Have you had both induction and gas hobs? Which did you prefer and why?

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

If you've had experience of owning/long term using both induction and gas hobs please could you share your preference between the two with reasons?

Note - I'm only interested in the comparison between induction and gas - not other types of electric hob and gas.

TIA

I have had an induction hob for 7 years and absolutely love it.

If you want to experience an induction hob without buying an entire 4 ring hob, Andrew James does a single ring for £50 and a double ring for £80, both of Amazon. We bought the double ring firstly to test out an induction hob and secondly to cook on whilst we had our kitchen extension built. I also lent it to my friend whilst she was having her kitchen fitted and for her to test out induction cooking.

Mine is a Dietrich one where you can combine cooking areas. It does make a clicking noise if the pan isn't in the right place. We cook using a flat bottomed wok and it doesn't cut out when you lift the pan, it gives you plenty of time to before it does cut for safety reasons.

It is incredibly easy to clean, none of the lifting off of the pan supports and cleaning all of that. I clean it with washing up liquid and hot water the dry it with an e cloth.

It has incredibly controllable settings, if your pan is boiling over, the setting is too high. We were like this at the start when cooking rice or pasta. But you get used to what number produces what level of heat.

The only negative to be aware of is if your pan is larger than the ring you put it on then the outsides of the pan stay a lot cooler than the middle where the heat is focused. Hence why I bought one where I can combine 2 rings to cook using a 28cm Circulon frying/saute pan.

Induction for everything apart from when I want to use a wok (about 5 times a year)

Gas for cooking, but induction for cleaning.

Weve just been away to an air b n b that had an induction job. My DH, who loves cooking, nearly lost the plot one evening when it kept turning itself off about 25 times during the time he was cooking dinner (we used it several times and only that evening was annoying) but he commented how easy it was to clean.....from someone that cooks everyday and usually spills something but never cleans the gas hob!

Induction all the way - we very nearly went for gas but so glad we didn’t.

The only downside is that adjusting the heat is slightly slower than gas, because you have to tap to select the ring and then tap to select the temperature setting, so a two step process, whereas with gas you just turn the knob. So you have to learn to react a fraction quicker if something is boiling over or catching.

But this is minor compared with all the other pros. The ease of cleaning! And the timer function to turn itself off. And the safety. And being able to use it as extra work surface. And the way it looks. And the ease of cleaning... Ours is on our island so very centre stage so the ease of cleaning is hugely important

Ah yes, one other minor annoyance, if it’s left on and ignored for hours it will turn itself off (safety) but this is not helpful if you are making stock.

@minipie - that must depend on your hob. It's a one step process on ours.

Ooh wowfudge which do you have? I looked and looked for one step ones.

Always induction. Can't remember the brand we put in in the last house, but in current house, we replaced an Aga, so needed to get a range rather than separate hob/oven. I wanted a pyrolitic self-cleaning oven and an induction hob, and a certain width, there was only 1 available which was a Smeg. I've had Smeg ovens forever, so quite happy with my limited choice!

Because it's a range, the controls for the hob are via knobs rather than touch, which is what they were in the last house. I thought the touch knobs were fine, but I know my mum struggled with them a bit - I guess it's just about getting used to a new piece of kit.

For the money this Ikea one has been fabulous:

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hoegklassig-induction-hob-with-flexible-zones-black-60303933/

Fitted last year with new kitchen and 2 Neff hide and slide ovens.

@minipie - Stoves Sterling electric induction range. Each one has a separate control and you just slide your finger along.

If I could find an induction hob with proper knobs that would be the best. Ours was more powerful and instant than the gas burner it replaced, and also made far less condensation (this difference is moot if you don’t use well fitted lids).

Induction is nicer in my experience so long as you don’t mind funny control systems.

Have had long term use of three gas hobs and 2 induction.

Induction all the way. Boils the kettle as quick as an electric rapid one. So much easier to keep clean. Never sets things on fire 🔥

I was so excited when we moved and went back to gas, hated it!!!

thanks wowfudge! I didn’t see that one as we needed a separate hob rather than a range.

In separate induction hobs, I think Smeg does one that has a slide control for each burner, but all the others seem to require you to pick your burner first, then slide.

I have a 5 zone Neff induction hob. It is fabulous! It heats really quickly ( took me a few days to get used to) and is so easy to clean. Induction hobs don't ever get hot enough for spills and splashes to burn on. You can boil water with kitchen roll between the hob and kettle and it won't burn. If something boils over you can just lift the pan and wipe it clean straight away. I would never go back to gas.

I'd like to get both. I'm wary of getting rid of gas as if the electricity goes, you always have gas to cook on.

I don't have enough faith in the government to have an all electric kitchen or house. Everything seems to be gearing up to more electric use and lees gas use. Electricity is also more expensive longterm.

So I'm definitely having a new gas hob and maybe an induction one also.

i have a range cooker...3 electric ovens and induction top, all with proper knobs....La Canche....excellent

Induction by far, no contest, as the others have said, cleaner, safer, environmentally friendly, cleaner, quicker, I love mine. And I had a gas hob for years. I would still stick to induction, even if I liked it less than gas, but luckily, it’s fabulous.

We have had both and I much prefer induction. However, we are in the process of having our dream kitchen fitted and have opted for a large dual zone induction, with a single separate gas hob. The gas hob is for our stir frys. Gas is much better for stir frys!

My induction hob is Siemens - do not recognise any turning off and on or slow reaction comments.
I always previously had gas and because we have a much smaller area where hob is going decided on induction as easier to clean and can put plates and stuff on more easily that a hob if you are a bit pushed for work surface space.

I didn't like the idea and thought it looked a bit like cooking on an iPad - but would do it again most definitely. I have side by side hot bits rather than in a square ( i.e. narrower rectangular shape ) & that's great.

Switched from gas to induction a year ago. Would never switch back.
Ours does have a very annoying habit though in that if you put anything hot on it while using part of it- eg when you need to put something down having taken it out the oven, the whole thing beeps then switches off.

Prefer gas. Have a good quality induction at family holiday house and it's not as sensitive as the gas, I'm always glad to get home to my gas hob. Obviously gas is less safe, so probably better now my DD is learning to cook. Don't know about cleaning.

Not tried induction yet, want to.

I was unimpressed with the gas hob I had in a rental property. It was impossible to get anything simmering, even the smallest burner on the lowest setting would boil beans or soup vigorously. Now granted, this was probably the cheapest shittiest gas cooker around, but it shows that gas doesn't always mean good cooking.

We’ve got a Miele 5 zone induction hob. It took me a while to get used to it but I definitely prefer it to my old gas hob. It’s so quick to bring things to the boil, I no longer use an electric kettle; a stovetop one is so much faster. I haven’t noticed any strange noises coming from it.

Ooh, I'd love to dispense with my fugly kettle.