Induction hobs, are they as good as people say?

[Badweekjustgotworse]

We'll have an island in the new kitchen layout and are planing on putting a job on it as limited layout and it's looking like the most feasible layout.

I've never had an induction job, had electric and gas and much prefer the gas of the two I have experience of. After reading the kitchen lessons learnt thread though it seems the general consensus is that induction is the dogs danglies

Anything I need to know? Pitfalls?

I've had mine since mid-April. I wasn't sure at first, but this last couple of weeks I've grown to love it. Think of it as gas with all the same instant-ness when turning the heat up and down.

It is MARVELLOUS!

Always had gas, love gas. Got an induction hob as I loath cleaning the hob and DH now does most of the cooking. Relocated and went into a rental with gas - I was so excited, looking forward to having gas hob. Never again, it was the longest 6 months ever!!!

Induction boils your water as quickly as super fast kettle, hob cleans with squirts of Mr Muscle and some kitchen roll. Tis truly amazing.

First hob had a timer that turned the hob off, I do miss that on my current one.

I've had one for 10 years and wouldn't have anything else.

They're clean, responsive and safer than electric and gas.

Just try not to drop anything heavy on it. I'm having to make do with a crappy b&q one because this happened to our beko.

I've just moved into a house with one and I love it, but I've had to replace every saucepan so it's been quite an expensive translation!

Pros: fast to heat up; very responsive to adjustment; easy to clean as ceramic hob style hob. Some induction hobs have timers you can programme for individual hotplates. Some have zones for use with larger pans/casseroles, etc. You can usually lock the hob controls, which is a useful safety feature. Ours has a hot warning when you switch off the hotplate as there is no other visual sign (they don't glow red like a ceramic hob).

Cons: only work with pans that are magnetic so good quality carbon steel and stainless are fine, but aluminium and Pyrex type pans won't work; some noise from the magnets which might annoy some people; a lot have touch controls which not everyone likes. Ours has a visual warning when you remove a pan whilst the hotplate is switched on and then starts beeping at you after a set period.

So much easier to clean! I wish my current house had one!

For pans I went to TKMaxx with a magnet and just tested them!

Fab! I love the idea of the visual of it on the island rather than a big gas hob with all the associated prongy sticky up bits

It's brilliant. So quick to boil water etc and so easy to clean

Mine has the timers for each hotplate and I really recommend that. I got into the habit of using the timers - prevents burnt pans.

Touch control is wonderful, no knobs to clean round.

i've had one for 9 years and i will never go back to gas. never.

I love our induction hob. I was a bit when the kitchen salesman tried to persuade me to switch from gas but I'm so glad he did.

But I still haven't got the hang of making jam on it once a year

I love mine and would never go back to gas. And I loved gas. The other advantage on an island is the hob itself doesn't get too hot - I mean, you'll know if you put your hand on it, but you won't get burnt.

Also hoping for a new kitchen. I would like am induction job, but how do you use a wok on one?

I really like mine too and would never cook on anything else.

theITgirl I use a Jaime Oliver Wok on my hob with no problems.

We used to have one and I hated it, gas is much easier to fine tune, less likely to get damaged and no need to change pans.

With fifteen power levels and a booster, I can definitely say that my induction hob is easier to fine tune than gas.

mine has 10 settings - the highest is hotter than the highest gas and the lowest, cooler than the coolest gas setting i had before. it's definitely a lot easier to fine tune!

i think it depends on what gas hob and which induction hob you're comparing.

i have a miele and i'm very happy with it. 9 years later and the hob looks like new. no marks on it.

I'm sold, you lot should be on commission

I've had mine for 6 years and would not have anything else. So responsive and easy to clean. I'd just say don't get a cheap one as the glass would scratch more easily.

YES YES YES

I never thought I would be a fan but soooooo much better than gas.

Only thing you can't do is you can't char an aubergene over the gas flame, but since I did that like once a year it's not a biggie

Can you do a good stir fry on induction though? Or do you need a sauté pan rather than wok to get heat on more other bottom?

I have a Neff. Great for boiling water and easy to clean. If you use more than two 'rings' at a time it makes a little clicking sound like it is struggling to find the power. Have had to search high and low for a wide bottom wok to do stir frys. Large frying pans really don't get hot at the edges so can only cook small pancakes! It's a very bossy machine,constantly beeping in a shrill tone when the timer goes off or the pan has boiled over or if you casually rest a tea towel on the glass by mistake. Overall it's pretty good, but in cooking terms a second rate option compared to gas )in my experience)

Have one in the house we rent, and I loathe it. I want a slab of graduated cast iron like I have in my UK house on my range.