ADVICE | Gas VS Induction
Today we're going to tackle that age old (quite modern) kitchen debate of Gas vs Induction hobs.
Both are great fuels for day to day cooking & both have their own pros & cons. I find a lot of clients find it difficult to make the switch from gas to induction if they've never used induction before. Gas is comfortable, people know how to use it & have sometimes used it all their lives having never touched an electric hob. It's a reliable & straight forward fuel & the thought of cooking on an electric hob can be worrying. I think the main reason being that in the past electric has been stereotyped as ceramic, the glowing red rings that are slow & inefficient. The truth is, induction is nothing like this, it's quick, powerful, super efficient & is becoming increasingly popular.
So in a bid to give you a non biased review, I'm going to outline the pros & cons of both fuel types which will give you the basic facts to help you make the decision that is right for you & your kitchen.
All of the beautiful hobs featured in today's post are from the Fisher & Paykel range & are all available to order with your new Helium kitchen.
GAS
PROS
GAS IS...
FAMILIAR
It’s a reliable fuel to use & most people are comfortable with it. Which makes it one of the most popular options for Helium clients.
HOT
Let's face it, gas is fire. So generally it's temperature it really hot which is great for searing meats, wok frying & boiling.
EASY TO CLEAN
On first thought, cleaning around pan stands seems like a nightmare right? In an age where we are getting busier & busier I find people want to spend less & less time cleaning if they can help it (equals the raise of the pyrolitic oven!) By choosing what we call a "gas on glass" hob you can have all the cleaning benefits of an electric hob but with gas. Simply remove the pan stands & wipe down. Simple, fuss free & they look great.
STYLISH
No longer are gas hobs, busy & cluttered. As mentioned above, if you choose a glass version of a gas hob, their cool aesthetic will suit any style of kitchen. The Fisher & Paykel models are particularly good looking. Their minimal cast iron supports make their design stand out from other models on the market.
CONS
GAS IS...
MORE INEFFICIENT THAN YOU THINK
Have you ever been cooking & found yourself in a what feels like the Sahara in the middle of Didsbury? That's because around 40% of the heat produced by a gas hob is wasted into the surrounding area. This simply contributes to heating up the room (& the chef), so it’s not the most efficient option.
HOT Although this was featured in the pro list it's also a con for any serious chef. Gas only 1 heat setting. Hot. Although you can turn the flame up or down, realistically gas is just hot, no matter if the flame is big or small. Meaning temperatures aren’t very accurate, & you'll find yourself constantly turning the gas up & down to keep things simmering.
INDUCTION
A brief overview of how induction works for any of you that don't know. Induction works through magnetics. There are elements below the glass & you'll need a pan with a magnetic base (induction ready pans are widely available from most home stores now). The elements below the glass connect directly to the pan via magnetic connection to heat up only the pan. The glass between will certainly get warm but nothing will cook on it's surface & it's not involved in the heating process at all. The image below illustrates perfectly how induction works.
PROS
INDUCTION IS...
INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT
Induction only heats up the pan that is present on the hob & nothing else. No heat is lost into the atmosphere & it can bring a pan of water to the boil much quicker than any other fuel type.
SAFE
An induction hob cannot be turned on unless at least 1 of the zones is a minimum of 60% covered by an eligible pan (with a magnetic base); the hob will automatically detect if there is a pan present or not. The glass top will get hot, but it will never scold as the element below has only been heating the pan directly. The glass is just an attractive middle man & plays no actual part in the heating process.
RESPONSIVE
An induction hob can be turned up or down to produce more or less heat which gives you full control over your cooking process & less chance of burning your pancakes. You can choose the perfect heat setting to keep food cooking but not burning.
GREAT FOR WOK COOKING
But what about my stir frys you ask? In order to make a good stir fry it’s important that the pan itself is very hot, that’s why we turn the gas up high so it reaches the sides of the wok. You can still get this effect with induction, although no flame is present, hit the power boost button to heat your wok up to a suitable temperature & fry away.
EASY TO CLEAN
The flat glass surface makes cleaning super easy, simply wipe down.
STYLISH
The glass surface is sleek & tidy & will suit any contemporary or classic style kitchen.
CLEVER
Some hobs feature a flex induction zone which will allow you to place any shape & number of pans onto the zone at one time. The hob will detect each pans shape & size & get to work on them individually, giving you total freedom when you're cooking.
VERSATILE
Induction ready accessories such as fish kettles, griddles & even teppanyaki plates are all available for use with a flex induction hob too; giving you endless possibilities & fun new ways of cooking.
CONS
INDUCTION IS...
DANGEROUS FOR PACEMAKERS
Induction hobs cannot be used in the presence of someone with a pacemaker. The magnetic field can interfere the pacemaker & cause complications; so always best to be aware of this before purchasing.
ONLY OPERATIONAL WITH MAGNETIC PANS...
So you may need to buy a set. The best way to check if your existing pots & pans can be used with a induction hob is to see if a fridge magnet sticks to the base. If it sticks the pan will work on your hob.
(PRO Bosch & Neff regularly have offers on to receive a free set of pans when an induction hob is purchased).
So what do you think? Is gas or induction the fuel for you? Let me know in the comments below. If you still can decide then have both! Choose from a selection of domino hobs to create your perfect cooking station. Enjoy the versatility of induction while still being able have access to gas.
See you next time,
Francesca
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