New Cooktop - Gas or Induction

Howdy everyone,

When we moved into our house, it came with an electric cooktop. I don’t love it. We are thinking of converting to gas. But my wife read something recently about how induction cooktops are much better, and now she is intrigued. I am open but still leaning toward gas. I’ve read several sites and people seem to love or hate induction. It’s really all over the place. Does anyone have an induction cooktop, and what do they think of it?

A few notes: (1) One of the attached pics shows you that the gas line is there, ready to go, so I don’t think it will be a big deal to convert. (2) We need new pots/pans so it’s not a negative that induction needs specific types. (3) I don’t see any hybrid types out there. Google talks about a hybrid cooktop by Vestel, but I cannot find one, even the Vestel website doesn’t list one. (4) No counter space to install a gas cooktop and put an induction unit next to it.

I read this thread, but there isn’t much there. Thanks in advance.

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I’ve been pretty happy with the non-inductive glass-top range we bought, although I do worry that one day I’ll drop a pan and crack the glass.

Scott I am old fashioned and like gas. I would also look at the possibility of getting a larger 5 or 6 burner cook top. I am assuming that is granite on the counters, it can be cut on site to allow for a larger cooktop and i would also check about having a stronger vent hood installed at the same time. Failing that I would probably go gas and get an induction portable unit to satisfy the wife. I have heard they are good at keeping constant temps so that would be a plus.

Interesting, thanks Milton. Yes it is granite, and thanks for the idea about the hood. Might need bigger. I wouldn’t even call my self old fashioned, but I know what I can do with gas, and induction reviews are so polarizing - doesn’t give me a good feeling.

Chris, what a “non-inductive glass-top range” ?? Never heard of that.

Flat top electric.

I’m with Milt. Cooking with gas. I know a lot of chefs that like induction, but I am a simple cook - I cook by sight.

Ahhh, thanks David. Not up on my terms.

Here is an interesting spin. I haven’t measured my range size, but instead of a 30-45" hybrid, which I cannot find, what about a 15-30" gas cooktop and a 15" induction cooktop, or whatever measurements fit my space/needs. Wolf sells these sizes, though they are quite pricey. I assume others also offer these.

I was reading here:

“One of the things that I’m really excited to see in kitchen design these days is people thinking out of the box - what about both? We’re not only seeing clients breaking up the old work triangle into zones, but also taking advantage of new smaller modular appliance offerings to put exactly what you need, right where you need it. I’m just getting started on an installation that will have a 4-burner 30" induction cooktop installed side by side with a 15" two burner gas module for the best of both worlds. (Wolf makes these options along with a stainless strip to unite the two) - but there’s nothing saying we even had to install these side-by-side - just happened to work best for this kitchen.”

Personally I’d go with gas for three reasons:

  1. I’m a capable home cook, but not a restaurant chef who has to have the latest and greatest.

  2. If it breaks there are more people who know how to fix a gas burner than an induction top.

  3. Resale…most people will be more comfortable with gas than induction.

Gas all the way. We looked at induction when we were replacing our appliances but there were several things of concern to us. Worrying about scratching, damaging it. Having to throw away several old favorite pans including some vintage glass skillets and replacing them with induction ready pans wasn’t a happy thought either.

Scott, are you saying you think the copper line with the red valve is your gas line? I’m no expert but that looks like a water line to me.

IIRC gas lines are usually run in steel pipe with ball valve shut offs, and then a flexible steel connection to the appliance

Really, you think? I hope you are wrong. I didn’t put much effort into it, just said “oh hey there is a gas line!” I guess I’ll be checking that out.

That is a gas line. Unless you had a plumber who was stoned beyond belief and threw a gas shutoff on an undersized water line.

I don’t understand why you have to throw out all your pans if you get induction. Just slap a steel plate on it and use any pan you like (or 8 at once).

I have a gas range and 2 portable induction burners for outdoor cooking, taking to a park, home brewing, etc. if you have lots of counter space, just set them up next to the gas range.

I had both in my last kitchen, and mostly used induction for boiling water, simmering and keeping things at very low temperature. The induction burners worked great for those functions, but I didn’t feel I had as much control with them for other applications and always used gas for sauteeing and finer work. If I could only choose one, it would be gas. I am sure with practice, my technique would have improved and helped close the gap, but gas worked so well, I didn’t see the point.

That said, I had an induction wok which was crazy hot, much hotter than you can get with even a powerful stove-top burner and a ring. A private chef worked a few times at my house and I warned him the wok was really hot. He scoffed, then tried it out and said (imagine a French accent) “Holy Crap! That’s HOT!”

easy choice for gas. if i bought a house with induction cooktops they would be the first thing to go.

Lots of good info and opinions, thanks so much.

Huh, I was surprised by the just about unanimous preference for gas. I belatedly vote wholeheartedly for induction.

Back in 2001 I was quite disappointed I couldn’t run a gas line to my newly-purchased Brooklyn apartment, so as a consolation prize swapped out the old coil electric range for an induction cooktop (which I had shipped from Canada: there were few to no USA options at that time) + separate oven. I became such a convert, I’ve sorely missed induction in the years since moving out. When my wife renovated her kitchen a couple years ago, it was ironically disappointing to learn that this time ditching gas for induction wasn’t an option, as the cost to upgrade the electric service to the kitchen was prohibitive.

After I (quickly) acclimated to induction, there were simply no downsides for me, only advantages. Sure, I had a few crappy non-magnetic saucepans to replace: minimal expense and effort. In exchange, all the positives you’ve already read about: serious heat capacity and control (it’s miraculous the way induction can even “toss around” a 13" heavy-ass cast iron skillet); more instantaneous than anything, even gas; the best at both high and low ends of the scale; no heating up the kitchen in summer; safety; et cetera ad nauseum.

Chuck,

This is a skewed demographics of romantic, stodgy old white men (plus Sarah) so it’s no surprise they prefer the older method they can see.

Yes, one stodgy old white woman. :slight_smile:

To be fair, I loved having both and probably will in the new kitchen.

+1 on surprise about vote allocation in favor of gas, although maybe Paul is right about the demographic issue. I’ll take Sarah at her word, but based on my limited experience with induction, it’s hard to imagine that someone with both gas and induction would conclude that gas offers better control. Sure, if you have been using gas for a long time, you have all the tricks (tilting, shifting pan on and off the heat, etc.) that might not make as much sense with induction. You’ve also got your hard-earned feel for your range and ability to look at a flame and determine how hot it is. But with induction, you have (1) far more power than even the most powerful home gas range (so if you your pan gets too cool after dropping a bunch of food in, you’ll get back to the right temp far faster), (2) near perfect even heat across the bottom of the pan (impossible with gas), and (3) digital output control (so you can precisely control adjustments).

Plus, induction has all those other benefits. Speed, efficiency, less need for a big hood/kitchen temp issues, easy cleanup.

I’ve been shopping for a new rangetop for 2 years, ever since we moved into a house that has a Wolf electric cooktop. For awhile I thought I was going to buy either a BlueStar or a Capital Culinarian gas range. But now I’m leaning toward the Gaggenau Full Surface induction cooktop (CX 491). It doesn’t have burner locations. It’s just a big surface upon which you can put your pans anywhere, and it automatically senses them and creates a separate control set. It’s the sister model to the Thermador Freedom. Both have received rave reviews.