A recent New York Times article urged anyone thinking about kitchen renovation to know about induction cooktops. The reason? Most kitchen stoves generate lots of heat, and much of it escapes without ever getting to the food. Induction cooktops help prevent all this wasted heat. They are around 90 percent efficient compared to 35 to 40 percent efficient gas burners and 70 percent efficient electrical stoves.

Induction cooktops don’t heat up the whole kitchen because they transfer the heat directly to the pan. The heat generated from an electrical coil produces a magnetic field that transfers heat to iron in metal cookware, including cast iron and magnetic stainless steel pans. Because the heat goes directly to the cookware, the induction cooktop only gets marginally hot, and the kitchen never turns into a sauna. One drawback, though, is that non-ferrous cookware, such as copper, aluminum, and glass, cannot be used with these appliances.

Induction cooktops also heat about 50 percent faster than conventional models and outcook big top gas burners. Both installed and portable induction cookers are on the market, and more and more of these are being used in professional kitchens. Induction cooktops are made by manufacturers such as GE, Thermador, and Viking.

When you’ve purchased your new stovetop, make sure it is properly installed. Contact one of our certified kitchen remodelers for a free installation estimate, such as J C M Contractors in Cos Cob, Connecticut or Eastmont Builders in Alameda, California.

Helpful Links:

• The Invisible Ingredient in Every Kitchen
• Induction Cooktops, Cooking Green
• United States Department of Energy
• Kitchen Remodeling Contractors for Design and Renovation
• Photo Courtesy of Wolf Cooking Induction Cooktops

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