Like to Cook? 4 Reasons You Should Stick with Gas Instead of Buying an Induction Stovetop

If you enjoy expressing your culinary creativity in the kitchen, you've probably heard about induction cooktops. The latest in stovetop technology, induction cooktops really are pretty neat from a techie point of view. Essentially, they use tiny magnetics to excite the very atoms of your cookware. This means that pots and pans are heated up directly instead of having heat merely applied to them, so heat comes on very quickly, and less energy is lost.

Be that as it may, there are still plenty of reasons why the seasoned cook should stick with the gas stovetop, and here are just a few.

1. Induction Stovetops Only Work with Certain Cookware

People like to boast about the fact that induction stovetops will lower your energy bills. While they certainly are more efficient, that cost will be offset by the fact that you'll need to buy a whole new bunch of pots and pans that are compatible with the new system. You'll also have trouble using any pans with rounded bottoms, such as woks, since they won't be able to sit safely on the flat surface provided by an induction stovetop.  

2. Induction Stovetops Have Trouble with Larger and Smaller Items

It isn't just different shapes that induction stovetops can have trouble with—it's also different sizes. If you like to cook, you probably have smaller pots and pans meant for precise tasks. You might also have much larger items, such as fish poachers. Such items can be difficult for induction stovetops to handle because they will either not be detected or be too large for the magnetic system.

3. Induction Stovetops Are Very Expensive

A professional chef won't really have to worry as much about how much their cooking equipment costs. For the enthusiastic amateur, costs matter. Unfortunately, induction stovetops generally represent a considerably higher initial outlay than gas stovetops. You might be told that you'll make the money up over the years thanks to energy savings, but one large payment is still hard to swallow.

4. Induction Stovetops Are Tricky to Control

One of the reasons cooks prefer gas stovetops to electric ones is that it's easier to adjust the temperature of a gas stovetop. Since you can see for yourself exactly how higher the flame is, making changes is easy. Gas holds the same advantage over induction. It can be hard to know just how much heat is being applied when you cannot actually see the flame. Additionally, the heat stops as soon as you remove the pots or pan from the surface of an induction stovetop, which can make it tough to create some meals, such as stir fries.

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