Cooking can be time-consuming, from preparation to cooking and cleanup, but what if there were an appliance that made it all easier? There is — an induction stovetop.

The Living in North Vancouver & Vancouver Region (@paulacastellon) YouTube channel had lunch with a kitchen appliance expert and got the details about this efficient device. 

What is an induction stove?

Duran Drew from Midland Appliances gave a demonstration of induction stoves, starting with showing how quickly water can boil. These stoves are more efficient than electric or gas stoves because all the energy goes into cooking the food, and only the pot and food get hot. 

Since the unit itself doesn't directly get hot, only taking some heat indirectly back from the pot or pan absorbing the electromagnetic energy on top of it, cleaning is made really easy because you won't get caked-on food. Additionally, Drew put a towel under the pot. Now, if you are cooking something like bacon, as he suggested, the grease goes onto the towel, not onto the stove. Even with the towel, the food still heats up as long as the stove secures a magnetic connection, and you can avoid all the mess. 

It's worth consulting a particular stove's instruction manual to make sure this towel trick is OK. While Drew uses a paper towel, there could be some risk in attempting it with a paper towel or anything that may disintegrate or melt with enough heat from the bottom of a hot metal pan, but it's an interesting bit of science, and a neat demonstration of how unusual induction is in the first place, that the trick works at all.

Beyond the cleanup conveniences, induction stoves enable more even cooking and precise temperature control than working with an open flame. They also greatly improve kitchen air quality since the combustion from gas produces invisible fumes and particulate matter, along with small leaks of the gas itself. 

Why are induction stoves important?

Since induction stoves are more efficient, they can save you money on your energy bills. As energy bills rise, it's an easy way to help pay them. These stoves are also better for the environment, as they are more efficient and don't produce the polluting gases that gas stoves do. 

How induction stoves help with safety

Since induction stoves don't heat the entire unit, it's safer because you don't have to worry about burning yourself on the hot surface. Induction stoves are also safer than gas stoves because they don't release toxic gases such as methane and benzene. 

Luckily, they are an affordable solution for these problems. The Inflation Reduction Act allows you to get up to $840 in tax incentives. According to Canary Media, many of the tax incentives from the IRA are going away, but that doesn't include kitchen appliances, like induction stoves. 

If you aren't ready to upgrade, you can also purchase induction burners for as little as $50. These burners are also a great option for renters who aren't able to upgrade their system to an induction stove top. 

One user in the comments said, "These have been commonplace here in Europe for decades." 

Paulacastellon replied: "We have a lot of catching up to do." 

With the tax incentives and various options, it's easy to reap the benefits that Europe has been getting. 

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