If you are thinking about moving from regular electric to electric induction type range, I wanted to lay out the disadvantages to induction cooking. While there are tons of advantages to using the product, it does come with some drawbacks and disadvantages. So lets go through three of them.
Induction Cooking is Expensive
Make no bones about it, if you want an induction range, get ready to pay up. While you can get a cheap stove at Home Depot for less than $600 on sales, you will be hard pressed to find an induction range for less than $1,800. Even with a package I think I paid close to $2000 and with the rebate at the end, it brought it down to maybe $1,900.
Not only are the ranges expensive, but if you are out of warranty and need a repair, the repairs can get expensive. A friend of mines after 5 years broke and the part that needed to be replaced was $800. Yes, just one part can cost more than a new stove.
Finally, you can’t use the cheap cookware on it. Even if you are a cast iron fan, even cast iron will cost you more than the cheap aluminum pans at Walmart or sold in late night infomercials. That being said, anyone I know buying an induction range likes to cook so it is not like they will have cheap cookware anyway.
Need Special Cookware
This follows on to the about induction cooking being expensive. Most tend to get tri-ply stainless steel cookware that is induction compatible. Even the cheapest set cost at least $100 and if you go in you could be up to $1,000. And that doesn’t even include the non-stick pans you need as well. The good thing is, those tri-ply stainless steel cookware will last you a lifetime. So over time, most likely your cookware will cost you less compared to buying a new set every single year.
- SET INCLUDES: 10-Inch fry pan, a 3-Quart covered sauce pan, a 3-Quart covered sauté pan, and an 8-Quart covered stockpot.
- DISHWASHER SAFE: for the convenience and easy clean up.
- HEATS AND COOKS EVENLY: 3-ply bonded construction consists of durable stainless steel encapsulating an aluminum core for even heating throughout and consistent cooking results.
- OVEN SAFE: Oven- and broiler-safe up to 600 degrees F (without lids).
- ANTI-WARP: Made in the USA, the stainless cookware offers warp-resistant strength.
- LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
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Change the way you cook
This is probably the most annoying thing about induction cooking. And I am sure many of you are confused by what I mean, changing the way you cook. Let’s use an example to illustrate my point using one thing I cook on the stove quite a bit, which is steak.
Because I don’t always wand to go to the deck to grill a steak, sometimes I will do it restaurant style and do it on the stove top. This normally means a ton of butter and a sprig or rosemary. If you have ever seen a restaurant, they sear the sides then proceed to baste the steak with butter from the pan. This involves tipping the pan to let the butter pool so you can spoon it over.
Those of you that have induction cooktops know what happens next. If the pan is not sitting on the stovetop, it starts squawking at you. This means you put the stove flat, the butter spreads out and again, you are having to wait for it to pool again to baste the steak.
If you had a gas range, you could easily fit the pan in the grate letting the fire keep it hot. And an electric stove still emanates heat. So I either have to lay flat, lift, lay flat, lift, or usually, add more butter. It’s not a huge deal but feels like a waste of good butter.
Disadvantage and Drawbacks
So yes, if you get an induction range, you will have to get used to those things. The first two are minor as if you are looking at an induction range, you want good cookware anyway. Its the third one that becomes a pain and makes me want gas at times. But, that doesn’t mean I would go back to a regular electric. I would still stick with my induction cooktop.
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