What kind of utensils can be used on an induction cooker

You have completed repairs in your kitchen, installed new furniture and hooked up a brand-new, sparkling polished surface of the hob. Not a gas stove, which stood before, but a modern hob - induction.

And it turns out that your favorite pot for this miracle of technology is not suitable. It does not fit at all - the panel does not even turn on. But she seems to like the old cast-iron skillet. But the rough, rough bottom of a heavy frying pan touches the smooth surface so severely that your cheekbones reduce the quiet rattle - scratches cannot be avoided, but it's a pity!

We'll have to make an audit among pots, pots and pans, send everything that is outdated and inappropriate to the cottage or trash can, and go to the store where you can choose a new set of kitchen utensils for the induction panel.

Choosing from what is at home

When you inspect the contents of the cupboard, you can use any magnet as an indicator, including the one that was temporarily removed from the refrigerator. A magnet is needed to determine which cookware you need for an induction cooker. Anything that does not have magnetic properties can be removed from the kitchen. The exception is glass and ceramic dishes, which can be remarkably used in a microwave and oven.

Cookware that can be used on an induction panel should have a magnetic bottom. Well, if it is not too thin.

Another requirement is that the bottom should be even and smooth. This will protect your induction panel from scratches and ensure a good fit to the surface.

Why should the bottom be magnetic?

This is due to the principle of operation of the induction cooker. It is radically different from those with which the hostess had to work earlier.

On the gas burner, the dishes themselves are heated, and its contents are heated from the heated walls. Much of the heat energy from the burning gas is dissipated in the atmosphere. The stove itself, the hot plates, close objects and the air in the kitchen are heated.

The electric stove also has not very high efficiency: the heating elements are heated, the surface of the stove, the walls of the pan, and only then the products inside. Old electric stoves slowly heat up, are poorly regulated and cool for a long time. On new models, these disadvantages are minimized. But still, energy losses are high.

A does not heat up when the induction panel works. Only the bottom of the pan or frying pan is heated, and this happens very quickly.

Heating occurs under the influence of eddy induced currents that occur in the magnetic material of the bottom when the plate is turned on. Where electric stoves have heating elements, there is a coil in the induction cooker - a source of high-frequency magnetic field. Under the action of induction current, the electrons of the ferromagnetic bottom set in motion. The movement of electrons causes a rise in temperature.

At the same time, the surface of the stove itself is heated only by contact with the hot bottom of the dish. There is no danger of severe burns by accidentally touching the panel during cooking. Do not burn run away milk or semolina.

But all these advantages of an induction cooker can only be felt in full after you have selected the right dishes.

Suitable options

• Enamelware. It can be used if the enamel is applied over magnetic steel. It is better to choose pans with a thick bottom.
• Stainless steel. This is the best option. Such dishes are beautiful, easy to use and durable. Just do not forget to check the bottom for magnetic properties: steel is non-magnetic.
• Cast Iron. It is suitable, but the bottom of cast-iron cookware is rarely sufficiently smooth and even.
• Steel-Bottom Aluminum Ware. The budget option is quite high quality. Polished aluminum is often combined with a steel bottom, which can be used for an induction panel.
• Glassware with a ferromagnetic metal bottom. These are the teapots, designed for use on modern panels. Fragile, but beautiful.

All kitchen utensils that can only be used on an induction hob are marked with a special icon.

When choosing, do not forget that the bottom is heated, and low wide pans will heat up faster than high ones.

It is practical to buy immediately a set, than to buy separate items separately. It looks more stylish.