Cookware for induction cookers: characteristics, types, brands and tips on choosing

The emergence of fundamentally new types of technology not only expands the capabilities of people, but also makes them understand how to handle it. This also applies to induction effect plates. It is important to know what dishes can and should be put on such pockets, what are the suitable materials.

Induction plates surrounded by a huge number of myths. You can often hear that they have such negative points:

• spend a huge amount of current;
• make a strong buzz and crash;
• prepare food too slowly compared to traditional options.

But in fact, all this is far from true. Induction kitchen appliances have a number of important practical advantages, and the main part of the misunderstanding is associated with errors in operation. One of them is precisely the wrong selection of kitchen utensils. The principle of heating on this type of foci involves the transfer of heat to the cookware using induced electric vortex pulses.

The difference between individual inductive plates is related to the following factors:

• type of control board;
• features of electric power;
• other design features;
• value;
• the format of embedding in furniture;
• set of heating elements.

Engineers diligently make sure that only the dishes that are suitable for them are put on the stove. Be sure to provide automation, which recognizes suitable and unsuitable capacity. As soon as the dishes are removed from the surface of the hob, the heating stops immediately. But the cookware itself for induction cookers differs from the usual one in that it places more stringent requirements on it.

In the technical descriptions it is noted that products made of certain materials can be used for an inductive focus:

• cast iron;
• made of stainless steel;
• made of ferrous metal with an enamel layer and a flat bottom.

It is important to note that the magnetic field does not cause any harm to enamel coatings. But keep in mind that special dishes are considered safer than enameled variety. If the same pan moves relative to the middle of the heating surface or is smaller in diameter than the burner, then special dishes create a dangerous electromagnetic field in a radius of 0.12 m, and enameled in a radius of 0.2 m. It is noted that this induced field is potentially may harm the central nervous system.

As a result of long-term studies, experts have found that modern induction cookers are safer than previously thought. Within the limits of dangerous radii, the radiation level (if good-quality devices are used) has become many times less than the limits allowed by medical standards. So you only need to avoid buying the very old models of induction cookers - and then you can safely choose the capacity on your own.

In addition, you need to pay attention to 3 important components when choosing kitchen utensils for the induction surface:

• lack of obvious deformations;
• completely flat base;
• exact covering of the operating part of the burner (with placement in the middle of it).

The Induction inscription should be present both on the bottom of the dish and in its documentation. But if there are no special designations, it is still sometimes possible to use containers. Check them with a magnet. Those products to which the magnet is attracted, precisely differ in ferromagnetic characteristics. Absolutely not be able to apply these types:

• glass;
• ceramic;
• aluminum;
• made of brass;
• made from copper vessels.

Often, pans are placed on induction hobs. They are distinguished by the following parameters:

• applied material;
• total diameter;
• the depth of the bowl;
• geometry;
• handle designs;
• the presence or absence of non-stick coating.

Most pans are round. The cover for them can be made of transparent or impermeable to light materials. The non-stick coating is predominantly made of polytetrafluoroethylene (better known as Teflon). In addition to pans, pans are very often used.

The width of the pan affects how convenient it is to mix its contents and how quickly the liquid will evaporate from the surface. Modest portions are prepared using pans with a capacity of 1-3 liters. Products ranging from 3 to 5 liters are used to cook soups and porridges, pasta and dumplings. The largest specimens (with a capacity of more than 5 liters) help to boil compotes, pickle cucumbers or tomatoes, make jam.

In some cases, used buckets and dairy. These vessels allow you to quickly heat or even boil a small amount of water, milk and other liquids. Of course, not to mention kitchen kettles - they work quite well on an induction cooker. A stewpan (a kind of hybrid of a pan and a high griddle) is used when you need to stew food. It is also convenient to cook thickened soups.

The double-bottom saucepan is designed to make porridge. The gap separating the two bottom from each other, fill with water. Such a solution eliminates the burning of products. As a result, the taste of food becomes tender, pleasant, as if using a Russian stove. Steamers and man-cookers are also used quite often; they are divided into a lower container filled with water and into grids or baskets for food.

The difference between mantovarki and steamers consists in the arrangement of longlines and in different systems of steam supply. Special pans for pasta are equipped with a special container in which there are holes. Before starting the preparation, the internal container is placed in the external container, and water is poured. As soon as readiness comes, the inside is raised, pouring out the liquid.

The universal rule: dishes smaller than a ring can be used. But the capacity of a larger diameter can not be used categorically. With proper selection of dimensions, it is possible to provide additional savings of up to 10-20%. It should be borne in mind that the greater the volume of heated dishes, the lower will be the unit cost of electricity. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully select the amount of dishes, so as not to heat either too much or too little.

Connoisseurs therefore are advised to choose not separate copies, but whole sets. They allow you to confidently solve a variety of tasks. Selection should be based on family composition and culinary preferences.

Special attention is given to such a topic as the size of the pans. Normally, they are measured not on the bottom, but on the upper edge.Such information is always given in the description in the stores. Therefore, acquiring a frying pan with a diameter of 25 cm, there is no doubt that the lid will have exactly the same size. As for the bottom, its size is classified as follows:

• small pans are considered with a bottom diameter of 14.5 cm;
• 18 cm wide products fall into the middle group;
• Large are recognized copies of dishes with a width of 22.5 cm (these are the dimensions of the burners).

However, in real life, everything is somewhat more complicated. Plates of modern design can have oval and rectangular rings. For them, it is necessary to select specific dishes. Spherical woks, having a small flat bottom, due to the large size of the walls, will force out other dishes, limit their use.

As already mentioned, for dishes for an induction cooker, the bottom should be made strictly of ferromagnetic materials. The most common options are:

• steel;
• cast iron;
• combination of steel and aluminum.

Copper cookware for induction cooking is not suitable. Pure aluminum cookware for the induction cooker cannot be used. But if the bottom is made of ferromagnetic material, and non-ferrous metal is used only for the walls and the lid, then the situation changes. True, it somewhat slows down the heating of the vessel as a whole. The advantage of aluminum is that it is durable and light. The oxide film that forms on contact with air eliminates the penetration of toxic metal into the prepared products.

If you have a ferromagnetic bottom, you can even use glassware. It allows you to continuously monitor the cooking process. Chemical neutrality of the glass eliminates the harmful effects on products. Quite widespread are stylish glass teapots with a ferromagnetic base. Many companies make such products.

But the most common solution still remains cast-iron cookware. The magnetic properties of cast iron are quite sufficient for solving basic culinary problems. The main thing is that the bottom should be completely smooth and not have the slightest mechanical defects. Without a full fusion of pans or pots with cooking structures, nothing can be achieved. Problems can be delivered only by a serious mass of cast-iron tanks, which can be difficult to hold.

Enameled products also find quite wide application. But in order for them to work perfectly on the induction surface, you will have to choose the right metal layer on the walls and bottom. Exactly the same requirement is put forward with respect to stainless steel vessels. They have the following characteristics:

• well cleaned from the remaining food;
• pretty easy;
• are very expensive.

Getting acquainted with the dishes for induction cookers, one must pay attention not only to the best practical characteristics. Of particular importance is the specific brand under which the product is made. The ranking of optimal samples includes products brand rondell. This company uses cast iron and stainless steel. Rondell dishes are distinguished by perfect heating of food and are not susceptible to oxidation. Rondell offers a long warranty on its products.

Rondell's proprietary approach involves covering cast iron inside and out with special enamel. According to the developers, these products are suitable for any kind of plates. They were originally designed with the expectation of washing in the dishwasher. Package includes detailed instructions and a book with recipes. The disadvantage is only one - a solid price.

Among the dishes popular brands Tefal for induction plates suitable Ingenio Expertise series. All models of kitchen utensils entering this series are equipped with removable handles. The manufacturer claims that such products can be easily put in the oven, on the desktop, in the refrigerator, in the kitchen cabinet.

Tefal Ingenio is positioned as a great option for improving culinary skills. On the inside, there is a proprietary Titanium Excellence coating that prevents food from burning. The titanium layer helps to eliminate the harmful effects when touched with a metal cutlery. It also reduces the danger of mechanical deformations of another kind.

Compared with previous versions, the lifetime Tefal ingenio much more declared - from 10 to 12 years. Special device provides accurate temperature indication. The series includes three sets. They are in different configurations include:

• pans with a diameter of 22 and 26 cm;
• 24 cm saucepan in the cut;
• bucket with a diameter of 16 cm;
• wok and ladle.

Good results, judging by consumer estimates, gives dishes Kukmara brands. This company produces braziers and pans, stewpans and pots, duck poultry and roaster. Branded policy involves the use of granite coating, which provides excellent non-stick properties. The production of tableware is deployed at the Kukmorsky plant in Tatarstan, and a trademark is named after the company.

Cast aluminum is used there for the manufacture of kitchen utensils. It is very thick - the walls can reach 0.6 cm. This property allows you to achieve long-term use of kitchen equipment. The coating applied to it from the inside is supplied by a leading German manufacturer - by Weilburger Coatings GmbH. The composition is applied in 5 layers.

Marble components are complemented with particles of mineral ceramics. The choice of spraying ensures the highest reliability and durability. The applied non-stick coating meets not only the Russian quality standard, but also the standards adopted in the EU and the USA.

Continue to review the brands of utensils for inductive plates appropriate for example products Woll. According to the manufacturer, his products are optimally suited for novice amateur chefs, and for solid chefs. High-quality German products created using the latest technology. Production is 100% concentrated on the enterprise alone, where very strict quality control is carried out. However, the very process of manual production itself (without any automated stamping) inspires confidence. Woll developers have proposed a unique composition aluminum alloy, covered with a reliable non-stick coating.

Thanks to this layer you can cook delicious absolutely any dish. At the same time, the consumption of fats and oils is reduced to the limit. Because food is much healthier than when using other structures. The Woll range includes:

• buckets;
• pans;
• stewpans and many other types of dishes.

From Russian trademarks attractive "Gourmet", present on the market since 1991. This brand is the intellectual property of the enterprise. VSMPO-Tableware. The use of high-grade stainless steel made it possible to create no less high-quality dishes than the one promoted by the legendary "Zepter".

It is also worth paying attention to the following parameters:

• quite thick bottom;
• high-quality assembly;
• the ability to cook without the addition of water (if its own juice is allocated enough);
• the suitability of dishes for ovens (due to the absence of plastic);
• wide choice (the range of the Russian enterprise includes pans up to 8 l).

But no matter how famous the brand of the set of tableware is, the selection of the set does not end there. Other considerations play a very important role.Naturally, the desire to check the ferromagnetic properties of dishes. In order to test fewer items with a magnet, or less often to look for a marking of a special sample, you can first evaluate the appearance. A ferromagnetic saucepan, for example, looks more massive than a regular sample. It is possible to determine the truth and at the price - quality utensils for induction cookers are not cheap to sell. Connoisseurs are also advised to think about the size of kitchen utensils. They should fit at least one of the burners. But to know the material used to create the walls is not too important. It is enough to practice the presence of magnetic properties at the bottom.

Induction hobs can even be used to make coffee in a jazz. However, in this case it is necessary to use an adapter (sometimes it is called, depending on the source, a pad or an adapter). Without special adapters, you can only use dishes with a bottom not narrower than 0.12 m. Even dishes with a width of 0.09 m are allowed to be placed on individual induction hobs.

However, the final instructions on this subject can be found only in the technical documentation. Unacceptable:

• use dishes with chipped edges and mechanical damage;
• put excessively heavy containers on the induction cooker;
• to allow inaccuracy in handling the cast iron accessories.

The basic recommendations for the care of dishes for induction foci are very simple. It is imperative to evaluate all the means for sanitary and environmental safety. It is best to wash the dishes with your hands, and not to trust this manipulation dishwasher. Powdered formulations should be used with caution.

Experts advise:

• use only hot water for washing;
• soak the dishes beforehand in water to soften the top layer of dirt;
• fight fat with vinegar supplements;
• wash the first less contaminated dishes, and then more clogged;
• do not pour cold water into hot dishes (and vice versa);
• minimize the use of steel brushes or hard scourers, as well as metal scrapers.

Thanks to the flat disk, which is installed between the stove and the dishes, it will turn out to use even the most common dishes on an induction cooker. Including pots, coffee makers, pans. The disk inductance thickness reaches 3-6 mm. It is always a multi-layered product. This accessory replaces the ferromagnetic bottom.

When selecting adapters, they think about the overall thickness, the structure of the layers, the outer color, the diameter (with the expectation that the bottom of the dish is 80% of the surface), the presence of a removable handle (provides additional convenience).

Very good grades to consumers give ware Rondell. It works great with most induction hobs. Even the high price is fully justified. Quite good reviews are coming in for Thomas products. As an alternative, it is usually advised to consider Woll or the Czech brand Tescoma.

But Tefal products are rated somewhat less enthusiastically. Zepter products are of high quality, but sometimes unreasonably expensive. Also in the consumer demand ratings invariably include brands such as BAF, Hackman, Lodge.

For how to choose the right cookware for induction cookers, see the video below.