How To Know If Your Cookware Is Induction Ready

The benefits of induction stoves are appreciated by more and more people each year, and they become very popular all over the world. However, these stoves require special cookware to use them. And here is where many people hit a wall of confusion. 

If you asked yourself how to know if cookware is induction ready, you came to the right place because we have the answer to that. Also, we have some great recommendations to make you choose the best cookware for your amazing dishes. 

What makes the cookware ready for induction 

Induction-ready cookware is any type of pan or container that you can use on your induction stove. The secret of induction cookware is the material of such products. For a pan or any other container to be induction friendly, it needs to be made of a magnetic material

There are several types of magnetic materials that you can use such as cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel. The induction cookware must be made out of a magnetic material as it has to be compatible with the electromagnetic field of the stove. 

If you use cookware that is not magnetic, you will not be able to use it on an induction stove. 

Also, it is important to use cookware that has a flat base surface. If you have a container that is magnetic, but it doesn’t have a flat surface, you will not be able to cook in it by using an induction stove. The flat surface is important for enabling conduction through the electromagnetic field.

How to know if cookware is induction ready 

Cookware is induction ready if it is made of a magnetic material like iron and has a flat bottom.

Being able to identify cookware products that are induction ready is another small challenge that you might have to overcome. The majority of products come with indications regarding the type of stove you can use them on and also whether or not they are suitable for oven use. But how do you know if your cookware is compatible with your induction stove if it doesn’t come with such information?

Essentially, you will be looking for two characteristics. You want a flat-bottomed cookware and it should attract magnets. You can use a magnet to check the magnetic property of your cookware and if you don’t have a magnet, go for one of those refrigerator souvenirs or magnetic letters. If the pan or pot you use attracts the magnet, you can be fairly sure that it will work just fine on your induction stove as well. 

If you don’t have any magnet in the house, you can use a more traditional method to check if your pan is induction ready. Simply add some water to it and place it on your induction stove. Turn the stove on the induction mode and see if the cookware heats up. Check if the cookware you use is placed on the induction markings before you decide if it is working or not. 

Note that you can use the induction cookware for other types of stoves such as electric stoves or gas stoves. However, you can’t use any other type of cookware on the induction stoves. 

Should you invest in induction cookware?

Induction cookware might seem like an additional expense you are not willing to make when you switch from your gas stove to your induction stove. But if you think about the long run, you will notice that it is an investment worth making. 

However, you will be saving money in the long run as well, since induction cooking uses up to 90% of the heat energy for cooking directly. Gas and electric stoves use between $60 and $80 of heat for cooking, while the rest is wasted. 

Also, the fact that you can use induction cookware for other types of stoves but the induction ones increases the functionality of these products. You will be able to find different purposes for them, and if you change your induction stove with a gas one, for instance, you wouldn’t have to replace your cookware as well. 

3 Induction compatible cookware to consider 

With so many options on the market when it comes to cookware products, you might find it struggling to know which ones are the best ones for you. We chose the best top three products that you can consider investing in, without having to worry about their quality. 

1. A 3 Piece Non-Stick Frying Pan Set 

This set has three pans that you can use with your induction stove for all kinds of delicious dishes. You can find this set in three pieces, but also eight pieces and even 15 pieces if you want to have complete cookware to work within your kitchen. 

These fry pans in the three pieces sets are eight inches, ten inches, and 12 inches in size, and they are all made of nonstick material. The material these pans are made of is aluminum, BPA-free which will last you a long time as well. 

You will love that each pan has a comfortable handle that will not get hot during the cooking time, and you can grab it with no problem. Also, at bottom of each pan is a spiral, allowing the heat to distribute evenly on the surface and cooking your food with no hot spots or burns. 

The one thing you have to take into account before purchasing this set is the size of your stove hobs so that it is suitable for the size of the pans. Also, know that these are not safe to wash in the dishwasher, but they are very easy to clean by hand. 

2. Kenmore Arlington Induction Cookware Set

Another cookware set that is ideal for your induction stove is this 12-piece one from Kenmore. They come in attractive colors such as the more classic black but, also, a metallic shade of blue and red. 

The main material used for these pots and pans is Aluminium, and they also have a nonstick coating so they will last longer and not burn your food. The handles will not get hot, so you can grab them without burning yourself even when the food is steaming hot. 

Besides the fact that you can use this set on induction stoves, you can use it on gas, and electric stoves as well and all its pieces are safe to use in the oven as well. Also, all the pans are PTFE-free and PFOA-free and the ceramic interior of each pan and pot is environmentally friendly. 

The manufacturer recommends washing this cookware by hand but you can also wash it in the dishwasher. 

3. KitchenAid Hard Anodized Induction Cookware Set

The last but not the least induction cookware that you might love to use in your kitchen comes from KitchenAid, and it is one of those sets that you will have for years. 

The set contains ten pieces that will turn out to be extremely useful for all kinds of dishes. The base of each pan and pot is made in such a way that your food will heat evenly, and you will not get it burned, but you would rather get that brownish shade that you want to see on a well-cooked dish. 

Made of anodized aluminum, this set also comes with a nonstick layer and handles that are resistant to heat. The coating on these cookware pieces comes in three layers so you can use them for daily cooking tasks with no concerns. 

You can use this cookware in the oven, along with the lids, at temperatures up to 500 degrees F. 

Final thoughts 

As you can see, getting familiar with induction-ready cookware is not complicated. Even if these types of products work differently than the ones you might be used to for a gas stove, they are not complicated in terms of their technology. And once you get used to induction cookware and accessories, chances are that you will prefer them over any other type of cookware. 

More info:

3 Ways To Use Non-induction Pans On An Induction Cooktop

Will Induction Cooktop Work With Cast Iron?

Can Le-Creuset Cookware Be Used On Induction Cooktops?

Will Calphalon Cookware Work With Induction Cooktop?

Charles John

Experienced HVAC technician with 8 years of experience in the industry. Capable of handling all sorts of heating and cooling equipment as well as proficient in operational management, construction-related techniques such as preventative maintenance, electrical troubleshooting and AutoCAD

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