Induction Hob Power: The Power Consumption Of An Induction Hob. Which Stove Is More Economical - Gas, Electric Or Induction?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-16 04:36

Nowadays, electric cookers are becoming more and more popular. Induction electric stoves are recognized as the most modern, safe and effective. What is it, what is their work based on, what is their power - you will get answers to these and other questions by reading the article.

Principle of operation

The functioning of cookers of this type is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction - there are induction coils under the glass-ceramic burners, which, provided that there are ferromagnetic cookware on the burner, create an electromagnetic field, which acts as a source of heat.

Tellingly, only the dishes are heated, and the temperature of the stove as a whole (including the burners) does not rise.

The burners can heat up a second time already from the dishes themselves - up to about 60 degrees. This principle of operation reduces the consumption of electricity, because the thermal energy generated when creating an induction field is not spent on heating the stove, but goes almost entirely to a useful business.

The built-in control panel controls the work process . It is able to recognize the presence / absence of dishes on the hotplate, automatically turn on / off and adjust the intensity of the electromagnetic field. Induction-type cookers differ in power, number and size of burners, the presence / absence of an oven, the ability to adjust the degree of heating.

The advantages of this type of hob include:

• accelerated heating of cooking dishes;
• safety - the risk of accidental burns or fire is almost completely absent;
• ease of use;
• high rates of efficiency;
• the signal to turn off the stove is the absence of dishes in the working area;
• the power of the stove does not depend on the voltage of the mains;
• there is no need for a hood;
• economical power consumption.

As usual, there were some drawbacks:

• for plates of this kind, special dishes with high magnetization rates are required;
• repair in case of any malfunctions or breakdowns is rather complicated and expensive;
• glass ceramics is a relatively fragile material (in comparison with metals);
• electromagnetic radiation can affect other kitchen appliances and devices;
• quite high cost.

Power value

The efficiency indicators of induction hobs are an order of magnitude higher than those for conventional electric or gas stoves and are about 80-90%. The total power of the hob is made up of the power values of the individual burners. The power of the work area is directly related to its size. For example, the power of a burner with a diameter of 12 cm is 1 kW, for burners with a diameter of 16 cm this figure is 1.5 kW, if the diameter of the working area is from 18 to 21 cm, then the power will increase to 2-2.5 kW, for burners of a larger size the power indicator will be higher - about 3 kW. All these indicators are indicated in the technical data sheet of the product. The average power of a 4-burner induction hob is 7 kW.

The frequency of the current in the induction coils ranges on average from 20 to 60 kHz . In terms of power, inductive hobs can be conditionally divided into low-power (up to 3.5 kW), medium-power devices (3.5-5 kW) and high-power (5-10 kW).

Electricity consumption

The energy consumption of electric induction cookers depends primarily on the number and size of the installed cooking zones, as well as on the most frequently used heating modes. Naturally, when using the maximum heating degree, the energy consumption is also maximum. But it should be borne in mind that energy costs also depend on the time spent on cooking. Considering that induction cookers heat food on average 2-3 times faster than conventional cookers, you will save time and, consequently, energy savings.

Many cookers are equipped with a function of showing the electricity consumed for cooking / heating food

To calculate the average electricity consumption of an induction cooker per month, you need to know the total power of the device, the average usage time of the panel per month.

To minimize energy costs, follow the manufacturers' simple recommendations:

• use small burners to brew coffee, warm up or prepare 1-2 servings of any dish;
• if you want to cook soup in a large saucepan, it is better to do it on a large burner;
• for cooking / stewing food in medium-sized containers, it is better to use a medium-sized work area;
• for oval-shaped dishes, some models of inductive cookers have paired burners;
• for emergency heating, manufacturers often provide special high-power circuits.

Comparison with other species

If you want to find out which type of stove is the leader in efficiency, you can carry out a simple test: time the boiling time of the same amount of water on different types of stoves. You will find that an induction device will boil water 4-5 times faster than a standard electric stove.

With the operation of the stove for about 2 hours a day per month, the electric power consumption of an inductive stove will be 156-165 kW; the classic electric one has 602–620 kW. Thus, an induction cooker is at least 4 times more economical than its classic product in terms of energy consumption.

If you compare the hobs by other indicators, you get something like the following picture:

Indicators	Gas	Classic electric stove	Induction
Consumed energy	Natural gas	Electricity	Electricity
Efficiency,%	30-60	60-70	80-90
Special utensils	-	-	+
Safety	High risk of fire	Safe	Safe
Heating rate, points	3 of 4	1 of 4	4 of 4
Oven (precise temperature control)	No	Yes	Yes
Taking care of your device	Standard	Standard	Special

It should be noted that inductive cookers are much more expensive than gas and classic electric cookers.

Tips

When buying an induction hob, do not forget that it requires special cookware - ordinary pots, glass and ceramic containers are not suitable for this type of cooker. Usually utensils for inductive cookers are marked with a zigzag or the word induction. But you can also purchase a special adapter stand for ordinary kitchen utensils.

When choosing an inductive cooker, be guided by the quality of the wiring in your home . If you have an old house, and the wiring in it has not been changed for a long time, it is better to choose a low-power device with an energy consumption of up to 3.5 kW. The connection of such a device is carried out by simply plugging the plug into an electrical outlet.

For high power devices, the cable requirements are much higher: for stoves with an electricity consumption of more than 10 kW, it is necessary to lay a separate cable from the switchboard with mandatory grounding. Do not connect induction devices through extension cords or tees.

Since glass ceramics is a conditionally fragile material, handle the equipment carefully and carefully. Do not drop dishes or any heavy objects on it, clean it with abrasive products. In case of any malfunctions or malfunctions, contact specialized service centers, you do not need to disassemble and try to repair it yourself.

Otherwise, you will lose warranty service, as a result you will still have to turn to professionals.