Pros and Cons of Induction Cooktops and Ranges

Before you shop for an induction cooktop or range, consider your budget and your cooking habits. Here's what you need to know.

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Induction cooking feels very different from cooking with gas. Some avid cooks really love cooking on a flame and the immediate visual feedback they get from it at the turn of a knob. No electric option, even induction, can replicate that feel. In fact, because the electromagnetic field on an induction cooktop doesn't create a glow, you won't even know it's on. That's why manufacturers have started adding virtual flames and other lighting cues.

It can get expensive when you convert from gas to electric. If you're replacing an electric range, the swap is simple. Induction cooktops and ranges use the same 240v outlet as a standard electric range or cooktop. But if you're switching from gas, expect to pay an electrician several hundred dollars or more to install the necessary outlet.

You need the right cookware. While most of the cookware in our ratings is induction-compatible, some pans'including those made of aluminum and anodized aluminum'won't work on induction. Most others, including stainless steel and cast iron, will. If you're shopping for cookware for induction cooktops, look for pots and pans marked 'induction-compatible.' To determine whether your existing arsenal of cookware will work with an induction range, see whether a magnet strongly sticks to the bottom of your pots. If it does, they'll work on an induction burner.

It might emit a sound. 'A buzz or hum is common, and often louder at higher settings,' says Kenneth Sutton, who oversees the testing of ranges and cooktops at Consumer Reports. 'And we often hear the clicking of element electronics at lower settings, as well as the sound of the cooling fan for the electronics.' Heavy flat-bottomed pans help reduce the vibrations that cause this buzz.

You may need an analog thermometer. The magnetic field of an induction cooktop can interfere with a digital meat thermometer.

Induction cooktops and ranges are typically more expensive than conventional electric models. But prices have continued to drop in recent years despite inflation. And buying a new induction cooktop or range may make you eligible for rebates, courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act.

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Other Hardening Methods

Several different methods can be used to harden metals. Let's discuss three major hardening approaches besides induction hardening, flame, furnace, and vacuum hardening.

• Furnace hardening

The Furnace hardening process involves heating of workpiece into a heat treatment furnace in a controlled environment. The workpiece is heated until austenite transforms, after which a quick quenching occurs.

The furnace hardening cannot heat the workpiece as uniformly as induction hardening does. It heats all workpiece portions, while induction hardening can heat specific workpiece sections. Induction is a go-to option if you need to harden a particular portion.

• Vacuum hardening

Vacuum hardening involves heating the workpiece by controlling the partial pressure, followed by a quick cooling process. It is often used for high-precision parts, as it can produce tough and consistent surfaces with minimal distortion.

Like the furnace hardening, it is also incapable of heating the workpiece at a specific region. The vacuum prevents the workpiece from reacting with atmospheric gases in the air, so the result is unaffected.

• Flame hardening

Flame hardening also involves the hardening of the outer surface using a flame while maintaining the ductility of the core section. The depth capability of flame hardening ranges up to 10 mm. This process is typically used to harden small or thin parts or to harden specific areas of a more significant piece.

Since induction hardening does not use an open heating approach like flame hardening, it is more precise and does not create overheating, scaling, or decarburization damage.

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