AIBU to hate my new induction hob or am I just stupid?

[januhairyfebruhairy]

2 months after a disastrous oven replacement (basically they said they couldn't fit it due to the gas pipe so we had to get an induction hob - don't get me started, thats another story...) I still hate the induction hob. I feel utterly miserable as I have just tried and failed to do pancakes. No matter what type of pan I tried I could not get it right. Lots of other reasons to hate it as it's just not as nice and reliable as gas. Only thing is it is a dream to clean. Can I still get used to it or am I just stupid. Any other experiences?

[Mamette]

I love mine and would never go back to gas. You can’t simmer at a very low temperature on gas like you can with induction.

I have had 2 induction hobs, first a Zanussi and now a Neff. If I had any criticism at all it would be that the Zanussi was a bit annoying in that it beeped a lot. The neff is brilliant though.

[OwBist]

I've had mine for about 6 months now, and would prefer gas most of the time. However.... Through trial and error (lots of error), I think it's me / my pans. My cast iron skillets are fine, as is a Tefal all-in-1 thingy. My everyday saucepans, not so much. Turns out that although they were not cheap, they don't have an edge to edge magnetic base, so the direct heat stops 2cms from the sides. Long slow simmering is fine, and much better than gas. Keeping a large pan of water boiling for pasta / potatoes is less successful. I've given up trying to do popcorn, or anything else which traditionally required moving the pan, not the contents.

I think I will like it more when I can get some pans with a better base. It's a breeze to clean, and I love that I can use it as a work surface when needed.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

@Intruiged

Can you put a heavy le creuset on one? I just got an induction and been afraid to use my huge cast iron pot, so I really hate it.

Yeah they're fine, I have lots and they work no problem

[TierFourTears]

Most on MN seem to love induction, but I'm with you. Hated the induction in the rental we had for 5 years. Very pleased to be back cooking on gas in our house. The only good thing I can say about induction is they are easy to clean. But mine was like someone described above - too picky, always turning off or beeping at me, had 2 choices - cold or boiling furiously,

[billy1966]

Timely thread.

Have only EVER had gas my whole life.

Looking at a possible replacement.

Could people post advice re models and top tips.

A friend of mine has switched over and is very meh about it.

Thanks.

[JustLoveBarneyRonay]

Love our induction to bits and never struggle with pancakes.

[tiredmum2468]

I had a brand new kitchen and all new appliances (only courtesy of Ppi refunds!) and within a year I'd rung the kitchen place up and ordered a section of new work surface and I had the induction hobs removed and the gas rings re-installed; the only benefit with them was that they were very easy to clean but I found them rubbish to cook with and wrecked a lovely cast iron job to oven casserole dish aswell.

Also if we have a powercut and don't have the electric oven or kettle we always have the gas rings!

[sunshinesupermum]

Love my induction. Cooks everything perfectly. My pans are from Ikea with one hob top casserole dish from John Lewis. Would never go back to gas.

[Watsername]

I really miss my induction hob - moved back to gas when we moved house.

[TooYoungToNotice]

I love mine and so does my son who is a chef. His last professional kitchen had them.

They do take adjusting to and your pans do make a huge difference. The Neff ones we have that came with the hob are the best, we have one le creuset and one unbranded cast iron pan that are good. Still not found a truly brilliant frying pan, but I do have an Ikea one that is pretty good.

Someone should tell you that when you get an induction hob, it's not just the cost of that, it's all the pans you will buy then subsequently give away because they turn out to be a bit rubbish on induction!

That said I wouldn't go back to gas.

[Bilgepumper]

We have all John Lewis pans, which weren't cheap. Perhaps that makes a difference.

Honestly, I can't see any problems at all with induction hobs. It's just practice.

[DeadBod]

I have grown to like mine. It took a bit of getting used to as the 4 rings have varying temperatures from 1 to 9 but I can only go up to a combined total of 12 so, if I'm using a few pans, I have to plan which order I bringing the boil first.
I did buy a fair few frying pans before I found one that was satisfactory.

[AlwaysLatte]

I don't think you're being stupid! But it is new, so you need to spend more time experimenting as it is so different to gas. I love ours and would never go back! We make a lot of American style pancakes on it, and occasionally crepes. I find the trick is to put it up to a slightly higher heat to start with (7 in this case) while you melt the butter, ladle the mixture in then turn it down to 6. Flip when bubbles appear on the surface.

[Bilgepumper]

What is the problem with induction?

I don't have any problems at all with mine. I'm intrigued as to what the problems are.

[AlwaysLatte]

Also second the le creuset pans, including the pancake one (the non stick ones although our enamelled casserole dishes also work well).

[overwork]

Well I've never made a pancake until this pancake day, and I admit the first couple were rubbish, but after that they were great! Only induction bob issue I had was when I took the pan of the heat to flip them it got cross and started beeping at me.

[Runnerduck34]

I like mine, gets things to the boil quickly, easy to clean.
Downside was i needed new saucepans and it buzzes if there is only a small pan of something on it which annoyed the hell out of me at first but got used to it now .
Haven't had any problems making pancakes or anything else,could it be your pans?

[Bilgepumper]

@overwork

Well I've never made a pancake until this pancake day, and I admit the first couple were rubbish, but after that they were great! Only induction bob issue I had was when I took the pan of the heat to flip them it got cross and started beeping at me.

Only induction bob issue I had was when I took the pan of the heat to flip them it got cross and started beeping at me.

That's just how induction works, the pan has to be on the hob and if you take it off it stops getting hot.

[quarentini]

As a chef my preference is alway gas for the job.
I do like just charing things straight on the flame though

[reader12]

I hated mine at first but love it now. Use a normal pro cook frying pan for crepes and thick pancakes and it’s fine. I wish the heat circles were bigger though, but I’ve got used to that. I have the AEG one with 4 separate slider controls, so no annoying multiple jabbing finger at it in different places to adjust the heat levels, and most importantly you can turn all the beeps off except the on and off beeps. My in laws have a horrible old Bosch one where it takes forever to change anything and I hate it with a passion.

[reader12]

“ That's just how induction works, the pan has to be on the hob and if you take it off it stops getting hot.”

Yes but it doesn’t have to beep at you every time. That was a deal breaker for me, I can’t stand being beeped at and I always stir things by shaking/flicking the pan & then putting it back down. The AEG one doesn’t beep when you lift the pan if you turn off all beeps.

[januhairyfebruhairy]

I have prestige induction friendly stainless steel pans. The frying pan I started with was a pro cook stainless steel. The pancake stuck to the bottom. Switched to smaller non stick frying pan, couldn't get spatula into pan (too small) to turn it over. Burnt a couple. Really were nothing compared to ones I made on gas. I also find it hard when I have more than one pan on and there is a reduction in the capacity for the second pan. Hob is a Bosch one for about 475. Maybe I need to search out a better pan but I've only just bought this pro cook frying pan and it was quite expensive! Also bought stainless steel chef pan as I'd had non stick ones before but the non stick lining flaked eventually.

[FOJN]

I love my induction hob, it's my second one. Both have been neff and I've found them really easy to control and clean. I only have pro cook tri-ply pans and really rate them but would never use stainless steel for things like eggs as they always stick, whether cooked on gas or induction. Can't comment on pancakes because I don't like them. I did have a Regis stone frying pan once which was non-stick and worked well on induction with the added bonus that they're quite cheap.

[Thesunrising]

Yeah. They are just not as good as gas. Frying is a major problem. All my pancakes are small now - no point in getting a big pan that goes beyond the touch point of hob- the heat just doesn’t conduct evenly. We have a Neff - a supposed good brand - but just not as sensitive as gas. Cleaner and greener though - it’s a trade-off.

[Ismellphantoms]

I'd never go back to gas. I have a Neff hob and a Le Creuset pancake pan. Perfect pancakes every time.