Blog Kitchen UK

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Today, let’s discover the new kitchen hob that is faster and more convenient than other traditional cooking methods – induction. It’s the newest sort of hob, gaining great popularity in recent years.

In fact, not so many know exactly the answer to the question, what is an induction hob and its upsides & downsides as well. We’re here to clue you in on interesting info and let you know if it’s right for your house.

What Is An Induction Hob?

An induction hob is a hob having copper coil magnets beneath the glass top. Essentially, they look the same as an electric hob but work in an entirely different way.

The coils generate a magnetic field when electricity runs through, putting heat directly to the base of the pan. The pan then becomes the heat source while the hob itself always stays cold.

What Advantages and Disadvantages of Induction Hob?

Before investing money, you should consider both pros and cons of the product. If you decide to purchase the hob, there must be solid reasons. Let’s take a look at the key things below to see if it meets your needs.

Advantages Of Induction

Speed

Induction is considered the fastest stove available in the marketplace. Indeed, unlike traditional electric or petrol hobs, you may be amazed by how fast an induction cooks recipe.

It’s as responsive as petrol and as accurate as electricity. The energy goes straight to the bottom base of the pot, heating it up quickly.

We tested the hob, and it took us only 3,5 minutes to boil a pan of water – twice quicker than a petrol stove. Compared to a typical kettle ( roughly 3 minutes), induction is doing a great job as a cooking hob.

Energy Efficiency

Since it only heats the glass surface instead of the whole area around the ring (like a petrol burner), induction is far more energy-efficient than others. Out of total energy, a common petrol stove uses only 40% to actually cook your food, while an induction one utilises 84% of its energy.

Not only is it environment-friendly, but the hob also saves you a fortune when it comes to the power bill. The savings you can make is about £3-5 on electricity per month – a piece of good news for your pocket!

Comfort

With ceramic petrol hobs, once the ring’s temperature is up, the same happens to the surrounding atmosphere. It’ll take you forever to wait for the air to cool down.

That’s why an induction hob is a nice choice if you wish your kitchenette to always be cool. It won’t diffuse heat into the area around it. When you have to stand in the kitchen for hours preparing complicated dishes, especially during a scorching summer, this stove is literally a real godsend!

What’s more, adjusting the temperature output on an induction hob is much easier and more precise than on a petrol burner. It embraces convenient functions, including power levels, timer, and memory.

Safety

Induction hobs don’t give out naked flames; therefore, you can put your hand right next to the frying pan without getting burned. It also reduces the risk of accidental fire.

Plus, if you have children at home all the time, a safe kitchen should be the top priority. The better news is that some of our cooking hobs of choice feature child safety locks. They also cut down automatically when you remove the saucepan, adding an extra piece of mind.

Cleaning

The hob is visually a flat surface, so you can easily clean it with a simple wipe. Moreover, a cool hob means no burnt-on food residue left. If there is, the spillages won’t be sticky as the hob isn’t heated.

Also, you don’t have to wait long after cooking. The ring cools down in minutes, allowing you to clean it up right away.

Disadvantages Of Induction

Cost

With all the amazing technology, induction hobs are obviously on the pricey side. But you get what you pay for, right? If you weigh up all of their significant benefits, we believe you will eventually make up your mind to buy it.

Fragile

The product’s glass surface is vulnerable and quite easy to break. When something heavy drops on or even when you accidentally scratch it, the hob may render cracked. Users should avoid dragging cookware across the surface and any possible collision.

In addition, melted sugar or plastic can permanently damage the surface, and hot pots can cause the glass to be discoloured. In this case, you should treat the hob with special cleaners to make the stain fade away.

Noise

Another drawback of an induction cooking hob is the noticeable sound. The noise may vary depending on the cookware’s material. We actually experienced different noises, like humming, chirping, buzzing, or whistling sound. Nevertheless, as we turned down the heat, these noises were hardly audible.

If you’re used to a clamorous kitchenette, then it’s none of a problem. Or else, you may find it a bit irritating. Our tip is to use heavier pots so that they can dampen the sound.

Pans

Induction hobs work based on the magnetic field. Thus, if you put a non-magnetic pan on the hob, it will remain cold. That means you may need to invest in a new set of iron-based pots and pans.

Don’t mind it! There are plentiful suitable pan models at a reasonable price for you to choose from in the marketplace.

• Best Induction Hobs UK 2023

Sum It Up

The induction hob is a high-spec cooking assistant that almost every cook will be happy to go for. Homemakers can take it into consideration when designing your kitchens.

Before reaching the buying decision, users should know clearly the answer to the question “what is an induction hob?” and what pros & cons does it embrace. Keeping all those factors in mind, you will have for yourself a proper shopping choice.