How to Choose a Pan for my Cooktop
It Starts with the Hob
There are three main types of kitchen hobs – gas hobs, ceramic hobs, and induction hobs. Each hob has it’s own characteristics necessitating unique cleaning methods and also specific types of pots and pans.
Gas Hobs
Gas Hobs are scratch resistant, and the cookware are placed on racks which protect the rest of the hob from damage. Thus, you can use pretty much any type of pot or pan to cook on a gas cooktop.
Ceramic Hobs
Ceramic hobs typically have a glass surface. Thus, the cookware used should prevent scratches, in order to sustain the impeccable cookhob surface. It is recommended to use heavy gauge coated aluminium or hard anodized stainless steel pans with a thick base. You can also use good quality enamel on steel or cast-iron pans, but these may scratch the hob surface.
Induction Hobs
Because of how induction cooktops work, the pots and pans used need to be magnetic. They could either be made with ferrous material, or have a magnetic layer on the pan. A stainless steel alloy would work as well – but different alloys have different constituent elements, leading to differences in magnetic attributes of each alloy. Thus, it is important to check that the pots and pans are compatible with induction cooktops before purchasing them. Apart from reading their product labels, you could check the pot with a magnet. If it sticks to the pan strongly, the pan will work on an induction hob. If there only weak magnetic attraction, then the pan will not be effective on an induction hob. This includes cast iron hobs too.
One typical question for lovers of wok cooking is how to cook with a wok if one owns an induction hob. Well, just like how our power plug’s have adapters for overseas travel, the induction hob also has a “wok adapter” for wok cooking. A “Wok Ring” rests on your induction cooktop, allowing your magnetic wok to heat up via induction for you to cook with.
If you use the wok frequently, or have sufficient table space, you may even want to consider a specialised wok induction hob, like the following:
