Blog

Short blog posts, journal entries, and random thoughts. Topics include a mix of personal and the world at large. 

Induction is best

Let me get in this great debate in the culture war regarding gas versus induction stoves. I absolutely love my induction stove. This $50 piece of kit from IKEA - at least it was that price back when I bought it about two years ago - continues to serve me splendidly. Induction is perfect for my tiny studio because it only heats the cookware, and not the surrounding air like a gas stove would. It eliminates the risk of gas leak as well; I’m glad my room isn’t even plumbed for it.

Not to mention that on a per unit cost, electricity is far cheaper than natural gas. The latter seems to be even costlier than usual this winter. This is why heating a home cost a ton of money during the wintry months - central heat boilers use natural gas. A friend of mine stopped heating up her entire two bedroom apartment because the bill from December was shockingly high. My studio is tiny enough that a portable electric heater suffices for the truly cold mornings.

I do conceded that a proper gas range can provide far more energy. For certain types of cooking, a high flame is really desirable. Such as getting an iron pan searing hot for a piece of steak, or a blazing stir-fry using a wok. If cooking is your thing, I can see why you would opt for a gas stove instead of induction (my landlord did). And that any legislation towards eliminating gas would seem like an existential threat.

But I think there’s innovation to be had in the induction space, especially in terms of energy release to match a gas stove. There’s a manufacturer adding batteries to an induction stove to act as a rapid-release energy store, vastly improving heating time. Imagine heating up a few cups of water for instant ramen in no time - that would be the dream!

Post rain clouds.