What are induction cookers - pros and cons, specifications and owner reviews

The first induction cooker appeared in the 80s of the 20th century.The manufacturer was AEG.

At first, the devices were not popular due to the high cost and wariness on the part of the hostesses to all innovations related to cooking.

Now the situation has changed: more and more people choose induction hobs, thanks to their safety, convenience, heating speed and automatic control.

What is an induction cooker?

The induction cooker is the most innovative cooking equipment. The innovation lies in the fact that only the dishes are heated, the hob itself remains cold - this is due to the electromagnetic field.

Undoubtedly, an induction cooker is the best option for housewives with small children, because the risk of getting burned is minimized. The device is much safer than stoves with glass ceramics or with standard cast iron pancakes.

Principle of operation

The induction cooker works on the principle of electromagnetic induction by physicist Michael Faraday - an electric current arises in a closed circuit after a change in the magnetic flux that passes through this circuit. We can say that the induction hob is a transformer.

Under the glass-ceramic panel there is an induction coil, under which an electric current flows.

The coil is the primary winding, the cooking utensils are the secondary, induction currents are sent to its bottom. Thus, pans and pots are heated, as well as the food in them. The glass-ceramic surface becomes hot only from the dishes.

Types of induction cookers

There are several types of induction cookers:

• Desktop. Such portable hobs have one or two burners. A good option for small kitchens where you want to save space; as well as in the country. The main advantages: mobility, versatility, the presence of a timer, maintaining a constant temperature, accelerated operation. The surface of the plates is glass-ceramic or tempered glass, such coatings are not destroyed by strong heat or shock. A desktop induction cooker is more economical than others, as it consumes much less current. In addition, its design cannot but please the eye, as it corresponds to modern trends and colors.
• Embedded. Such devices are appreciated by professional cooks and practical housewives. The stove is highly productive, as it has 4 burners and an oven. The device has many temperature options, a timer, food preparation options. Built-in stoves are well suited for private houses, or in apartments with a large area.
• Combined. The whole secret is that two burners work in induction mode, and the other two - on electricity.

How is the plate set up?

The process of induction occurs due to:

• frequency converter;
• connecting wires;
• control boards;
• induction coil;
• layer of insulation;
• glass-ceramic surface;
• dishes made of ferromagnetic material.

In addition, the device of the induction cooker includes a temperature sensor, a cooling system for electrical components and a housing.

Pros and cons

Consider the main advantages of induction cookers over gas and electric ones:

• Instant heating. Thanks to the electromagnetic field, only frying pans, pots and other utensils are heated in induction technology. You can not be afraid to touch the stove with your hands, and if the soup runs away, it will not stick to the hob so that it will be impossible to wipe it off with a sponge. Do not touch the burner on which food is cooked, and even more so hot dishes.
• Efficiency. Induction cookers have a high efficiency, because as much as 90% of the total heat generated heats the food. This greatly increases efficiency and reduces cooking time: the dishes heat up very quickly, and food is also cooked faster. In terms of cooking time, gas and electric stoves are significantly inferior to induction.
• Economical electricity consumption. Based on the fact that the induction cooker is faster than the electric one, it can be understood that it consumes less electricity. The current is not consumed to heat the coil, but only to create a magnetic field in the induction coil.
• Automation. An important advantage of induction cookers is that the system works automatically: the burners heat up when pots or pans are placed on them. It is worth noting that the hob does not heat objects with a diameter below a certain parameter.This means that if you accidentally leave a spoon on the burner, the stove will not turn on. Induction cookers have many cooking programs and automatic temperature settings. If you need strong heating (for example, to boil water), you should choose a model with the Power Booster option. It will help the main burner to attract the power of all the others.
• Touch control. Touch switches are a more technologically advanced and sophisticated solution for a device, they look expensive and stylish. Their advantage is that they do not take up much space, and to control it is enough to touch the desired burner with your finger. Using the touch panel, you can intuitively guess how to adjust the temperature or cooking mode. The touch switches are easy to clean - as they are located under the glass-ceramic surface, it is enough to wipe them with a damp cloth. Typically, touch-controlled hobs are equipped with a timer option, residual heat indicators, an accidental switch-on lock, and other useful features.
• Headset embedding. An undoubted plus for any household equipment is the ability to build it into a headset, because saving space and a neat interior have not hurt anyone yet. Embedding an induction hob in furniture is very relevant for small kitchen spaces. Under the hob, you can install a drawer for storing dishes.
• Easy Care. The stove has a beautiful appearance and is easy to keep clean. If food falls on the hob, it will not burn, it will be enough to clean it with a soft cloth.For induction cookers, you do not need to purchase special aggressive cleaning products - the panel can be wiped every time after cooking and the stove will look like new.
• Safety. Thanks to the fact that the stove only turns on when you place the dishes on the burners, it is safe for both children and animals. In addition, the hob remains cold during cooking, which means that the risk of getting burned remains minimal. It is worth noting that there is no risk of inhaling harmful gas substances, as well as its leakage. The induction cooker will not allow you to make a fire, even if you forget to remove the pan from it.

Consider the main disadvantages of the induction cooker:

• Price. It is no secret that the cost of induction cookers is higher than gas or electric ones. Ordinary average buyers will not be able to afford such a device. However, it should be noted that against the backdrop of an increase in prices during the crisis period, the difference in the cost of electric and induction cookers has become minimal. The price depends on the built-in functionality, which can be abandoned in favor of the new technology.
• Exposure to electromagnetic radiation. A large percentage of people's refusal to innovate in the field of food preparation is based on the opinion that the electromagnetic field has a bad effect on human health. Undoubtedly, during the operation of the equipment, a vortex magnetic field is created.But the harm from it is absolutely the same as when using a mobile phone. The manufacturers themselves claim that Patients wearing pacemakers are advised to stay half a meter away from the induction cooker., or not use it at all.
• increased noise. Unfortunately, the induction cooker does not work silently - when cooking, you can hear a buzz that appears due to the interaction of the induction coils with the dishes. This can be annoying for some cooks, but you should not forget that any cooking makes some noise. Every year, manufacturers of household appliances produce stoves with a lower noise level. Also on sale there are special dishes with a perfectly flat bottom, which minimizes buzz. Of course, it is not cheap, but it eliminates buzzing, and also improves thermal conductivity.
• Increased requirements for utensils. When purchasing an induction cooker, it is important to consider that not every cookware is suitable for it. For heating from a magnetic field to occur, pans and pans must have ferromagnetic properties. As a rule, they definitely do not have ceramics, glass and aluminum. If there is mixture with copper or steel in the aluminum pan, it can use on the induction cooker. Another option is to buy removable nozzles for the bottom of the cookware, these can be purchased at any store that sells stoves. To find out the compatibility of dishes with a magnetic field, just bring a magnet to it. If it attracts, you can safely buy.
• Automatic shutdown. Quite a few models have the function of turning off the burner after three hours.When buying a stove with induction technology, it is important to take this point into account if you plan to simmer jam, broth, or, for example, jelly for a long time.
• Impossibility of installation over household appliances. Hob manufacturers do not recommend installing the hob above other built-in metal appliances. Thus, the equipment cannot be installed even above an oven, dishwasher, or microwave.

Comparison of induction and electric stoves

Based on the above table, we can conclude that a modern induction cooker is a choice towards convenience, safety and functionality.

Of course, an electric hob is also usable, but it will not save the time and patience of housewives in the way that an induction cooker will.

Popular manufacturing brands

Induction hobs are most often presented in four-burner versions.

All of the above equipment can be found in different companies:

• In the home appliance market, the most popular manufacturer of induction cookers is the German company Bosch. The company has the largest number of positive reviews and thanks.
• Electrolux- second most popular brand. The cost of the company's induction equipment practically does not differ from the prices of the sales leader.
• The induction cookers of the company also deserved positive feedback. Hansa. These are the most affordable hobs, priced from 13 thousand rubles.
• In addition to the above, in Russia you can buy induction cookers of companies AEG, Whirpool, Neff, Gorenje, Siemens, Samsung and etc.

Hansa BHI68300

Electric induction hob, made in an aristocratic minimalist style in black glass.

Management on an intuitive level is clear even to a novice in cooking. Heating is produced instantly, the reaction to a change in power is instantaneous.

Specifications:

• type of surface - electric cooking;
• location - independent;
• dimensions - 60 * 50 cm;
• power - 7 kW;
• panel material - glass-ceramic;
• number of burners - 4;
• regulation - touch, buttons;
• timer - yes;
• blocking the hob - yes;
• residual heat indicator - yes;
• shade is black.

Electrolux EHF 96547 XK

Induction hob with all sorts of options: boiling, safety shutdown, blocking from children and animals, short pause, etc.

The burners are multifunctional, and the stove itself can be installed anywhere and even built into furniture.

Specifications:

• type of surface - electric cooking;
• location - independent;
• dimensions - 57.6 * 51.6 cm;
• power - 7.1 kW;
• panel material - glass-ceramic;
• number of burners - 4;
• number of burners Hi Light - 4;
• the number of three-circuit - 1;
• number of counters with an oval heating zone - 1;
• regulation - touch, slider;
• timer - yes, sound;
• blocking the hob - yes;
• residual heat indicator - yes;
• shade - black with silver.

Bosch PIE631FB1E

A stove from a popular manufacturer will not leave anyone indifferent. The hob has convenient buttons on the sensor, automatically recognizes the presence of dishes, warns of the end of cooking and blocks animals and children from accidental contact.

Specifications:

• type of surface - electric cooking;
• location - independent;
• dimensions - 59.2 * 52.2 cm;
• power - 7.4 kW;
• panel material - glass-ceramic;
• number of burners - 4;
• regulation - touch, buttons;
• timer - yes, with sound;
• blocking the hob - yes;
• residual heat indicator - yes;
• shade is black.

Fornelli PGA 45 Fiero

Stove in exquisite glass design. It has a triple flame wok burner, which allows you to quickly heat up food.y. You can use dishes with a spherical bottom.

Specifications:

• type of surface - gas cooking;
• location - independent;
• dimensions - 45 * 51 cm;
• panel material - tempered glass;
• number of burners - 3;
• regulation - rotary;
• timer - yes;
• shade is black.

Hotpoint-Ariston IKIA 640 C

A beautiful induction hob that is a pleasure to cook on. The appliance recognizes the presence of disheswhile using the timer, can cook the time you need. The dishes heat up instantly, which saves you time and money for electricity.

Specifications:

• type of surface - electric cooking;
• location - independent;
• dimensions - 59 * 51 cm;
• power - 7 kW;
• panel material - glass-ceramic;
• number of burners - 4;
• regulation - touch, buttons;
• timer - yes;
• blocking the hob - yes;
• residual heat indicator - yes;
• shade is black.

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Comparison of induction and electric stoves and recommendations for choosing: