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[ninjapirate]

Please   
I seem to be on a roll of replacing stuff!
my electric hob is one of those built into a island, Ive managed to crack the corners leaving sharp bits i like to catch myself on, and it sometimes just decides its had enough of cooking and turns itself off. Its a bit pants in the temp settings either all or nothing it seems.
Anyway, Im going to replace it and wondering if its worth getting a induction hob? i dont know much about them other then its totaly black magic how it works!
Ive cooked on one before that was fun.
Any ideas on decent ones to go for? fully induction or half n half? Ive never changed a hob before is it something i can tackle or get someone else in?
thanks for any advice!

[Lazydocker]

Just bear in mind that they don't work on all pans

If/when I next have to replace the hob for Mrs LD (which is looking to be sooner rather than later, even though I want to leave it until we can take a wall out and change the layout  ) I'm certainly planning to go down the induction route. Easier for us in as much as most of our pans are compatible already

[aaronjb]

Just bear in mind that they don't work on all pans

Ferrous metals only, right? Cast iron, steel, stainless steel.. no aluminium or copper (which makes sense given how they work)

[ninjapirate]

Cool, my pans are all stainless steel so wont have to buy more 

[Martian]

Anyway, Im going to replace it and wondering if its worth getting a induction hob? i dont know much about them other then its totaly black magic how it works!

No magic involved, just magnetism 

Ive never changed a hob before is it something i can tackle or get someone else in?

Quite easy to do yourself, so no point in paying a sparks a minimum one hours labour for a job that can be done in 10 minutes.

As LD has already stated, pots/pans that have little ferrous content on the base will not work on an induction hob but you can buy interface plates to overcome that.

[Andy B]

Cool, my pans are all stainless steel so wont have to buy more 

Stainless is not magnetic 
We have an induction hob, and had to replace our copper bottomed Prestigue pans. Their replacements look similar but must have steel plate built into the base. 

[tidla]

anything electric powered has always gone in the bin for me. much more control cooking if you fit a gas hob.

[ninjapirate]

anything electric powered has always gone in the bin for me. much more control cooking if you fit a gas hob.

No gas supply out here. oil or electric is only choice 

[SIR Philbutt]

They need a good electric supply. Normally their own 6mm cable (like cookers & electric showers). Not a plug in item

They are also deeper than normal hobs (full 38mm of worktop because of coolant fans) and require ventilation space below/front and around

Would recommend at least consulation with nic/eic electrician

Half and Half is a good solution so not reliant on induction only pans. induction pans will work on normal hobs

Phil

[Kevin Wood]

anything electric powered has always gone in the bin for me. much more control cooking if you fit a gas hob.

Not so with an induction hob IME. We wouldn't go back to a gas hob now. That's before you consider cleaning, and the fact that it's a flat glass surface to clean without any fiddly burners. It doesn't get hot enough to burn spillages onto the surface either.

Electrical supply will need a 32A cooker spur for a 4 zone hob, same as with any conventional electric hob, so nothing tricky there.

They do typically have a fan which needs some air around it, as said. Not a problem with a normal cupboard carcass or drawer unit under it. Ours was less deep than the previous gas hob. Only a few mm thicker than the worktop it sits in.

Try your saucepans with a magnet first though. Our saucepans were listed as compatible, but it appears the same model of saucepan sold 10 years ago wasn't.

[TheBoy]

anything electric powered has always gone in the bin for me. much more control cooking if you fit a gas hob.

Disagree, even converted Mrs TB to electric cooking.

Ours isn't induction, but halogen (seems rare now, our cooker is probably 16/17yrs old). Very controllable, flat glass surface makes cleaning easier, and is a convenient 'workbench for car bits' when not in use

[Andy B]

anything electric powered has always gone in the bin for me. much more control cooking if you fit a gas hob.

Not so with an induction hob IME. We wouldn't go back to a gas hob now. That's before you consider cleaning, and the fact that it's a flat glass surface to clean without any fiddly burners. It doesn't get hot enough to burn spillages onto the surface either.

Electrical supply will need a 32A cooker spur for a 4 zone hob, same as with any conventional electric hob, so nothing tricky there.

They do typically have a fan which needs some air around it, as said. Not a problem with a normal cupboard carcass or drawer unit under it. Ours was less deep than the previous gas hob. Only a few mm thicker than the worktop it sits in.

Try your saucepans with a magnet first though. Our saucepans were listed as compatible, but it appears the same model of saucepan sold 10 years ago wasn't.

[Tony H]

Cool, my pans are all stainless steel so wont have to buy more 

Stainless is not magnetic 
We have an induction hob, and had to replace our copper bottomed Prestigue pans. Their replacements look similar but must have steel plate built into the base. 

Some stainless is magnetic.

[Andy B]

Cool, my pans are all stainless steel so wont have to buy more 

Stainless is not magnetic 
We have an induction hob, and had to replace our copper bottomed Prestige pans. Their replacements look similar but must have steel plate built into the base. 

Some stainless is magnetic.

Yes, that's the cheap stuff. 

As said above, our copper bottomed stainless Prestige pans wouldn't work, but the replacement set are also stainless, although the sides are magnetic, the bases are - presumably a mild steel plate within the base.

[davethediver]

Took me ages to work out why my beans never got warm when i first moved into a house with an induction hob. landlord never said my pans might not work