What are the pros and cons of the three cook-top types?
Although ribbon-style radiant cook-tops do better, they still do not perform those jobs as well as the halogen and induction cook-tops. And their cooking area remains hot long after the pan is removed - a hazard.
Halogen cook-tops produce the cooking heat with a halogen bulb. Like radiant cook-tops, they heat the cook-top, which heats the pan, which heats the food. Because they become a great deal hotter than a radiant cook-top, they are even more hazardous.
Induction cook-tops heat a pan directly by means of a magnetic field. They do not heat the glass-ceramic panel that lies between the pan and the magnetic induction device. When you remove a pan, the cook-top's cooking area is not hot. What warmth it has comes from the heat conducted from the hot pan. Magnetic induction cook-tops heat and respond to temperature adjustments as fast as halogen and gas ranges. A major drawback is that you can use only pots and pans that contain a metal (like iron or steel) that is responsive to magnetic fields.
You can purchase a mixed-unit cook-top. It is built with a combination of radiant, halogen, and/or induction heating units. Because of their flat surfaces, all cook-tops are easier to clean than gas and electric-coil cook-tops. However, it is expensive to replace a glass or ceramic cook-top that has been broken by an accidentally dropped pan. Moreover, a pan has to be perfectly flat for optimum cooking on the smooth cook-top. Gas burners - because they cook with flames - are more forgiving if the pan's bottom is dented or warped. Another advantage of gas is that you can see the flames, which help you estimate without uncovering a pot the intensity of the heat that is being applied to the food.
Overall, most good cooks cast their vote for a gas range. Those who prefer electric ranges are partial to magnetic induction cook-tops.
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