How to choose an induction hob
Induction hobs are equipped with an innovative technology, which is largely used in modern kitchens nowadays. Whether you want a practical and efficient kitchen, or see it as the perfect place to try out new products and recipes, the variety and flexibility of an induction hob is exactly what you need.
The wide range of possibilities that induction hob technology has to offer, however, requires the careful evaluation of specifications and features of your own hob. If you don’t know where to start looking, or are confident in your decision, but would like some more information on the kitchen tools you have chosen, here is an induction hob buying guide.
Induction hob: what is it, and how does it work?
Before starting with useful induction hob buying tips, let’s see what an induction hob is and what are its features.
An induction hob is a cooking system that uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to heat cookware and allow for fast, highly energy efficient cooking. In comparison to a traditional gas hob, there are many evident advantages:
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There are no open flames, the principle of heating does not entail combustion, with all the resulting advantages in terms of safety;
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Heating is much faster, as the heat source is not dispersed onto the entire area of classic burners, but is concentrated in the bottom of the pot itself, where the phenomenon of induction takes place;
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Energy consumption is greatly reduced, thanks to the extremely localized phenomenon of induction, that brings heat dispersion to a minimum, which in gas hobs is an inevitable occurrence.
It should be underlined, however, that the phenomenon of induction requires that the bottom of the cookware used, must be iron or steel, i.e. materials that “resist” the electromagnetic effect: switching to an induction hob, therefore, also entails partial replacement of your cookware set.
Induction hob: buyer’s guide
To make an informed decision on an induction hob, you must first identify the main characteristics to keep in mind:
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Hob size, that will determine the number of burners
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Features
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Safety systems
In addition, it is necessary to take into account that installation of an induction hob requires a household electrical supply contract that allows for electrical power of at least 4.5 kW.
How to choose an induction hob: hob size
It might seem obvious, but the first step to understand which induction hob to select is to find your correct hob size. It is essential to consider:
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Available space, meant as the physical area available in the kitchen where to install the hob. One of the best advantages of replacing an old gas hob with an induction hob is that of leaving much more free space below the burners, that may be used to make the kitchen even more functional.
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Number of necessary burners. This choice can be determined by the aforementioned point ( more than 2 burners are rarely necessary in very small spaces), yet it is possible to choose between 2, 4 or 6 burner solutions.
How to choose an induction hob: features
Once space and burners have been defined, it is possible to compare various induction hob proposals in terms of cutting-edge features, such as:
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advanced safety systems, like automatic shutdown in absence of pots, and lights that indicate any possible overheated hob zones.
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cooking temperature management
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timer and programming features
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IoT features, for operation via mobile devices
Which induction hob should I choose?
Once having identified all your desired induction hob features, the only thing left to do is flip through our catalog and choose the solution that can best suit you, from both a financial and qualitative viewpoint.
Elica can provide you with a competitive solution in terms of quality and durability: the NikolaTesla extractor hob line, completes the typical features of the best induction hobs on the market, with the innovation of integrated extraction. A solution that combines high extraction performance, silence and distinctive design.
Take a look at our selection of induction hobs with integrated extraction. NikolaTesla Induction Hobs with Integrated Extraction | Elica