Gas or induction hob? Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the two solutions

Gas or induction hob? This is the dilemma of all the people who are preparing to create a new kitchen in their own rooms.

In this article we will give you some important advice and suggestions to help you make your choice, with particular reference to the main advantages and disadvantages that characterise the two hob solutions. 

In recent years induction hobs have become very popular in some countries around the world: it seems that even in our country this solution is starting to catch on somehow, arousing curiosity and interest.

How to choose the kitchen hob?

When choosing the kitchen hob that best suits your needs and requirements, you must first of all ask yourself who you are: are you a cookery enthusiast who spends many hours at the cooker experimenting with new recipes and gastronomic variations or, on the contrary, do you not like the culinary world and cooking is only a necessity?

Those who love cooking will certainly be more devoted to choosing the most professional and efficient tools possible, while those who use the kitchen little and almost reluctantly will certainly have other priorities, such as energy saving. With particular reference to the latter, it should be pointed out that in Italy electricity costs have a significant impact on a family's monthly budget.

In order to choose the best and most suitable hob for your needs, it is necessary to know some preliminary information: let's start by saying that gas cooking is still very widespread in Italy and is in no way an outdated or obsolete solution. There is no lack of extremely modern, efficient and advanced gas hobs on the market, both in terms of performance and consumption.

The second aspect that you will have to consider carefully when choosing a hob is the fact that the induction hob certainly consumes more but has nothing to do with the old non-induction electric hob, which applies a completely different technology.

Gas hob: characteristics and peculiarities

Gas hobs are characterised by consumption costs that are certainly lower than those of induction hobs. The costs obviously depend on the price of gas. Gas hobs tend to require longer cooking costs since the heat generated by the flame is partly dispersed into the surrounding environment.

The partial dispersion of heat leads to a lower efficiency of the gas hob: however, it should be noted that the most modern technologies have significantly increased the efficiency of gas hobs.

Induction hob: characteristics and peculiarities

Induction hobs work by conveying heat only to the bottom of the pot by means of special coils installed on the surface of the hob, capable of generating an electromagnetic field. It is thanks to the latter that heat is distributed only on the bottom of the pan (about 90% of the heat generated by the hob). This leads to a considerable reduction in cooking time.

It is certainly an irreproachable fact that electricity has a higher cost than gas, but at the same time it is necessary to consider the almost total absence of heat dispersion, an aspect that characterises gas hobs. The efficiency of induction hobs is therefore particularly high.

Again with reference to the high performance of induction hobs, we would like to stress that unlike traditional electric hobs, induction hobs require much less electricity. Also from the safety point of view, it must be said that induction hobs can boast the highest standards, since no flame is present during their operation. In addition, there are no unmarked incandescent areas in an induction hob.

Another strong point that characterises induction hobs is the great simplicity and speed with which these instruments can be cleaned: if you want to buy the best induction hob available on the market, the hob of the instrument will certainly be made of glass-ceramic: it is an extremely smooth surface without the presence of grids, so as to guarantee great speed in the cleaning phases.

Different types of induction hobs can be purchased on the market. It is possible to orientate on a cheap induction hob or on more sophisticated and expensive models.

The only drawback and disadvantage of induction hobs is the fact that it is not possible to use any type of pot for these instruments: on the contrary, it is necessary to use pots specifically designed for this type of cooking.

Hybrid cooktops

For all undecided people who find it difficult to choose between a gas hob and an induction hob, the alternative is the hybrid models (gas and induction hob). These hybrid variants actually combine gas burners and induction hobs on the same plane.

Gas or induction hob? Advantages and disadvantages

Below is a brief outline of the main advantages that characterise the two types of hobs.

Advantages and disadvantages of gas hobs

• Gas is the cheapest source of energy in Italy, as well as the most widely used
• Gas cookers are less performing than induction hobs
• The costs of a gas cooker are extremely limited

Advantages and disadvantages of induction hobs

• Extremely fast cooking times, in some cases even halved compared to conventional gas cookers
• Extremely precise temperature control with the help of touch screens, with several power levels according to your electricity meter
• In almost all induction hob models there is the timer function
• Extremely flexible spaces: you can use the space with multiple pots and pans
• For cooking it is necessary to use only suitable pots with a cooking bottom made of ferrous material, since induction works like a sort of big electric magnet.