From Novice to Chef: Mastering the Art of Cooking with an Introduction to Hobs

Induction hobs heat up food much quicker than gas or ceramic hobs. You can also save money on energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint.

You’ll need compatible pans to use with your induction hob. They must be magnetic and have a flat base for good contact. Some induction hobs have a power boost function that speeds up cooking even more.

Energy saving hob

An induction hob is a great alternative to gas bep dien tu munchen stove tops. Induction cooktops heat your pans instantly using a more precise method of heating, which helps to save energy. They also cool down almost immediately once the power is switched off. Induction hobs typically come with an auto-off feature and inbuilt timers. This makes it impossible to leave your hob on for too long, saving you both energy and money.

Induction hobs have copper coils under the flat ceramic cooking surface that induce an electrical current into magnetic pans, which cause them to generate their own heat. This allows them to boil water almost twice as fast as a gas hob, and to reach the temperature of a simmering pan much quicker than an electric solid plate.

Induction hobs use clean energy, so are better for the environment than gas or ceramic. However, they can still be more expensive to run than traditional electric ceramic hobs, unless you’re a very light user.

Simmering hob

Simmering is a great way of cooking dishes gently and at a lower heat than boiling. This is perfect for stews and other slow-cooked recipes. Most induction hobs have a medium-low number setting for simmering but there are some with dedicated simmer zones that can operate at the lowest heat setting with no loss of power.

This Neff FlexInduction model is one of these and it has a self-sizing multiple bridge function that recognises the size of pots and pans and automatically adjusts its power level accordingly. This clever feature makes it ideal for griddles and large pans that would otherwise not fit on a standard cooking zone. This model also comes with boil dry detection that reduces the power output and heat when a pan becomes uncomfortably hot, which helps to avoid burning. Unlike gas hobs, induction cooktops put more of the electricity directly into the pot or pan, so energy, time and money are saved by not heating up the entire surface area of the hob.

Stir frying hob

If you’re a fan of stir-frying and have the space for it then an induction hob is the way to go. The flat surface is easy to wipe clean and there’s nowhere for grime to hide. Most induction models also feature touch controls so you don’t have to faff around with protruding dials.

The only drawback is that your existing pans may not be compatible. Induction hobs only work with pans made from iron or a ferrous metal that can attract electromagnetic heat. You can try using your old pans with a wok adaptor or some brands offer flexible or bridging zones that let you use bigger pans.

The John Lewis JLBIIH806 is a good example. It straddles the middle ground between four and six heating zones, making it ideal for smaller kitchens. It also comes with some useful features like PowerBoost that really gives the hob a workout at the start of a cooking session, helping to bring water to the boil in no time.

Cooking on an induction hob

An induction hob works by generating heat directly within the pan itself meaning that no energy is wasted heating up an element before the pot starts cooking. Using this technology reduces cooking times as it’s faster to boil one litre of water than other methods. As the induction glass top isn’t heated and only the pans are, it’s also much safer as there’s no flame to burn your hand on.

Induction cookers are more precise than gas, allowing you to choose exact temperatures and reducing overcooking. It’s also easier to clean as only the bottom of your pan heats while the smooth glass surface remains cool to touch. However, you’ll need special pans as not all cookware is compatible with an induction hob. The best way to check if your pans are compatible is by testing them with a fridge magnet; if it sticks then they should work on an induction hob. Alternatively, you can buy Le Creuset induction-compatible cookware which is tested for compatibility.