Induction cooktop: should you buy one for your kitchen?

People adopted induction cooktops as soon as they arrived in the market due to their ample plus points. There are several companies worldwide that are manufacturing this gadget.

The prices have also come down remarkably and become affordable. Almost every home now has this cooktop in their kitchen along with the usual open flame stove.

Are there any disadvantages of this kitchen appliance? Is the food cooked on it healthy?

Induction Cooktop

Before induction cooktops came into the market globally, people had the choice to use open flame stoves or electrical ones such as the heating coil.

The induction cooktop works on a different principle. It has a magnetic coil underneath that is covered by a glass surface. The magnetic energy is transferred to the iron atoms of the utensil kept on it.

They vibrate and generate heat that then cooks the food. It heats the utensils instantly and also cools fast.

The price was high when they arrived first. Over time and with competition, the prices have come down and become pocket-friendly. They have a lot of advantages but these are not without inherent issues.

Advantages of induction cooking

The induction cooking range heats up instantly. And it also cools easily and quickly. Hence energy is utilized well with no wastage.

Since the surface cools fast, there is no risk of burning hands or body parts. It is especially safe when children are around in the house and while cooking. Due to the flat top configuration, cleaning it is very simple and easy.

The whole gadget has digital controls for watts, temperature, and timing. Hence it is easy to. operate. A sign lights up when it is overheated. You can fix the time and the appliance will shut off on its own automatically at that particular time.

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Cons of this gadget

The appliance needs a specific type of utensils that have an iron base. Aluminum and copper or brass vessels do not work on it. You have to buy special cookware to use on it. That is added expenditure.

Though affordable, it is expensive compared to stoves and electric coils. There is some noise from utensils when they are on it and high heat.

You can only use it when there is an electric supply. This could create a hassle in areas where electric power is intermittent such as rural areas.

And last but not the least, if the induction cooking appliance gets damaged, the repair cost is higher. You may have to replace the whole inside motherboard and that is almost half the cost of the gadget

. So maintenance of an induction cooktop is more in the long run. But some cooktops have worked well for more than two years with no breakdown.

Fortunately, food cooked on an induction cooktop is healthy with no loss of its nutrients, color, or flavor. No harmful chemicals form and it is safe for consumption.