Some home chefs say that induction cooktops and ranges are the wave of the future, offering a safer and more energy-efficient way of cooking. An induction cooktop is a special type of electric cooktop. It generates energy from an electromagnetic field below the glass cooktop surface, which then transfers current directly to magnetic cookware, causing it to heat up.
Induction cooktops and induction ranges generally outperform every other kind in Consumer Reports’ tests. In fact, every induction cooktop and induction range tested through our range lab delivers fast cooktop heat and superb simmering. What’s more, if you buy a new induction cooktop or range, you may be eligible for financial incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
In this article
- What Is Induction?
- Induction Ranges and Cooktops: Pros Cons
- Best Induction Ranges Cooktops
What Induction Is—and What It Isn’t
Induction cooktops and ranges look and function a lot like typical glass-top electric models, except that they cook via a magnetic field. On most 30-inch induction cooktops, the field is concentrated into four spots (or elements).
As for the ovens in induction ranges, they broil and bake just as other electric ovens do, but their capabilities differ from model to model. High-end options might have features like convection, WiFi connectivity, and even in-oven cameras so that you can monitor whatever you’re baking with a smartphone. Entry-level options will have many of the same features you’d find on regular electrics, like storage or warming drawers, adjustable racks, and a self-cleaning mode.
To learn more about induction, see our cooktop and range buying guides. Our ratings of induction cooktops and ranges highlight each appliance’s performance and specifications.
Induction Cooktops and Ranges: The Pros
There are plenty of things to love about induction ranges, whether you’re obsessed with perfectly prepped food or interested in energy efficiency. Here’s how they compare with gas and conventional electric ranges.
They’re more environmentally friendly. Induction stoves are up to 10 percent more energy-efficient than conventional electric smooth-top stoves and about three times more efficient than gas stoves. And compared with gas, they’re better for indoor air quality.
More on Induction Cooktops and Ranges
CR's Guide to Induction Cooking
Best Induction Cooktops of the Year
Best Cookware for Induction Cooktops
Best Induction Ranges of the Year
They have a built-in safety feature. If you turn on an induction burner with no pot on it by mistake, it won’t get hot. That’s because the heat is created from within the cookware itself; as soon as you remove it from a burner, that heating stops. So the glass surface never gets as hot as it would on a traditional radiant electric range, and you’re not at risk of burning yourself if you touch it. That surface might merely feel hot in the way a kitchen counter feels hot if you put a pot of just-cooked soup on it.
Food cooks faster. No other cooking technology we’ve tested is speedier than induction. It cuts out the intermediate step of heating up an element and then transferring the heat to the pot. Compared with electric or gas, it cooks more quickly when you turn up the heat and responds faster when you dial it back down. You’ll find that 6 quarts of water will approach a boil 2 to 4 minutes sooner than on a gas or electric stove, which can definitely be helpful when you’re making dinner on a busy weeknight.
Cooking is easier. With heat generating from within your pot or pan, induction ranges cook more precisely and evenly. That means no more simmering sauces that break into a splattering boil or chicken thighs that emerge from the pan scorched.
They’re easier to clean. Like other smoothtop electrics, induction surfaces are easy to wipe down.
@consumerreports When it comes to our tests, induction ranges are tough to beat. See ratings and reviews at CR.org/ranges. #kitchentok #kitchentiktok #cooktop
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Induction Cooktops and Ranges: The Cons
Before you shop for an induction cooktop or range, consider your budget and your cooking habits. Here’s what you need to know.
Induction cooking feels very different from cooking with gas. Some avid cooks really love cooking on a flame and the immediate visual feedback they get from it at the turn of a knob. No electric option, even induction, can replicate that feel. In fact, because the electromagnetic field on an induction cooktop doesn’t create a glow, you won’t even know it’s on. That’s why manufacturers have started adding virtual flames and other lighting cues.
It can get expensive when you convert from gas to electric. If you’re replacing an electric range, the swap is simple. Induction cooktops and ranges use the same outlet as a standard electric range or cooktop. But if you’re switching from gas, expect to pay an electrician several hundred dollars or more to install the necessary outlet.
You need the right cookware. While most of the cookware in our ratings is induction-compatible, some pans—including those made of aluminum and anodized aluminum—won’t work on induction. Most others, including stainless steel and cast iron, will. If you’re shopping for cookware for induction cooktops, look for pots and pans marked “induction-compatible.” To determine whether your existing arsenal of cookware will work with an induction range, see whether a magnet strongly sticks to the bottom of your pots. If it does, they’ll work on an induction burner.
It might emit a sound. “A buzz or hum is common, and often louder at higher settings,” says Tara Casaregola, who oversees the testing of ranges and cooktops at Consumer Reports. “And we often hear the clicking of element electronics at lower settings, as well as the sound of the cooling fan for the electronics.” Heavy flat-bottomed pans help reduce the vibrations that cause this buzz.
You may need an analog thermometer. The magnetic field of an induction cooktop can interfere with a digital meat thermometer.
Induction cooktops and ranges are typically more expensive than conventional electric models. But prices have continued to drop in recent years despite inflation, with a recommended induction range in our ratings selling for about $1,200. And buying a new induction cooktop or range may make you eligible for rebates because of the Inflation Reduction Act.
To learn more about induction, see our cooktop and range buying guides. CR members can also browse our full list of ratings for induction cooktops and ranges. Here, we’ve highlighted two of the best induction ranges in our ratings, as well as the best 30-inch and 36-inch induction cooktops.
Best Induction Ranges
An induction range is best for kitchens with limited space because it packs a cooktop and oven into a single appliance. Here are two standout models from our ratings.
Best Induction Cooktops
If you have the space, a cooktop (along with a wall oven that you buy separately) can be a nice way to break up cooking areas in your kitchen. The two cooktops below are exceptional performers from our tests.
Paul Hope
Paul Hope is a senior multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports and a trained chef. He covers ranges, cooktops, and wall ovens, as well as grills, drills, outdoor power tools, decking, and wood stains. Before joining CR in 2016, he tested kitchen products at Good Housekeeping and covered tools and remodeling for This Old House magazine. You’ll typically find him in his old fixer-upper, engrossed in a DIY project or trying out a new recipe.
