How does induction cooking work?

Induction cooking directly heats pots and pans through magnetic current. Instead of using thermal conduction (a gas or electric element transferring heat from a burner to a pot or pan), induction heats the cooking vessel itself almost instantly.

An electric current is passed through a coiled copper wire underneath the cooking surface, which creates a magnetic current throughout the cooking pan to produce heat. Because induction doesn’t use a traditional outside heat source, only the element in use will become warm due to the heat transferred from the pan.

Induction cooking is more efficient than traditional electric and gas cooking because little heat energy is lost. Like other traditional cooktops, the evenly heated pots and pans then heat the contents inside through conduction and convection.

Please note that for induction to work, your cookware must be made of a magnetic metal, such as cast iron or some stainless steels. Learn more about what types of cookware work with induction.