If you are preparing to move over to solar power, or you just want to reduce your home’s electricity consumption, then you should be considering moving over to induction cooking – it is more energy efficient, safer, quicker, and more accurate than its electric and gas hob counterparts.
31 March 2023, Johannesburg: “With induction hobs, you can discover a new way of cooking that is so much faster, safer and efficient when compared to traditional gas or electric hobs,” explains Jon Molyneaux, from leading appliance manufacturer, Miele. He adds: “Induction hobs function by heating the pan directly, unlike electric and gas hobs, which need to heat the burner first, then the pan, and only then the food. As such, it works quicker, and because the hob itself is not heated, it is safer, more efficient, and easier to clean.”
How does an induction hob work?
An induction hob uses electromagnetic technology to create heat. There are copper wire induction coils under the surface of the hob, and as electricity passes through them, they create a magnetic field. When a pan with a magnetic base is placed on the hob, the circuit is completed, and the magnetic field causes the base of the pan to heat up.
“Because of this electromagnetic technology, induction hobs require specific types of pots and pans to function which are made from ferrous or magnetic metal. This is usually the case with any good quality cookware, and they will be labelled with a coil symbol on the base that indicates that it as suitable for induction cooking. It is quite easy to test if a pot is suitable or not – simply place a magnet at the base of the pot. If it clings firmly to the pot’s underside, it will work with any induction hob,” explains Jon.
There are many advantages to installing an induction hob in your home, including:
- Energy efficient
When it comes to traditional electric and gas appliances, there is a lot of wasted energy as you must heat up the burner, which in turn heats up everything around it. So much so, that when it is switched off, it takes a long time for the hob surface and burners to cool down. With induction hobs however, you are only heating the pan, and everything around the pan will be cool to the touch. This means that you only use enough energy to heat up your food.
Miele offers pan detection technology on all its induction hobs, which further increases their efficiency levels, notes Jon: “Cooking has never been easier or more energy efficient – all you need to do is to switch the hob on. If there is a pan on a cooking zone, the corresponding control element will be automatically activated. So there is no need to manually switch on individual cooking zones. This technology also automatically detects the individual size of the pan in question to ensure particularly efficient energy usage.
“Over and above energy efficiency, however, Miele also designs, manufactures and test its appliances to last for a minimum of 20 years, which is far longer than the average 7-year lifespan of most other appliances, which further reduces the carbon footprint of Miele induction hobs over their lifetime,” explains Jon.
- Speed
He goes on to add that the added energy efficiency of induction cooking is also due to them heating up so much quicker than other types of hobs: “Induction cooking is presently the fastest cooking method on the market. It is substantially faster than a gas hob, and it can even beat a kettle when it comes to bringing water to the boil.”
He notes that Miele’s range of induction hobs offer a few settings that can further speed up the heating process: “Miele induction hobs offer WaterBoost technology, which offers a maximum power level of up to 5.5kW on a 28cm cooking zone for pans over 24cm in diameter. Thanks to the high power, two litres of water will boil in an impressive 2 minutes and 38 seconds. The additional TwinBooster function allows maximum versatility so that all cooking zones can be used simultaneously, notes Jon: “TwinBooster technology can be used for extra rapid heating, allowing you to speed up the heating process by concentrating the power of two cooking zones into a single cooking zone when required. Of course, you can also distribute the induction power individually for even more flexible cooking.”
- Easy to clean
Induction hobs are super easy to clean explains Jon: “Gone are the days of cleaning around coils or removing metal frames to access gas burners – all you need to do clean a Miele induction hob is to simply wipe it down with a damp cloth. These hobs have a ceramic glass surface that is super easy to wipe clean, and since the surface doesn’t heat up, it poses very little risk of burnt-on food residue. You can also use a ceramic glass cleaner every now and again to keep it looking in optimal condition.”
- Safe to use
There is always a danger of burning oneself when it comes to hot appliances such as stoves and hobs. However, with induction hobs – the surface is immediately cool and safe to the touch as soon as the pot is removed. This makes induction hobs exceptionally safe to use.
Jon notes that Miele has added a few other safety features that really up the ante: “Miele induction hobs boast a system lock that provides reliable protection against accidentally switching the hob on or leaving it on. If a cooking zone has been operating at the same power level for an unusually long period of time, or there is no pan on the hob, it will automatically switch off. Miele’s induction hobs also have a residual heat indicator that reminds you not to touch the cooking zones if they are still hot.”
Jon lists some other functions that add convenience and safety to operating a Miele induction hob: “With the Stop & Go function all cooking zones can be reduced to power level 1 at the press of a button, allowing you to leave the hob unattended for a short period of time. And as an extra benefit, you can set the timer so the cooking zone will switch off automatically when the time has elapsed, so you don’t have to worry if you forget or get distracted during the cooking process.”
- Convenient and smart
Induction hobs are incredibly easy to use – simply place your pot onto the hob and select the power level that you require at a touch of a button. However, Miele offers some added features that make their induction hobs super easy to operate, explains Jon: “With our PowerFlex technology, you can enjoy the ultimate freedom – use the entire surface of your hob without predefined cooking zones for maximum flexibility. You can position your cookware wherever you want to suit any situation. Up to six induction-compatible pots, pans and roasting dishes can be placed wherever you like. This is also very convenient when using extra large or small pots or pans.”
With Miele’s smart Con@ctivity technology, you can concentrate on cooking without thinking of anything else, notes Jon: “With Miele’s exclusive Con@ctivity, your cooker hood communicates with the hob below, and in this way it always knows exactly what to do. As soon as the hob is switched on or off, the cooker hood responds automatically. The extraction power is automatically adjusted to what is happening on the hob, ensuring a pleasant room climate at all times. The appliances communicate with each other via Wi-Fi, and it allows you to integrate the cooker hood and hob into Miele@home so you can operate it remotely if required.”
- Customisation
With Miele’s SmartLine range of hobs, you can customise your hob combination to suit your individual cooking needs. “Can’t decide whether you would like a ceran induction hob, or a Wok induction hob, or a Tepan Yaki induction hob? Well with Miele’s SmartLine range of hobs, you can have them all. Thanks to their uniform depths, Miele’s hobs seamlessly integrate with the elegant Miele SmartLine elements. Diverse combination options mean that you have a kitchen design that perfectly complements your personal taste. The 60cm Miele induction hobs can even be combined with the Miele downdraft extractor – this is where intelligent technology meets sophisticated design.”
- Precise operation
Frying has never been easier with induction cooking – making perfect results achievable every time – the optimum temperature is quickly reached after selecting one of the settings and is confirmed by an acoustic signal. Once set, the temperature remains constant throughout the entire cooking process. There’s no need to change power levels and adjust the heat manually.
Says Jon: “Miele’s controls also add to the simple operation of their induction hobs. With SmartSelect technology for example, you can set power levels and times quickly and easily. Each cooking zone has a numerical display with yellow backlighting that can be read easily from any angle. SmartSelect makes it easier to set the three-digit timer, as the minute minder and Auto switch-off can be separately selected. Miele also offers Setting 1 for precise cooking occasions. This level is suitable for all dishes cooked at a low frying temperature, such as fried eggs, scrambled eggs, bacon, chicken breast, gnocchi, vegetables, patties, fish and most frozen dishes for example.”
As you can see, induction hobs really are the best hobs currently on the market – they are energy efficient, quicker, safer, and easier to use. Even though you might have to pay a bit extra for this new technology, the energy and time savings that they impart means that the extra expense will easily pay for itself over the lifetime of the hob.
Miele – quality ahead of its time!
