Depends on your definition of 'electric'. If you mean, "does it run on electricity?", then yes. If you are asking, "is it just like any other smooth or coil top cooktop?" then NO.

Induction is a type of cooking surface that uses magnetic energy created by inductors located under a glass-like surface, often Ceran as used in other smooth tops. The pans used MUST be magnetic (such as cast iron and some stainless steel) in order to convert the magnetism to heat energy. Here is a link to The Induction Site that will tell you as much as you need to know to get started.

Here is a link that might be useful: Induction Site

Not a stupid question. Weedmeister gave you the basic answer.

Sometimes people mix up the two for a couple of reasons. Both come with ceramic-glass tops, and they can look identical when they're not on. Also, there are induction-electric hybrids, so if someone says "it's induction" and you turn on the electric burner, you could be left mystified about the difference.

The more detailed answer is that induction uses a totally different method to achieve cooking heat, the way a microwave is different from an oven. Both gas and electric heat an oven by having a heating element that makes the oven hot. A microwave excites the molecules in the food, and to a certain extent in the dish, the excited molecules emit heat, and the heat cooks the food.

Similarly, a gas or electric stove with a glass-ceramic surface has a heating element underneath the glass, and setting the pot on the hot spot makes the pot hot and cooks the food. Magnetic induction uses magnetic fields to excite the iron molecules in iron and steel (which is also iron) pans. The excited molecules in the pots emit heat and that cooks the food. So the pots and pans get hot, but the glass only gets a little hot from the hot pot sitting on it and transferring some of the heat downwards. There is a certain amount of inefficiency heat in the works under the glass--heat from the works working--and there's a fan to blow that away so that it doesn't toast the electronics. It's not the cooking heat.

Because the cooking heat is generated in the pan, most of the heat goes to the food first. On a gas stove, about 40% of the heat goes to heating the air around the pan. Because of that, induction is considered energy efficient. It's also very fast, and if there are enough power levels (some have half stops, some don't), it has very fine control.

Check the appliance forum for more and if you want to know more about the technology and models available, check The Induction Site.

I keep telling my husband that induction cooking is "green", and he keeps asking how the heck anything that requires 50w can be green?

This is one battle I intend to win. :-)

Tell him it's not how fat the pipe is but how long you leave the tap open.

Cuts down on air conditioning use, Jeri.

Great description, plllog!

Plllog,

I was drinking when I read your description. Now I have to spend 20 minutes with a qtip to clean the keyboard. That is absolutely one of the funniest quotes from gardenweb ever.

I cut ramble on about the induction thing but really, I have to go email like 80 other people that phrase.

M.

My induction cooktop is my favorite thing about my new kitchen. I can't believe how fast it is (giant pot of pasta water boils in no time) and it's really easy to control the heat for a very low simmer. Most of my pots are All Clad and they work great. Wonderful to keep clean. I have two burners induction and two burners gas. I rarely use the gas even though I used to be a hard core gas proponent.