What Is an Induction Cooktop and How Does It Work?
Induction cooktops have rapidly become the preferred cooktop choice in new kitchen builds and renovations across Australia. If you're considering buying an induction cooktop or just curious about how the technology works, this guide explains everything you need to know.
How Does Induction Cooking Work?
Induction cooktops use electromagnetic energy to heat your pots and pans directly, rather than heating a surface element that then heats the pan. Here's the process:
- An electromagnetic coil sits beneath the glass cooktop surface
- When you switch on a zone and place a compatible pot or pan on it, the coil generates a rapidly alternating magnetic field
- The magnetic field passes through the glass surface and induces an electric current in the base of the ferromagnetic pot
- The electrical resistance of the pot's base converts this induced current to heat — the pot itself generates the heat directly
- Remove the pot and the zone surface is not hot — only the glass that was in contact with the hot pot retains warmth
What Makes a Pan Compatible with Induction?
For induction to work, the pan must be made from a ferromagnetic material — one that is attracted to a magnet. Compatible materials include:
- Cast iron (excellent conductor for induction)
- Stainless steel with a magnetic base (most good quality stainless steel cookware is induction-compatible)
- Enamelled steel
- Some specialist induction-specific aluminium pans with a bonded magnetic base
Not compatible: Plain aluminium, copper, glass and pure stainless steel without a magnetic base. The simple test: hold a fridge magnet to the base of your pan. If the magnet sticks, the pan is induction-compatible.
Advantages of Induction
Speed
Induction is significantly faster to boil water than electric ceramic or gas. Because the pan itself generates the heat, there is minimal energy wasted heating an intermediate surface. A 2L pot of water boils in roughly 3–4 minutes on a high-powered induction zone.
Precision Control
Induction responds to setting changes almost instantly — unlike ceramic which retains heat in the glass surface for several minutes. This makes induction excellent for techniques that require precise temperature control like melting chocolate, making sauces and simmering.
Safety
The cooktop surface under the pan does not get hot (only the glass above the coil that is in direct contact with the pan gets warm through conduction from the hot pan base). If you accidentally touch an induction zone without a pan on it, the zone is cool. Spills cannot burn on a cool surface.
Energy Efficiency
Induction converts approximately 85–90% of electrical energy to heat in the pan, compared to around 65–75% for ceramic and 40–55% for gas. Induction is significantly more energy-efficient than gas for home cooking.
Easy to Clean
The flat, sealed glass surface is easy to wipe clean. No burner grates, no recessed elements, no burnt-on residue from spills on hot elements.
Disadvantages of Induction
- Requires compatible induction cookware — you may need to replace non-compatible pans
- Higher purchase price than equivalent ceramic cooktops
- Some people report a faint buzzing or humming noise from the electromagnetic coils on higher settings
- Not compatible with copper or standard aluminium cookware
Shop Induction Cooktops at Oceania Appliances
We stock induction cooktops from AEG, Bosch, Westinghouse, Electrolux and Fisher & Paykel at our Wetherill Park showroom with delivery across Sydney.
- Showroom: 2/14 Centre Place, Wetherill Park NSW 2164
- Phone / WhatsApp: 0422 489 492
- Email: support@oceaniaappliances.com.au