Induction cooktopsInduction cooktops have been standard fixtures in many European kitchens but are fresh faces to the North American market. The cooktops heat magnetized pots and pans but won’t burn your fingers. They utilize the same technology as generators, only it is optimized to cook your eggs to perfection. Are induction cooktops worth the hype?

“This is definitely an expanding product category,” said Sears buyer Rick Demert in an interview with Money Magazine. In 2007, Sears carried three induction cooktop models but by the end of this year the retailer will carry 20. Check out the pros and cons and figure out whether you’ll be buying into this “expanding product category.”

Pros
- Safety: Because the induction cooktop heats only magnetized pots and pans, it won’t burn fingers or heat forks or anything else left on its surface. It also has an advantage over traditional gas stoves in that it does not release carbon monoxide.

- Easy to install: They are convenient to install because it’s a flat surface, so it is easier to put it in an existing kitchen atop a counter.

- Easy to clean: It’s a flat surface, so you don’t have to clean around burner elements like on traditional electric stoves or gas burners on gas stoves.

- Energy efficient: Because the pots and pans are magnetized and the cooktop heats only the vessels and their contents, an induction cooktop saves about $35 a year on the electric bill. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, induction cooktops can achieve about 84 percent efficiency whereas gas and electric versions tout efficiency of less than 65 percent at best.

- Variety of sizes: The cooktops are manufactured in one, two, four, or six-element models, so if you have a small kitchen and a limited space, an induction cooktop will easily fit in.

- Cool kitchen: Heat stays where it should be, so the kitchen won’t warm up as much as with traditional models.

- Precise and quick temperature adjustment: The heat on an induction cooktop can be adjusted instantly making it easier to heat delicate items such as chocolate.

Cons
- Pricey: Induction cooktops cost 3-4 times more than conventional models, coming in at $1,500 to $4,500.

- No oven: Most models are only cooktops; there are no ovens attached. So if you want the complete stove-oven package, you’ll have to stick with traditional models for now. The market is still expanding though, and it is expected that the combination model will be available within a few years.

- Special cookware required: The induction cooktop only works with magnetic materials such as stainless steel and cast iron, so if you have a fleet of aluminum, copper, or glass pots and pans you’d have to get all-new pans.

- It’s electric: If the electricity goes out, then you can’t cook.

- No flames: If you like to use the gas flames to char food, this isn’t the cooktop for you.

- Quirks: Some household items, like aluminum foil, will bond to the induction cooktop’s surface.

Weighing the pros and cons, it looks like the induction cooktops are worth the hype.