I love the control I get with our induction cooktop! 12 settings + booster is more than plenty if you get instant response. And I do use my pressure cooker almost daily on it without problems.

My cooktop has different sizes for each hob. However, you can still put smaller pots on large hobs as the induction will only heat the area the pot covers. That is an issue I do have with gas when you want full power for a smaller pot but not the flames heating up the handles. Most gas cooktops I've seen might have one hob like that but not more.

Speaking of induction in general, not of any individual brand, the range of heat settings run from the most consistent low simmers where you can melt chocolate and keep it warm for hours without burning to the hottest possible cooking temperatures at a blistering speed. The numbered heat settings provide a wide range of settings (lowest low to the highest high). I haven't had a time where I needed a setting that was not available to me.

You are leery of each hob having a different power but even the weakest powered hob will give you every bit as much cooking power as gas. I'm sure there are some models available which have all the same size hobs and same power to each if that is a must. One thing I find amazing is how consistent induction is between cooking sessions and between hobs. There is no ramp up either. You can be boiling water on one hob, move the pot to a hob currently off and as soon as you put th power on it's boiling like it was on the first hob instantaneously.

You don't need a "wok-appropriate" hob. You need an induction wok, see attached link. By the way, Demeyere is the way to go if you own induction.

Keep in mind when you try a portable unit that they do not have nearly the same power as a full size unit (120/15 or 20 amp vs. 240/50 amp) but it will give you a feel for how induction works.

I had a gas range and I wouldn't even think about going back. The inefficiency, the amount of heat generated, the mess when something spills, the danger of fire and the smell - Gone.

whether I'm frying something that is splattering oil, cooking sauce sending occasional splatters or just having something spill on a hob, there is no fire or baked on mess and I can wipe off the hob with a damp paper towel right then and there.

Try to find a dealer that will let you try before you buy. You'll be amazed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Demeyere Induction Wok

Mine only has 10 settings. Three hobs are the same and one is a little more powerful. There really are enough settings, even on an older model like mine.

Induction is safer and cleaner for kids, but relatively few kids in the history of gas have seriously hurt themselves so I wouldn't base my decision on that. Just teach them proper cooking techniques and trust them...

I'd recommend getting a combo of gas and induction if your space and budget allow it. Get a good hood and USE it and gas won't trouble anyone's asthma. My space won't allow gas and induction so I'll be going back to gas when I remodel, but I will definitely miss SOME aspects of induction.

fori....why will you be going back to gas? thanks;>)

Fori, thank you for your input. I saw where you said this in another post, and I am curious as well. Why will you be going back to gas, and what brands are you considering? What will you miss about induction, and what do you like better about cooking with gas? You seem to be in the minority with this opinion and I'd really, really like to understand the reasons.

That Demeyere wok is a pretty thing--and has a price tag to match! Yikes!

Thanks so much for all the opinions. I really appreciate it.

Cj

I'm just weird I guess. Gas is more fun. It has flames and stuff. Induction is just so...sterile. Very effective. No fun.

I'll miss the ease of cleaning and the low simmer. I have boilovers ALL the time. Fast boiling is also very nice. My unit doesn't have timers and if it did I wouldn't use them. If I'm cooking something that needs to turn off at an exact time, I probably will want it out of the cooking liquid or hot pan ASAP anyway. Maybe I'm just a Luddite. We will probably get a Bluestar if we ever get going on our remodel. Something quiet with a little spirit.

A wok that magically heats up just isn't as magical as a wok encased in flame, ya know?

Most people love their induction. Maybe if I picked it out myself I would too, but it came with my house.

I agree with fori. I too have both gas (Bluestar) and induction (CookTek 3500 Watt). Induction is certainly very powerful and offers quite a range of power. My cooktop offers 20 settings, and it really is not problem getting the power you need.

However, I agree with fori. Gas is just more enjoyable, more intuitative to use. there is something about turning the knob and seeing the flame change size that you just don't get out of turning a knob and seeing a number change.

But when I am hungry and want that pot of water to boil NOW, give me induction.

When children are involve, induction would be safer. Timers are also a help for them since they can set a shutoff time. Also with spills induction is easier to clean up, and shuts off automatically when the pot is taken off the surface.

If you get something like the Stupentown countertop induction unit as a test, it has temperature control as well as an off-timer. It's a bit noisy due to its internal fan, but you'll get an idea how they work.

Try putting a paper towel under the pan when cooking. That's something you can't do with gas.

LOL! One of the things I'll be glad to get rid of when I change to mostly induction (plus a little gas) is having to look at the flame to see how big it is. With even the countertop induction I have, getting the temperature right isn't counter-intuitive. Up for hotter, down for less hot, practically instant response. Of course, I judge temperature by how the pan contents react rather than by sight of either knob settings or flame. I guess that's the difference.

A lot of the newer units have a visual guide along with a number to help you identofy the relative amount of power.

Mine's pretty old and has a visual guide: every number lights up a bar. Figuring out just how high to go is very easy to get the hang of with induction. Definitely not something to worry about!

I believe the next generation cooktops will be temperature controlled which will be great. No more ambiguous low-medium-high. I agree that the ambiance of a gas cooktop is seductive but that quickly fads when you are facing a hour long task of properly cleaning it.

Old habits die hard. Look at the conversion to the metric system. The only hold out are the US and Burma. WOOOOHOOO

Here is a link that might be useful: Just More Info

I wonder how would they be temperature controlled. Do you have to stick a probe into your food? Or use special pans that plug into the unit? It just seems that every piece of cookware and every type of food will react to different degrees to the same energy input.

There are so many good things about induction, where to begin?

• It's a perfect gas alternative for an all electric kitchen.
• Responds as quickly as gas, far more quickly than a radiant electric cooktop.
• My unit has 16 power levels (15+boost) and I haven't had any control issues from melting chocolate to searing a steak.
• Clean-up is sinfully easy!
• No more oil fires or gas leaks!
• Much more efficient than gas, does not warm your cooking environment, and does not create CO2 emissions.
• It's fun to show off to your friends!

The biggest drawback to induction in my book: it's just not as impressive as a mammoth industrial gas stove. I know, what a superficial concern, but in my dream home I will most likely go with gas over induction simply because I crave a professional kitchen. I went with induction because we don't have CNG in this development and I didn't want a radiant electric cooktop with all of its drawbacks.

Fori,

I believe Cooktek already has one that gives you a temperature reading. I do not know how it works but, I would image it simply is measuring the temp of the bottom of the pan. Which is useful for holding things at a certain temp and cooking delicate foods(sauces, fish, eggs, etc...)

Sshrivastava,

I will trade my Wolf for your induction when you have completed your dream kitchen. I will throw in a case of Easy -off as well. :)

I'm a pretty serious cook as well and couldn't be happier with induction. I didn't have the option of gas and I suspect I might not have gone in that direction once I'd learned about induction. I can't comment on the pressure cooker issue since I don't use one but I suspect that induction can manage the right setting.

There was a short learning curve with regard to the controls - mine has 15 settings plus power boost - but with a little trial and error it didn't take long to figure out. There were one or two surprises. My All-Clad grill pan wouldn't work -- there were ridges on the bottom and the cooktop didn't view it as "flat". My unit will also automatically drop the heat if it senses that the pan is too hot which is a nice safety feature.

As others noted, the speed and power are remarkable. I turned my back on a pot I'd set to boil -- don't do that the first time; I had a boil over within a minute.

sienne_c

What model do you have that will drop power when too high a temp?

We've had induction for 3 years now and I cannot imagine going back to electric or gas.

HOWEVER...

We were smack in the middle of that ice storm last week, without electricity for days, and the folks with gas ranges kept the rest of us fed. Hot soup and grilled cheese in a cold house is do-able.

Even though I would only use the gas in emergencies, I will consider a 2 zone induction/2 zone gas unit next time.

Next time- HA! My DH would shoot me if he heard me say that!

Pecan,

When you can get out, go and buy a portable dual burner cooktop. They are cheap and effective. They are great for cooking outdoors, in the garage or during blackouts. And then, in your situation, it would be perfect. I mean how could you make Steak au Poivre without being able to deglaze the pan with cognac without ventilation. :)