One of the most important things I do with my gas stoves is when adjusting the temperature I look at the flame. The knob is numbered from 1 to 10 but it seems there are near infinite settings between each number. I would estimate that I actually set it to hundredths of a digit, though it’s the flame height that I’m adjusting. I paid about $400 for the stove new about 20 years ago, it has 5 burners and an oven.
A relative has a electric stove, it has a similar set of numbers on each knob, but it’s manufactured so that the knob clicks into place on each number. There’s no ability to set it to 5.5, or 5.45, it’s either 5 or 6. It has 4 burners and no oven. I don’t know how much it cost, but I know I would not enjoy learning to use it. The heat is delayed, you set the knob and wait for several minutes for the burner to heat up.
Not long ago online someone online recommended a Breville “control freak” induction stove. It looks like it might actually be able to replace the controlability of the gas stove’s flame height with an intelligent electronic control. One burner costs roughly $1500. If I wanted 4 burners then I’d be looking at $6,000.
I’d love to have an electric induction stove, but I just can’t afford that upscale price. Alternatively, an electric stove like my relative has would never be a product I would choose to use.
The slow response stove you mention is a radiant electric stove, induction is much more instant action, and finding one with reasonable knobs is easy these days. (It’s also easy to find ones with digital controls that would confuse more people than it’s worth)
Induction works almost exactly like a wireless phone charger, except that the power (as heat) instead goes directly into your pan’s bottom.
We recently did the change to induction here, and the only thing I miss from my gas burner is my non stick pan that was aluminum. I did need to buy a few other replacements, but I haven’t found a non stick 12" in a store that I can make chili cheesy Mac in. (The tomato base eats the carbon steel seasoning, and I don’t want to spend a bunch on a pan that is delicate)
You can still get those pretty cheap. Even before my induction stove was delivered I bought a reasonably priced set of non-stick skillets. Yes they’re aluminum, but with a steel disk in the base. I don’t remember the price, but it was by far the cheapest of my cookware.
FWIW, I don’t use non-stick anymore but I don’t want other people to mess up my cast iron of stainless
Wow, yeah, that’s expensive for what it is. I have the tfal but for the price Costco had them, it never occurred to me they might be a high end model. I would not pay the prices I see online now. Unfortunately it was not a regular item at Costco and they soon left
And you’ve upgraded the lid knob on all of them! (Mine had a plastic knob, I bought a replacement)
I’ve got a… Collection? Of Pots and pans, I just want a cheap Teflon pan for a few recipes, And when I don’t want to train house guests on seasoned pans.
I will have to train said house guests to not use high heat though, 3700w cooks. (We had a cheap, low performing gas stove, so this is a huge upgrade)
I will say, I had the opportunity to switch to induction and I’ll never look back. You can boil water faster than in a microwave. Not even kidding.
The trick is that it turns your entire pan into the burner. Similarly to how gas flames can surround the pan.
One of the most important things I do with my gas stoves is when adjusting the temperature I look at the flame. The knob is numbered from 1 to 10 but it seems there are near infinite settings between each number. I would estimate that I actually set it to hundredths of a digit, though it’s the flame height that I’m adjusting. I paid about $400 for the stove new about 20 years ago, it has 5 burners and an oven.
A relative has a electric stove, it has a similar set of numbers on each knob, but it’s manufactured so that the knob clicks into place on each number. There’s no ability to set it to 5.5, or 5.45, it’s either 5 or 6. It has 4 burners and no oven. I don’t know how much it cost, but I know I would not enjoy learning to use it. The heat is delayed, you set the knob and wait for several minutes for the burner to heat up.
Not long ago online someone online recommended a Breville “control freak” induction stove. It looks like it might actually be able to replace the controlability of the gas stove’s flame height with an intelligent electronic control. One burner costs roughly $1500. If I wanted 4 burners then I’d be looking at $6,000.
I’d love to have an electric induction stove, but I just can’t afford that upscale price. Alternatively, an electric stove like my relative has would never be a product I would choose to use.
The slow response stove you mention is a radiant electric stove, induction is much more instant action, and finding one with reasonable knobs is easy these days. (It’s also easy to find ones with digital controls that would confuse more people than it’s worth)
Induction works almost exactly like a wireless phone charger, except that the power (as heat) instead goes directly into your pan’s bottom.
We recently did the change to induction here, and the only thing I miss from my gas burner is my non stick pan that was aluminum. I did need to buy a few other replacements, but I haven’t found a non stick 12" in a store that I can make chili cheesy Mac in. (The tomato base eats the carbon steel seasoning, and I don’t want to spend a bunch on a pan that is delicate)
Some day though.
You can still get those pretty cheap. Even before my induction stove was delivered I bought a reasonably priced set of non-stick skillets. Yes they’re aluminum, but with a steel disk in the base. I don’t remember the price, but it was by far the cheapest of my cookware.
FWIW, I don’t use non-stick anymore but I don’t want other people to mess up my cast iron of stainless
Yeah, I’ve not found one at local places idly looking, tfal for instance has made their induction ready ones only on their higher end pans.
Wow, yeah, that’s expensive for what it is. I have the tfal but for the price Costco had them, it never occurred to me they might be a high end model. I would not pay the prices I see online now. Unfortunately it was not a regular item at Costco and they soon left
Enameled cast iron, but I may be biased. ;)
And you’ve upgraded the lid knob on all of them! (Mine had a plastic knob, I bought a replacement)
I’ve got a… Collection? Of Pots and pans, I just want a cheap Teflon pan for a few recipes, And when I don’t want to train house guests on seasoned pans.
I will have to train said house guests to not use high heat though, 3700w cooks. (We had a cheap, low performing gas stove, so this is a huge upgrade)
Except the loop knob on the one in the middle. That was the one that started all this, inherited from my grandmother. It’s from the 1950s(!)