Induction or ceramic: this is the difference

In the Netherlands we’re gradually saying goodbye to natural gas. Also when it comes to cooking. Cooking on an induction cooker or a built-in induction hob is becoming increasingly popular, because it’s the most efficient and energy-efficient way of cooking. When you cook on induction you don’t use gas but electricity, which is much less harmful to the environment.

Cooking on induction is very efficient. The hob only starts working once it comes into contact with a pan and also heats the pan up faster than a gas cooker or a built-in ceramic hob. How does that work? Under an induction hob there are coils that set a magnetic field in motion. Because these coils spin very fast, heat is generated. This is how your pan is heated via the hob and you can get cooking.

You can choose, for example, a freestanding induction cooker, a built-in induction cooker, an induction hob with a separate cooker hood or a hob with integrated extraction. Well-known brands that make hobs include Siemens and Bosch. All of them are safe and easy to clean. Let the hob cool down after using it before you clean it. The hob doesn’t heat itself, but it can still feel a bit hot after cooking because of the heat from the pan.

Not all pans are suitable for induction, but don’t let that put you off. Many pans can in fact be used on induction. It’s important that the pans have a magnetic and flat base. You can easily test whether a base is magnetic by holding a magnet against your pan. Cast-iron pans and stainless-steel pans are suitable for induction. You need to pay a bit more attention with aluminium pans. Aluminium pans aren’t magnetic, but most manufacturers add iron, cast iron or steel to the pan to make it suitable for induction. Buying new pans isn’t always necessary. Have you used your pans on gas? Then the base may have warped due to the heat. Use a ruler or spirit level to check whether the base is flat. If it is, you can most likely use the pan on induction.