The easy answer is...quickly. Using electromagnets to create an alternating electric field, energy is transferred to your cookware, saving most of the energy usually lost in the heat transfer. Gas burners, on the average, waste up to 70% of their energy, because the flames heat the air around the pot. Losing only around 30%, electric coils are more efficient, but induction cooktops are the most efficient, utilizing about 90% of their energy.

Extremely safe, the glass ceramic surface of the cooktop remains cool to the touch, only warming where the pot and cooktop touch, and the pot transfers some of its heat back to the cooktop. The best feature of induction cooking is their speed. Boil a pot of water in 1/4 to 1/2 the normal time. Great for bringing that pasta water to a quick boil.

Not all types of cookware can be used on an induction cooktop. Cast iron, steel and some magnetic stainless steel are the types of cookware that will function on an induction cooktop. Using a kitchen magnet, see if it sticks to your cookware. If it sticks, you can use it on an induction cooktop.

Fagor appliances have a full line of induction cooktops. They offer single zone and multi zone models in both portable and built-in models. The Fagor PORT-IND is a portable unit which can be moved from room to room. Keep it in the kitchen, using it as an additional burner, or move it to the dining area, to keep your dinner warm. Fagor also offers a double portable induction unit, and their multi-zone models have up to five separate cooking zones.

While induction cooking is not the choice for everyone, the safety, energy efficiency, ease of temperature control and ease of clean-up, make this a possible appliance choice when planning a kitchen addition or renovation.