It’s been about 6 months now of cooking on our induction range almost every night, so it felt time to dish to you all. My excitement for our range is extreme, my expectations six months ago were unknown. Today you are going to get the full low down and review (with a lot of pros and a couple of cons). As you might know, now gas ranges are being slowly phased out (like gas cars) but I’m not going to lie that there were times when I worried that my public job was forcing my family into using a newer product that wasn’t going to work as well, or be as easy. Old dog, new tricks sort of thing. Brian was on board, we talked about it for months, and it doesn’t hurt that we found the most gorgeous induction range in the world, but yeah, we were nervous. What if we couldn’t cook as easily? What if it was complicated, techy, and hard to navigate? What if we burned everything? When trying anything new the first time there can be a learning curve, and we knew that. I was confident in the brand and super hopeful we’d love it as much as a gas range. So today is the day where I tell you it all. In case you are just landing here you might have some basic questions:
Why Induction Instead Of Gas? Are Gas Ranges BAD?
I’m not an expert but apparently, gas ranges emit internal pollution into the home as well as rely on fossil fuels. I’ll also admit that I’m a bit skeptical that we need to overhaul a whole industry based on a few years of research because typically the fantasy “solution” also has its negatives that don’t get the same amount of attention. But common sense tells me that having gas burning in your house can emit undetectable fumes. Induction is electric, not natural gas, so the argument is that it’s not part of the fossil fuel industry and can run on clean energy should you live in a state that is working towards that (like solar and wind). I hope that the industry can keep up with the regulations (outlawing them might be a problem if we don’t have the induction supply to replace them – like cars). Again, not an expert and I’m curious about your thoughts, but I’ve done so much research and I try to vet every side of this debate. Similar to cars, there are a lot of lobbyists on both sides trying to control the industry. All I know is that this made sense to us, especially because this Aga range is so darn beautiful, and in many states (CA and OR) you won’t be able to put gas ranges in new construction soon, which might tell you which way we are culturally moving (ours isn’t new construction).
Should I Switch My Gas Range To Electric?
It’s my opinion that if you have something that works well and you like, you should never throw it out, as making and shipping something new is far more taxing on the environment than using something that you have (same with cars). But if you are remodeling and purchasing a new range then yes, induction seems to be a wise investment (we love it), and keep reading to see if it’s for you. I think how we’ve politicized it is just hilarious and I’m not inviting that firestorm in the comments. There are pros and cons to everything we consume, we have to use the data we have and level it against our common sense to make sure it’s right for us.
What Range Did We Choose And Why?
Months ago I wrote a post about our hunt with the induction range options that we were debating, but there was only one that I felt would work in this more classic style home – The Aga 48″ Elise Induction Range in black with gold knobs. Once I fell in love with it, I reached out to Build with Ferguson and Aga and negotiated a trade for PR/photography/social media, etc. Was this range “free”? Nope. Nothing is “free,” everything is a trade for my time, deliverables and social/PR services, and at this point in my career I can’t give my time and resources to represent a brand that isn’t 100% aligned with my design, style, and ethos. I wanted this Aga range and went after it (and was so happy that Build with Ferguson supplies them). This post isn’t even sponsored, I just really really wanted to deep dive into my relationship with this range and give you all the information to help you decide.
Aga is a classic European brand that is super high quality, very well made and extremely well received/reviewed. While the Elise is a newer product (as most induction ranges are on the newer side) we felt confident that with Aga behind it, we’d get a great long-term product.
What Was I Nervous About? Any Initial Hesitations?
We had two major concerns: 1. the capacity of the oven and 2. the ability to butter-baste Brian’s steak. We had read enough reviews so we weren’t worried about the day-to-day cooking for our family but those two scenarios caused us a little hesitation (keep reading).
Well? What is So Great About This Range?
I don’t need to tell you how beautiful it is, but clearly, that is a huge plus to me. Beyond that, it’s more about function and capabilities and so far we have been extremely pleased.
You have a lot of roasting, baking, and broiling options in this lady. We use the convection oven the most and have learned to do it for less time and sometimes lower temperature than a recipe calls for as it cooks faster and more thoroughly than a normal oven. We like that it crisps all sides more (the hot air is moving around more). There were a few sacrificial cookie batches as we dialed in that adjustment, but now we don’t even think about it – we adapted really quickly.
As you can see both the multi-functional door and the convection oven have multiple trays or you can pull them out and put in a dutch oven or larger casserole dish.
Can It Fit A Turkey?
Ignore how overcooked this turkey is – we bought it to show you that one would fit but totally forgot it was in the convection and cooked it for too long. But you get the point – yes to turkey, no to huge turkey. This was such a huge question for us and we don’t even host Thanksgiving (yet). But since the oven compartments are smaller we wanted to see what the capacity would be. We knew it wouldn’t be big enough for a 20 lb turkey so if we were to host we’d likely use a countertop turkey oven. The interior horizontal capacity is 16 1/2″ wide, but many 9″x13″ have huge handles on the side that won’t fit that. We found this one that is 12″x15″ including the handle and it easily fit the 13lb turkey.
Does Convection Cook The Same As A Normal Oven?
No. It’s even better:) Once you figure out to lower the temp a bit and reduce the amount of time (by like 5-10 minutes), it cooks more evenly and crisps things up a bit more. The hot air cooks by circulating. So again you have to ignore this overcooked turkey – this was the first time we were trying a big bird and we forgot it was in there. A tiny learning curve, but so easy to adapt, and I’ve had zero frustrations after the first week.
Do Normal Cookie Sheets Fit?
We had read about this so we were prepared, but no, you have to downsize your cookie or veggie roasting sheets to 9″x13″ and double them up. This was a VERY easy switch to make and with the double oven (the convection and the multi-function) we can roast a lot at the same time (and we do, very frequently).
These cookies are an example of what can happen if you use the normal oven setting on the multi-function and don’t rotate – the top cookies got a lot more cooked than the bottom which is normal. But it’s not a big deal – you do it once then learn to rotate. And since we shot this I started using convection for almost everything (the other compartment) because I like how it cooks everything more evenly.
The Broiling Drawer
This compartment has 4 settings that are almost undetectably different, but essentially change how close the food is to the “element” (read: heat source). So you could put something deeper in there but for this shoot we did bacon. This is the only time we’ve used the drawer (Brian is a big “bacon in oven” guy) so we aren’t experts here but I wanted to show you what it can do.
We cooked bacon but you could also do open-faced sandwiches or vegetables – essentially anything that you want top-down heat for.
Are The Knobs Intuitive And Easy To Read?
Yes. And this has been a pet peeve of mine in the past (also not a big deal). What you can’t see in the photo (but can see down below where we boil water) is that there are little illustrations on top of the silver bar that show which burner you are using. But they make intuitive sense – the middle one controls the middle burner, the left controls left, right controls right. This is not always the case so YAY for not even needing to look anymore.
Next… The Induction Cook Top – How Does It Compare To Gas?
Gas ovens are pretty similar to electric or induction, but does an induction cooktop perform as well? Let’s get into it. Here are the basics of ours: it’s a 48″ and has 5 burners – one large (in the middle), 3 medium, and one small. We very frequently use 3-4 at a time so I’m glad we got the 48″ for our family. It’s a glass top that is so pretty and simple. It’s hard to see in the photos but there are slight circles that are easily seen in person to show you where the burners are.
Do All Pots And Pans Work On Our Induction Cooktop?
No, all pots/pans do not work so expect to replace some, but far more work with induction than we originally thought. We bought new fry and saute pans (we have some Made In and some new All-Clad, but all of my dutch ovens, soup pots, and even my huge broth stock pot worked – I was not expecting that). We found out by putting the pan on and turning on that burner, and it indicates whether it works or not (if it doesn’t work it has a dash sign and won’t turn on, but if your pan will work then it will let you select your temp and start cooking). So it was a fun game to see what worked and what didn’t (our lighter-weight fry pans didn’t work so all of those had to be replaced – Brian researched a lot and bought these and we are very happy with them).
Is Cooking On An Induction Cooktop Faster? Better?
Yes, definitely faster but also it just feels very controllable. For instance, when you want to go lower or higher it does so immediately once it gets going (it can’t go from zero to crazy hot instantly, but definitely really fast, and once it’s high it can go low very very quickly).
Can It Really Boil Water Super Fast?
This is one of the biggest “pros” of the induction – that it can boil water quickly. I’ll admit that I didn’t find this a huge inconvenience with our gas ranges, but I was eager to see just how fast it can boil water should you be REALLY into that:)
So we timed it with 6 cups of water (which is a lot) and it took 5 1/2 minutes to come to a rolling boil.
Apparently, this would be around 9 minutes with a gas top:) So yes, it does boil water faster, but I think what I like even more is that once it’s warmed up it can go from 3 to 7, back to 4 up to 8 almost instantly. So if you are accidentally burning your onion/garlic on the bottom of your soup pot you don’t have to take it off the heat, you just turn it down and it truly does decrease the heat (in my experience).
Can Brian Still Butter Baste His Delicious Steaks?
When all the controversy around gas ranges hit last year (and before the whole thing was hilariously politicized) a lot of chefs were up in aprons because there are some things that many feared they couldn’t cook as well. This was Brians’s biggest concern because for most small dinner parties or special occasions he makes the most delicious butter-basted filet mignon steaks (we are both huge Matty Matheson fans and he uses this recipe, and yes, give yourself a treat and watch his video). The reason the heat source matters is because you use a cast iron pan that has to hold a lot of heat and then the final step of cooking the steak is that you tip it up, off the burner, and use a spoon to butter baste it but the pan needs to hold a ton of heat to do the job. A lot of chefs were literally specifically going public about how induction will ruin their butter-basting game. Brian was one of them.
Before we got the range we knew the risk that this would be a dish that we only did over the holidays at the mountain house, or we would buy a small gas burner just for these occasions – it was that serious of a concern. So it’s with great joy that I can announce that he can indeed butter-baste our steaks on this induction cooktop! I think it’s crucial that you use an induction cast iron pan because once the pan heats up it stays hot for a long time and conducts enough heat, while off the burner (therefore not magnetized) to keep up the proper cooking.
He can’t tip the pan up as much or take it off the heat for as long as he has in the past on a gas burner. It totally works and we can stay married and continue to consume this delicious dish (on occasion).
Is The Whole Top Hot? How Does That Work?
This part feels like magic, but essentially the pan and the burners use magnets to create the heat when in contact with each other – so no, the burner is not hot to the touch on its own. This is great for cooking with the kids as I don’t need to worry about the areas in between the burners – “the pot covers the hot” so to speak. That’s not to say that once it’s turned off it’s instant – no, it takes a few minutes to cool down completely (and has an “H” on it until it’s cooled down) but the real hot heat is only conducted when the pot is on the burner.
The Cleanup Is So Easy
I didn’t take a photo of it, but it’s extremely easy and satisfying to clean, and once you have this as an option dismantling your gas burners to clean underneath them will seem very laborious. I also LOVE that I can take my tray of veggies out of the oven and pop it right on top – like one big safe trivet. It’s obviously heat safe.
So far the only feedback I would give is that I wish there was a user manual for best practices with the induction and convection technology – there is an instruction manual, of course, but it doesn’t give you a lot of info on the nuances of convection and induction that I think could be useful (for instance it would be nice to know how long to broil the bacon on what temperature or how to defrost meat in the multi-function, not just say that you can). From experience, I’ve dialed in my favorite convection temperatures for roasting vegetables, but a manual with some best practices specifically for convection and induction would be helpful as we all make this transition (thus this blog post).
Do We Love It? How Much Would We Recommend It?
Let’s just say that I would not have written this post if I weren’t very, very happy with our induction range. This whole review is not part of a contract deliverable – I wanted to do it to help alleviate any anxiety that future induction purchases would have. I hope that it’s been useful. We really really love it – how it looks (it’s just so beautiful) to how it functions every day for our family. Again, if you have a gas range that you love do not throw it out and replace it with an induction. I’m not saying it’s “better” to cook on than a gas range. I’m simply saying that if you are going the induction range route I can tell you that the Aga 48″ Elise has been excellent for our family. I’m sure there are others that are also wonderful, but I’m writing from my own set of experiences. xx
Kitchen Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchens & Baths
Countertops: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
White Oak Windows and Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Tile: Pratt + Larson
Range: Build with Ferguson
Flooring: Zena Forest Products(Oregon grown and milled)
Lighting, Switches, Outlets, and Sink: Rejuvenation
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams, “Extra White”
Vintage Island: Aurora Mills
Rug: District Loom
Brass Gallery Rods: Pepe and Carols
*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green
Thank you for sharing all of this, this is so helpful! Another question: when I’ve had electric stoves in the past, it’s hard to keep them looking nice – it seems like anything that drips on the surface sort of bakes in. With my gas stove, I can wipe it down once it’s cooled off. This has been a major concern for me with an induction stove! How is it to keep the top looking clean?
Wipe it off after it cools, use soda or the hard side of your sponge for remaining stains, or steel wool. It is a glass surface. Compared to traditional electric stoves, an induction stove does not “burn” objects. The glass does not heat up, but transfers the energy to the pot, which becomes hot due to magnetic interaction. The glass surface only gives off the residual heat of the hot pot and its contents. It is passive residual heat. Does this make sense to you?
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I have an induction now, where I used to have an electric before and it is a million times easier to clean. If anything spills or boils over, it doesn’t crust or burn like it does on an electric because the ring isn’t hot enough (warm, yes, raging hot, no). So any spills I just either mop up at the time (and my tea towels don’t burn anymore – hurrah!), or wait until it’s cooled and wipe off afterwards. I’ve always loved gas, was stuck with electric for years and hated it with a passion. And now I really love induction. Not sure if I love it more than gas because – flames, but it’s definitely on par!
Absolutely, yes!!
Fully agree, a million times easier to clean!
We have had a Frigidaire Gallery 30″ induction range for about a week now. Switched from a gas range bc we had concerns about indoor air quality (3/5 of our household has asthma). The induction range is SO EASY to clean. So far, we’ve just been wiping it down with a wet rag and dish soap, then drying with a clean kitchen towel. It is about 1000x easier than our old gas range with its grates and crevices. Maybe 10x easier than electric glass cooktops that we’ve had in the past, where food would get burned on and you had to scrape it off and use special scrubby pads.
Oversea voice from Europe: Iam so happy to hear your detailed and positive feedback. It is so interesting to hear that this is something new or uncommon in the US. We had our first induction stove 15 years ago, even a cheap one from IKEA (=whirlpool, was €800 in 2007, 24″ = 60 cm, 4 pot spots, standard size here). This one has served us for 13 years of daily family cooking (2 adults, 2 kids). We replaced it 2 years ago with the current generation induction stove (again IKEA, again 24″, €900 in 2020). We love it, and would choose one again and again. We really miss the induction stove when we are in a vacation home and using gas. Cleaning is so much more work, the air is stuffy, there are more smells in the kitchen compared to induction cooking, and the risk of overcooking things that get into the flame, etc. I hear that in continental Europe nearly nearly all industrial and restaurant kitchens shifted or are shifting towards induction. Due to safety reasons (no open flames) and less heat in the kitchen > less energy for ventilation/AC needed. And steak restaraunt are still around and full of… Read more »
Same here. Had our first induction range 25 (!) years ago and loved it then and still do (the Netherlands). It really has almost the same cooking qualities as gas but so much easier to keep clean.
Same. Moved from LA to Portugal 2 years ago, and was initially worried about leaving our beloved and stylin’ 50s gas range for induction, but once I got going with it I’ve never looked back. Husband is an excellent, but messy cook, and I no longer have to spend quality time scrubbing baked on sauces and the like. Happy to have made the switch.
Natural gas is much more common and inexpensive in much of the US and until recently electric power was more expensive. Electric ranges were more associated with rental properties too and it took awhile for people to unlearn the idea that gas cookin was more precise. Well, electric ranges had to improve first. Just offering some reasons why induction, which isn’t new, is newly trending here.
As I understand it, gas ranges aren’t just being phased out for environmental reasons, but because the emissions from gas ranges have been linked to health issues like asthma (especially in children). It was a (very effective) marketing ploy in the first place that gas is a superior cooking medium.
I would say it’s both. Most of the laws that have been passed to date are partly in an effort to reach decarbonization targets. The health stuff helps, but tbh, I don’t think the science on that is at clear (I’ve read the original studies, and there are a lot of confusing socioeconomic factors involved).
If you have a gas range, don’t panic — make sure your gas connection is tight (that’s the source of all those comments about ‘methane is released even when they are off’) and use ventilation religiously.
Ugh. Apparently autocorrect doesn’t like “confounding.”
Ventilating gas stoves isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I used to have a gas range that was very well connected and in excellent condition, and even running the vent on high (the kind that does pull air outside, not just recirculate) didn’t come close to offsetting the indoor air pollution of running the gas stove. I’d cooked on it for years and years with the vent on thinking that was enough, and had I not decided to get an air quality sensor mid-pandemic to work towards making small gatherings safer, I’d never have known how truly awful gas ranges are for air quality – even with proper ventilation.
I’m not sure where the studies are on proof/direct health impacts but gas stoves absolutely reduce indoor air quality. After the Marshall Fire in Colorado a lot of folks invested in indoor air monitoring to understand fire impacts/mitigation better. The darn things lose their minds and spike like crazy every time gas is turned on. I’m in an all-electric house so have a Bosch induction cooktop I love anyway, but not having to sweat the indoor emissions is nice!!
Same! I live in the Bay Area of CA and when we had massive wildfires a few years ago, I purchased air purifiers with an AQI sensor on them. They turn red (worst air quality) every time our gas range burners or oven is on. Thankfully we can open the windows almost 365 days a year to keep clean air circulating, but it’s really clear what a negative impact a gas range has on indoor air quality. I plan to switch to induction at some point in the nearer future.
The science is in and it’s clear.
Gas companies = $$$ = don’t want change = expensive abd very clever marketing strategies to cause doubt.
Hi there Emily! This was a great read, as I’ve also been thinking I should switch over when my gas range dies out. A random question: Where are your clogs from? I have been looking for a pair just like that!
They are the Layne Clog Mule by Madewell.
Thank you for the review!! We had been considering the 36” Aga induction for our remodel, but ultimately due to budget went with a standard 30” electric Bosch. I’m even shocked at how well the electric ranges work nowadays! It heats up water crazy fast, has really great response times, and cleans up SO easily. So I definitely second how easy it is to clean the glass vs disassmbling an entire grate situation of a gas stove. So glad to hear this is working out for your family, and of course how beautiful it is!
Another European here where convection ovens have been pretty standard for decades I think – when we lived in the US I HATED the old-fashioned non-convection ovens in our first rental home. Two questions about the AGA though – am always a little surprised that you go it in black – perhaps there isn’t the same range of amazing AGA colours as we get over here in the UK? Also, it’s an AGA but it’s not really a ‘proper’ AGA is it? The ovens are not on all the time are they? We had a holiday in a Welsh cottage with an AGA and it was on the whole time – set to Low until we got there, then instructions to turn it higher – which was a completely different cooking experience as there was no precise control of temperature anywhere – just a hot oven and an even hotter oven, a hot zone and an even hotter zone on the top. I had never been interested in an AGA before but I LOVED it – and it kept the whole house cosy. We have just induction hob now, with separate wall ovens, and the ease of cleaning is worth… Read more »
My folks had convection ovens in Oklahoma in the 1990s, so yes, they’ve been around for a long time.
Aga in Europe has a much wider range of colors. In US, it’s only stainless, two blacks, a white, an ivory, and a deep blue.
We have a 13 year old gas stove/oven that is slowly dying in annoying ways. We have fixed it and replaced parts but of course, thanks to planned obsolescence, not everything is fixable. Anyhow, when it finally dies, I’m really looking forward to replacing it with an induction model. I wanted one 13 years ago, but they were very expensive and hard to find here.
We have the Aga Elise too and love that top broiler drawer — great for bacon, sausages, grilled cheese, fillets of fish. It’s like a big toaster oven! So useful for crisping things up from the top without wasting the space of a regular oven.
Emily: if you use the left big regular oven but set it to the setting that has two horizontal lines with the fan in between, then it will function as a convection oven exactly the same as the big oven on the right (a convection oven is just a regular oven with the heat circulated around by a fan).
And a little factoid I learned that blew my mind: an air fryer is just a baby convection oven. The whole air fryer thing is a total gimmick 🙂
Is it a gimmick? We have convection ovens that also have an air fryer setting that needs no preheating and works very differently for us.
The name “air fryer” is the gimmick.
I wouldn’t say total gimmick…convection ovens and air fryers cook the same way, with fans blowing hot air around. The fans on air fryers are sometimes stronger though, and using a basket helps crisp things up. (You can buy a basket for your convection oven, though.)
I don’t necessarily think it’s silly to buy an air fryer if you don’t have a convection oven (or if you do but regularly cook small portions)…but you’d probably get the same effect with a convection toaster oven (which can generally hold lots more.)
Also I never preheat my convection toaster oven, fwiw…works great!
I have a convection oven and have literally used it twice since I bought an airfryer. Since they are smaller they heat up quickly – no preheat and cook faster.
I never use the convection settings on our double oven because I can’t stand the fan noise.
That “factoid” makes sense.
Regarding the broiler @georgina. Do the oven compartments also have a traditional broiler setting? Mainly wondering about recipes where you move a pan from the stovetop to the broiler to finish (like melt cheese on top etc). That doesn’t seem possible with this broiler drawer…
Yes—the big conventional oven on the bottom left has a broiler setting! (The big convection-only oven—top right—doesn’t have any other setting options.)
Long time induction user here. The technology isn’t new, when we lived in Europe decades ago it was very common, and even when we moved back to the US 15 years ago we had friends who had induction already. I do agree that it is fantastic, and I’m glad it’s becoming “trendy” in the US. One tip is that many pots and pans will work, but the more magnetic they are the better they will work (and the faster they will heat/boil). I’ve found that a number of pots and pans that say they work for induction, or that work when you put them on the stove, don’t conduct heat nearly as well as expected. You can use a magnet to test- stick it to the bottom of the pot and test the strength of the hold to determine how well it will work. But anyone considering switching can use a magnet to test their current pans so they know what will still work after they switch, and also 5 1/2 minutes to boil water actually seems long, I can easily boil 8 cups in 3- 3 1/2 minutes, so I wonder if the pot isn’t as efficient as it… Read more »
I had the same thought – that’s a really long time to boil water on an induction. My Miele can do it in about two minutes when we use the boost feature. I was wondering if they’re using an inefficient pan or using multiple pans at once, which can reduce the power to any individual one? Or don’t realize that different spots on the cooktop may have different maximum power outputs?
That tip is so helpful, thank you! We recently got an induction (the GE Cafe—love it) and now I’m curious to test how strongly magnetic my pots are!)
we got one too (not this brand, but a normal price range one) and i like it too. but mostly i came here to say:
1. i love that blue vintage bowl you got so much. i say this every time i see it in your kitchen shots.
2. that final shot of you and Brian is so good. you should frame it for your kids
So great to hear your review! I’m glad it’s working so well for you. I can’t wait until I can get an induction range someday soon 🙂
hi! air quality scientist here, and I’d like to clarify that there is NO debate about the chemistry going on, it’s established science, not “just a few years of research.” Natural gas is mostly methane, and the oxidation process (combustion) will produce only carbon dioxide and water (vapor) /if the only gases involved are methane and oxygen/. However, we know that natural gas isn’t pure methane (there’s an additive for smell, for safety), and the air around the flame isn’t pure oxygen (this is a good thing)–our atmosphere is 78% nitrogen. That means most of the air in your home is nitrogen and most of the air mixing in with the natural gas is nitrogen. And when nitrogen gets super heated around oxygen, something called nitrogen oxides form. All established chemistry. It’s also established -health- that nitrogen oxides are a lung irritant, and can/do go on to react and form particulate matter, which is also bad for our lungs and hearts. This is why the US EPA has regulatory “standards” and the World Health Organization has guidelines for this stuff. While I appreciate that there are debates on what to do with scientific information, and how that information should or… Read more »
This is really helpful! I wished that this review had linked to the science that is referenced off hand – otherwise it just sounds like confusing opinion. So thanks for adding in some more information!
The science is in. Published, peer-reviewed, in.
New year, same mindless down-votes from the bully/mean girls.
Ah well, enjoy yourselves. LOL 🤣🤣
WYKYK.
Science AIN’T settled, baby!
There is a Reproducibility AND Replication crisis going on.
There is NO consensus in Science and many Journals are compromised by the shoddy standards of their Peer Review.
Appeal to Authority is hilariously evident in your certain statement.
Thank you for contributing this info to the conversation!
Science has entered the building! Yay!
The NOx half of SOx and NOx! Yeah, you really don’t want you, your kids or your pets to be breathing it.
Hallelujah, Monica!
Thank you for sharing this.
Very eloquently put.
😊
This is very helpful and well-written! (And god bless the scientists pulled into our “debates” over scientific facts.)
Thank you Monica! Very helpful. I assume these concerns would apply to gas fireplaces as well?
yes, the chemistry’s the same. I have zero personal experience with gas fireplaces, but aren’t the flames more contained than those on stoves? (I’m thinking of the glass that’s typically between the flame and the room–how well is that sealed?)
Yes I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps it’s dependent on the seal of the glass, and also if it is vented to the outside. I’ll have to look into that as we were thinking of installing one in a newly built home that is tightly sealed. Thanks for your response.
Please don’t even consider a ventless gas fireplace: https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/a-ventless-gas-fireplace-is-a-liability/
You notice it a lot in a commercial kitchen in the morning. All the pilots are obviously lit overnight but the hood fans do not run all night. It’s crazy in the air until you flip on the hoods so it makes sense that gas stoves inside a house, especially without proper ventilation would be bad for humans. Thanks for the science, Monica!
Thanks for sharing this, Monica. For those interested in the science, here’s one of the studies that identifes what percentage of childhood asthma could be avoided through the elimination of gas stoves in the US. It’s high – in the teens or twenties, depending on jurisdiction! So exactly how to act on the science is up for debate, but the imperative to act on the science seems clear. Preventing asthma seems particularly important as we know we are heading into an increase other respiratory risks, such as from longer and worse wildfire seasons. Personally, I support regulation as most people rent and don’t have the privilege of choosing their appliances. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/75?ftag=MSFd61514f
I think the effect of gas stoves on asthma rates is not totally clear. Emily Oster (who is an economist with good statistical training, but not a public health expert) gave an overview of the scientifice evidence connecting asthma and gas stoves: https://www.parentdata.org/p/gas-stoves-and-asthma (As Monica explained, I have heard multiple experts explain that gas stoves do produce NO2, which is well-documented as contributing to asthma. But that’s not quite the same as saying how much of a contributor to asthma rates that gas stoves are)
Oops. I now also see that nitrogen oxide refers to a bunch of compounds, not just NO2. (Definitely NOT a chemist here.)
All the upvotes on this are so heartening to me! Love this blog and design content a great deal, but I feel a bit alienated by some of the wellness/sauna blanket talk sometimes (sweating out toxins is not a real thing, though yes I accept the blanket feels good to some people and that’s cool–you do you!). It’s just so nice to see a little crew of fellow science-literate interior design fans raising their/our hands here! Thanks Monica!
This is so helpful Monica thank you. Does that mean any time air gets super heated even without gas, like in a bonfire or any oven, it creates nitrogen oxides? If I’m understanding correctly, then the issue with gas stoves specifically is to do with the amount of air being heated (ie vs a candle), the fact that it’s in an enclosed space (ie vs a bbq), but not contained inside an appliance (ie vs electric oven/air fryer)?
that’s an insightful question! the short answer is yes–fires make nitrogen oxides, even air around a lightning bolt gets superheated enough to make nitrogen oxides! and yes–the health risks go up the more one’s exposed to–the intensity of the heat and ventilation definitely matter. What else is in the ambient air matters too, like if there are a lot of scents or how humid it is, because these can all react to make fine particulates.
Question: Did you have to buy all new cookware? Like do normal pots and pans work at all? Is it easy to find stylish cookware for induction?
Hey Orlando,
No, not necessarily. A lot of pots you already may have will likely work.
Someone already shared a great answer and how to test yours using a magnet.
My extremely basic understanding is that anything cast iron (including enameled cast iron, ie a Dutch oven), and stainless steel will work. Aluminum and copper pans usually aren’t sufficient, as they’re thinner and don’t work as well with the electrical current required for heating.
Anything. Magnet sticks too should work. So all my all-clad and cast iron and Le Creuset does great. Vintage Corning ware and my aluminum popcorn pan didn’t.
I’ve always hated gas stoves. Had electric until 3 years ago and if my cooktop dies, I’m definitely getting an induction cooktop. What I have always liked about it is that the surface doesn’t get hot (except from touching a hot pan) and that it is much more energy-efficient and cooks faster than gas, while still being just as controllable. I like hearing from a reader above about how easy it is to clean. When I first started reading about induction cooking, I read that you need a stainless steel bottom or cast iron pan to make it work. You can’t use a pan with an aluminum bottom. I actually saw a FB post from a high school classmate about a week ago who said she was cooking bacon and eggs on her gas stove and flame shot up and caught her hair on fire and burned her face! I’ve always been creeped out by the potential disaster of open flames! Another co-worker’s wife burned her arm badly and another’s son started their kitchen on fire! So I am all for induction cooking! Such a beautiful range- I doubt I would ever feel rich enough to spring for it.
It’s likeany introduction to a new product or technology to a country, critical mass.
The more people buy them, the cheaperthey become.
Europe has a very wide range of indiction stoves and the price is much cheaper, because they’ve had them around longer.
Same goes for EVs.
Oh, I would buy an induction range, but not a luxury one. That’s for rich people! And influencers! There are plenty of mid-range brands that have induction stoves now.
When we first switched to induction about 10 years ago, one of the things that was the most exciting was not having open flame around our toddler twins! We wanted them to be able to be in the kitchen with us and pull up a stool and not stress about hair on fire!
Curious if you used the “Power Boost” function for the boiling water test? Or if you ever use it.
I can’t speak for Emily or the AGA, but we use boost on our Miele all the time and it boils water much faster than the five-ish minutes Emily gets.
Yes! The power boost is the thing! Makes water boil incredibly quickly! Please read your manual Emily 😉
KJ, you’re my HERO. We just installed a 43″ CornuFé induction in our kitchen renovation (which I love – second induction) and my husband and I were wondering what the P stood for. And. yes, we’ve used it and it does bring water to boil faster. BTW, I highly recommend my stove as a fantastic alternative to Aga – it doesn’t have the single broiler door, but it has the option on the left side and it cooks so evenly. And it’s GORGEOUS. Totally the star of the kitchen. It’s shown below (we’re not through with the kitchen yet)
Thank you for sharing this pic! Gorgeous. We have been rolling around a similar combo of elements for our remodel and I’ve been nervous about dark cabs AND a black/gold range. Are you happy with how it all came together? Still looks bright in this picture – would you agree?
Congrats, Molly. Here’s a link to some documentation for you: https://lacornueusa.com/resources/cornufe-specs-and-manuals
Yes I am curious how this works as well in actual life. Been considering this range for over a year and asked Aga USA what this function was…sounded like it CS basically amp the wattage for 10 min burst. Beyond boiling water, wondering what other times you would use it.
I think you’d use it for wok cooking and Brian’s butter-basted steak?
We just use it for boiling water, we use a 7 or 8 (out of 9) for wok cooking and even that can be too hot sometimes. It’s fun to have the boost setting but it’s totally not necessary. We just have the IKEA induction cooktop and love it.
I lurrrve it!!!!!!!💗💗💗
Induction is so much like ELECTRICKERY (not a typo for a change!🤣).
Waaay easy to keep clean and super-fast cooking, with ovens that cook so evenly.
There are affordable options, too. Since induction has been around in other countries gir a long time now… it’s not actually ‘new’. Even IKEA sells them. The reviews seem really positive.
Um, I think maybe that “storage drawer” might be a “plate warmer”? Where you put your plates to warm up, so ehen you serve your food it stays warm in colder climates. They’re really useful for large dinner parties when it takes so long to plate-up.
“… up in aprons” Hehehaha!🤣🤣 Love it!
No, it’s a drawer: Spacious storage drawer with rubber mat to protect and store your cookware
Thanks Kj. I was wondering about that.
👋 *waves at the mean girls.* 🤣
Our gas stove/oven died recently, after more than 20 good years, so we used that as an opportunity to switch to induction range and convection oven for the same reasons you made the switch. I am still getting the hang of the oven and have definitely overcooked a few frozen pizzas, but we are happy with it overall. I love not cleaning gas burners and just having a flat surface to wipe down. The fact that it is only hot where the pan is touching it is really nice with the kids around too.
I absolutely love induction. We bought our first over 10 years ago when our home’s electric range broke. We thought it would be an upgrade to regular electric and we were right, it was amazing to cook on. When we moved into a new house with a gas range I was so excited to cook on gas, it was supposed to be the best, etc and I hated it! So slow to heat anything but wouldn’t go low enough to not burn delicate things and so so hard to clean. When that range started to go we replaced it with another induction and I’m a happy cook again. There were some costs associated with removing the gas line and installing the electrical outlet needed for an induction stove but it was worth it. The AGA is beautiful!
If we stay anywhere with a gas stove, i feel pouty inside. Do i really have all day to boil water? Is half the heat going in the air and not in my food? I can never go back!
Thank you for writing this review, Emily! We’re at the tail end of an ancient electric smooth top, and have been looking into induction options. A few questions, for you or others with experience: 1 ) are there any photos of the top of the Aga Elise — the “H” , the spacing of the burners, the background? I’ve noticed that some induction cooktops have a bit of a grey pattern in the background, and am wondering if that helps hide scratches (if they do happen). Is the Aga solid black? 2) any issues with scratching while using your dutch ovens / cast iron fry pan? This is something I’m very nervous about. We are careful by default and take good care of things, but we cook three meals a day every day, and I don’t want to be on pins and needles all the time. 3) how is cleaning the inside? This is really a question for anyone with the new-style of racks — with the metal rails to hold them at the sides (vs. just the bumps on the inside of the oven)… but, I’m even more wondering about it when you are dealing with small oven sizes… Read more »
My understanding is that only the traditional cast iron AGAs are constantly on, the rest operate like a traditional range.
Thank you!
We haven’t had any issues with the cast iron skillet we use multiple times a day scratching on either of the induction stoves we have had.
Thank you! That’s encouraging to hear! Any thought the durability might be different brand to brand? Or is the surface going to be the same on all of them?
is there a link to pots Brian liked and purchased ?
I’ve been considering an induction for our remodel. I’m wondering about scratching the glass top. How tough is it? Do your pans or cleaners even scratch top? Do they need protection?
Hey Emily! I cannot tell you how helpful this post is…answered so many questions I’ve had on oven size and induction cooking. Curious which color Aga Elise this is….Matte Black or Glossy Black? Also if you went with the Brushed Brass or Polished brass range knobs to go with your unlacquered brass hardware?
We were forced to get a new range after the one in the home we bought crapped out…decided to go with a Bertazzoni induction range and I AM IN LOVE WITH IT. The quick-boil feature really makes a big difference with a busy family. And keeping it clean IS satisfying! One thing I will say is that cooking with induction really encourages a mise en place — since the burners heat so quickly, if you have everything chopped and prepped, cooking feels like driving a sports car.
Emily, this is so reassuring! Thank you.
My personal fear was that the induction cooktop would be like the more conventional electric/glass top range. Clearly, yours is better.
We all have to adapt to a new world, and some adjustments in cooking style are not as hard as we think. Good to know about your experience.
My husband has always wanted a gas range or cooktop, but I’ve been nervous about them well before the current talk against them, so when we updated our kitchen a year ago, we chose an induction cooktop (we have separate ovens). I found it very easy to adjust to. We did have to buy new pots and pans, but my Calphalon set (which doesn’t work with induction) was ancient and ratty and needed to be replaced anyway. The only thing that threw me off at first was that the size of the bottom of the pan needs to be very close to the size of the burner you’re using — too big or too little and there’s not enough contact for the magnet to do its thing. But we’ve figured out which pans work where. I’m a big fan and would recommend one.
Thanks for the info on this. I love my gas range and oven. I’m sure I’d get used to induction, but I’m going to hold out for as long as I can.
I switched to induction and have been installing induction for my clients also, and we all love the induction. So precise with cooking temperatures, no difference in the ability to get a sear, a simmer, etc. Much easier to clean, safer – I used to light a dish towel or hot pad on fire about once a year… no more! The only downside is that the glass top can be chipped/cracked so I need to be careful with the cast iron pans.
Induction cooktops are nothing like the older electric cooktops – coil or ceramic. I’ve had both of the old style ones in apartments and houses over the years, and they were inferior to gas. Induction is 1,000% better.
It’s so pretty and I’m glad that you’re enjoying it – surprised that there aren’t more companies making beautiful induction ranges!
I kind of wonder though, aren’t you actually occasionally representing brands that aren’t 100% aligned with your design, style, and ethos? I don’t take you for a cruise person, especially with the environmental impact of them, but maybe I’m wrong. I don’t think it’s a huge deal that you promoted Royal Caribbean on your Instagram, I’m certainly not perfect myself and I totally get why you might have.
What Rusty said.
We remodeled our house in 2019 and got an induction cooktop because we don’t have gas and didn’t want to put in a propane tank. We MUCH prefer induction and use cast iron almost exclusively. I despise nonstick cookware and cast iron is nonstick if it is cared for correctly, so win/win. My preferred brand is Smithey, amazing quality and made in the USA! Induction is awesome!
Do all inductions come with a built in oven? It really seems like one has to change around their kitchen if you are seriously considering making the change. We all have ovens – I assume most don’t need to double up. Pot and pan storage too. Emily, where do you store your cookware?
There a lots of induction cooktop options, which are just the cooktop without the ovens.
Your first 2 paragraphs were so thoughtful and well balanced!! The down side: HIGH EMFs!! AND, why do newer houses need to be so air-tight, anyway? (rhetorical)
We have used induction for the past 8 years and once I cooked on it I will never cook on anything else. Your statement was so true. Control is exactly what you get. When we bought our first induction stove we had been considering gas but what swayed us was camping in trailers with gas stoves and the heat, smell and leakage problems that always or eventually go along with it. Another induction positive is the pan may be hot but the cooktop outside the pan is not, so cooking with my grandkids gives me a lot less worry. I just wouldn’t have felt comfortable with them at a gas range.
Are you afraid of breaking the glass? Do you worry about banging the pans on it & chipping/breaking?
The glass is special glass, specifically for the purpose.
Not standard glass in any way.
Very useful, thank you! And I do mean it. I’ve long contended that a good cook “can” cook on anything, gas, electric, fire, etc.
But I’m also noting, no cast iron? Unless you buy special pans?
That sounds a lot like forcing the switch to LED for bulbs which would eventually be cheaper (ha, not so far) and would last so much longer (ha, definitely not so far) but would consume so much less electricity (how exactly do you see that when paying the power company?) and on and on.
So we take the most economical and effective and long-lasting cooking pans and make them obsolete? Whew.
Sorry, I’m feeling curmudgeonly about induction. Maybe I’d have defended square wheels too 🤨
Cast iron works on induction. If a pan is magnetic it works on induction, and cast iron is most definitely magnetic.
all of my cast irons work great on my induction stove. Maybe you are thinking of copper pots.? Give induction a shot! It is life changing in the best way 🙂
Without incurring anyone’s wrath, 3 years ago I got a Wolf cooktop in my new condo that has 3 gas burners and 2 induction. I must admit that I love having the choice. Great to heat pasta water quickly but also have the option to use gas for better control.
Really? Induction actually has faster, better control than gas.
Curious how much better induction is than a good, energy-efficient electric range? I’ve been raised on electric and have heard some not-so-great things about induction… seems like the conversation is just gas vs. induction, and I’m just wondering why electric is being left out.
Quite a bit more efficient: “up to 90% of the energy consumed is transferred to the food, compared to about 74% for traditional electric systems and 40% for gas.”
https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2014/data/papers/9-702.pdf
A traditional electric cooktop heats the cooktop surface, which transfers energy to the pan sitting on top of it, which transfers the energy to the food. Induction heats the pan itself directly, eliminating a step in the chain and thus a point of energy loss.
Such a great explanation, Kristin.
A standard cookie sheet typically measures about 18 x 13 inches, and will fit in most conventional ovens. However, it’s important to check the dimensions of your oven and the cookie sheet to ensure that it will fit properly. Some ovens have smaller interior dimensions, so a standard cookie sheet may not be able to fit. Additionally, some ovens have a curved interior, which can make it difficult to fit a flat cookie sheet. When shopping for a cookie sheet, look for one that is labeled as “standard size” or “fits most ovens”. You can also measure your oven interior to ensure that the cookie sheet will fit before purchasing. If you’re in doubt, it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution and choose a slightly smaller cookie sheet rather than one that is too large to fit. Another factor to consider is the type of material the cookie sheet is made of. Some materials, such as aluminum, are better conductors of heat than others, which can affect the way your cookies bake. If you’re looking for a cookie sheet that will help you achieve evenly baked cookies, look for one that is made of a… Read more »
Thanks, Kristin. That’s such a small difference that it cements my belief that if I have to replace my pots/pans with magnetic ones, then switching to induction is less green than just keeping my electric range.
I am soooo sorry when we purchased our GE Cafe gas range 2 years ago we did not get the induction! We did not at the time to save $, however, I would do it now. I hate how hard it is to keep the gas range top clean. We are very happy with how it works.
That is one beautiful range.
Hi! Wondering how many large pots you can use on the stovetop at one time? I’m often cooking a big stock batch and then using a large braiser. I wasn’t sure the induction burner sizes on the Elise would work for that (because don’t they not work if the pan is too much bigger than the burner?). We are looking at the Elise for a remodel. Thank you so much!
Hmm., large pots i’m unsure, but I use at least 2 very often and I’d say you really could use all 5. it seems like the width would be the assumed problem, but most pots are the same width, just the height (like a stock pot) adds more). so don’t quote me but i’d say all 5 could be bit. its 48″ so she is big 🙂
We bought induction for our home in Portugal and love it. The person from our gas company who came to do our inspection actually suggested it after our gas range failed inspection. I guess that’s common because they’re now requiring emergency shut-off valves for gas ranges ( it’s a new requirement and most people don’t have them and your home cannot be grandfather in) and we would have had to drill into our gorgeous tile to install one. We couldn’t be happier with induction.
First, I love “all up in aprons” – ha!
Second, we are intending to switch from gas to induction in our renovation but holy moly the costs of updating electrical to do so… I knew we’d likely have to update but I didn’t expect it to be $3k so now I’m getting cold feet! But our range sits tucked into our island and there’s no hood vent or any reasonable way to add one so I think we’re just going to have to bite the bullet. But I think it’s an important thing to add to the discussion.
We just went from gas to induction, and had to run a new electric line, too, including adding a new breaker to the panel and combining two other breakers to a split-breaker. It only cost us a few hundred dollars (and that’s in DC!). Hopefully if you look around you can get a better electric quote? (Although the distance from our circuit breaker box to the stove location is only 20 feet, so if it is far away, that heavy gauge copper will start to add up, I guess.)
Ugh! We pulled the gas range out and put in induction when we bought the house we are in now, and the electric work was only a few hundred (in mpls). 3k is painful!
for me one of the major reasons to switch to induction (besides the faster cooking times and easy cleanup) is that gas is more expensive than energy where i live. I had a smart gas meter and a gas cooktop in my old apartment and I could see a spike in my gas use any time I used the hob. And since gas is so expensive it was cost me any time I so much as fried and egg. When I was renovating my house I made sure to get as many appliances that were electric as possible including an induction cooktop. One of my favourite things I didn’t know beforehand is that it is much easier to clean your pots and pans as well as the cooktop. when you cook with gas any grease or food that you spill just burns into the pan. I would have whole layers of old grease on the bottom of my pans when I cooked on gas. Now I just clean my pans with hot water and dish soap and they look good as new. Since induction works with magnets and only heats what’s in the pan and not utensils or the whole… Read more »
About 19 years ago we put a beautiful vintage Wedgewood stove in our 1952 era kitchen. In 2016 we dig a big ol’ “open plan” remodel and I sent my beloved the stove to an expert in the Bay Area to have her rehabbed, valves cleaned, and get all the burners functioning properly. This baby was the centerpiece of our remodel and she gleamed! All of the burners lit easily, gas was flowing, she threw heat all the time. Our hood was a bit small, and our ceiling and cabinets near the stove did get dingy. Fast forward to this November when we were having our interior repainted. We pulled artwork off the walls throughout the living space and it looked like a smoker lived in our house! There were soot lines everywhere, our cabinets had yellowed, our blinds had greyed, it was gross and frankly, scary. Now, maybe some of that soot came from the air quality issues we’ve had in California due to wildfires, but our painter indicated it was the stove. I really love that Wedgewood, and I truly wish there was a way to convert her to electric because, 80 years on she still works and… Read more »
Contact a company that sells vintage stoves. They would gladly take it. Maybe this one? https://www.dreamstoves.com/about-dreamstoves.com.html
Thank you!!! that is so helpful Kj!
Overall I’m loving the induction range we just installed, but the one thing I could do without fail on my old gas range and can’t on my new induction is stove-top popcorn. Even google and reddit have failed me. (I laugh at the suggestions on the Wolf site, preheat the oil on high for 6 minutes !?! you’d end up with a raging oil fire from super-heated oil if you didn’t polymerize all the fats into a layer of plastic on the bottom of the pan first.) So far my best method is: heat a few Tbsp vegetable oil in cast iron Dutch oven until just shy of smoking at high heat setting (but not power boost), add 1/2 c. popcorn kernels, keep on high heat for 45 seconds while shaking pan, remove from heat and wait for popping to finish. Any longer on high heat and the popcorn all starts to burn. Any more than 1/2 c. kernels and too many remain unpopped. At this point I now have to make multiple batches to achieve the preferred amount of popcorn. This is definitely a first-world problem, but the one frustrating thing with our new induction range. I welcome any… Read more »
Well it involves getting a thing, but our whirly pop makes great popcorn on our induction. We use coconut oil bc we always have it around. It makes a ton of popcorn, enough for all of to enjoy including 2 tweens who basically live on popcorn and smoothies. I think we have the 10 year old version of this one: https://www.whirleypopshop.com/products/whirley-pop-stovetop-popcorn-popper-with-metal-gears-stainless-steel
I make popcorn on our wolf induction all the time. Using a stainless steel pot, heat oil on medium high, add a few kernels put on lid. Once they pop turn off heat, add the rest of kernels and put on lid. Wait about 20 seconds then turn heat to around medium- medium high. No need to shake the pan, when about half way popped turn down heat to medium- medium low. Basically, I follow this recipe
https://cookieandkate.com/perfect-stovetop-popcorn-recipe/
Planning on replacing our regular electric with induction. After looking at all choices, I had pretty much settled on the AGA Elise. It is coincidental that I found your blog on exactly the model we are looking at (although we require – due to space – the 36″) I am going to talk to the rep to determine if installation and service are available in our area. Thanks for such a detailed review.
oh yay! that makes me happy. we love it. 🙂
I have cooked with propane gas, city gas, electric, and now induction. Five years ago I did a remodel of my small galley kitchen and selected all new appliances. My Bosch 36′ induction cooktop, Bosch French door refrigerator, and Bosch dishwasher are absolutely wonderful appliances. As far as induction, I hope I never have to cook with gas or electricity again. Induction cooking is so clean, the top of extremely easy to clean with soap and water, even cookware stays clean and doesn’t get a grease buildup on the outsides of the 5-play stainless steel cookware (that was a true revelation to me of the cleanliness of cooking with induction), and the top itself truly does not even heat up a little bit while it is on. You can feel it when you have a saucepan on – feel the side of the saucepan then the cooktop that is very close to the saucepan; amazingly you will find the cooktop at room temperature. I absolutely love cooking with induction. Just the best tool ever for the kitchen cooking process.