Choosing Induction
There has never been a better time to learn how to reduce your energy usage and, in the long run, your energy bills. Today's modern appliances come with an energy rating, allowing you to compare and decide which is the most efficient. However, it is not just the appliance itself you need to be efficient...it is all about becoming an energy efficient cook.
To help with this, choosing induction would be a wise decision. Induction range cookers are becoming more and more popular, with them offering not only safety but also efficiency. Let us dive into the world of induction a little further...
What is induction?
Induction refers to the heat transfer when cooking. They may look similar to your traditional electric ceramic hobs, but they work in a completely different way. Beneath the hob's ceramic plate, induction coils made from copper create a magnetic field as electricity is passed through. If a pan made up of a ferromagnetic material is placed on the hob, the magnetic field causes it to directly heat up.
Induction hobs are much more efficient than gas due to there being no excess heat, with all heat being concentrated inside the pan. A thermostatically controlled fan cools the electronic components below the surface. Due to the extra contact with the heat below it, induction hobs will stop the pan developing hot spots and therefore reduce the chance of burnt or scorched food. Some induction hobs also include smart technology that can detect when a pan is absent, but we will get onto that later...
Whilst induction technology is being continuously improved, it is a tried and tested format used on range cookers for over a decade. Cooking with an induction range cooker can offer unparalleled performance, energy efficiency and safety.
What are the benefits of induction cooking?
- Enhanced Safety: one of the main and most important advantages of an induction range cooker is the safety. As there is no open flame or exposed heating elements, the cooking surface remains cool and reduces the risk of burns or items catching fire.
- Controllability: cooking on an induction range cooker provides precise and instant temperature control, allowing for better management of the more delicate dishes. As it has a focused connection between the pan and the coil beneath the hob, it allows it to hold a temperature perfectly.
- Easy To Clean: the ease in which induction hobs can be cleaned makes cooking with them all that more enjoyable. The flat surface means a hot soapy cloth can have your hob gleaming in no time. As the hob doesn't get particularly hot, any accidental spillages can be cleared with just one wipe (do always ensure the hob is fully cool before cleaning it).
- Environmentally Friendly: with improved energy efficiency and no open flame, induction cookers are definitely the eco-friendlier choice for your kitchen. They use less energy to cook food than traditional electric or gas cookers, meaning they save both money on your energy bills and help to reduce your environmental impact. With induction cooktops using electricity, it means there is no need to burn fossil fuels and helps you to reduce your gas emissions at home.
Do induction hobs have a variety of functions?
There are some main features of an induction hob that could not only make cooking easy, but also more energy efficient...
Booster Function
Allows you to focus all the power of the induction hob in a particular zone, speeding up boiling and cooking times.
Liquid Spill Protection
If the hob overheats or liquid is spilt onto the surface, a safety device will stop the hob and make sure no burning occurs. It will detect if the contents of your pan starts to boil over, also identifying the temperature of the surface when it gets too high.
Slide Controls
A handy touch control system makes it easier when increasing or decreasing the temperature by simply sliding your finger from right to left or vice versa.
Residual Heat Indicator
This indicates when the glass surface is hot, making sure to be careful when touching it or placing things on top of it as it could cause damage.
Child Safety Lock
Once this function has been set, and until it is then disabled, the induction hob cannot be turned on by pressing the touch controls.
Absent Pan Switch Off
Some induction hobs also detect when a pan is absent, meaning they can switch off for safety and to save energy.
Bridging Control
This provides you with the option of simultaneously controlling two zones next to each other as if they were a single zone. This can broaden the sizes and the types of pans used on the hob. It creates an internal 'bridge' that joins the zones together.
What is the correct cookware for induction?
When using pots and pans on an induction hob, they should have thick, completely flat bases made of a ferromagnetic material. This is quite common on most high-quality cookware anyway and will be labelled as suitable for induction underneath. These work best at making full contact with each induction zone and allow heat to spread more evenly. In turn, this will cook your food faster and save energy.
If the pan has a coil symbol on the base, this means it is suitable for induction cooking. If you are unsure, take a magnet and if it sticks to the base of the pan it will be induction compatible.
It is a handy tip to buy pans that have lids, as putting a lid over your cooking often helps the water to boil faster and therefore use less energy. Plus, food can be left to simply simmer away once the water starts to boil, enabling you to reduce the power level.
Which induction range cookers should I take a look at?
Here are our current Rangecookers picks for induction cookers...
90cm
This induction range cooker is a perfect entry level budget range cooker. Sturdy, reliable and good looking whilst suiting your budget nicely and not compromising on quality.
It features a multifunction, programmable main oven and a conventional second oven, plus two integrated grills and the sleek induction hob on top. With four zones to choose from, there is plenty of room for all your pots and pans and you can easily store them in the storage area below when you are finished. Two of the zones also include power boost, allowing you even more cooking flexibility.
The Select 90ei2 is manufactured at a specialist Italian factory, chosen for its engineering credentials and proven track record.
Designed to reflect a more professional style, a Falcon range cooker uses heavier grade materials than its Rangemaster cousins and therefore gives a more robust and focused user experience.
The 900 Deluxe has become something of a classic model. It does away with the more domestic features such as programmer/timer and windowed doors, but keeps a very appealing appearance.
Behind the oven doors are an 80-litre multifunction main oven, a 67-litre fanned oven on the right and a separate dual circuit electric grill in the top left cavity. The main oven includes catalytic self-clean oven liners on the inside, making cleaning all that bit easier.
On top is the sleek induction hob, offering five cooking zones with quick response and useful features such as power boost, boil-dry detection, simmer and zone-link functions.
100cm
The Rayburn Ranger is a flexible all electric range cooker. It requires no servicing, no plinth and no flue, running on just 2 x 13 amp supply, and at 100cm wide, can be easily slotted into an already existing kitchen or a brand-new project.
It benefits from three large ovens, all operated by a dedicated control panel in the top right cavity. The top left oven is a conventional oven with a grill, joined by another conventional oven in the bottom left cavity. Cavity 3 is the control panel and in cavity 4, in the bottom right of the cooker, is a warming compartment that is perfect for storing parts of your meals such as rice or packets of sauce.
On top is a superb cast-iron hotplate and two-zone induction hob. The hotplate holds multiple pots and pans and can be set to either boiling or simmering mode using the control panel. It has a cast iron surround for resting pans and is coated with a special surface for easy cleaning. The two-zone induction hob has a host of handy features, including a bridging function for use with a griddle, boil dry detection, pot detection, child lock and power boost function which provides ten minutes of maximum power.
The Ranger is available in eight charming colours, adding a retro feel to your home with the bright, bold shades or alternatively offers something a little more subtle.
If you have been looking for a grand, elegant range cooker with a good helping of modern technology, look no further than the ILVE Majestic.
Not only does it bring a stunning appearance, the Majestic also offers an array of options for any enthusiastic cook. The twin oven cavities offer superb cooking conditions, with all of the functions and refinement you could need. The multifunction main oven can be timer-controlled and includes a meat probe for achieving consistent results. The second oven is also multifunction, but without a fan element. It also features a rotisserie, for succulent cooking of any meats.
On top is a superb six-zone induction hob, with the advanced and efficient technology you would expect from this top brand. Power boost, automatic boil and a heat up function all add to the convenience and, in addition this, both medium induction zones feature bridge zone technology that can be connected together to create one large cooking area.
The TFT touch screen display finishes this model nicely, acting as the oven temperature and function indicator for ILVE's excellent E3 technology. This precision temperature control system allows you to select the oven function, then set the desired oven temperature from 30°C to 300°C.
110cm
The Saulieu is a fantastic 110cm model that offers a choice of hobs and various configurations for the ovens.
The large main oven gives you 67 litres of oven capacity with an integrated grill, alongside a tall 65 litre oven on the left including another handy grill. This particular model features an impressive induction hob on top, giving you incredible cooking power and almost instant control.
Image Credit: Paul Van De Kooi
The Lacanche Classic series has been specifically designed for those of you who love a traditionally styled appliance within their kitchen. With sleek, rounded control knobs and a classic finish to your handrail and door handles, you can choose from five smart trims to finish your Lacanche Classic cooker: brass, chrome, chrome matt, nickel and brushed stainless steel.
The Masterchef Deluxe is great for those of you who have always wanted an AGA in their kitchen, but felt it was impractical or a little out of reach. This impressive range cooker still brings the simple and timeless visual appeal that is associated with the AGA brand, but with it you get a usable modern range cooker.
Bringing all of the features and flexibility you could need, this cooker is lusciously enamelled and the chunky bevelled doors feature characteristic AGA towel rail handles. With this more understated approach comes a straightforward three button control digital timer, allowing you to control the ovens with ease.
Bottom left is a large multifunction oven with fanned, conventional and grilling functions. On the right is the same size cavity, another versatile multifunction oven which also offers fanned, conventional and grilling functions. Top left is a dedicated grill with dual circuit element and to the right of this is a very handy slow cook oven.
On top are five induction zones, giving you rapid power when you need it down to just a gentle trickle. There is also a cast iron griddle plate supplied to take advantage of the bridging feature, where two zones can work in unison to give you evenly distributed heat.
120cm
The Bertazzoni Professional series brings you an outstanding design and stunning, authentic features.
This double-oven range cooker brings a whole load of style to your kitchen. The main electric oven has 11 functions, ranging from convection and grilling to fast-preheat. The useful second auxiliary oven has six modes, allowing plenty of oven space for all your favourite dishes.
A digital programmer allows perfect control of cooking, displaying the oven functions selected, manages time during cooking and gives feedback on real-time temperature. On top are five induction zones, including not one but two handy bridging zones either side. Joining this is a stainless steel teppanyaki griddle, perfect for cooking stir fries and pancakes to all day breakfasts.
Built in Italy, Bertazzoni range cookers not only look great but their functional design is built using first classic components.
The Panoramagic range is very different to anything else we have here at Rangecookers.co.uk. It brings a futuristic kind of style, with stylish red LED-backlit controls and a sleek facia panel that enables you to see the full touch screen display screen, featuring ILVE's unique E3 control for precise digital temperature and minute minder.
Behind the soft close doors of this range cooker is a 91-litre multifunction oven, offering 15 different settings including fanned, conventional and even pizza mode. Alongside this is a 43-litre multifunction oven with a temperature range of 30°C-250°C, plus five different settings including rotisserie and base heat only. The larger oven also features a quick start heat up setting and steam release systems for the control of humidity and condensation. Below is a soft close, full width storage drawer which can also be used to keep things warm such as plates.
On top is the star of the show - a superb seven zone induction hob, with power boost, automatic boil and a heat up function all adding to the convenience of the cooker. Both medium induction zones feature bridge zone technology.
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