Cooking with much less risk of burning yourself on a hot surface, that exists: it’s induction cooking. Once rarer in Quebec, it’s now offered by most major manufacturers and has become an option well worth considering when buying a new stove.
How does it work?
Take the example of cooking an egg. On a regular electric stove, the burner heats up first, which then heats the pot, which heats the water, then the egg. On a gas stove, it’s the flame that heats the pot, then the water, then the egg. But on an induction cooktop, there’s no need to heat the burner at all: the pot is heated directly by electromagnetic waves.
Underneath the glass-ceramic surface are coils connected to an electric current. As the current flows, it produces an electromagnetic field that generates what are known as “eddy currents” in the metal of the pot, heating it directly without needing to heat the cooktop itself. The area under the pot still warms up somewhat through conduction during cooking, which is why these stoves come with a residual heat indicator; the rest of the surface, though, stays noticeably cooler than a classic glass-ceramic cooktop.
How it differs from a classic glass-ceramic cooktop
The two look alike at first glance: a smooth black glass surface with no visible burner. The difference lies underneath. A classic electric glass-ceramic cooktop heats a resistive element under the glass, which then transfers its heat to the pot by conduction; the glass itself gets hot, sometimes staying warm for several minutes after cooking. An induction cooktop, on the other hand, transfers energy directly to the pot instead of heating a resistive element. That’s why an induction surface cools down much faster than a classic glass-ceramic cooktop, even though the area under the pot stays warm for a moment through conduction, which is what the residual heat indicator is for.
Choose your cookware carefully
There’s a reason the induction cooktop doesn’t get hot: this type of heating isn’t effective on every material. To work, your pot or pan needs to be ferromagnetic, meaning a magnet needs to be able to stick to it.
The test is simple: take a fridge magnet and stick it to the bottom of your pot. If it holds, the pot is compatible. Cast iron works well, but be careful with stainless steel: contrary to popular belief, a good portion of common stainless steel isn’t magnetic and therefore doesn’t work on induction, unless it has a base specifically designed for it (often marked with an icon on the packaging). Aluminum, copper, and ceramic don’t work at all without that special base. If most of your cookware fails the test, that’s worth factoring into your budget before making the switch.
A more energy-efficient choice too
Because energy is transferred directly to the pot rather than dissipated into the surrounding air around a heating element, induction cooking loses less heat along the way. Water generally boils faster than on a classic electric cooktop, for reduced energy use.
Everyday advantages
Beyond safety and energy efficiency, induction cooking stands out for its precision, comparable to a gas flame, and for how quickly the surface cools once the pot is removed. Since the glass around the pot never gets very hot, spills don’t bake on and clean up easily, without the burnt-on ring typical of a classic electric cooktop.
Maintenance is still needed
The surface is still glass: it can scratch if you slide a pot across it instead of lifting it, or get marked if a sugary spill isn’t wiped up quickly. The electromagnetic coils and electronic components can also fail like on any appliance. For cleaning the oven that comes with your induction stove (the cavity itself still heats conventionally), check out our oven cleaning guide.
Call 514 800-4064
FAQ
Why does my induction stove make a faint humming sound while cooking?
That’s normal: the sound comes either from the built-in cooling fan or from a slight vibration in the pot caused by the electromagnetic field, especially at high power. If the humming becomes loud, unusual, or is accompanied by a smell, have the appliance checked by a technician.
My pot is compatible, but the stove isn’t detecting it: why?
Most often, the pot isn’t properly centred on the burner, or its diameter is too small for the selected cooking zone: most induction stoves require a minimum diameter to trigger the sensor. Try recentring it or choosing a smaller burner.
Can I use a wok on an induction stove?
A traditional round-bottomed wok doesn’t sit flat on the surface, so it heats poorly if at all. Some manufacturers offer flat-bottomed woks designed specifically for induction, and a few high-end models offer a dedicated bowl-shaped burner.
Is induction cooking safe for people with a pacemaker or other implanted medical devices?
The electromagnetic field produced by an induction cooktop could theoretically interfere with certain implanted medical devices (pacemakers, defibrillators). As a precaution, manufacturers generally recommend that people with these devices consult their doctor before buying one and keep a reasonable distance from the active surface while cooking.