the cooktop under the pan. If you're buying new cookware just look for the induction symbol on the packaging.

Get Off The Gas!

Gas is a fossil fuel. Installing a new gas cooktop means that appliance and your home will always rely on fossil fuel. Whilst it is a fair argument to make that if your home is connected to the electricity grid than even an induction cooktop is still powered by fossil fuels, but it's not that simple.

Nearly one out of every three Australian homes now has solar panels, and with recent increases to building code sustainability targets more renovations and new builds will need to include energy generation in order to meet these targets [3]. With the cost of batteries incrementally decreasing more homes also have the capacity to store and use the power they harvest even when the sun goes down.

But even if your home doesn't have rooftop solar that doesn't mean your home isn't being run by renewable energy. As of 2023 renewable sources contributed an estimated 95,963GWh, making up 35% of Australia’s total electricity generation (compared to 15% in 2016). South Australia leads the way with a whopping 74% of the states electricity generation coming from renewable sources [4]. Politics depending, the percentage of our electricity grid coming from renewable sources is only going to continue to increase. The point however is that gas will always be 100% a fossil fuel.

Final Thoughts

So if you're renovating or planning a new build let your electrician know that you want an induction cooktop as you may need an upgrade of your electrical switchboard or the wiring to your kitchen. Even if you don't own your own home you can still make the switch to induction with a portable benchtop induction hob.

Many professional kitchens have switched to induction cooking in the last few years. This isn’t surprising, given that induction offers better control, speedier cooking, and reduced exposure to fumes. It’s also more energy efficient and, therefore, often cheaper.

Still on the fence? Give induction a try, many appliance showrooms hold cooking demonstrations, or find a friend who already has induction and ask if you can cook for them, I'm sure they'll oblige!

[1] https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-kitchen-products/which-is-more-energy-efficient-gas-electric-or-induction/
[2] https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2023/02/a-heated-debate--how-safe-are-gas-stoves--
[3] https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/nathers-ratings-homes-mb2611/
[4] https://www.energy.gov.au/energy-data/australian-energy-statistics

Now We're Cooking with Electromagnetism: The Case for Switching to an Induction Cooktop