The problem with determining any kind of “best buy” is that it really all boils down to what is important to you. That is truly all it boils down to because at the end of the day, “the best” is just an opinion. What you think may be the best might be a flat-out horrible option to somebody else and vice versa. Who is to say, right?
At the end of the day, it may all boil down to your opinion. Well, it is not really that simple because if that was the case, then everybody’s choices would make a lot of sense. If buying the right induction range for your home simply just boils down to how you are feeling a certain day, then it is going to be very difficult for you to make a wrong choice. As you already probably know, this is absolutely inaccurate because if you are like most other consumers, you realize that you have made one incorrect choice after the other.
There is more that goes on here besides subjectivity. You need to define “the best” based on what makes sense in your particular set of circumstances. In other words, you need to use a fact-based decision-making process instead of just going by reputation, brand awareness or social media recommendations.
So, how exactly do you determine the best buy induction range for your own home? Here are the steps that I follow. If any of these makes sense to you, by all means, follow them. If they do not, or if they are a little off, try to adjust them or modify them so that they fit your particular personal needs.
Be Clear about Your Needs
Invest a few minutes in asking yourself what exact benefits do you need from an induction range. A little bit of clear thinking can go a long way in helping you find the right model and also helping you avoid making expensive mistakes.
To get a clear idea about your needs, go through your normal cookware activities. What kind of dishes does your household normally cook? What kind of heat is required by these dishes? Do you need fast turnover or are your meals basically one dish meals? Do you have time to soak your cookware prior to cleaning them? Do you prefer cookware you can quickly clean just by running them under cold running water? What kind of surface preferences do you have? Do you have any?
Keep the questions above in mind when determining your needs. You just might be surprised about your actual needs.
Be Clear about Your Budget
Money is extremely important. If you are like most other American consumers, you probably have less money than you assumed. Be clear about how much money you can invest in a new induction range. Be as realistic as you can. Do not make any unrealistic or naïve, forward projections. Focus on how things exist as far as your finances go.
Understand Your Timeline
Ask yourself, “if I buy this item, what are the chances that I will be upgrading it sooner rather than later?” You might be shocked at the answer. Maybe you have a promotion coming. Perhaps you are applying to another job that involves traveling. Whatever the case may be, there might be an upgrade in the future so understand your timeline for you to pick the right induction range. You might be better off buying a “placeholder model” now knowing full well that you will be upgrading fairly soon.
Space is Important
This should go without saying, but a lot of people tend to rush through their buying decisions. You need to make sure that you have a space in mind for your induction cooktop. Is it going to be a permanent space or are you going to be putting away the cooktop after you use it? This is a very important consideration.
Focus on Your Upgrade Horizon
How quickly will you be upgrading and into what kind of unit will you be upgrading to? While it is important to understand your usage timeline, it is also vital to plan ahead as far as what your upgrade requirements are.
Find an Economical Unit
By economical, I am not just talking about saving a few bucks on the actual price of the unit. You have to look at the big picture. You also have to look at the total cost of ownership. Yes, I am talking about your monthly electric bills. Look at how much you can save by comparing different induction units and their total monthly energy requirements based on average use.
Easy Maintenance
While it is very easy to see that induction cooktops are easy to wipe down and clean, some models are easier to clean than others. Pay attention to this difference if you do not want to burn through unnecessarily a lot of elbow grease.
Portable Enough
Looking at the portable unit, see if it can be taken out and transported with as little drama as possible. This is definitely a plus if you see yourself moving from place to place or moving from job to job.
Must be a Solid Keeper of the “Magnetic Flame”
Basically, there is no actual flame involved. What I am talking about in terms of magnetic flame is that the device heats up quickly and evenly. These two factors ensure that the heat is evenly spread out and cooks your foot sooner rather than later.
Multiple Heat Settings are a Must
Multiple heat settings are really time savers. You do not want to fool around with the controls if you just want to boil an egg. You do not want to mess around with the controls when you simply want to fry some Spam. Thankfully, there are many induction ranges that have these heat settings set up by default. In fact, some of them even have nice-looking icons. You just click on the icon, and the induction cooktop will start to cook at the right temperature.
