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Remodeling Your Kitchen? Think Induction! By Carol Fenster

by info@gfreecuisine.com 9. September 2009 10:00
Some of you know that we went through a major house remodeling project last fall, which included a totally new kitchen. When it came time to choose the new cooktop, I considered gas, electric, or induction but ultimately chose induction for several reasons. If you're considering a new cooktop, you might be interested in why I chose this relatively new way to cook food.

I say “relatively” new because this method has actually been around for some time and is actually more popular in  Europe. Today, it is more widely available in the United States and at far more reasonable prices, although it is still a bit pricey.

But what is it? Induction cooking heats food by heating the pot that contains the food. It does this by creating an electro-magnetic force that heats the pot and then the pot heats the food. The burner or “element”  itself and the surrounding area of the cooktop remain unheated, so you generate less heat. And, when you lift the pot from the element, it stops producing heat even if the element is “on.”

Why did I choose this method? First, this method uses less energy than gas or electric cooktops because there is far less wasted heat. In fact, it captures and uses about 85 % of the energy it creates (compared to only about 40% for gas).  It is also tremendously fast; I can boil water in my teapot in less than 90 seconds. Pasta takes far less time because I'm not waiting for the water to come to a boil before adding the pasta. This is really important to us gluten-free folks who prepare a lot more of our own food and we're always eager for ways to save time.

You must use induction-friendly pots and pans. My All-Clad pots work great and I found that the far less costly  Tramontino brand also works very well. How do you know if your pot is induction-friendly? If a magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan, it will work.

What brand did I choose? I looked at several brands but chose an Electrolux because it was highly rated by Consumer Reports. And, it featured a “hybrid” model which contains a mix of both induction and traditional electric elements. This is important to me because, as a cookbook writer, I have to use appliances that are most like yours and I know that not everyone has induction cooktops. With my hybrid induction cooktop, I have the best of both worlds.

Finally, if a full-size induction cooktop isn't in your future yet you want to try one out consider the portable, one-element models. You can find them at kitchen stores or online for less than $100.

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About the Authors

Ann Bender & Karen Hutcherson
Marketers by profession, both Ann and Karen have a fondness for good food and healthy cooking. They understand the importance of the nightly family dinner and developed Relish! a premier menu-planning service (relishrelish.com). Relish! received hundreds of requests to offer the same type of service but to make it gluten-free. Because of the complexity of the product, they solicited the help of gluten-free cooking expert, Carol Fenster, to provide all of the recipes and many of her famous bread and dessert recipes!