# Induction stove top? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 16, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791 "2020-06-16T17:11:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/1 "2020-06-16T17:11:23Z")
Moving to a new place with an induction stove top. Do I need to get all new pots and pans that are iron? I know cast iron frying pans are popular but what about pots? What I have now are not iron , I guess they are some sort of alloy. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/2 "2020-06-16T18:16:21Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Moving to a new place with an induction stove top. Do I need to get all new pots and pans that are iron? I know cast iron frying pans are popular but what about pots? What I have now are not iron , I guess they are some sort of alloy. Rule of thumb is that if a magnet sticks to it, it’s good. There are stainless steel alloys that will work with it, but you have to make sure that you get the right kind. Personally, I’ve found it worthwhile. Heats up much faster than conventional electric, and doesn’t make nearly the mess of a gas stove. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/3 "2020-06-16T19:21:52Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > There are stainless steel alloys that will work with it, but you have to make sure that you get the right kind. Some pans have an iron core inside a non-ferrous stainless, copper or aluminum body. Look for this symbol: > **[Induction cooking](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_cooking#/media/File%3AInduction-label-de.svg)** > > Induction cooking is performed using direct electrical induction heating of cooking vessels, rather than relying on indirect radiation, convection, or thermal conduction. Induction cooking allows high power and very rapid increases in temperature to be achieved: changes in heat settings are instantaneous. > Cooking vessels with a suitable base are placed on an induction electric stove (also "induction hob" or "induction cooktop") which generally has a heat-proof glass-ceramic surface above a coil ... ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/4 "2020-06-16T21:04:42Z")
need new pots and pans but considering what I am spending on this house that will be a pretty minor expense. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/5 "2020-06-16T22:01:49Z")
My cook top is gas, but I have a portable induction unit that I use on occasion. When I was looking for some new pots I did ensure that there were induction compatible as recommended above. I particularly like that the portable unit can select either power level or temperature. Not sure if the temperatures are accurate though. Do built-in induction units have this capability? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/6 "2020-06-16T22:50:05Z")
I love my induction stove. We didn’t need any new pots. We are able to use our cast iron pans, the enameled pots and pans (La creuset down to the cheapest junk) and our stainless steel all-clad pots. I would guess that most off your stuff will work. There is some buzzing from the All-clad unless its really full and the uzzing is worse as we dump more power in. If I was starting over I would get all enameled cast iron. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/7 "2020-06-17T00:29:41Z")
a magnet won’t stick to my current stuff as mentioned above . I don’t mind buying new stuff . ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/8 "2020-06-23T00:19:43Z")
Any brands to buy or avoid for the new pots and pans? ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/9 "2020-06-23T19:52:41Z")
I have an induction stove. I bought this [cheapy non-stick pan](https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QN9HMR9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) off Amazon, the description includes a line about “induction compatible” but it’s utter nonsense, the thing doesn’t even get warm. So don’t get that one! I have a big Emeril branded stainless steel skillet that works great. Cast iron pans, of course, including a 10-inch pan and 12-in griddle. My general advice is to buy in person rather than sight-unseen online, it’s easy to judge the heft of a pan by lifting it. I’m in the market for a smaller saucepan or two, maybe I’ll go with another Emeril product… ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/10 "2020-06-23T21:05:49Z")
All Clad will last your whole life. I have a couple All Clad, and a set of Viking cookware. And some cast iron. All can be used on my induction cooktop. And I hardly cook. I have a problem. Good pans and good knives and one-time purchases. StG ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/11 "2020-06-24T01:46:20Z")
With the price All Clad charges they should last for my kids and grandkids too. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/12 "2020-06-24T01:59:12Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Any brands to buy or avoid for the new pots and pans? Honesty, I’d simply hit all of the discount places to find some you like. These would be places like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Tuesday Morning, Burlington Coat Factory. Bring a magnet to test for induction compatibility. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/13 "2020-06-24T18:33:08Z")
If I don’t find any at discount stores I will probably get calphalon stainless steel ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/14 "2020-06-25T01:21:32Z")
One of our shared apartments in Italy, had one. It defeated me. I burned so many thing after I figured out how to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/induction-stove-top/855791/15 "2020-06-26T21:31:17Z")
At least in Europe the pots and pans have a symbol for induction aptitude, it is the second from the [right](http://bilder.afterbuy.de/images/53419/logo_hobs_including_ind_d_gb_640_x_480.jpg) in this diagramm. I used to have an induction stove, it was great, only the noise, though very faint, was unnerving sometimes. Induction stoves, it seems, either go full power or zero, so to regulate temperature they switch on 1/10th of a second, they switch off 9/10ths of a second (on level 1 of 10, just as an example), they switch on 6/10ths of a second, they switch off 4/10ths of a second (on level 6 of 10), and so on. The constant clicking can be annoying. But it was programmable! Set the starting and ending times and the level desired in advance, go out, and it will stop all on its own even if you return later that expected. That was something I quickly got used to. Gas is fine, but you cannot do that (as far as I know)