First, the basic technology of induction cooking is cooking using the heat produced by the cooking vessel itself instead of heat from a flame or electrical heating element. In the induction cooktop, a copper wire is placed under the pot. The electricity used heats up the pot by way of oscillating magnetic induction.
These cooktops are usually made of, or contain, a magnetic metal like cast iron or some stainless steel that directly heats up. However, copper and other non-magnetic steel and aluminum vessels including glass can be used if put on top of a ferromagnetic disk that functions like a conventional hot plate.
As a cooking procedure, induction cooking is also very efficient. It saves of wasted heat in the kitchen and can be quickly turned off, with a better safety quotient than a gas stove. Moreover, they are easy to clean because the cooktop itself is cold and can be wiped with cloth to clean it.
Advantages
This new technology gives us a faster cooking time because the induction element (magnetic induction) is faster than the others to heat up. (|It can heat up 6 quarts of water 4 to 6 minutes faster than the others.)
The cooktops can get hot with the heat transferred from the cooking pot to the glass top (heat conduction) like when a hot pan is set on the glass to rest. However, as soon as the pot is removed, the heating stops. The glass top does not get as hot as it does on traditional radiant heat source (gas range, stove).
Safety / speed
If the induction burner is turned on and there is no pot on the glass countertop, it will not get hot because the magnet (that heats up a metal pot) cannot magnetize the glass. This is one safety feature for anyone who cooks.
The speed on the cooking process has been getting the attention of home cooks. Aside from cooking faster, it responds much faster when you dial back the temperature.
Likewise, the prices for the induction cooking equipment have been dropping. However, these induction equipments still tend to cost more that electric smoothtops. The big difference is in the performance which is significant.
Some details
In essence, the induction process cut out the intermediary step in heating up a burner and transferring the heat to the pot. In induction, the heat is directly heating the magnetic cookware (pot and pans) causing them to heat up immediately.
Induction ranges look like the typical glass-top electric ranges. The big difference that you can see (or can’t see) is that the cooktop does not create a glow like the other heat producing devices. You would not know that the appliance is already on. (Makers have started adding virtual flames and other lighting cues for users.)
Like the ovens in other electric ovens, the ovens in induction rages also broil and bake the same way. Some equipment makers have put marks in their pots and pans “induction-compatible”. This means they can be used on an induction cooktop like the other iron and steel utensils. (See if a magnet sticks to them.)
Induction cooktop 