ᐅ Operating Costs: Ceramic Cooktop vs. Induction

Hello Kerstin,

kbt09 schrieb:
@Bauexperte, but induction really offers much more convenience. If I were to get a new cooktop, I would definitely choose induction. Since then, I haven’t had boiling-over pasta water or any other liquids spill over, because when you notice, “oh ... no,” you just quickly turn it down and the bubbling stops immediately. Also, I can switch instantly from frying to keeping warm without much residual heat at the burner, etc. And, of course, less cleaning.

The only argument I find truly convincing is => less cleaning; I have other hobbies.

I have been cooking with electric for over 30 years and never understood or missed the gas hype. My mother used to wrap her pots in paper and keep them warm under a blanket; she also swears by gas. I, on the other hand, turn off the heat at least 10 minutes before the end of cooking and effectively have a warming plate if I need one. Others swear by lighting the gas flame directly under the pan; I just use a long match or lighter. Sure, it’s annoying when something boils over, but that would probably be just as frustrating with induction. I always heat water in a kettle.

I’ve also looked at the prices for those pots; from €200.00 upwards, there seems to be everything, but always in sets of 5, sometimes 6 pots. When I consider that no frying pan, pressure cooker, asparagus pot, or a proper casserole is included, it gets expensive quite quickly. I could just as well throw away my AMC pots and pans 🙁 Plus the extra cost for induction ... and the constant humming noise—which humans generally don’t hear, but my monsters do.

My children are grown, and my granddaughter is at an age where she understands what "hot" means. Enjoy your induction cooktop; I’m looking forward to finally having an oven at waist height 😀

Best regards, Bauexperte

Bieber0815 schrieb:

At our place, most of the frying pans back then were not suitable, but the pots were.

Neither 🙁

Regards, Bauexperte

Bauexperte schrieb:
I also looked at the prices for these pots; they seem to range from €200.00 upwards, and usually come in sets of 5, sometimes 6 pots. Considering that none of these sets include a frying pan, pressure cooker, asparagus pot, or a proper braising pot, it can get quite expensive quickly.

Hmm?

Bauexperte schrieb:
I could just throw my AMC pots and pans away 🙁 Plus the extra cost for induction compatibility

Almost all new pots are induction-compatible nowadays, and you can usually find all these ‘specialty pots’ as well.

Almost all of our old pots were suitable, with old cast iron and steel pots working best. Pure aluminum or other highly conductive metals, on the other hand, perform poorly.

Bauexperte schrieb:
I have been cooking with electricity for over 30 years and never understood or missed the gas hype.

That’s perfectly fine... I basically grew up with a gas stove (well, sort of), then had to put up with some ceramic cooktops for a few years until my first “real” kitchen with induction arrived. Of course, I bought my first (and so far only) pots back then specifically for induction cooking.

Unfortunately, we only have a 60cm (24 inch) cooktop; there wasn’t enough space before, and now it is what it is. It could be worse. Today, I would buy a 90cm (36 inch) cooktop if I redid it (now I have the space).

@Bauexperte
You don’t always have to focus on the price in the bottom right corner 😉
For your special pots, you can always use an external electric cooktop, which you’ll probably end up getting anyway for mulled wine or the large stew for the garden party 😀