As with everything that affects the palate, the debate is endless: What is the best cuisine for your dishes? The answer depends on your preferences and your lifestyle. Cook as you live, live as kitchens.
It is perfectly possible to cook, spending very little energy.
What is not so easy is to agree with the defenders of the gas (they argue that the hot heat is what gives flavor) with the fans of the induction (they answer that hygiene is the first thing), and the followers of the ceramic hob (they say that nobody lives more comfortably than they do).
The controversy is served at all levels, from the great chefs who advocate (and advertise on TV) one or the other system to ordinary people who want to cook the same way they live.
Or live the same way they cook? In any case, the answer is reasonable.
Induction, Gas, or Ceramic Cooktop?
The truth is that each option has its pros and cons, so the idea is to choose one or the other depending on the use we will give and, above all, our priorities in kitchen design… and life.
Induction: Energy Efficient, Clean and Fast
An induction cooker could present itself as an express chef: Â today, there is nothing faster and more modern to dispatch the dishes.
Although they look like a ceramic hob (glazed or ceramic surface) at first glance, the magic is inside.
They turn on and do not heat up. You put your hand on it, and you don’t burn.
The explanation is the electromagnetic waves that heat the vessel (instead of the classic electrical resistors).
An induction cooktop works because it magnetizes the material of the container.
For this to happen, the induction uses specific containers: Â saucepans, casseroles, pots, and pans that must have magnetic materials in their composition (iron, cobalt, or nickel, mainly).
These materials, when magnetized, are agitated, and the energy is released as heat.
In favor:
It cooks faster: Â about twice as much as a standard ceramic hob. The water boils before, and your dishes are ready right away, something that some chefs value very much.
They are very safe: Â if children are around the house, induction gives you the peace of mind that they will not be burned no matter how hard they try.
The food does not stick: Â since the heat does not come from the fire towards the surface of the container, you will not be able to attach the rice, and you will say goodbye to the charred food that is so difficult to clean.
You will also say goodbye to the food that fell on the hob and was petrified there.
They are the most efficient: Â above gas and hob.
Against:
They can only be used with some containers, specifically those that include magnetizable materials (most metals, stainless steel, and enamels).
Pots and pans of aluminum, terracotta, ceramic, or copper will not work with induction. They will not heat up.
They are expensive: Â approximately double their surface area and potency equivalent to glass-ceramic plates.
“Induction is for cooks who prioritize speed and safety, as well as efficiency at the service of the palate.”
Vitroceramics: Simple and Functional
A ceramic cooker is adapted to their times, which is not complicated.
He does not want to run or fall behind and understands cooking as a functional and simple activity:Â preparing food quickly.
Ceramic hobs have been on the market for a few years now.
When they left, they caused a furor among consumers and also inaugurated the controversy we are discussing: do you lose a lot of cooking when you say goodbye to the flame?
If the gas is banished, the fire is banished, and chefs invoke ancient traditions to discourage this change.
As much as it costs to accept it, it is a matter of taste in the end. Do you know better what is cooked with flame? Who can decide? We do not.
We know that the hob gives great freedom when cooking: Â any container can be used, it is fast, there is no possibility of gas leaks, and they are an exciting option regarding energy efficiency.
In favor:
Any container can be used: it’s a great point of strength concerning induction.
You do not have to complicate your life by choosing pots, and a stew or a stew may retain its flavor better if it remains in a clay container.
They retain residual heat: Â although they do not reach the levels of induction efficiency, this makes them an efficient kitchen that will save you and respect the environment.
They are relatively cheap: you will spend approximately half to acquire a standard ceramic hob compared to induction.
Against:
Cleaning can be complicated: Â what falls on the plate will be charred and must be cleaned.
The food at the bottom of the containers may stick if we have heat and/or lack liquid (water, oil) in the mixture.
In addition, a ceramic hob requires moderate maintenance (periodic cleaning with specific products) to keep it in good condition and not scratch.
It is not the safest: Â gas leaks are discarded, but the plate burns while active and also for a while after being turned off.
If children are nearby, it is prudent to use the safety measures that most models incorporate (controls that can be locked and alarm lights that remain lit while the board is hot).
“The ceramic hob is for people who don’t get complicated and understand cooking as a simple and functional activity.”
Gas: The Gastronomic Option
There is no doubt that a gas cooker is the only one of the three options that allow cooking with fire, as it has been for centuries and since the beginning of time.
According to most professional chefs, it is impossible to achieve the flavor and texture that is achieved with fire in some recipes.
This explains why it is the option chosen in many restaurants.
A gas cook is a chef, or an aspiring chef, who refuses to give up the fire in favor of modernity.
At the palate level, the possibility of the gas providing a very high heat output from the first second after ignition seems crucial.
In favor:
The favorite of professionals: Â with or without a scientific basis, the reality is that most chefs praise gas as the best way to preserve flavors and textures.
It admits all types of utensils, although it is necessary to consider that some of them, depending on their structure, could suffer burns or damage.
Against:
It is not the safest: in addition to the apparent dangers of fire, it is essential to have a gas installation that is checked periodically.
Complicated cleaning is not the most practical and quick-to-clean kitchen.
“Gas cooking is preferred by professional chefs and is used in most restaurants.”
What is the best rate for cooking?
The previous debate leads us to another question: what rate of electricity or gas suits you for cooking?
There are many options in the market, some of which allow you to customize your rate to facilitate situations such that the energy goes out for free during the hours you cook more.
Check our catalog and choose the rate that suits your needs: