To begin with, you need all stainless or cast iron cookware.

dcarch

Thanks Dcarch - I realize that and I'm set that way.
J

I know there are a few who have induction here on the cooking Forum, it might take them a little to see your post.

I am redoing my kitchen, demo about the end of next week. I ordered a 36" induction cooktop for the new kitchen. I can hardly wait! Based on discussions on the Kitchen Forum and the Appliance Forum, everyone who has it, loves it.
A few years ago I was planning on going to a gas stovetop when we got around to redoing the kitchen. When I started reading up on induction, I changed my mind fast.

Nancy

The stove in my old kitchen was a c.1989 coil. I planned to get a gas range in the new kitchen. Like Nancy, I changed my mind. Most of the burners on the old stove didn't work, so I got an induction unit to manage during construction. It was so much faster and easier to use than the old electric, and not nearly as powerful as the induction cooktop is. I've been very happy with induction. It's easier to clean, responds immediately to changes in power, cooks evenly and heats very fast, which is much more than I hoped for in a gas range.

Think through which features are important to the way you cook, and look for those when you shop. I love turn-off timers on each burner. The size and power for each burner was important. I wanted a large, high watt burner. Simmer is easily accomplished. It melts chocolate like a dream.

Go look at an appliance store where they can demonstrate and you can cook on some.

I have an induction cooktop. I've had it for about 3 years and LOVE it. When I got mine, induction was just coming to the USA. We bought ours from Blue Ridge Salon in NC, we live in Chicago and it came from NEW ZEALAND. It's a de Dietrich 5 burner.

My mom loved it so much theat she put in a GE induction cooktop in her kitchen too. She's not as happy with that one as it doesn't have the power of mine but still better than gas. Get the most powerful one you can afford.

Feel free to email me through my page. I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

Otherwise I agree with cotohele said :)

I find that most people I know who like induction are coming from another sort of electric...I am in love with gas cooking.
My daughter has an induction cook top....she had a bad smooth top....gas would be her choice but it would involve a major and expensive re-do.
She loves the induction.
When I have cooked on it...I don't like it at all!
Linda C...cookin' with gas!

I bought a portable induction burner, thinking it'd be nice to have on the back porch in the summer.

The bottoms of your pans must be magnetic. Some of my s/s doesn't work. I was thrilled to find that a couple of cheap stockpots that I use for waterbath canning work on induction, so I can can on the back porch when it's hot.

I haven't used it all that much....not sure I'll like it either. It's different. Cast iron seems to do well, though. It's still sort of amazing that I can stick a paper towel under my skillet so it doesn't scratch the burner.

It's definitely fast...the first thing I made was peanut brittle. Very brown peanut brittle.

I've had a GE induction cooktop for 3 weeks now in a new home. I came from ALWAYS cooking w/ gas, but it was either induction or regular electric, which I hate. Induction has proved itself to me. I had a pot just ready to boil over--I turned the hob off & it immediately stopped boiling. That would never have happened w/ gas.

I grew up with gas stoves, but had electric for 28 years of married life. Eight years ago, when we remodeled, I HAD to have a gas cooktop. I'm happy, but not ecstatic hating the boil-overs and swamped igniters.

I had a crappy, cheap electric coil cook top which came with the house we purchased 21 years ago. I finally put in a gas cook top and had the gas line installed. The install was more costly than the cook top. I love it. I grew up with gas. For me it is intuitive cooking.

barnmon brings up a couple of important points before finalizing to go with induction:

1. Have an electrician to check if your wiring is capable of handling the induction range.

2. If you are in an area with unreliable power grid.

dcarch

I purchased an induction stove about a year ago. We've had a couple of problems. The oven walls chipped and about 4 months ago, the stovetop electrics for the burners had to be replaced. I love induction and will continue with it, but the problems with to this Kenmore stove (made by Electrolux), I think, were due to poor quality workmanship.

Induction is vastly different than standard electric burners. Induction is wonderfully responsive--both in increasing and decreasing heat. I'm spoiled with its ability to melt chocolate without scorching and with its ability to consistently hold one temperature with no fluctuation. It's a joy to use!

I replaced my gas cook top with induction and I am very happy it. It was really expensive (in fact, if I'd known the cost at the beginning I probably wouldn't have done it) changing from gas to electic wiring.

I was really tired of the burners on the gas never being clean, the metal to me was ugly. I really like the smoothtop of the induction, it is very sleek and looks nice on our island. I love the responsiveness of the heat and I can go to 1 which is keep warm on the induction but could never get the heat down low enough for gas.
However, there are a few cons including:
I can no longer heat tortillas right on the burner and you can't really set anything on it. It buzzes and beaps you you put down groceries or something from the refrigerator so I've lost some landing space.
I really love it though.

I have a huge cutting board on feet that spans the cooktop. It beeps a little at first, but it quits beeping in a minute. It's nice for extra space, protecting the cooktop if needed, and can be used as a buffet surface. I don't baby the cooktop surface, but neither do I put things on it that could scratch.

I've been turning over in my mind getting either a gas stove or induction for the past two or three years. I presently have a smooth top electric which is much better than the last one. I still do not like it though.

Dcarch, are you saying that the induction range will take more electricity than a regular electric range?

"Posted by beverlyal -----------
Dcarch, are you saying that the induction range will take more electricity than a regular electric range? "

Not that much different. It depends on features and manufacturer.

Each burner is about 1,500 watts to 2,500 watts.

The oven will be the same. about 7,000 watts. I am not sure if there is such a thing as induction oven. They all use electric resistence heating coils, or convection heating. In other words, you don't need special cookware to bake.

Just for reference, a hair dryer is around 1,500 watts.

dcarch

Thanks everyone. I am still mulling it over. I do like gas, but hate, hate, hate our current range. It has been a lemon from day one. We would have to rewire and while my husband can do that himself, I'm not sure what it would take to convince him that he needs another project! Going "bricks and mortar" shopping this weekend to see what's out there and compare $$$.
Thanks for all the input.
Jane

Jane,

Not to question your DH's electrical skills. Electric power for an electric range can be very involved.

First thing you may need to do is to check with your power company to see if their incoming lines/tranformers has the capacity.

You may need to have a separate electric panel capable of 240VAC and at least 40 amps of breaker capacity. With an installation like this, everything will have to comply with your local electric Codes, or you may end up with a house you will have difficulty selling in the future.

dcarch

I agree with Dcarch -- check your electrical situation. I had considered one but would have needed a bigger circuit for it than our current stove is on, and our circuit box is full...

Cotehele,
Thanks for the idea of placing a cutting board on top the stove area. I think I will look into it.

Thanks for the heads up but DH is an electrical engineer for a large railroad and as such he is a stickler for code. He is certainly not lacking in ability - now enthusiasm is another story...
J

Most of the induction cooktops require 50 amp service.

I used a gas wolf cooktop for 8 years and swore by it ; when we moved, I went to induction and now I would not go back to gas ever. It's so highly responsive and a breeze to clean that flat surface.

I was busy over the weekend, and didn't have time to post these pictures. The concept of covering the induction cooktop came from these examples from Michael T. Smith's designs.The beautiful Birdseye maple counters and cutting boards are extraordinary. My under counter oven was also designed to be hidden, but the location of the kitchen changed and I didn't put the ovens in the kitchen.

here's another discussion on the kitchens forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: induction vs gas

Cotehele, the cook top cover is a great idea. Even though it's a couple of weeks away from being installed, I've been worried about dropping something on my 36" induction top.

I have a friend who works with custom cooking vents and I'm going to check with him about making me something unique that might even be on hinges. Stainless steel would go in my kitchen.

I love my induction so much, but I'm so disappointed with the Kenmore quality. My husband has told me that when the extended warranty runs out on this one, we will get a new one. Hope the quality has improved by then. Certainly there will be more brands to consider--there are already!

Nancy, The cooktop uses SS to produce heat. I shouldn't activate the cooktop, so I don't know if SS would be a problem. Consider the other properties of SS. It will be hot if something hot is set on top. The cover would need to be strong enough not to dent or bend the SS cover if something dropped or fell on it. It may not be the protection you hope want. OTOH, a custom piece would be beautiful!

I am very klutzy by nature, so I have been extremely careful about not dropping pots, utensils and such on the surface. So far so good. I can't wait to see your kitchen. :-)