

The first time I came across an induction stovetop was during a Thai cooking class. The chef was just beginning her demonstration when she couldn’t stop talking about how great induction cooktops were and that she had also recently had one installed at home.
I peered at the elements that looked sleek and worlds away from the other electric cooktops I’d previously used. There were no bulging elements, just a clean and clear ceramic glass surface with faint circles marked on it.
The two biggest benefits, the chef explained, were that they heat up fast so they save you time, and are safer to use.

I turned it on with a swipe of my finger across the numbers, indicating the temperature level and after testing it first hand, it was easy to see why they are becoming so popular, particularly among those of us who are time poor and just need things to be done now.
But what exactly is the difference between an induction cooktop and other electric cooktops? And did you know you can't use the same pots and pans on induction that you might use on a traditional stovetop?
Here's what you need to know about induction cooking and whether it's right for you:
What is induction cooking and how does it work?
An induction cooktop is a type of electric cooktop. Under the ceramic glass surface of an induction cooktop are electromagnetic coils that transfer energy directly into metal objects. What this means is induction cooktops heat the cookware directly.
This is different to other types of electric cooktops, such as coil or smooth top that heat up before heating the utensil you place on top of them.