Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
This is a question for those of you having exposure to inductive cook tops or ranges. How does it compare to LP or Natural Gas? Thanks!
Inductive cooking vs LP
- Thread starter Ray LeTourneau
- Start date
wdk450
Well-known member
Ray:
I have one, and I love it!!! Heats the pan only, I cook on the RV park's electricity and not on the propane I have to buy. Pans heat really fast! But I use it on top of the range grate when I want to, and store it next to the range when I am using propane burners. I bungee it down to the grate when travelling.
But I wouldn't buy the one they sell (and make you buy 2) on TV. Just look on Amazon for "Induction Cooktops". I bought mine for about $70 and happened to have a $30 Amazon gift card.
I have one, and I love it!!! Heats the pan only, I cook on the RV park's electricity and not on the propane I have to buy. Pans heat really fast! But I use it on top of the range grate when I want to, and store it next to the range when I am using propane burners. I bungee it down to the grate when travelling.
But I wouldn't buy the one they sell (and make you buy 2) on TV. Just look on Amazon for "Induction Cooktops". I bought mine for about $70 and happened to have a $30 Amazon gift card.
brianharrison
Well-known member
The DW just bought one for the camper - I do know you have to test your cooking pots to make sure they will work with induction heating - a magnet needs to be able to "stick" to the bottom of the pot. So far she likes it a lot!
You are supposed to be able to put an ice cube on the burner and it will not melt from the induction heating.
Brian
You are supposed to be able to put an ice cube on the burner and it will not melt from the induction heating.
Brian
priorguy
Well-known member
We just got it at the stick and bricks house. Really efficient, fast and safer for the little ones too. Boils water on about a minute and a half. Saves time and electricity. Not sure if the portable ones are as good, but if they are, they are worth the cost.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Garypowell
Well-known member
Ray,
I don't know how to tell you to find it but I authored a thread a while back where I showed installing a True Induction cooktop in my 3010.
We have now used it for three trips (about 6 months) and it works great. It has two cook areas and has more power than some of the TV units. Tonight Linda deep fried shrimp.
The write up can be found at wwww.trueinduction.com
PM me if you have any questions.
I don't know how to tell you to find it but I authored a thread a while back where I showed installing a True Induction cooktop in my 3010.
We have now used it for three trips (about 6 months) and it works great. It has two cook areas and has more power than some of the TV units. Tonight Linda deep fried shrimp.
The write up can be found at wwww.trueinduction.com
PM me if you have any questions.
Garypowell
Well-known member
Ray,
I put a 36" induction cooktop in our new home in TN. LOVE IT! My experience...
Pros:
- Flat glass top is easy to keep clean
- Very precise control of the heat
- Pan bottoms stay really clean (no flame or burn marks)
Cons:
- You may need new cookware as they "require" a steel bottomed pan
- Glass top can get scratched
- You'd need a backup in case of no AC power (I carry a butane single burner in the RV)
Now - my comments are for a home unit. Not sure how the smaller ones work in an RV. BUT - I hope to find out in my next demo coach. It's something we've been wanting to do at Heartland.
I put a 36" induction cooktop in our new home in TN. LOVE IT! My experience...
Pros:
- Flat glass top is easy to keep clean
- Very precise control of the heat
- Pan bottoms stay really clean (no flame or burn marks)
Cons:
- You may need new cookware as they "require" a steel bottomed pan
- Glass top can get scratched
- You'd need a backup in case of no AC power (I carry a butane single burner in the RV)
Now - my comments are for a home unit. Not sure how the smaller ones work in an RV. BUT - I hope to find out in my next demo coach. It's something we've been wanting to do at Heartland.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Thanks for the feedback. I'm considering this for our home to replace an existing electric range. We're used to natural gas or propane and really dislike the electric stove top "burners". Most reviews I've read say it's hard to find non stick cookware to work with induction so we may have to look into that a little further. We have Caphelon now so...
Again, Thanks!
Again, Thanks!
Garypowell
Well-known member
Ray. About the new cookware. Many of the pieces you have will probably work. Simply hold a magnet to them and if it is attracted your good to go.
You will probably want to consider new for two reasons. First your older cookware might be warped a little from years of having a flame put to them. You'll see this when you first use them in that you will see area that don't boil as vigorous.
Side note. The first thing you will do is boil water to see the dramatic difference in how it works.
The other is that we found many of our pans were carryover to when we had more mouths around to feed. So they were bigger than they needed to be. So we bought a new set at IKEA that was smaller and lighter too.
One net thing that we wished was better and Jim might have some insights since he has a home (220 unit) is that on the portable units and the built in like ours (110v) the actual area that heats up is only like 4" across. So again this is another reason we went with smaller pots and pans. A 14" frypan will eventually heat up but it is because the heat spreads out from that 4" area that is heated. So if you have/use larger you will be moving the food around a little more than on a gas stove.
Probably the the biggest thing to get used to is the INSTANT ON. You don't turn these units on to preheat. When you have all the ingredients in front of you is when you turn the unit on.
You will probably want to consider new for two reasons. First your older cookware might be warped a little from years of having a flame put to them. You'll see this when you first use them in that you will see area that don't boil as vigorous.
Side note. The first thing you will do is boil water to see the dramatic difference in how it works.
The other is that we found many of our pans were carryover to when we had more mouths around to feed. So they were bigger than they needed to be. So we bought a new set at IKEA that was smaller and lighter too.
One net thing that we wished was better and Jim might have some insights since he has a home (220 unit) is that on the portable units and the built in like ours (110v) the actual area that heats up is only like 4" across. So again this is another reason we went with smaller pots and pans. A 14" frypan will eventually heat up but it is because the heat spreads out from that 4" area that is heated. So if you have/use larger you will be moving the food around a little more than on a gas stove.
Probably the the biggest thing to get used to is the INSTANT ON. You don't turn these units on to preheat. When you have all the ingredients in front of you is when you turn the unit on.
wdk450
Well-known member
Just looking around for induction cookware today online and the situation seems much different than it was 12 months ago. There's lots of it. The standard search phrase is "induction ready". A good standby is your old cast iron stuff. A cast iron dutch oven makes a great crockpot on an induction burner with precise temperature control.
dave10a
Well-known member
Silverado23
Iowa Chapter Leaders
Although cast iron will work on a glass top induction stove, it will scratch the heck out of it pretty quickly.
brianharrison
Well-known member
I agree any "rough cast" pots or pans will scratch a glass top - my cast iron fry pan is as smooth on the bottom as my ferrous stainless pots, although more porous. As well, my cast iron dutch ovens are coated in porcelin, smoother than my stainless pots. Not sure about Bills.
I am more concerned with blunt impacts on the glass top with my cast iron stuff causing cracking, more than scratches, since they are heavier than my stainless pots.
Brian
priorguy
Well-known member
Brian is right about cast iron on the glass top. Although ideal for induction use the owners manual for Samsung stove at home says not to use them on it. Won't take much impact from a pot it pan that solid and heavy to damage it.
Also on the "home" version, many of the burners are auto adjusting for pot or pan size.
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Also on the "home" version, many of the burners are auto adjusting for pot or pan size.
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A bit more insight on my 2 years of cooking on ours at home...
- On our range top at home, we have several burners of varying size. So, no issue with cold spots in the pans for us. The suggestion is to use a burner that's at least as big as the bottom of the pan.
- We use both regular cast iron and enameled cast iron (Lodge and Le Creuset). For the non-enameled pots, we often times use a paper towel between the burner and the pan.
- Nonstick pans are harder to find. We use the Circulon "Infinite" non-stick pans. We use 10" and 12". Great for eggs.
- We also bought and use set of stainless steel pots and pans - no longer on sale, but this set.
brianharrison
Well-known member
Thanks Jim for the link to the nonstick. I will do some research and probably pick up the skillets off amazon.
As well thanks for the paper towel trick - I was still living in my pardigm world and didn't even think about putting a flammable piece of paper between my "heat source" and my pot. Doh!
Brian
As well thanks for the paper towel trick - I was still living in my pardigm world and didn't even think about putting a flammable piece of paper between my "heat source" and my pot. Doh!
Brian
priorguy
Well-known member
Brian. Canadian Tire has an induction friendly ceramic coated non stick set for 70% off. Lagostina Blanco. Stainless outside and white ceramic inside.
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Joy & Jeff
Past Missouri Chapter Leaders
Paper towel? and that doesn't start on fire?
This just makes my head hurt!
This just makes my head hurt!
