Induction hob, gas hob or ceramic hob

If you are going to upgrade or equip your kitchen with a brand-new stove, choosing from the many options of stoves and hobs in the marketplace can be very daunting. There are several things to consider when choosing between a conventional conduction stove or a more contemporary option – an induction cooktop. A comparison infographic between induction, gas, and ceramic hobs compare some of the benefits for considerations.

But first, let’s take a look at what these cooktops are.

What is an induction cooktop?

Induction stoves come with a smooth flat cooking surface which is usually made of ceramic glass. However, unlike what you may already know about traditional stoves, an induction cooktop triggers your pots and pans to heat themselves directly rather than providing an external heat source to the cookware. You’re probably wondering how this works.

Here’s the explanation. Induction cooking heats a cooking vessel by electrical induction, instead of by thermal conduction from a flame, or an electrical heating element. Heat is coming from within the pan, making this method of cooking a lot more efficient.

There’s no cause for alarm there. Even if you’re are worried about electric shocks, rest assured – induction cooking is perfectly safe. The generated electrical currents are limited to your cookware’s base and are just strong enough to heat it. Therefore, now you can be worry free about burn wounds while cooking with an induction stove, and induction stoves are actually the safest option available.

Safety is just one of the many advantages of induction stoves. It is safe to touch, since it’s the cookware itself that gets heated, not the cooktop, making it quick to cook down and easy to clean as well.

Moreover, since induction cooktops are more energy efficient than ceramic heating or gas because heat isn’t lost in the transferring process, which ultimately translates to energy and cost-saving.

Check out some of our built-in induction hobs:

>>> Read more: Find some helpful tutorials about Electrolux induction hobs here

What is a gas stove?

Gas stoves are probably the most familiar among cooking appliances. The stoves burn gas to create a flame ring that heats the cookware. They always come with burner structures to keep pots and pans stable during cooking.

You can easily control the flame by rotating a simple knob attached to the body of the stove. The heating level is more visible to users in gas cooking, but you have to wait for the heat to reach the expected temperature.

Because the source of heat is an open flame, the energy loss when using gas stoves is significant. It also makes both cookware and the hob very hot during and long after cooking.


>>> Read more: How to clean a gas stove

Check out our built-in gas stoves:

What is a ceramic hob?

The ceramic hob, also known as radiant hob, is one type of electric stove and has been around for a while. It has a similar look to induction hobs because of the ceramic glass surface. However, the operating principle is very different.

Passing electricity through an electric coil placed under the ceramic cooktop heats the coil, providing heat for cooking. The heat is generated from the heated elements through the surface ceramic glass to the cookware. It does not waste as much energy to the air as gas cooking.

However, the hob does get heated, and the cooking zone on the surface becomes extremely hot. Electrolux ceramic hobs come with the Residual Heat Indicator to remind the users not to touch a hot cooking zone until the hob surface has cooled down to a temperature that is not harmful to touch.

If you want to know more about some Electrolux ceramic hobs, check out the following models: