So, you’re interested in making your kitchen a safer, more efficient place. There are few home-energy upgrades better suited for this goal than an induction cooktop. These appliances have been around for more than 50 years and, utilizing the power of electromagnetics, operate more efficiently than gas or electric stoves. They’re also healthier, faster, and more precise than conventional cooktops.
If you grew up cooking on an electric or gas range (which, hey, is basically all of us here in the U.S., where 68% of homes have electric and 38% have gas1), induction can seem a little sci-fi-ish, and the lack of flames or glowing coils can be unsettling. The appliances do come with a bit of a learning curve, and you’ll also have to think through installation and the potential of purchasing some new cookware.
But if you’re able to push past these concerns, induction cooktops are a great investment in terms of efficiency and safety of your kitchen. Not to mention, they could also significantly up your culinary game.
What are induction cooktops?
Induction cooktops use electromagnetic energy to transfer heat directly to pots and pans. They’re popular in Europe, where roughly 40% of homes have them, but make up less than 1% of cooktops in U.S. homes. Induction cooktops are available as portable, single-burner models or as full-sized stoves. If you just glanced at one, you might think it’s a standard electric cooktop, sporting a flat, glass-ceramic surface.
Full-sized induction cooktops range in price from $1,000 to $5,000 (those portable versions cost about $70). Instead of the familiar burners, they usually have four or five flat circular “zones” that range in circumference from 30 to 36 inches. These zones are controlled via knobs, a touchscreen, or a combination of the two. Unlike electric and gas stoves, the lifespan of induction ranges is measured in work hours, not years. On average, consumer-grade induction ranges are meant to last for 10,000 hours—which typically equates to a decade or more. Gas stoves tend to last roughly 15 years, while electric cooktops last 13.
How does induction cooking work?
Here’s the short of it: In an induction cooktop, tightly-wound coils of wire sit beneath a glass surface, creating cooking zones. When the zone is turned on, a high-frequency alternating current passes through the coil, creating an electromagnetic field. When cookware with a magnetic element in its base is on the surface above that created field, the cookware—and cookware alone—heats up. The element forms a direct connection with the cookware. When everything’s in place, you’ll likely hear a low hum.2
If you’re used to cooking on a standard electric or gas stove, you’re used to turning a knob and watching a flame rise or coil blush. These elements heat up regardless of whether there’s a pot or pan placed on them. When using an induction cooktop, if you turn on a zone and there’s no cookware on the surface, nothing will happen. Place your hand on the spot and it will be cool to the touch. This makes the technology safer—especially when little hands are around the kitchen, or you have relatives who forget to turn burners off—but can seem quite strange.
What are the environmental benefits of induction cooktops?
Compared to standard electric and gas stoves, induction cooktops are considerably more efficient. They also produce fewer emissions, especially compared to gas appliances.3
Standard gas and electric cooktops lose some of their thermal energy into the air. With induction, there is very little loss of heat. According to Energy Star, this translates to induction cooktops being 5% to 10% more efficient than conventional electric stoves and about three times more efficient than gas stoves.4 “The induction cooktop does not first heat itself. It makes the cookware hot directly, and skipping that intermediary step is what makes it so much more efficient,” says Daniel Bresette, President of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.
Research from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy shows that 84% of the electricity generated by an induction cooktop is used for cooking food. By comparison, a gas stove uses only 40%. Electric stoves can be more efficient in some instances, the authors found, but induction showed the greatest efficiency across a range of cookware sizes and power levels.5
Compared to gas, induction cooktops are also a healthier choice. Regulators have raised flags about the appliances for years, as they contribute greenhouse gasses and are a source of dangerous pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. Gas stoves leak these chemicals even when their flames are off. “In many kitchens, ranges have hoods that provide ventilation. But not all hoods vent to the outside, which means that any heat and pollution generated by the range tends to stay indoors,” says Bresette
According to a 2022 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12.7% of current childhood asthma cases in the United States can be attributed to gas stoves.6 More concerns about gas stoves rise every year: In 2023, a study co-released by Stanford’s Doerr School of Sustainability and PSE Healthy Energy, found that they also release dangerous levels of benzene, a known carcinogen.7
How much does it cost to install an induction cooktop?
If you have an electric stove, your kitchen is likely set up to support an induction cooktop. If you cook with gas, however, you’ll likely need to pay an electrician to upgrade your electrical systems. Most induction cooktops and stoves require a 220- or 240-volt circuit that produces 40-50 amps of power.
So, what’s that all cost? Well, it depends. According to a small survey of 90 people by the website Carbon Switch, the average price of the induction cooktop purchased came to $2,231. The average cost for the electrical work needed to support the appliance came to $987.8
You could, however, be eligible for federal rebates or tax credits for the cash you lay out. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, induction cooktops and ranges qualify for a rebate up to $840. You’re eligible for a rebate if the appliance is for a newly constructed home, replacing a gas or dual-fuel gas-electric stove, cooktop, range, or oven, or is the first-time purchase of an all-electric stove, cooktop, range, or oven for the dwelling unit.
What cookware works with an induction cooktop?
Not all cookware is compatible with an induction cooktop. Any pot or pan used on induction must have magnetic elements in their base, but a lot of metal cookware already does. “Stainless steel, carbon, and cast-iron are all induction-compatible,” says Amy Hand, a professional pastry chef in Cape Town, South Africa, who also contributes to The Skillful Cook. Some aluminum pans do work, she notes, as they often have a stainless-steel ring in the base. Cookware made only of glass, ceramic, copper, or aluminum, however, won’t.
There are a few ways to tell if cookware is induction ready. You can look for the induction logo on the underside (it resembles a coiled spring on its side). You can also do a simple test to see if your cookware is compatible: Hold a magnet to the bottom; If it sticks, the pot or pan will sustain the connection.
What’s different about cooking with induction?
Some purists view cooking on induction the same way gearheads view electric vehicles: a change that strips all the joy and nuance from a beloved pastime. Without tendrils of flames licking the side of your stock pot as it simmers away on an all-day braise, are you really cooking? The answer is “yes.” But there are a few things to note before you begin cooking with induction.
1. There’s a learning curve
“Honestly, inductions do take some getting used to,” says Hand. “Their heat settings are unique to any other cooktop, so you’ll need to play around for a bit to figure out what level is low, medium, and high heat.”
2. It requires a different rhythm
Cooking with induction also requires a different sort of rhythm. The connection between cookware and cooktop is crucial to how the technology works, so when you, for example, lift a pan to toss some vegetables, you lose the connection and thus a slight amount of heat. This is certainly not to say that it will lose enough heat for it to be a problem, but it does mean adopting a less active style with your cookware. This is doubly true because dragging or roughly placing pots and pans across the surface may eventually damage it.
3. The lack of flames makes some techniques tricky
Certain cooking techniques can only be replicated with flames. Speaking to Gear Patrol about induction, chef and author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt notes that the lack of flames can make it difficult to cook certain cuisines. “In Mexican dishes, for example, often you’ll start a salsa by charring ingredients directly over a gas flame, which gives the ingredients a char and smokiness that you can’t get from an induction cooktop,” he says. “In some wok-cooked Chinese dishes, the flavor of a gas flame igniting aerosolized oil from the stir-fry will impart a smokiness called ‘wok hei,’ which can’t be replicated without a live flame.” He uses a butane blowtorch and a smaller outdoor stove when cooking a meal that requires wok hei.
4. Cooking is faster
With induction, cookware heats up faster and the heat produced is incredibly consistent. Liquids boil rapidly: In their tests, Consumer Reports found that, on average, the stoves boil water 20% to 40% faster than traditional stoves. Similarly, when you turn down the temperature, the drop happens near-instantaneously. Since there are no flames, you could conceivably keep a big pot of stock simmering for hours without much worry. This all results in greater control over your cook and efficiency in your kitchen.
How do you maintain an induction cooktop?
An induction cooktop’s flat glass surface is pretty easy to clean. They’re mostly free of crevices for spilled food to seep onto and burn. Since the magnetic connection only heats up the cookware, any marinara-geysers or sticky pan sauces that might spill onto the surface are less likely to be caked on by heat as is often the case with standard electric stoves. However, there are some things to keep in mind to ensure your cooktop remains in good condition.
How to protect an induction cooktop from scratches
While the glass-ceramic surface of an induction cooktop is incredibly durable, rough treatment can cause damage, so be careful about dragging or jostling pots and pans across the glass. Hand notes that heavy cookware like cast iron, in particular, can easily scratch that surface and advises cooks to be careful when lifting these pans off the cooktop.
What’s the best way to clean an induction cooktop?
It’s recommended to wipe down the surface of an induction cooktop after every use with a soft, damp cloth and a gentle (read: non-abrasive) cleanser that won’t scratch or leave streaks. Avoid any cleaning product that’s abrasive, and also nix using any rough sponges, towels, or brillo-y pads.
As for what’s the best cleaner? A combination of dish soap and water works well, as does a standard baking soda and vinegar mixture. “A spray of cleaner and a soft cloth is all you should need to keep it clean,” says Hand. There are plenty of induction-specific cleansers, too. Bar Keepers Friend Multipurpose Cooktop Cleaner is a popular choice. Let it sit on the surface for a few minutes and then wipe away. For anything that might be caked on, remove it with a rubber scraper before wiping.
- Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), U.S. Energy Information Administration ↩︎
- Induction Cooking Technology Design and Assessment, ACEEE, 2014 ↩︎
- Methane and NOx Emissions from Natural Gas Stoves, Cooktops, and Ovens in Residential Homes, Energy and Climate, Jan. 2022 ↩︎
- 2021-2022 Residential Induction Cooking Tops, Energy Star ↩︎
- Induction Cooking Technology Design and Assessment, ACEEE, 2014 ↩︎
- Population Attributable Fraction of Gas Stoves and Childhood Asthma in the United States, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Dec. 2022 ↩︎
- Gas and Propane Combustion from Stoves Emits Benzene and Increases Indoor Air Pollution, Energy and Climate, Jun. 2023 ↩︎
- How Much Does an Induction Stove Cost?, Carbon Switch ↩︎