You have to be very careful when you think of questions to ask when you go out shopping. Depending on the question you ask, you might end up with the wrong products. One of the worst ways to shop for anything is simply to look for “the best.” That is like trying to write on water. I hope you can see how frustrating that would be.
You see, when you say that you are looking for “the best” product you are basically looking for something that is very subjective. What is the best for somebody else might not make a whole lot of sense to you. This should be fairly straight-forward because you are two totally different people with very diverse sets of circumstances all these differences add up to a huge difference in terms of your needs. When you are looking for any kind of product or service you are looking to meet a need. Are you with me so far?
This is why it is really important to ask the right questions when it comes to shopping. While it is perfectly natural to ask, “What are the best induction cooktops?” you need to make sure that you define “the best” as objectively as possible. You have to try to read out all the subjectivity out of that term. This increases the likelihood that you would be able to tell effectively which induction cooktops are worth buying.
A Quick Background
Induction cooktops are cooking devices that do not use an open flame or any kind of open heat. Instead, it uses magnetic oscillation to create heat within the cookware itself. In other words, if you put a pot or a pan on an induction surface, the electric current from the induction surface heats up the pot or pan. You can actually take off the pot or pan from the surface and after a few seconds put your hand on it and you will not get burned. All the action takes place at the bottom of the metal cookware. Pretty neat right?
As awesome as this technology is, there are many induction cooktops out there that may not be worth the money. This is why you really have to make sure that you are looking for objective standards when trying to figure out which induction cooktops are worth buying. Pay attention to the following objective parameters or criteria:
Proper Heat
The best induction cooktops have a high heating capacity. They are able to heat up very quickly; this makes them truly efficient; you save a lot of electricity. You are also assured that the heat goes to the right place. In addition, this can mean that water is boiled very quickly. Whether you are cooking pasta or soups or any kind of stew, a quick water boiling setting can go a long way.
Even Heat Distribution
The best induction cooktops spread out the heat evenly. This is very important. You do not want a cooktop that has a very spotty or uneven heat distribution. Your food might take a bit longer to cook; this leads to you wasting a lot of time, effort and energy.
Pan Sensors
The more sensitive the sensors the more energy you save. This is very important because the moment you take cookware off the surface, the cookware stops working. In other words, you are not cranking out electricity and you are now wasting energy. Is that not awesome? This, of course, turns on how sensitive the cooktop’s sensors are. The more reactive the pan sensors the better the cooktop range you are looking at.
Overheat Prevention
This feature works very closely with the pan sensors. If you have the right set of sensors, there is a very, very little chance that your unit will overheat. This is very important because you want to make sure that the energy that you use up for your induction cooktop is used up properly. In other words, you are looking for maximum efficiency, which leads to less energy input. This is a crucial component of what makes for the best induction cooktops.
Easy Intuitive Controls
When you are looking at the controls, they must be very simple to figure out. There must be an LED. There must be no guess work involved. By simply pressing the right icon, the cooktop should be able to do what you need it to do. Steer clear of cooktops that have a lot of guess work or require a lot of detective work.
Easy Maintenance
You are looking for something that is very easy to maintain. What I mean by that is you just need to get a damp cloth and wipe down the surface. That is all you need to do for a high-quality induction cooktop. Even if you spill sauce on the surface, it must be very easy to remove. This is very important because different surfaces have various materials, and this can impact how easy or hard it is to clean those surfaces up.
Temperature Versatility
It is also worth noting that high-quality induction cooktops have multiple temperature settings. This is very important because you are going to be cooking many different types of dishes on that surface. These dishes require varying degrees of heat. The more temperature versatility the cooktop offers, the greater value you get out of the unit.
Great Form Factor
Depending on your kitchen space, you need to look for a form factor that is versatile enough. In other words, you can move around the cooktop and would still look great in your kitchen. Not all models deliver this feature. A lot of models seem really clunky or bulky. Look for a great form factor. The more modern-looking the cooktop, the better it would appear in your kitchen. Of course, you also have to pay attention to the other features listed here.
Energy Efficiency
This goes without saying. If you paid close attention to all the other features I have listed above, energy efficiency comes with a territory. If the cookware has a highly effective and sensitive sensor system, you will save quite a bit of energy. It is really important to insist on energy efficiency. Look at the efficiency rating on the appliance and compare it with other similar appliances.
Additional Features
Look for a child lock. Look for other safety features that meet your actual needs. It is really important to make sure that you get maximum value for your hard-earned dollars. That is how you know you are looking at the best induction cooktops.
