Best Induction Cooktops in India

Induction Cooktop is a cooking appliance that makes use of an electromagnetic field to cook up your favorite recipe. It is so precise that only your cooking pan heats up while the remaining surface of the Cooktop and surroundings of the kitchen remain cool.

Various models of Induction Cooktops are available in the market. These models allow you to cook with various pot sizes.

Almost every Cooktop has exciting safety features like automatic on/off. These Cooktops are turned on automatically when a frying pan or cooking pot is placed onto them.

Likewise when there is no cooking pan or if an empty pot is placed onto them, then these Cooktops automatically turn off.

Like a gas burner, much of these smart devices have the glowing feature that is the surface glows with light when these are in the cooking mode.

 

Merits

Induction Cooktops are the most efficient cooking solutions so far. These are very precise as much of the heat is directed to the cooking vessel itself, instead of dissipating it to the surrounding environment.

Precisely about eighty-five percent of the heat remains in the cooking pot. Besides efficiency, these Cooktops can also work in low temperatures.

Due to their excellent heat transference property, the process of cooking is much faster with these devices than any other modern cooking device.

As much less heat is lost to the environment, so your kitchen also stays within a comfortable temperature range. In addition, only the used portion of the Cooktop is heated up while the remaining portion stays cool. And therefore, it is safer.

With all these advantages, the induction Cooktops are much economical in the long run. Although you need to invest in its initial installation you save substantially over the entire life of the Cooktop as these are much energy efficient also

 

Demerits

As the induction Cooktops operate on the principle of magnetic induction, so you must use cooking vessels made up of iron or steel. You will not be able to cook in other cooking pots like those made up of glass or aluminum because these substances do not allow magnetic induction to take place.

In addition, you have to use flat bottom cooking vessels and not the traditional round-bottom cooking ware.

The next disadvantage is that you cannot roast or toast over these Cooktops. Also, these Cooktops are easily damaged and scratched due to their delicate surfaces.

Finally, low-quality induction Cooktops with loose handles or uneven bottom can vibrate and thus produce noise while cooking.

 

How does an induction cooker work?

In induction Cooktops, the cooking pot is used as a heating source rather than the gas as in a gas burner or the electronic heat as in an electric Cooktop. In the electric Cooktop, the cooking pot is heated up through the process of thermal conduction.

Unlike thermal conduction, induction Cooktops work through a process known as magnetic induction.

For magnetic induction to occur, a copper wire is placed beneath the frying pan. Because of this copper wire, a current flows through this copper wire and as a consequence, magnetic flux is generated.

Magnetic flux turns the cooking pot into a magnet and it is used as the magnetic core. Thus the current starts to flow through the pot and as a result, it is heated up.

For the effective working of the Induction Cooktop, the cooking pan must be completely made up of ferromagnetic material or it must contain a big chunk of this material.

Therefore, if the cooking vessels are made up of iron or steel, then they may be excellent for cooking.

On the other hand, if the cooking pots are made up of material such as aluminum or glass, then these vessels may only be warmed up and no cooking will occur in these pots.

 

Gas burner

A gas burner produces a controlled flame for cooking by mixing the gas usually natural gas with air (oxygen). A burner assembly and a gas connection are essential parts of every gas stove or gas burner.

The gas burner works on the principle of thermal conduction. In these burners, the fuel (natural gas or propane) is the source of heat transference.

The burner assembly consists of a hollow metal disc, having minute holes all over its outer surface. A small ignition is applied to the holes of the metallic disc from where a mixture of oxygen and gas flows out.

Thus the gas burner is now ready for cooking. You can increase the amount of gas from the knob and consequently the food will be cooked faster.

The gas burner is more often connected to the main gas connection through an intake valve. As your turn opens the intake valve, the gas starts to flow towards the hollow metallic disc.

Both natural gas and propane can be used as fuel sources for the gas burner. Both of these fuels are hydrocarbon in nature.

You will see often a blue flame which is because of the hydrogen present in the gas. You can tell a lot more by observing the flame of the burner.

If the flame is yellow then it means that gas to oxygen ratio is low. The reason may be a clogged gas burner or intake valve so you may consider cleaning it.

If the flame is red, then the reason is the unburned carbon content of the fuel. This flame usually appears at the bottom of the cooking pan. If the ratio of the red flame is high, then it is an indication of an inefficient gas burner. And in this case, changing the burner is a wise move.

The orange color flame is due to the unburned carbon content of the gas. It is normal to have orange-yellow flames at the tip of the burner's flame. The reason is the hydrocarbon fuels cannot be burned completely and some portion of these fuels may escape unburned.

 

Merits

The gas burner is the only stovetop technology, which offers a controllable flame for cooking.

You can also change the temperature that is you can rise it or lower it as per your requirement with the help of a knob.

 

Demerits

As natural gas is not available at all locations so you have to buy a propane tank for your gas burner. Propane has about two and a half times less energy than natural gas, so in the long run, it is not an economical cooking solution.

You have to spend more and to put in more effort (in buying propane tanks regularly from markets) if you continue with a gas burner without a natural gas connection.

In addition to cost, gas burners are also inefficient at burning. Almost 38-40 percent of heat is lost to the surrounding atmosphere instead to be used in cooking. Your kitchen is heated up more than your cooking vessel.

In a nutshell, you get a warm kitchen due to these inefficient and costly burners.

 

Gas Burner Vs Induction Cooktop

In making a decision whether to buy a gas burner or an induction Cooktop, you will definitely buy the latter after reading this article. Gas burners are neither efficient nor economical. They are not safe either.

In contrast, induction Cooktops are efficient, economical, and safe. Although the initial installation costs may seem a bit higher to you, in the long run, you will actually save more.

It is time to update your kitchen with these smart devices.

 

Is it bad for health if we eat food cooked in an induction cooktop?

There are several conspiracy theories that implicate electromagnetic induction cooking for various health hazards. The Induction Cooktop makes use of an electromagnetic field.

Apart from induction Cooktops, various other products like telephones, laptops, house wiring, ceiling fans, and electric power lines create electromagnetic fields.

In the 1980s, after a scientific experiment, electromagnetic fields created by power lines were categorized as a 2b carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). A 2b classification means that it is likely harmful to human but no conclusive and concrete evidence can be presented in the case.

After this experiment, scientists carried out more studies to identify the extent of damage that an induction Cooktop can cause, but all of these studies failed to prove the harmful effects of these Cooktops.

In conclusion, it can be inferred that these Cooktops are as safe as other appliances like fans, electric wiring, microwave, laptops, smart TVs and the like.

Also in routine life, these Cooktops are not so proximate to humans all day, so that the radiation emitted by these devices may actually harm you. These Cooktops are safe to use. Here is a list of best-selling induction Cooktops for you.

 

Top 6 Induction Cooktops in India