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Gas stoves are a hot topic, and by now, you've probably seen one of the many reports about the health hazards of cooking with gas, like this one that found gas-burning stoves may be linked to nearly 13% of childhood asthma cases in the U.S.
The findings in this study were framed by skeptics as "new," but the results were actually based on data from 41 studies around the world dating as far back as 1977. We've known about the health risks of cooking with gas, especially around children, for a very long time.
As a self-proclaimed home chef, baking fiend, and red-blooded American who has been cooking since the tender age of nine, my reaction to that news was a normal level of concern and alarm. But also: "Nope. No one can take my gas stove away from me!"
My job is to research and test products that are better for our health and for the environment, so my emotional reaction to ditching my gas stove was surprising to me.
But like the 40 million other Americans who have gas stoves, I'd become attached to the ill-conceived notion that cooking with fire was the only and best way. The gas industry PR machine that created the iconic advertising slogan "cooking with gas" in the 1930s and, in recent years, hired an army of influencers to rave about gas and downplay the risks had done its job very effectively.
After I ordered this $59 Duxtop Portable Induction Cooktop from Amazon and put it to the test, my perception completely changed.
That was three months ago, and I'm never looking back. Our little Duxtop is now the star of our kitchen.
It's lightweight, compact, easy to store, and easy to clean while packing a punch with 20 temperature settings, from 100-460 degrees Fahrenheit.
With 83% energy efficiency, it boils water twice as fast as a gas stove. And it creates zero air pollution, so I don't have to worry about my kids inhaling toxic fumes.
My 9-year-old son has pre-asthma, so I've tried to keep him as far away from our gas stove as much as possible. He's the same age as I was when my mom taught me how to cook, and now that we have an induction burner, I can finally teach him, too.
It's been such a joy. He loves getting up at the crack of dawn to make himself scrambled eggs, and I don't have to worry about him breathing in toxic gas or accidentally touching a flame.
I'm all in on induction.
Not convinced? Check out this demo where I did a side-by-side water boiling speed comparison. The results were shocking!
Three things to consider if you're induction-curious:
Installing an induction range might require some electrical upgrades.
Try a magnet test to see if your pots and pans work with induction.
You might be eligible for a rebate if you switch from gas to induction.
Induction technology – magic? – is here to stay, and it's making cooking not only safer but amazingly efficient. And with the rebates that are becoming available, a new induction range could come in at a much lower cost all in (including electrical work and installation) than the gas equivalent.
The $58 Duxtop is a great way to try it out without a huge commitment, and I bet that once you see the future, you'll never look back.
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