A pro chef is silencing the doubters with a surprising demonstration showcasing the safety and convenience of a next-gen cooking device.
Chris Galarza joined PBS science writer and foodie Sheril Kirshenbaum on "Serving Up Science" to demonstrate why professional chefs are falling in love with induction stoves.
For one, induction cooktops are much cheaper to run overall than gas-powered stoves, as a conventional range is 30% to 35% efficient.
"What's happening is it's heating up your space, which now your air conditioner is going to be working. Now your electricity rates are going to be going up as well," Galarza says. "The way induction works is about 90% efficient — on the low end, we're talking 85%. So every dollar you're spending, almost all of it is going into your food."
Another perk of induction stoves includes the ability to set and maintain exact temperatures. Galarza says some prospective induction users may be "intimidated" by the new equipment but that adjusting to it should be easy, meaning your home cooking should be just as delicious.
"Cooking is all about fundamentals and techniques," he says. "So it doesn't matter if you're sauteing on a campfire or sauteing on this induction range — a saute is a saute."
Other benefits include easy cleanup and reduced cooking times. However, safety is perhaps the most enticing feature, particularly for parents. That's because induction stoves need to be in contact with a magnetic pan to generate heat — a feature Galarza delightfully showcases by placing $20 underneath a pan when the range is on. He later removes the bill unharmed.
Moreover, they don't spew toxic gases linked to cancer and asthma. As Kirshenbaum explains, "A child's risk of asthma from living with a gas stove has been compared by some scientists to be equal to the risk from living with a smoker." These dangerous gases are also warming our climate, supercharging extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires.
One of the downsides of upgrading to an induction stove is the upfront price, though individual burners are one affordable option. The cost of full ranges is also expected to decrease over time. Until then, you may qualify for up to 30% off the cost of an induction range thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. Brands like Copper even offer models with built-in batteries, enough to keep your family fed with several warm meals in the event of a grid outage.
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Healthier indoor air 🏠 President Donald Trump has said he intends to do away with the IRA, though, and Congress could approve changes to its programs. This makes the future of discounts uncertain, meaning it might be worth capitalizing on their availability sooner rather than later.
"I got my first induction cooktop 10 years ago, and I would never go back to gas," one YouTuber said.
"After using an induction range, I get annoyed every time I have to use grandma's old gas stove — it doesn't heat as evenly [or] as fast," another wrote.
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