INDUCTION COOKING IS MAGIC… I cannot believe I nearly chose a traditional range!
We have a gas range… it cooks stuff!
So I assumed that we would do another for the kitchen remodel… but as with all kitchen decisions, the further you wade in, the further you realize that you have been living in a prehistoric cave: dirt floor, poor lighting, no espresso station.
What was the source of my cave/dirt epiphany?
The sorcery that is INDUCTION COOKING.
Incase you too are a cave-dweller, this is an induction cooktop.
A THIN PIECE OF GLASS WITH ZERO NOOKS TO SCRUB.
And yes, it comes as a freestanding range… BUT YOU CAN DO IT LIKE THIS TOO.
Not only is it an easy-to-clean surface, it’s energy efficient, there is no outgassing, AND all the bulkiness of a range top is totally unnecessary!
The clunky knobs? Unnecessary!
The unsightly grates? Unnecessary!
The nooks for collecting gunk? Unnecessary!
The OUTGASSING OF TOXINS? UNNECESSARY!
If those are unnecessary… WHY DID I NEARLY BUY THEM!
Terrifying.
Before we continue, allow me to SHOW YOU THE MAGIC!
Here is induction cooking in a short video (I took it at the Wolf showroom, which I’ll get to in a second) and YES– the cover photo of this video IS water boiling WHILE sitting on a paper towel AT THE SAME TIME. Madness!
I began my induction introduction at the Wolf and SubZero showroom… Paul and I were sightseeing; attempting stealth and composure, while waiting to be identified as poors and evicted to the parking lot where we belong.
For the record: they were very kind to us.
Even after I started licking all of their shiny things.
But then, the Wolf guy was like— have you considered induction?
And then all our kitchen plans were ruined.
Now that I’ve seen induction, I’m GENUINELY confused why they even SELL anything else… nothing else even makes any SENSE.
So I was all– I do not understand! What am I missing? What is WRONG with it? Why is EVERYONE NOT USING THIS?
The Wolf guy sort of struggled to find words to explain; he said something like– well, you have to get USED to it… and you cannot SEE the heat, which weirds people out.
And I was like— eh? That seems like preferring a corded-home-wall-phone to a smartphone… not to mention how this wall phone has giant grates and burners and squats on your countertop screaming: LOOK AT MY KNOBS.
Whatever.
I’m going to skip that.
Also FYI: your cookware must be compatible… check using a magnet. If it sticks, you’re good… Mine happens to be fine, (I use All Clad copper core) but I would have (HAPPILY) bought all new pans… I cook every. single. day… and I can see how this technology is WAY BETTER than what I was using, FOR ME.
Now, this post should be over.
But it’s not.
Because ease and simplicity are things to be complicated.
I went home and started googling… it took me three seconds to find the roadblock I was looking for!
What is it?
I’m glad you asked!
Before I spell it out, allow me to conduct research:
Visually, do YOU see any way that the kitchen below COULD BE BETTER?
Do you see it?
Let’s try again… do you see something below that is NOT LIKE THE OTHER THINGS? And would be BETTER if it WERE like the other things?
Because this thing is NOT fancy or gilded or a giant antique grand piano that is now our kitchen island… so it does not need to be going around demanding that people take notice of it; because the cooktop is NOT THE ARBITER OF WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOTICE IN MY KITCHEN… I AM.
To me, the answer is obvious:
the above photo would be 874,239,054 TIMES BETTER if the induction top was white, instead of THE MOST NOTICEABLE AND CONTRASTING THING THEY COULD HAVE POSSIBLY PUT IN THAT SPACE.
Apparently that’s just me though; because American induction cooktop manufacturers ONLY MAKE THEM IN BLACK… because this is 1908, and Henry Ford is in charge of all cooktop colors!
So, for fun, I have decided I do not wish to have black!
I wish to have white!
Huzzah!
This is unfortunate considering that I HAD been planning slate countertops, (which are currently in our garage) and which might be fine-okay-ish with a black induction… BUT. For some reason? Now that is prohibited.
I do not know why.
IT JUST IS.
White carrara.
With white induction.
This is the way.
Does white EXIST?
Sure! In France, Belgium, Australia… basically any place not located at Home Depot.
Preferring options NOT available to me is incredibly inconvenient; so this is where YOU come in: in an ideal world, one of you has purchased an induction cooktop not marketed in the U.S.
And hopefully, you did it without actually traveling to Paris and bringing it back in your luggage; because while that would be an amazing blog post, it goes against my first rule of existence: do not leave the house unnecessarily.
EVEN FOR PARIS.
Actually, ESPECIALLY for Paris… because last time I was there, my dad got separated from us at the train station, and COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED.
Gone. Vanished. No trace.
My brother and I searched the train station… and then the surrounding blocks, and then back to the train station, and then back out into the neighborhood… we looked for our father in a country where we do not speak the language… eventually finding our way back to the hotel we’d checked out of, who let us use their phone to call my mom to tell her that we had bad news about Dad, and also we had no passports or money or anything because Dad had them; and then we sat in the hotel lobby for some eternity while my mother at whatever three-am time in America is trying to find someone who speaks French… until my father called the hotel, and said– WHERE ARE YOU KIDS?
For your edification: not only was my father completely fine, he claims none of this ever actually happened… which is pretty weird since Chris and I remember it exactly the same way: with vivid, frightening detail.
Anyway.
Cooktops.
PLEASE TELL ME all about how easy it was to swap out out European voltage, hertz, nominal frequency of the oscillations of alternating current. Simple!
I emailed Bosch… in The Netherlands… and also Electrolux in Australia… to ask WHY DO THEY WANT AMERICANS TO ONLY HAVE UGLY?
Being so obvious about it is really rude.
And also to tell them: they are ruining kitchens around the world by leaving us imprisoned at the whim of American induction manufacturers.
No more!
THE TYRANNY MUST END!
Two last bits of information to have my full perspective:
1. IT MUST BE FLUSH.
NO surface mount… I want it IN my counter; as opposed to just sitting on top.
I think the appeal of the inset version is obvious, BUT FYI: it does mean that your counters must be fabricated to the specs, and any cutting of stone is where the expense really piles up… plus, if you had to replace it, potentially a nightmare.
2. Options in the American market that are sort of off-white… if, you define off-white as: tanish beige, 1982.
Here is option #1 tanish-beige-circa-1982 (price is twice what you can pay for black.)
Option #2, Monogram induction cooktop:
Reading other people’s descriptions online, it seems like the color of this one (pictured below) depends on lighting and angle; so maybe I could get on board with the color, if I saw it in person.
I cannot claim to be disinterested in the shiny silver circles, but the price is twice the other tanish beige… and that just is… no. I will not pay that much for 1982.
I’m done now.
Plz hlp me.
‘k thx.
February 8, 2018 @ 8:38 pm
Go for the slate and black. Easy on the eyes, easier to keep clean and looking good. Why would anyone choose gas over induction? Have you ever lived rural? The power goes out, all the time. Our gas range can be lit with a match and then we cook with an oil lamp for light. All of the mechanical stuff in the house is designed to operate without power. Maybe, someday we’d get solar and a Powerwall. Only then would I consider electric for cooking.
February 8, 2018 @ 9:28 pm
We remodeled our kitchen 10 years ago with a freestanding range, convection oven, glass top stove. It died 3 years ago. Oh- the ANGST of trying to decide. I first got an induction stove with two stoves, small one at the top and I hated it. I mostly hated the cooktop. Finally, within a month, turned it back in (which Lowe’s was wonderful about) and got one with induction cooktop. Had to change over half of my pans. I’m still looking for a good 10″ skillet with a lid that will also fit in my dishwasher, btw.) But I LOVE the induction! After three years, of cooking every day, multiple times day, it still looks practically new. I use CeramBrite, razor blades, and the yellow scrubby maybe once a week- usually just wipe up spills as they occur, or put paper towels over the surface if something is spattering (like spaghetti sauce or browning meat). It’s black, but so was my old one and I really really love it. Also, we got quartz countertops ten years ago and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the quartz. It comes in MANY colors and patterns. My daughter did her kitchen last year and hers looks like cararra marble with gray veins–it’s beautiful. You don’t have to seal it. It’s naturally antimicrobial. Easy to clean. Fabulous to use. Scratch resistant. It doesn’t stain–at least not from grape juice or tomato sauce or stuff like that. I haven’t tried using a permanent sharpie marker on it. I would get quartz again in a heartbeat. I never want ANYTHING other than quartz countertops again.
February 9, 2018 @ 12:11 am
1. I am jealous of your cooktop idea and annoyed with myself that I was unaware of this option. Why does no one talk about this?!
2. I love that so many of your links take me to Amazon. I am always expecting a fancy designer website. And then up pops Amazon. Thank you for being so real.
3. Does it bother you there is only 1 review for this product and it is a 1 star review and it is titled ”Don’t buy this product”?
4. I think you should buy the white. It is superior to black. And in response to everyone telling you it’s hard to keep clean, I think if anyone is up to the challenge it is most definitely you.
5. Keep up the good work.
February 9, 2018 @ 1:28 am
I was going to say that this was an easy fix – IKEA has a white cooktop. But it turns out their white one is not induction 🙁
As to what everyone is saying about wall ovens: 1) there are free standing induction ranges that include an oven. 2) you can mount your oven in an under counter cabinet under the cooktop if you want to. We have, and it’s a regular size oven (european, probably doesn’t fit a large turkey).
February 9, 2018 @ 9:02 am
There’s a white one on eBay. https://m.ebay.com/itm/BOSCH-PIF672FB1E-Induction-Hob-Ceramic-Glass-White-PowerBoost-7400W-Genuine-New-/252900687310?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10&_mwBanner=1
February 9, 2018 @ 11:10 am
Lots of great ideas! But I vote for the Monogram silver induction cooktop with Carrera countertops!
February 9, 2018 @ 11:24 am
Am I the only one who thinks this looks WAY TOO MODERN?? Also – as someone who prides myself on my cooking skills – Gas is the only way to go…..
February 9, 2018 @ 12:20 pm
I have had induction for 5 years, Will never go back. It’s just wonderful!!
February 9, 2018 @ 12:49 pm
Identified as poors! I can relate – that is so perfect, I am cry laughing!
February 9, 2018 @ 1:09 pm
We bought the Electro Luxe propane/natural gas stove in 2009 in order to cook with gas and it has been great but the truly wonderful unexpected asset has been heat and cooking when the weather and the endless trees in our area guarantees an extended power outage…5 whole days last time and the failure of the HVAC system again 5 days without heat. Sad to say for those of you much younger that my 81 year old Husband and 77 yr old me. Climate change, with the polar ice headed for the atmosphere and destined to come down elsewhere in the form of torrential rain or snow falls measured in tons v inches, might demand some other form of energy not involving electricity and may literally save you and your families lives. Better to err on the side of caution ……..? generators,solar and a nice big propane tank and I sincerely hope and pray I am wrong.
February 9, 2018 @ 2:23 pm
We put in both induction and gas when we renovated our kitchen (the induction is 60cm wide and the gas 30cm, they are right next to each other and form a 90cm cooktop area). Mostly because we live in Joburg and power failures are a thing. I had visions of using both but honestly, the induction is so much better to cook on that we only use the gas for the wok and when the power is out. If I could only have one I would take induction everday just for the ease of use, regardless of aesthetics. If I ever have another house that comes with a regular electric stove I will rip it out and replace it with induction asap.
February 9, 2018 @ 3:14 pm
Black or white? I could live with either, but the ceiling and wonky-wonk trim molding in the photo you reference (Visually, do you see any way this kitchen could be better?) would drive me nuts! That cabinetry and crown molding is a horrible solution to the peaked ceiling. I would always be thinking about those horrid little gaps on the upper left.
February 9, 2018 @ 3:55 pm
I second all of the “it will scratch, look filthy and ruin your life” comments about induction, especially white. My best friend is on her 3rd induction hob in 12 years – she lives in the middle of nowhere in Scotland and gas isn’t an option. The touch control panels on every single one has failed after a few years, but long before that they have looked horribly scratched and grubby, because the tiny surface scratches are deep enough to trap dirt and grease but too fine to clean with any brush, scrubbie or sponge. If you google “scratched induction hob” you will get an idea… and some solutions to removing scratches, all of which involve a lot of elbow grease and cleaning chemicals. If you hardly ever cook and never, ever slide, shoogle or accidentally jiggle pans while cooking, then maybe it wouldn’t drive you insane… maybe? Personally, I think you should get a huge Victorian kitchen range, have it immaculately restored in a surprising yet perfect colour, and then photograph it covered in kittens. Every day.
February 9, 2018 @ 4:19 pm
I love induction and my Lodge pans. They love each other. They work great with woks too. I have never had a scratching or clouding problem. As long as you arent rough Im sure you wont have scratching. Of course, dont drop GFTs on the ICT.
The GE cafe and monogram lines are both not black and sparkly. Very fancy, really. They also have bluetooth capability so you can control temperature through your phone and their probe accessory. Do you know about sous vide cooking?
Ive never used a white cooktop, but I am sure you could get a portable one for cheap and work with it before making a permanent decision. Ebay may be your friend here.
Also, because, Paul, you could DIY an installation of a couple or three portable units in whatever countertop surface he would agree to cut for you. Maybe consider soapstone, for ease. In a stone.
I like the nuwave portable units PiC2 or something because they are relatively low powered so you can cook at lower temperatures. And you can make 10 degree adjustments in the temperature acrossthe units entire range. You will only want big wattage for heating big pots of liquid. Because its. So. Darn. Efficient.
Make sure you know the max weight you can put on the one you are getting so you dont break it with canning or your demi-glace preparations.
Welcome to the club.
February 9, 2018 @ 4:26 pm
I should add that the nuwave PiCs have the downside of membrane covered controls, which membrane wears out. Get ones without the membrane, just glass controls, unless you get commercial quality.
February 10, 2018 @ 9:17 am
VEB- Because I love your blog I’ll say this.
It’s gas only for me. I would never even think about an electric stove of any type. Nope, 40+ years ago I got a jolt while turning on the faucet and touching the stove at the same time in my very first, very dumpy apartment. I don’t think I’ve used an electric stove once since that little zap!
As far as color choice goes, black is the popular color for a reason. White while very pretty does seem to be extremely impractical. I did a bit of research and found Fagor’s website claims their top matches to Pantone 402C so it you can get yourself to a printer or artist who has access to cards that may be helpful. To my eye it is a true gray, not at all beige. The GE Monogram website calls their color silver, not beige or off white. Somewhere there must be a dealer who could show you an example of the color if not the actual top.
February 10, 2018 @ 11:44 am
I have a new black induction cooktop by Bosch. My sister-in-law has a different brand. Mine is shiny, hers is not. I clean mine every evening with vinegar on a paper towel. Sister-in-law does not need to do this. Something to think about. Also, I decided to get the smaller of two available cooktops because of space limitations. Be sure all of your pans, both large and small, will fit on the cooktop at the same time . I like induction because I set myself on fire with gas and have horrible messy burners with electric.
February 11, 2018 @ 7:45 am
We just purchased and are using induction after having been convinced all along that we were going to use a Blue Star gas range as we had in a kitchen just before this one. Well that idea went by the way when we realized that in this town we would have to not only put a 1200 CFM fan in but also an air recovery system which pushed the Blue Star price tag all together up to the eight thousand dollar level!!!! So we took a chance and did induction. We used the Bosch product and we ADORE it. We have black counters so we did the black- it looks so great! I do construction specification for a living and interior design so was helping a client outfit there kitchen at the same moment. He wanted a lighter looking piece and got the Thermodore in a mirror finish- it is gorg!!!! look into it – it does have a darker control area though so not completely silvery. But like I said I adore the whole induction thang cause it is totally responsive, fast and bonus, does not have to have a exhaust fan capable of sucking a kitten off the kitchen floor! Plus, and there are a lot of Pluses here- it does not have all the residual heat that make the grease fly all over the place. I know you have been struggling with the fan question from your other posts. We have a 399 CFM fan and it is all that is needed – I used the Vent-a Hood magic lung type and rarely have needed to clean it since we moved in last August. Now that is a BONUS!!! Good luck.
February 11, 2018 @ 8:57 am
Am experimenting with an induction hot plate. So far I can’t make myself love it the way I love gas/w my heavy copper pots. Here’s why. Crank the heat in your copper, get your butter brown, turn the flame down and immediately the heat reduces. No scorching. Because pure copper is highly conducive. Up-down, fast in both directions. My induction cookware is not as conductive. It takes much longer to reduce heat reaching the food. Some types of preps = no biggie, you’re after fast heat and lots of it. Other preps, delicate fish, eggs, sauces. . .overshoot and scorched garlic, ugh. See what I mean? It’s not the induction technology that is not flexible, it’s the cooking materials (steel, iron) that are not as conductive, therefore not as responsive as cookware. I haven’t sprung for the Matfer induction copper. Anyone out there using it? How does it compare to pure copper? (And before all the All-Clad and Lodge and Staub fans jump on me, please go buy a 2.5mm tin-lined copper vessel and cook with it for a week. It’s not a snob thing, it’s an OMFG experience. I’d sell my Prius for more copper.) Full discolosure: I adore my Chambers range. But I enjoy the induction hot plate when I want to boil water at the speed of light.
February 11, 2018 @ 10:55 am
I’m afraid of gas (fire, explosion…) I have induction and it’s just fantastic. Good cooking, NO cleaning ! Simple and elegant. Black is always OK, even if I know that Self likes it more complicated… You’ll have to convince Self!