I've never had gas, however if I did have the choice for this remodel I would still have selected an induction cooktop for many of the reasons you mentioned above.

By the way, the surface can and does get hot because the cookware transfers heat to the cooktop. It doesn't get too hot though -- a paper towel can be left between the cookware and the cooktop while cooking! (:

There are some feature differences between makers. For instance, some have timers that are audible only. I like the type where timers are independent for each burner and actually turn off the burner. Some detect boil overs and shut off. Some have sensors which measure the heat from the cookware and cycles the element on and off to maintain an exact temperature.

If you do go induction, consider each unit's specifications as to required clearances. Some want considerably more clearance underneath which makes it more difficult to utilize cabinetry there.

Plenty here enjoy induction, and lots for gas so I'm sure you'll get a lot of input.

Good luck with your choice! ( :

Induction is not safer than gas.

To get performance out of gas on par with induction you need to spend at least $1600 for a 30" cooktop or ~2100 for a 36" gas cooktop.

Gas cooktops are a mature technology and are simple to fix.
Worst case scenario you use a match to light.

Induction hob goes out it can be expensive to repair. Cost and durability of current induction hobs unknown. History of consumer electronics is not that they get cheaper AND more reliable.

Some induction owners report "buzz" sound when on.

Below is a post made by GW poster John Liu about the saftey of gas vs induction hobs and wall vs range ovens.

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"I have toddlers, so I need a high wall oven".

"Because of my babies, I won't consider a gas range".

"I'm getting induction because I care about my childrens' safety."

Does any of this sound familiar? I see these sentiments occasionally here on KF. They are expressed by younger parents who have very young children, or are planning to start families.

Oddly enough, I seldom (actually, can't specifically recall ever) hear these concerns from older parents who have actually raised children.

Humans learn from experience, so you'd expect the loudest warnings against ranges and gas burners to come from those with . . . experience. Why don't we?

I decided to go looking for data. Here is an interesting article, "Kitchen Scalds and Thermal Burns in Children Five Years and Younger", that was published in Pediatrics, Jan 2005.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/115/1/10

The scientists examined the records of all kitchen thermal burns that resulted in a child's visit to a statistical sample of 100 emergency departments nationwide, over a period of five years, 1997-2002. They looked at all cooking-related thermal injuries, excluding accidents where a child pulled on an electrical appliance's cord and was injured by the toaster, coffee maker, etc and/or its contents.

The main findings were:
- Scalds from hot liquid were the main cause of burns serious enough for an ER room visit (was 2/3rd of the cases), and are the dominant cause of hospitalizations.
- Burns from touching hot pots or other surfaces were less common (was 1/3rd of the cases), and seldom resulted in hospitalization. Most burns were from touching a hot pot.
- There were 7 total injury patterns: (1) reached up and pulled down pot from stove or other elevated surface; (2) grabbed, overturned, or spilled pot onto self; (3) collided with pot or with person holding pot; (4) put hands into pot; (5) pot contents splashed onto child; (6) other; and (7) unknown. (1) (2) and (5) were the most common, accounting for about 50% of all the injuries. (6) and (7) were less than 10%.
- Boys were more likely to climb up on counters and spill pots on themselves. Girls were more likely to have hot liquids splashed on them.

Note what was not a significant pattern of injury requiring a hospital visit: chidren touching a hot oven door, chidren holding their hands in a gas flame, children turning on a gas burner and blowing themselves up. I can't say these accidents never happen, but if they do, it is so rare as to not show up in the data.

Here's my take on this. Your concern for the safety of your children, both born and unborn, should have essentially nothing to do with what kind of range, cooktop, or wall oven you choose. Whether the pot is on a gas flame or an induction hob really makes no difference to your child's risk of being scalded or burned, whether the knobs are on the front or the top makes no difference, and whether the pan is in a range oven or a wall oven also makes no difference. It isn't the appliance! that is the threat to your child. They all do the same thing: get pots and pans, and their contents, very hot. The threat is the pots and pans and the food in them.

Take care to keep pots on the back burners, handles turned in. Have landing space to set hot pots away from counter edges. Design your kitchen so you don't have to criss-cross the room carrying pots of hot liquid (unlike a couple of kitchens recently discussed here). Supervise your children and watch where you're walking. That is what is important, not your appliance selection.

From a father whose two kids have reached 11 y/o and 14 y/o without any kitchen accidents, despite having grown up in some awfully dodgy kitchens!

holy cow. Gas could be dangerous... but for almost everyone it isn't. Certainly not in the normal course of events.

Induction is good for many reasons.

People who have both induction cooktops and gas cooktops report they use the induction one a lot more than they thought they would. That should tell you something.

If the OP had posted without mentioning risk (safety, danger), there would be enough positive feedback to confirm all those points. Subsequent posts would all confirm all the points. Move away from the subject of risk and look into all the other positives.

Many previous threads have started with the same question (induction or not) and they have ALL resulted in a positive outcome for induction.

Hth

"induction is not safer than gas."

That is misinformation.

If we are going to actually discuss safety, adverting injury, danger, or loss -- then let's compare.

The statistics that were cited from, "Kitchen Scalds and Thermal Burns in Children Five Years and Younger" do nothing to support the contention. The study was undertaken to describe patterns of burns and scalds and why they continue to happen which is a matter of supervision rather than of appliance types.

Safety considerations go much further. Kitchen fires are common and are the number one cause of house fires. According to the U.S. National Fire Data Center, the leading factor in home cooking fires is:

1. Unattended cooking equipment (leading cause by far)
2. Combustibles too close to cooking heat source
3. Unintentional turning on, or not turning off the appliance.

Induction addresses each of the most common causes of cooktop fire dangers, while open-flame gas does not.

1. Unattended equipment:
Induction turns off element when pan is empty or boils over

2. Combustibles too close to heat source:
Induction cooktops do not reach ignition temperatures (paper towels can be placed between pot and element for cooking)

3. Unintentional turning on, or not turning off the device:
Induction cooktops turn the elements off if there is no cookware present, or if the cookware is empty, and some shut off elements if there is a boil over. Most induction cooktops have a lock feature which disables each element preventing children, pets, or inattentive adults from accidentally starting the appliance.

Which cooktop type lessens the risk of injury, danger or loss and therefore is safest? Induction.

Recent lengthy power outage sure convinced me gas was the best choice for us.

I would prefer GAS stove and then get a really nice 2 Burner Induction Hob on the side.

To me if a child hasn't figured out that fire is hot they will when they stick their fingers in it.
Humans have been cooking with fire since humans started cooking in caves, it should be an intrinsic instinct by now.

If anything the tame appearance and lack of outward heat of an Induction might make it MORE dangerous as far as a "hot pot and contents" being touched and spilled than would the obvious FIRE = HOT look of gas.

I had a 36" Miele induction, but had to sell the house in Florida and move to Seattle. The house I am renting has a Kitchen Aid 6 burner gas cooktop. I hate it. While cooking with gas, I have to use pot holders to move my pans. With induction they stayed cool. There is no true simmer with gas, you have to build a ring out of aluminum foil. Heating is slower with gas, especially boiling water. It is easier to keep an even temperature with induction. I've been here 6 months and I cannot find one reason why I would ever want gas over induction. I broke down and bought an 1800 watt induction hob. Now I just need to save up $150,000 for a downpayment on a house, so I can have induction again. Property is expensive here!