30 Jul HOW MUCH DOES AN INDUCTION HOB CONSUME?

In recent years, more and more families have chosen to give up gas to move towards electricity in order to reduce consumption and limit emissions that are harmful to the environment.

Among the most popular solutions, induction hobs represent an optimal choice in economic terms but also in terms of practicality and safety as they use electricity and, by cooking without the use of a flame, limit domestic accidents.

However, the concern for consumption makes the induction hob less convenient than methane gas, although its energy efficiency, equal to 90%, makes it a particularly efficient system.

Before analyzing in detail the advantages and understanding how much an induction hob consumes, let's try to understand how it works.

Induction hob: what it is and how it works

Before going into the details of the operation of the induction hob it may be useful to understand what are the differences between the different electric, radiant, or halogen cooking systems.

The radiant hob is equipped with electrical resistance, placed under a double-glazed surface, therefore the heat that is generated is able to heat the hob first and then the pots by the principle of transmission.

The halogen hobs work in a similar way to the radiant ones with the only difference in the resistance, instead of which they use an infrared lamp to generate heat for cooking.

The induction hob, unlike the previous systems, does not produce heat but heats the pots through a magnetic field generated by coils that are powered by electricity.

The heat produced below the fiberglass surface radiates directly onto the pots without heat loss, ensuring the induction hob has a much higher energy yield than the radiant and halogen hobs, whose thermal efficiency is 45% -60%.

The induction cooking system is, therefore, the most efficient and modern one, as long as you use suitable pots, which must have a completely flat bottom and be made of ferrous material.

The bottom must also be magnetic to ensure perfect operation with the induction system.

To check it, it will be sufficient to use a magnet to bring it close to the bottom of the pot, which will be recognized as suitable for the induction hob only if the magnet adheres perfectly to it.

Alternatively, it is possible to purchase adapter discs that ensure the use of the induction cooker on any type of pot.

How much does an induction hob consume: electrical power and costs

Beyond the efficiency and practicality offered by the induction cooking system, this type of hob has encountered quite a few reticence in Italy due to the very high electrical power absorbed by the coils.

The use of a single cooker of an induction hob generates an electrical absorption of about 2000 W if used at maximum power, but if it is used at lower powers, according to adequate on and off cycles, it is able to ensure good energy saving.

To this is added the fact that an induction hob generates a very high current consumption at startup until you get to 3,600 W, but during the use, it only consumes 600.

Using, however, all the cooking zones, the induction hob generates a rather important power consumption, higher than the classic 3 kW if other electrical appliances or household appliances are in operation.

Analyzing the costs of an induction hob, therefore, the first thing to take into account will be the capacity of the meter, evaluating the possibility of increasing the contractual power from 4 to 6 kW, as well as checking the efficiency of the 'electrical system.

Another important element from an economic point of view, to be evaluated in order to understand how much an induction hob consumes, is the initial investment, which is even higher in terms of costs than that required for gas hobs.

An induction hob has a cost that is roughly around $ 350 for standard models against $ 230 for gas hobs, but it is possible to amortize the costs over the years.

The difference between consumption and costs of a gas hob also seems to confirm this picture and highlight how traditional hobs that use flame are more convenient in economic terms.

Although the induction cooker consumes less than the gas one, in reality, the costs of methane are lower, therefore the gas hobs are able to ensure significantly greater savings in the bill.

However, lower costs do not correspond to the same energy yield as the heat produced with induction is directed directly without any dispersion, guaranteeing a higher cooking speed compared to the gas hob and therefore better management of the energy used.

Obviously, the problem of the cost of electricity used for the preparation of meals will have to be assessed according to the energy contract of the user, which ensures a correct analysis of the cost in the bill, whether it is electricity or gas.

Another element to take into account, in addition to the tariff activated on energy or gas by your operator and supplier, is the power of the meter.

As we have seen, the induction hob absorbs power to generate heat, but the same must be considered by virtue of the total electrical consumption of the home, also carefully evaluating the active burners of the hob itself to minimize energy expenditure.

If the risk of disconnection is high when the minimum threshold of 3 kW supported by classic meters is exceeded, the increase in power up to 6 kW, mentioned in the previous paragraphs, may require additional costs which must be taken into account to estimate the real consumption of an induction hob.

Costs of an induction hob: incentives to save

We have already talked about the costs of an induction hob, which still turn out to be higher than those of gas.

While it is true that among the latter there are some whose prices are particularly low, around $ 130, in the case of induction hobs the cheapest models start at $198, touching $500 in the case of range induction hobs. average, but can also go up to $1,300

Fortunately, the initial investment costs can be amortized thanks to the tax deductions of 50% on the expenses incurred under the furniture bonus, which provides for tax reliefs applicable to household appliances purchased after a building renovation, which also includes induction hobs.

The economic aspect is not the only factor in favor of the purchase of an induction hob, here is a brief summary of the main advantages of this type of appliance.

Induction hob: the main advantages

The induction hob implies a high consumption if used in an inefficient way but can represent a rather convenient solution for a variety of aspects and benefits, such as:

Safety

As mentioned, an induction hob is a highly safe system for cooking food not only due to the absence of flames and therefore of gas during cooking but also for the particular material of its glass-ceramic surface, which, while keeping cold around the pots, reduces the risk of burns.

Ease of use

Safety goes hand in hand with ease of use in these cooking systems: easy to clean and practical to use, induction hobs, thanks to their smooth surface, ensure maximum comfort with minimal maintenance.

Quick-cooking and precision

The cooking by induction is rapid and precise than that of the gas hobs, thanks to the heat supplied directly on the bottom of the pot that allows reducing considerably the times.

In fact, in just three minutes, with the induction hob, it is possible to bring a 1-liter pot of water to a boil, compared to the 5/7 minutes that a gas hob would take.

Some models of induction hobs are equipped with advanced features, such as the booster mode for example, which ensure that not only the cooking temperature is set precisely but also the times or, even, to associate several cookers in order to guarantee better cooking in the case of larger pots.

Less heat loss

Thanks to rapid and precise cooking, the induction hob allows uniform heat diffusion over the pots, minimizing any heat loss typical of gas stoves, which, on the contrary, propagate heat into the surrounding environment.

Reduced environmental impact

The greater energy efficiency ensured by induction hobs can also be ensured by associating these cooking systems with other renewable sources, such as domestic photovoltaics, which ensure the supply of clean energy.

This is why using induction hobs offers the advantage of a lower environmental impact of consumption compared to gas ones, which, on the contrary, emit large quantities of carbon dioxide into the environment in order to function.