Sometimes, it just takes a particularly useful feature in a product to win over potential buyers. In one case involving induction stoves, it was the allure of easily melted chocolate.
A reviewer from Tom's Guide recently shared her experience testing induction cooking appliances. It was the finer temperature controls, along with her sweet tooth, that sealed the deal.
"If you're a chocolate fan (and to be honest, who isn't), you're going to love it as much as I do," said author Camilla Sharman.
Induction stoves use electromagnetic fields to heat compatible cookware directly, without any heated coils or polluting gas. This allows them to transfer 90% of the heat energy to your food, whereas gas stoves only transfer about 40%.
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All that wasted heat can make your kitchen warmer, especially in summer, resulting in more air conditioning use and higher household energy bills.
Using electromagnetic energy to heat cookware provides precise temperature control, making it significantly easier to melt chocolate without burning it. Consumer Reports also found that induction cooktops can boil water 20% to 40% faster than gas stoves and traditional electric cooktops.
As the author explained, there's no need to resort to using the bain-marie method, which involves melting chocolate in a bowl on top of a hot water bath.
The lack of open flames or heated coils also makes induction stoves much safer since most of the heat energy goes to the pans and not on the easy-to-clean glass cooking surfaces.
Gas-powered stoves can also produce dangerously elevated levels of pollutants like benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which are spewed even when the stoves are not even on.
Although the price tag on new induction appliances is higher than other options, federal tax incentives, such as the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate, offer up to $840 to help reduce the overall cost of upgrading.
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Healthier indoor air 🏠 People on a tight budget or renting their property can still opt for countertop induction models, which start as low as $50.
"You know how they say a watched pot never boils? Well, if you have four minutes to spare with your induction cooktop, that saying is proved wrong," said AnneMarie Horowitz, a staffer with the U.S. Department of Energy, in a blog post. "It's endlessly helpful having a stove that's faster, safer, and better for the planet."
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