The FastDay Forum

[wildmissus]

We are planning a new kitchen. One of the kitchen designer people told us that gas regulations have changed and that if you want wall cupboards and a gas hob you need to leave more space meaning narrower wall cupboards either side of the hob. He told us that induction hobs are the way forward.

Here are my thoughts =

Induction Hob
does the glass crack/scratch easily?
we need to run a new cable from/to the fuse box
when a pan boils over the hob shuts off?
easy to clean

Gas Hob
we already have gas
we are familiar on its use
it's fiddly to clean the hob but I'm used to that

Anyone got any thoughts?

[carorees]

My best friend has an induction hob and loves it. You can only use steel pans on it so she had to buy all new pans...not sure if that's a benefit or a disadvantage!

Hi wildmissus. We put in an induction hob when we fitted our new kitchen 3 years ago. The glass still looks very good - like new - but you do have to be careful not to drag pans across it. It is incredibly quick and very controllable. We have got a Neff one. I had foolishly though that my beautiful stainless steel pans would work on it tho but they didn't. Fortunately the hob came with a set but have had to buy a new wok and a pressure cooker. My cast iron griddle pans do work on it tho. I never thought I would convert from gas to induction but I wouldn't want to go back. It took a bit of getting used to. My hob does switch off if anything boils over. Mine has a clean setting so it switches off whilst you wipe down the spill and then resumes when you press the button again. It is so easy to clean. No more scrubbing. Mine also has a keep warm function which I use a lot.

Can't help you there as we have an AGA but from choice I would have a gas hob but that said, I did like my old ceramic hob, looked good and was easy to clean. Good luck with your new kitchen and hope we see some piccies of it sometime,

Ballerina x

My mother in law has induction and it terrifies me a bit - I hardly dare clean it in case I scratch it and yes you need to get used to it. I am much more at home with gas (although hardly the most eco-friendly - but then what is apart from raw food!?) but that's maybe just because that's what I'm used to. My grandma now has induction though and she doesn't like change so it must be ok to get used to!

I would love to have a new kitchen of my very own choosing but it's a bit lower down our priority list at the moment (the disintegrating bathroom is the most urgent) but one day... one day.... Enjoy all the exciting choices!

[Tracieknits]

I've no interest in induction. I am not about to change my cookware or my methods. Besides, you can't do things like char an eggplant on an induction hob! How would I make a proper Baignan Bharta without a gas stove?

We're building a house and I'm putting in gas. If I had to use bottled gas I would probably go with an induction cooktop.

We've just had a new kitchen and opted for gas again. Having said that we decided not to have wall units and only have the cooker hood to worry about. Not much help really, but it's a Bosch hob and is fab

Gas - 100% - way better control when cooking - I had an induction I hated it - had to use special cleaner it did get scratched, horrible to clean (I'm a messy cook). What do u think they use in commercial kitchens? Gas!

After years of gas I had an induction hob fitted 3 years ago and insisted on having a gas ring as well. Now I never use it. The induction hob is quick very easily controlled and a doddle to keep clean. I also think it is safer as the hob recognizes when there is no pan there and switches that ring off.

Induction for me please. Have been using it for nearly 8 years and I will never go back to any of the other old methods. It is extremely easy to clean. I use Clorox wipes, and it is so fast that every time I am in another house and need to cook or boil water I feel that I'm back in the Stone Age. My only concern is that it does expose you to electromagnetic radiation, of whichI'm not sure about the long term effects but I think I can live with that

I vote for a glass cooktop (now that I've figured out what a hob is). I have gas now (off a propane tank) and it scares me at times; like when the tank valve was leaking, or when wind blows down the oven vent and the burners flicker all over; or like today, when a burner's center ring was off by a bit and the flame shot way out at me. Hey, houses explode occasionally. I've had 2 glass induction cooktops in other homes and had no problem with scratching or cleaning (it's a lot easier) or pans or heating time; . When we remodel, the gas stove is going out.

My Mum has induction, was put in in the mid 80s and STILL going strong nearly 30 years later, no scratches and I always loved cooking on it.

I have had gas for years now, and I kept thinking how I'd like to get induction. So much easier to clean, and so much easier to do a very low simmer, and very economical. Then I had 6 months in a rental with one, and have since decided that we'll stick to gas. I'm now used to cooking with gas, and love its immediacy.

[janeg]

I have used both gas and induction and favour gas every time.
There is no way that induction is a s quick or controllable as gas, in my opinion.
Although I do tend to use the present induction hob (which I HATE, HATE,HATE ) as a worksurface with no ill effects.
Used bottled gas in Shetland and it was as easy and effective as North Sea piped gas, so no excuse not to use gas really.
Except I can;t here in the sandpit in a rented flat...

When we were deciding I spent a couple of hours at a friends house having a play on her induction hob. I was convinced I would still want gas having always used one but was converted on the spot. I think the new induction jobs are a lot more responsive than they used to be. In the kitchen showroom they did a direct comparison of a gas and induction bringing one pint of water to the boil. The induction was much quicker. It convinced me!