Advantages of induction cooktops:
- Instant adjustment of heat
- No wasted heat
- Safety, cooking surface does not heat up
- Space saving
Size continues to be a concern in remodeling a small kitchen, so I was pleased to find the induction cooktop has a significantly smaller height than other cooktops. The units are approximately 2 inches in vertical depth. Give that side of the scorecard a check mark!
Disadvantages of induction cooktops:
- Electric outage (unable to cook . . . but, hey the lights will be out too and you do not want to be opening the refrigerator unnecessarily)
- Requires special pans
A disadvantage to induction cooking is the requirement of using only ferrous pans. Although it may sound as if I know what I am talking about, I did not have a clue other than knowing ferrous was iron. With additional reading, I found that only cast iron or stainless steel pans would transfer the electromagnetic energy. Disadvantage???? Guess who received a practically unused set of stainless steel pans a few years ago? And, are they ever heavy . . . I thought that was their disadvantage! So, there will be no costly purchase of pans if I choose the induction cooktop. Another check mark on the induction side of the scorecard.
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ReplyDeleteI didn't vote because I needed a choice that said, "All the above."
ReplyDeleteLOL, Sharon. I considered that . . . and allowed for multiple answers for the poll.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you, Sue, but I do NOT like cooking with cast iron pans, NOR do I like washing them! They are very heavy, and supposedly they are not supposed to be washed using soap, just water....yuck!
ReplyDeleteI grew up with an electric stove top, and it wasn't until 3 years ago that I began using a gas stove top. With an electrict stove, things will heat up quicker, such as boiling water. However, the idea of using only ferrous pans on induction stoves turns me off a bit because of the iron factor.
ReplyDeleteThis information should assuage your concerns regarding iron and steel toxicity in cookware.
ReplyDeleteCast Iron
“Cooking foods in cast iron cookware can cause small amounts of iron to leach into the food you're preparing. This is especially true of foods that are highly acidic, like tomato sauce. In most cases, this leaching is not a problem and may even help you, especially if you're anemic or not getting enough iron in your diet.”
Stainless steel
“Mixing steel with chromium and nickel (18/8 stainless steel is 18% chromium and 8% nickel while 18/10 has 10% nickel) produces a corrosion resistant steel that is both hard wearing and easy to clean. Stainless steel cookware is considered one of the best and safest choices in cookware.”
Here are the links for the information on cast iron and stainless steel cookware:
ReplyDeleteCast iron link: http://www.ehow.com/list_7548134_dangers-iron-cookware.html
Stainless steel link: http://eartheasy.com/blog/2009/01/healthy-cookware/
I have read articles saying cast iron pans are good for you as we need the iron. ???? Who knows?! I had the same experience with my RevereWare copper bottom pans which now can't go on my glass stove top. I had a gas stove in my old house, then electric here until my remodel where I changed to glass stove top. I prefer my gas stove. As far as induction, I don't know anyone who has it and I don't have an experience with it. I don't think I would like changing my pans though unless I felt like it was beneficial to me timewise or healthwise.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this quick overview on what to do in the case of a lost wallet and how to protect yourself. I'm sorry to hear that you had to deal with that. Years ago, I couldn't find one of my credit cards at the end of the day, and I had to back track my steps during the day to try and figure out what had happened to it. In the end, I think it was lost for good, and reported the card as lost and got a new one. I didn't have to go to the extent you did, but I did learn to not carry more than the necessary around with me.
ReplyDelete