Is Induction Cooking Ready to Go Mainstream?
Induction cooking has been around for decades, but only recently has demand driven prices down and selection up. In the last two years, Viking, GE, Samsung and Kenmore have begun selling induction ranges. The induction range, which relies on an electromagnet to heat iron or steel cookware, remains a mystery to most cooks in the United States. Standing at an induction range, even great cooks must rethink their basic moves. The heat comes on so fast that anyone used to pouring oil in a pan and chopping the last of the onions while it heats is making a big mistake. Learning to control heat levels with numbered dials is like trying to master a new language. Although cooking accounts for only a small amount of energy consumption in a home, induction cooktops are marketed as much more energy efficient than gas or electric because they cook food faster and lose less heat in the process. Lately, price has been less of an obstacle. Although a Viking induction range can top out at $6,000, some m
