I wouldn't want a gas or halogen hob. (Though I often have to use a gas hob.)
Gas tends to be uneven and cause hot pan handles. Plus, as it heats the sides of pans, foods "bake on" inside the pan.
Halogen or other non-induction hob is more expensive to run, heats the kitchen, and is more likely to end up with burned fingers, tea towels, dishcloths, etc.
Gas tends to be uneven and cause hot pan handles. Plus, as it heats the sides of pans, foods "bake on" inside the pan.
Halogen or other non-induction hob is more expensive to run, heats the kitchen, and is more likely to end up with burned fingers, tea towels, dishcloths, etc.
I sincerely doubt that a radiant electric plate is more efficient.
I'd accept that a well matched solid plate and induction will be closer than might initially appear. But the real world intervenes with pans which are not truly flat, or are not very close in size. In the way many people will turn a flat plate to full, see the pan get to boiling and not turn it down at the optimum point. In the large reservoir of remnant heat which exists in a solid plate when cooking has completed.
Further, in my experience of ceramic hobs, they are much slower to heat up themselves, and the pan. Leading to much longer start to finish cooking times and worse waste of energy.
Gas is a joke in terms of efficiency in itself. A huge amount of hot air and burned gas flows past the pan. It could only be regarded as a contender if taking into account the gas source to burner against whatever electricity generation to burner.
We actually noticed the electricity bill go down when we changed to induction.
Eddy currents are induced in any conductor - even non-ferromagnetic ones like aluminium.
One example is that a disc of aluminium is used as a brake in some large format printers. A coil near the disc induces currents, which induce magnetic fields, which react against the magnetic fields induced by the coil.
One example is that a disc of aluminium is used as a brake in some large format printers. A coil near the disc induces currents, which induce magnetic fields, which react against the magnetic fields induced by the coil.
One year, I had grown such a heavy crop of courgettes that I didn't know what on earth to do with them. Even my neighbours were sick of courgettes. So I put them through my electric vegetable juicer and used that instead of water to make delicious glowing green incredible hulk bread. It's Ph didn't impede yeast growth. I'm about to do the same for the insane number of pumpkins from this year's harvest, for nutritious orange loaves. I'll post a pic or two, when I feel overwhelmed by my 45 remaining pumpkins, and start frantically juicing them to make space.
We could ask Oyster if his sense of direction has markedly improved, since he started cooking on induction.
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The reality of my grey drab cold miserable life, is far less illuminated. Adding "Sadly" to the beginning of the preceding sentence would appear to be overkill, but 'tis not. Sometimes when I have a complicated task to complete, it's best to do so in one long session, lest I not notice which plates have stopped spinning on poles.
For versatility of cooking, IMHO you can't beat a gas hob - the only reason I went with a halogen hob were for reasons of efficiency, and pollution reduction in my home. If food sticks to your pots and pans, it's likely because your bases are too thin. Unfortunately, you have to spend a darn fortune to get even heat distribution, when cooking on gas. The American Metal Company (AMC) used to make hands down the best stainless steel cookware I have ever used. They're rare, and can only be bought used these days. They used to cost about 1.5k for a whole set:
AMC Stainless Steel Pan with Lid Heavy Duty Pot Vintage 79 | eBay
It is in good used condition. Height of the pan without lid is approx 13 cm. it weighs approx 2320 grams with the lid. See pictures for the state of the item.
www.ebay.co.uk
Usually if your cast iron skillet is used on the right sized gas hob, iron's high heat conductivity is such that there should be no hotspots. If there are, you've bought a skillet which is too thin.
Out of curiosity, I get a small standalone induction hob. Hope it doesn't heat up my fillings.
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I wonder how far strong magnetic fields extend? I'm thinking of effects on metal implants: pacemakers, plates in knees and wrists etc. A hot knee implant could singe clothing/ruin an ironed in trouser crease?
@oyster, do compass needles veer from magnetic North in close proximity to your pan bases?
I've never used an induction hob, but normal electric rings without a metal cover, and halogen are the only two types (apart from gas flames), which will make Kefir unflatbreads puff to unflat status rapidly enough. It is possible to make them using a cast iron skillet, but it takes more time, and you won't get that delicious toasted flavour. I suppose one could puff them up and then very swiftly toast them under a very hot grill, one side at a time. You'd start on a medium heated skillet, plonk your Kefir flatbread on top, wait till you saw small bubbles forming, then flip it over... the bubbles will become bigger and more numerous, then the first side again - at this point it wil start to inflate, as the bubbles join; then swiftly hot grill to a squashed football shape/full ball shape. But it would have to be at very hottest grill setting. I's so much faster using gas or halogen, and they taste even better.
I'm wading my way through this, to achieve the same:
The Curry Guy Bible: Recreate Over 200 Indian Restaurant and Takeaway Classics at Home: Amazon.co.uk: Dan Toombs: 9781787134638: Books
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Wherever I've lived, I've made a point of getting to know the front of staff at my local Indians well - well enough to gain access to querying some of the chefs. Occasionally they reveal a nugget or two, but how they make their base onion sauce remains an elusive mystery. Some chefs claim it cannot be made at home, citing the high temperatures required. Nonetheless, my quest continues. I guess telling me what I want to know, would lose them a customer. It's totally impossible to do the same in Chinese restaurants. I don't eat Malaysian or Thai food often enough to gain any intel from their chefs.
My self-restricted movement during this pandemic does seem to have made me rather more active in the kitchen than normal. It's absurd how much more time I spend experimenting with food. I've just eaten a load of deep fried pumpkin & onion bhajis. Gotta use up these pumpkins! I'll juice one later for a very orange soup...
BEHOLD! My pumpkin and onion bhajis! I added a bit of wheat protein (gluten), to make a more complete protein, because it's otherwise just chickpea flour. These will slip nicely into Kefir unflatbreads later, with some chilli sauce and lemon juice drizzled over the top, plus some salad. It's only these that remain from the batch I made earlier:
Afraid I simply cannot agree about gas hobs. With induction, you can heat at a lower setting than a gas hob even at its lowest setting. And, like gas, turn it up to full instantly.For versatility of cooking, IMHO you can't beat a gas hob - the only reason I went with a halogen hob were for reasons of efficiency, and pollution reduction in my home. If food sticks to your pots and pans, it's likely because your bases are too thin. Unfortunately, you have to spend a darn fortune to get even heat distribution, when cooking on gas. The American Metal Company (AMC) used to make hands down the best stainless steel cookware I have ever used. They're rare, and can only be bought used these days. They used to cost about 1.5k for a whole set:
AMC Stainless Steel Pan with Lid Heavy Duty Pot Vintage 79 | eBay
It is in good used condition. Height of the pan without lid is approx 13 cm. it weighs approx 2320 grams with the lid. See pictures for the state of the item.www.ebay.co.uk
Usually if your cast iron skillet is used on the right sized gas hob, iron's high heat conductivity is such that there should be no hotspots. If there are, you've bought a skillet which is too thin.
Out of curiosity, I get a small standalone induction hob. Hope it doesn't heat up my fillings.
Only a very few things are really more difficult/impossible - like charring the skin of a pepper.
My point about sticking was in respect of the way gas hobs heat the base and sides of a pan. Thus any contents, especially if it is gently simmering, forms a ring just above its surface. That ring firms up, hardens, even burns with longer cooking making it worse.
Also, even with decent pan bases, the dead centre of a pan tends to be cooler and the contents require more careful and dedicated stirring.
And, as already mentioned, hot handles are largely a thing of the past.
And cleaning is massively quicker and easier. You don't tend to have a very hot surface or the complexities of gas burners and the pan stands.
If cooking something inherently splashy and prone to problems, like jam or marmalade, you can stick a sheet of baking paper under the pan.
AMC products readily available still!
Product Overview
In the product overview you find all AMC products that accompany you throughout the entire cooking process. ➜ Discover more!
www.amc.info
I have never tried to use a compass near - indeed, not sure I have one other than as part of my phone.
Pacemakers are advised against.
I think plates are less likely to be an issue - though I would check properly regarding anything in my hands or wrists.
They tasted much nicer than they look!
It's all I can do to restrain myself from scoffing down these final four... But it does give me something to look forward to much later on.
There are never any hotpots with AMC pans, on any hob! Seriously - the best made pans on Earth! Nothing else compares. Nothing. And they last forever. And weigh a ton - AMC bases are roughly twice as heavy compared to the heaviest of other bases. Monstrously good pans! I'm always picking them off ebay...Afraid I simply cannot agree about gas hobs. With induction, you can heat at a lower setting than a gas hob even at its lowest setting. And, like gas, turn it up to full instantly.
Only a very few things are really more difficult/impossible - like charring the skin of a pepper.
My point about sticking was in respect of the way gas hobs heat the base and sides of a pan. Thus any contents, especially if it is gently simmering, forms a ring just above its surface. That ring firms up, hardens, even burns with longer cooking making it worse.
Also, even with decent pan bases, the dead centre of a pan tends to be cooler and the contents require more careful and dedicated stirring.
And, as already mentioned, hot handles are largely a thing of the past.
And cleaning is massively quicker and easier. You don't tend to have a very hot surface or the complexities of gas burners and the pan stands.
If cooking something inherently splashy and prone to problems, like jam or marmalade, you can stick a sheet of baking paper under the pan.
AMC products readily available still!
Product Overview
In the product overview you find all AMC products that accompany you throughout the entire cooking process. ➜ Discover more!
Lol - AMC don't even quote prices! Must now be in the "If you have to ask, you can't afford it", category. Home demos like that are for a high-commitment buys, perhaps they'll want a share of equity in your home or something. They last forever anyway, best bought on ebay.Afraid I simply cannot agree about gas hobs. With induction, you can heat at a lower setting than a gas hob even at its lowest setting. And, like gas, turn it up to full instantly.
Only a very few things are really more difficult/impossible - like charring the skin of a pepper.
My point about sticking was in respect of the way gas hobs heat the base and sides of a pan. Thus any contents, especially if it is gently simmering, forms a ring just above its surface. That ring firms up, hardens, even burns with longer cooking making it worse.
Also, even with decent pan bases, the dead centre of a pan tends to be cooler and the contents require more careful and dedicated stirring.
And, as already mentioned, hot handles are largely a thing of the past.
And cleaning is massively quicker and easier. You don't tend to have a very hot surface or the complexities of gas burners and the pan stands.
If cooking something inherently splashy and prone to problems, like jam or marmalade, you can stick a sheet of baking paper under the pan.
AMC products readily available still!
Product Overview
In the product overview you find all AMC products that accompany you throughout the entire cooking process. ➜ Discover more!