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Still Cooking With Gas or Electric? A Case for Induction Cooking

StatePoint

The best kitchen updates don’t just enhance the beauty of your space. They allow you to simplify your life, make better choices, and improve your relationship with your kitchen. And who knows? They may even make you a better cook! To that end, you may want to consider trading in your gas or electric cooktop for an induction model. If you’ve been keeping up with the Joneses and haven’t considered induction technology, that’s not surprising. While popular in Europe, adoption in the United States has been slower.

“Outdated misconceptions about the cost and reliability of induction cooking have prevented many American households from making the switch,” says Peter Weedfald, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of

Cont. on page 3 Still Cooking With Gas or Electric? A Case for

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America. "However, in – duction technology ouers quicker heating and boiling than gas or electric counter parts, more precise temperature control, easier cleanup, enhanced safety, and key eco-friendly perks." To help demystify induc-

tion cooking, Weedfald is ouering some insights into how the technology works and how it can benefit your kitchen: •Magnetic technology: Induction cooking skips the need to heat a burn – er, increasing the overall heating evciency. Instead, it automatically detects

when magnetic cookware is placed on the cooking zone. An electromagnetic field located below the cooktop transfers current (heat) di – rectly to the cookware. The good news? You probably already own magnetic cook ware. Many stainless steel, enamel-coated iron, and cast iron pots and pans are magnetic, and some manu facturers have added steel or

iron plates to the bottom of

ceramic, copper, aluminum, and other pans. If you put

a magnet to the bottom of your cookware and it sticks, it's magnetic and will work on induction. Concerned that one of your faithful

pans won't work? You can

purchase an induction transfer plate, which is a simple

steel disk that transfers heat to your non-magnetic cook ware.

•Precise cooking: Some induction cooktops ouer a wide range of tempera – ture settings from low to high, as well as timers, for super-precise heating and overall faster boiling.

•Eco-friendly design: In – duction cooking can help you reduce your carbon footprint at home. With induction, up to 90% of the energy consumed is trans ferred to food, compared to approximately 74% for traditional electric systems and 40% for gas, according to

the Electric Power Research Institute.

•Cleaner indoor air: A

study conducted for South-

ern California by the Envi –

ronmental Health Perspec tives found that residential

natural gas cooking burn ers can emit air pollutants,

including nitrogen diox – ide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. Unlike gas stoves, induction cooktops don't release the airborne pollutants associated with

burning natural gas. •Safety first: Induction cooking carries less risk of burns and fires. Only the area the cookware occupies is transferring heat, not the surrounding area. Plus, the cooking zone stays cool even when turned on and is

only activated when mag – netic cookware is placed on

top of it.

•Sleek design: Induc – tion cooktops have a sleek glass-ceramic surface that not only looks great in any style kitchen but makes cleanup as simple as wiping down the surface.

•Cost: Upgrading to an induction cooktop was once expensive. But like with most innovations, not only

has the technology substan tially improved over time, the prices have dropped. For example, the 30-inch option from Sharp Appliances is commonly sold at just above $1,000.

To learn more about in – duction technology and

smart home appliances, visit sharpusa.com.

Whether it's time to re – place your cooktop or you

simply want to try some-

thing new, consider in – duction technology for an overall improved kitchen experience.