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Original poster

Induction hob

51 replies

maldivemoment · 14/07/2021 09:04

Apologies if there are already eleventy billion threads on this topic.
About to move into a ‘doer-upper’ and the entire kitchen will need replaced.
Can some of you wise folk share your thoughts/experiences of induction hob over gas? We’ve only ever had gas. I’m completely clueless about induction!
Pros & cons please.

Huge thanks

OP posts:
torquewench · 14/07/2021 20:06

I love my induction hob for 2 reasons - its completely flat so it's a doddle to clean compared to a gas hob. Also, it doesnt radiate heat, so, you're not sweating over a hot stove. I really notice the difference if I use my mums gas hob.

Roussette · 14/07/2021 20:12

Would never have anything other than induction. And I cook the best steaks on it. Far far better than on gas actually.

To clean it takes about 1 minute full stop. Cleaning a gas hob is a nightmare.

catsjammies · 14/07/2021 20:21

Really love ours. We definitely didn't spend £1.5k on it, and our pans are from IKEA. You can also (carefully!) use cast iron on them. Would never go back to gas now.

ISeeTheLight · 14/07/2021 20:24

We have one. Didn't have a choice as to which one as it was a new build, but we paid extra for it.
It's rubbish. It can't cope with heating more than 2 things at a time. Utterly useless and I loved the idea of it I can't cope with the reality.
My mum has a better - expensive - induction hob and it's still nog great. Eg it's useless for a wok.

GrandmasCat · 14/07/2021 20:26

Induction hobs are much cheaper than they used to be. You can get them for less than £200 these days.

Obviously, there are more expensive ones but I have a £30 portable one from ikea I bought when my hob stopped working on a weekend and, despite being able to fix it, I never stopped using the portable one Blush

Roussette · 14/07/2021 20:32

That's strange because I wok all the time. Don't have a trouble wokking!

GrandmasCat · 14/07/2021 20:36

Mine works beautifully with the wok, even on my very cheap induction portable hob, but then… it is a nice expensive wok. 🙂

SecretOfChange · 14/07/2021 23:17

I love it for all the reasons already mentioned plus it's safer. We had a cheaper induction hob at a rental previously and it wasn't as gradual between the numbers, there was quite a 'jump' between 6 and 7. The one I have now (Zanussi) doesn't have this problem. Wouldn't want to go back to gas ever.

Original poster
maldivemoment · 15/07/2021 03:41

Wow! Thanks everyone for all your thoughts. Most helpful.

OP posts:
shedofdread · 15/07/2021 06:51

I have one and I think it's great. Really easy to clean, and so controllable. Gas hobs are polluters.

Here's a suggestion - Ikea make a portable, induction hob for £35 which works really well. Why not buy a couple and try them for a while? If you like it get a "proper" one, if not you have a couple of spares.

IseeScottishhills · 15/07/2021 06:55

I have both!! I didn't buy the induction cooker it came with our house Ive had it about 9 months now. I agree it boils things super quick (never walk away or even look away) its sooo easy to clean my son is a chef and seems to think a meal is only a success if you cover the cooker in food, it looks good but I find it harder to turn down you have to do it gradually. I looked up the pros and cons on line and according to a GH article you shouldn't slide things across it e.g take a baking tray out of the oven and slide it across it or slide the saucepans around when changing rings as this can break it I'm assuming it would be expensive to repair if it is repairable I do try to avoid doing this but I do forget my son always forgets and this slightly worries me. My only other criticism is that on my cooker the individual rings are not very easy to see, last night I came home form work late (after 9) its wasn't dark enough to turn the lights on I live in a house with loads of natural light and I love watching the light change/sun set so am reluctant to turn the lights on and I struggle to see where the individual rings are a friend has the same cooker and she agrees. Could just be the particular make cooker we own.
Luckily no issues with saucepans as we only had stainless steel iron ones and most new saucepans are clearly labelled to say if they are suitable.
If I had to choose now I might go for the induction again a few months ago I would have said the gas but I starting to lean more towards the induction mainly because it so easy to keep clean.
I don't know if you get what you pay for we have. Mine is a range cooker with 5 rings and when I looked it up on line it cost over £3k (I wouldn't have spent that much on it its style over substance but that's another thread).

HmmmmmmInteresting · 15/07/2021 15:01

@Cruddles

Moved into a house 3 weeks ago that has induction hobs and I'm not enjoying it so far, but part of that is getting used to it and also could be our model. Pans seem to be stupidly hot or nothing happening, i can't get any subtlety out of it. Ours have a range of 0-14 but 0-10 doesn't seem to do anything. Also to set the temp we slide our finger along to the heat number, but this is either too sensitive or not sensitive enough, and as a previous poster mentioned you can change the temp without realising, the controls are like a smart phone in terms of having no feel to them. At some point in the next few years we'll be getting a new kitchen, will give us enough time to get experience with induction before deciding what we want
That doesn't sound right...are you sure it's an induction and not just an electric ceramic hob?
Daftasabroom · 15/07/2021 16:37

You can get great induction hobs for way less than £1k. Consider getting an extra wide one if you have a family and cook with big woks and pans at the same time.

No one seems to have mentioned that you reduce the heat way below what a gas ring can achieve.

Westwardahhh · 06/10/2021 17:53

How do you protect your hob. Do you use thick material which i heard can set off alarms or a glass protector that doubles as a chopping board. The ones I've seen would mean the feet would actually rest on the hob itself. That can't be right. I rang bosch but no help or suggestions

Whenigrowupiwanttobea · 06/10/2021 18:13

Just about to have our kitchen rebuilt.
Induction hob to be installed but we were asked a basic health question. Do you or anybody who might use the induction hob have a pacemaker fitted? If you do an induction hob is a big no!!! The magnets cause disruption to pacemakers!

Dartfordwarblerautumn · 06/10/2021 18:25

I am new to induction from gas as I moved home 4 months ago.
I love some things, fast to heat up, very very easy to clean.
But I do not like the fact when you turn down the “heat” it doesn’t really turn the actually heat down. All it does is goes onto an intermittent blast of power , the lower the temperature the shorter the bursts of power. This means on low temperature you don’t get a very low slow simmer for instance- more a sharp short quick boil then stop over and over. I find using a pressure cooker very difficult and you have to keep a close eye on it. Slow simmering things you do have to keep stirring as the high heat in the intermittent boils causes more sticking.
I’m getting used to it. I feel it is better for me to use due to being electric and safer when I get very old and doddery , but I do occasionally miss the controllability of gas at low temperature.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 06/10/2021 18:28

Have one, hate it. Much like Marianne said upthread.

MrsLeclerc · 06/10/2021 18:35

Also if you have perpetually cold hands that touch screen electronics have trouble ‘reading’ then it can also be an issue. This is a very niche problem I know!

I quite often stand at the hob pushing the button and it can’t sense my finger. I have to call DH in to fire it up Blush. I have the same trouble with phones, tablets and once a pulse oximeter at the Dr (“oh this says you’re dead! Shall we try the other hand?”)

Beware shopping online for pots/pans quite a few say induction safe but when you do a bit more digging they’re not. Best to do the magnet test as PPs say.

Dragonmead · 06/10/2021 18:39

We need to replace our gas hob soon. I really wanted an induction hob, but we live in an area that has fairly frequent power cuts. Have decided to stick with gas as I can light the burners manually to use it when we do lose power, so I can still cook something. No option for that with induction!

HappyTimeTunnelDinosaur · 06/10/2021 18:40

@MrsLeclerc Ours doesn't have touch buttons, just normal knobs (Grin) to turn like on a gas hob. One like that may work better for you?

TizerorFizz · 06/10/2021 18:49

Some of these induction hobs have issues they should not have!

Not working on all 4 rings is a power issue. Probably not wired for 32 amps. If it’s only 16 amps on the wiring system it’s underpowered. Needs rewriting. Always buy 32A and get it wired properly.

Secondly always buy a top brand. Bosch, AEg, Miele won’t let you down. I’d never have gas! Induction does turn down heat very quickly. It’s instant. It’s very controllable. They are super easy to clean and the best kitchen appliance invention ever!

MrsLeclerc · 06/10/2021 18:53

@HappyTimeTunnelDinosaur we’ve only recently had it. In a fit of ‘I always have to do the research for appliances, why don’t you do it’, I delegated to DH ( I know!). He chose and ordered the induction hob not realising that none of our pots and pans would work on it.

The hob is great other than the fact I have to jab at it repeatedly until it complies or I break and call DH in with his hot, full of life finger! Grin

oneglassandpuzzled · 06/10/2021 18:53

I love my Neff induction hob. It's so quick to heat things up. Ours was £900-odd two years ago.

FuzzyPuffling · 06/10/2021 19:27

After weeks of indecision...gas, induction, gas, induction I am having a gas hob in my new kitchen.
Reasons:
Much cheaper to buy
I got a white one
I might need a pacemaker( that was the decider!)

TizerorFizz · 06/10/2021 21:04

My Miele has touch controls. Touch timer too and boost. Never found it difficult to use. No stabbing required.

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