Jeff and Laurie,
Like you, we love having the Induction cooktop. Full-disclosure - we have a 5 burner 36" Induction cooktop in our sticks and bricks and love it, so we knew we'd love one in the RV. That said, I totally get why some don't care for them, don't want them, doesn't fit their cooking style etc.
What we like about it:
- Clean - So easy to keep clean. No burners to clean. No place for food to drop into.
- Fast - They heat up REALLY fast.
- Control - You have very fine control of the heat being put into your pan and at super low levels, no worry the flame will go out
Of course, you do need AC power to use it. We have a generator and use it daily in travel days for cooking/heating lunch.
We also carry a single burner Butane cooktop. That thing is SUPER handy. It can be used indoors and outdoors and without propane or electricity.
As for Gourmet cooking in the RV - it depends on your definition of Gourmet
We have a LOT of flexibility in our gourmet kitchen in our sticks and bricks. In the RV, the space is smaller and I have less counter top and fewer kitchen implements (appliances).
BUT! Once, Nancy needed the kitchen at home to prepare a large meal for a group and I needed it at the same time to make-ahead, another dish for the same group. I went out to the RV and made homemade Meatballs and homemade Italian Meat Sauce. I used the Induction cooktop and I used the Convection mode of the Microwave/Convection oven.
I'm generally so busy when I'm out RVing as I'm traveling from one rally to the next but I love cooking in the RV when I have the time.
Happy camping (or dreaming of it) everyone and thanks for keeping Bob's thread lively. Hopefully it helps many make informed decisions on what to choose in their next RV.