Are Induction Hobs Safe?

You might not know what an induction hob is or how it works. One common question about these hobs is whether or not they are safe to use. 

Induction hobs are safe to use. They’re even safer than other stoves, since the heat they produce stops as soon as the pot or pan is removed. Induction hobs are a great energy-saving alternative to other types of cooktops. 

This article will explain how induction hobs are safe and how they work while also listing some of the best ones to purchase. 

How Do Induction Cooktops Work?

Induction cooktops work by using electrical induction to reach the desired heat level instead of thermal induction from a flame. An induction hob contains a copper wire underneath a ceramic plate. 

An electrical current, called an eddy current, is made when paired with a ferromagnetic metal pan or pot, according to the CDA. The eddy current flowing through the pot or pan causes it to heat up. Which then, in turn, heats and cooks the food inside. 

This electrical current only heats the cookware and not the induction stovetop. 

Do Induction Hobs Cook Things Faster?

Induction hobs cook things faster by cutting cooking time almost in half. Using an induction hob will make cooking any meal much quicker because it takes no time for the cookware to heat up. 

Induction hobs cook things faster because it takes little time for the induction hob to heat the cookware. In comparison, other stoves take a while for the burner to heat up, and then the cookware has to heat up for any cooking to start.

Additionally, when changing the heat from low to high or vice versa, the time between changes is cut drastically when using an induction hob. The difference is almost instant, so no more waiting.

Are Induction Hobs Safe?

Induction hobs are very safe to use. They are safer to use than other heating appliances. Since the heat comes from an electrical current, only the cookware and food will reach hot temperatures. The induction burner will always be cool to the touch, so there’s less likelihood of injury. 

Since an induction hob doesn’t use gas lines like a gas stove, it is much safer because there’s no chance of gas building up and a possible explosion.

Building Green states that an induction hob is so safe that it wouldn’t burn or catch fire if you dropped a piece of paper on it. If you did that to any other stove, it would catch fire immediately. Using an induction hob decreases the chances of an accidental fire drastically. 

Induction hobs are also a safer alternative to gas stoves because they don’t emit as many fumes as a gas stove does while cooking. The lack of fumes gives your home better air quality and, in turn, helps your health. 

Cookware for Induction Hobs

When considering an induction hob, you’ll want to make sure you have the correct cookware for it to work. Induction hobs produce an electric current by using magnetic materials. 

So, you’re going to need specific cookware with a magnetic bottom. If you use cookware that isn’t magnetic, nothing will happen, and the cookware will never heat up.

If you’re unsure if the cookware you already have is magnetic or not, it’s effortless to find out. All you have to do is take a regular magnet and see if it sticks to the underside of your cookware or not.

Stainless steel, cast iron, and porcelain enamel on metal are all types of cookware that should work with your induction hob. However, not all stainless steel cookware is magnetic, so make sure you do the magnet test. 

If you’ve found that you don’t have the proper cookware, this Duxtop Stainless Steel Induction Cookware Set is a perfect choice. It has multiple pots and pans that are compatible with an induction hob and is very affordable. 

Energy Efficiency

It has been stated that using an induction hob saves more energy than using other stoves. So just how energy efficient is the induction hob?

Leafscore calculated the amount of gas each stovetop emits. They found that gas stovetops are 40% efficient, and standard and electric coil stove tops are 74% efficient. In contrast, an induction hob is 84% efficient. 

Boiling a pot of water on the gas stove released 1.16 lbs (0.53 kg) of CO2. However, when you cook a pot of water on the induction hob, only 0.29 lbs (.13 kg) of CO2 is released. 

Induction Hob Alternatives 

If you’re looking for an alternative to the induction hob, you may want to try the Ceramic hob. These hobs are cheaper than an induction. However, they don’t allow you to have as much control as an induction. 

Ceramic Hobs

Ceramic hobs heat up very fast, giving them an advantage. They take quite a while to cool down, making them slightly unsafe compared to an induction hob. However, most of them emit red light to let you know the surface is still hot.

The ceramic hobs are also very easy to clean, so you can easily wipe off food residue.

The Best Induction Hobs To Purchase

If you’re unsure about finding a good induction hob for an affordable price, look no further because I’ve compiled a list of the top choices for different types of induction hobs for all your cooking needs.

• The Singlehomie 4 Burner Induction Cooktop is an excellent choice if you want multiple burners. This induction cooktop is affordable, has excellent reviews, and even has a child safety lock. 
• The Comfee Digital Electric Portable Induction Cooktop is perfect if you only need one burner and want a portable induction hob. This induction hob will be a good fit if you live in an apartment or a dorm room. It’s affordable and shuts itself off automatically if you forget to do it yourself. 
• The Noxton Induction Cooktop Built-IN 2 Burners is between the first two products, so if you don’t want an entire stovetop but need more than one burner, then this induction hob is a great choice. This hob also has a child-proof feature and a safety timer, so it comes with the same perks as the first two. 

How To Use an Induction Hob

Using an induction hob will be pretty different from the stove you’ve been cooking with for years. With short cooking times and not using a typical heat source that you’re used to, you may burn some dishes while learning.

Check out this YouTube video that can give you a few tricks for using an induction hob to avoid mishaps: