Thread: New Alternative to Gas -- Induction Cooktops

When buying a new cooktop, you generally think of gas vs. electric. But now there are 2 electric options. There is the standard electric cooktop that you probably think about. Where the burner takes a minute or 2 to get hot and then stays hot well after you turn it off. Generally, these are harder to cook with, as it is harder to control the temperature. After all, with gas, if you turn it down to low, it immediately goes to low. With electric, the element takes time to cool down.



But now there is an alternative to the standard electric cooktop... induction. It seems a little more complicated, with the cooktop using an electromagnetic field between the cooktop and the pot to generate heat. Because it generates heat this way, the heat can be much more easily controlled, similar to a gas stove. Only catch is that you have to use ferrous pots on an induction cooktop. No copper, aluminum, or pyrex. But most of your standard pots will work.

What I found interesting was that although electric cooktops generally cost more overall to use (in terms of energy consumption). Induction is much more efficient per BTU than gas and even about 20% more efficient than standard electric.

Stats:
Electric Resistance Cooktop - 70% Efficient
Induction Cooktop - 84% Efficient
Gas Cooktop - 42% efficient

The thing to note is that even though electric is more efficient, it is still more expensive because of utility prices. 1Kwh of electricity produces 3413 btus. So it would take 29.3 Kwh of electricity to produce 100,000 BTUs or 1 Therm. Currently, at around 10 cents per Kwh and $0.85 per therm (after taxes and fees), that would cost $2.93 in electricity and $0.85 in gas. So electricity at these prices is about 3.5x more expensive than gas. So even though the induction is twice as efficient as gas, it will still cost more to heat the same pot of water.

Some other things to consider when making the purchase:
1. Do you already have a gas line run?
2. Do you have access to natural gas or do you rely on propane tanks (tanks can sometimes cost more per Therm than piped in Natural Gas)?
3. If you currently have gas, do you have access to the power needed for an electric/induction cooktop?

If gas is not readily available, then you must decide between standard electric or induction. I'd say overall Induction is a better system. It is slightly more efficient and it is better to cook with. However, the initial cost is much higher (starting around $1,400 vs. $700 for the equivalent electric) which needs to be factored in. I guess it depends on how often you like to cook!