Induction stove how does it work

Whereas gas and electric appliances might use thermal conduction to transfer heat from a burner to a pan to your food, induction cooking eliminates the middleman, working almost instantly to heat the cooking vessel itself.

An electric current passes through a coiled copper wire underneath the cooking surface, creating a magnetic current throughout the cookware. And the best part is, the entire cooktop remains cool-to-the-touch so burns become less of a worry. Induction cooking is known to be more efficient than traditional cooking methods because very little heat energy is lost during the process and you can heat your cookware without heating your entire kitchen. Beyond faster boiling times and precise temperature control, induction cooktops provide an easy-to-clean surface.

Ambient heat from your cookware may still cause an increase in temperature to the cooking surface, but it cools down much faster than a traditional cooktop so you can attack messes pronto. Certain brands offer induction cooktops with an auto-sizing feature. If you have young children who like to get their hands on everything or unruly pets that like to jump up on kitchen surfaces, they can contact the appliance without getting burned. Gas cooktops heat food with an open flame. Gas provides rapid heat and exceptional control over both high and low heat.

The flame makes it easy to judge the heat level and dial it back if it looks like your cookware is getting too hot. Cooktops with sealed gas burners are a nice touch because they prevent food from getting trapped under the burner, making cleanup less of a burden. If you purchase a cooktop with continuous grates , you can easily slide heavy pots and pans across the cooktop without any hunching or heavy lifting.

Certain gas cooktops, like this downdraft cooktop from KitchenAid KCGDGSS , integrate the ventilation system into the cooking surface so a separate range hood is not needed. Smoke and odors can be removed outside or filtered and recirculated inside. Gas cooktops can act as a two-in-one appliance to keep your kitchen performing at its best.

Electric cooktops heat food without a flame. There are two types of electric cooktops: coils and smooth-tops. The electrical coils found beneath the surface heat the cooktop and transfer that heat to your cookware. The coils sit on top of the cooktop surface and are more susceptible to spills, but the drip pans located below the coils will contain most of the mess. Smooth-tops feature radiant heating elements similar to coils, but instead of being on top, the heating zones are installed underneath a smooth, easy-to-clean glass surface.

They heat evenly and provide a sleek, integrated appearance in your kitchen. The eddy current flowing through the resistance of the pot heats it. To find out what an eddy current is, see below. Energy transfer with induction hobs is around 84 percent compared to around 74 percent for gas or ceramic electric so there are good energy savings. Safety is an important aspect too — there is no naked flame so fire is extremely unlikely.

A pan of water will boil in nearly half the time that it would on a normal gas hob. An induction hob will also ensure the longevity of your pans because they have more contact with the heat below, and the current is running all the way through the pan. This will stop your pan from developing hot spots which in turn, will burn or scorch food. An eddy current is a current that circulates in conductors, and has been induced in a conductor by a varying magnetic field.

The current is created by changing the magnetic field. Eddy currents can heat up a metal object without touching them, they are also well known for stopping trains and rollercoasters. They can be found in other objects such as electric brakes, car speedometer and energy meters, so you may be familiar with where eddy currents can be found.

Electrical induction is also called magnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction is the movement of magnets around a coil of wire that then create an electrical current through the wire. This can be done by rotating magnets while a coil of wire moves between them. The magnets will rotate between north and south poles, if the north pole of two magnets were to be pushed together they would repel and try to move away from each other. But if south and north poles were to come together they would pull, as they are opposites and therefore attract.

It is this push and pull that causes the magnets to rotate around the coil of wire, producing an electrical current. Add Recipe Note. Private Notes Edit Delete. Comments Leave a Comment. Leave A Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Member ID. Featured Review. What We're Cooking Now.

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