Something to think about when deciding what cook top to have in your new kitchen, Induction cook tops often require a electrical upgrade in the meter box.

If you’re planning to go all-electric—to reduce your bills and carbon footprint—you’re going to need an electric cook top. Not so long ago, that meant an element-style cook top with all the downsides that went with that: slow response to turning the heat up or down and the consequent risk of burnt fingers (or melted implements) as the elements stayed hot for a long time after being turned off. Many keen cooks favoured gas cooking for these reasons — but induction cook tops are changing that.

Fans of induction cook tops cite many advantages—fast performance, excellent temperature control, increased safety as the cook top doesn’t get as hot, ease of cleaning and energy efficiency.

There are a couple of disadvantages which can make the switch more costly for some. One is that you may need to replace your saucepans and frypans. Most new cookware is induction-compatible, but some older cookware fails the ‘magnet’ test.

Another potential cost is that you may need an upgrade of your electrical switchboard or the wiring to your kitchen. Induction cook tops have varying power requirements, but all are likely to require 20 amps or higher, up to 42 amps.

Like other styles of cook top, induction units simply drop into an appropriately sized hole in the bench-top. They need some clearance underneath for ventilation and may also need some space around the edges and along the back, depending on the design of the cook top. As with other electric cook tops (and electric ovens), induction cook tops need a dedicated electrical circuit rated to their power requirements. This will usually be a circuit in the 30 to 40 amp range. If you are switching from gas to induction, this will need to be installed by an electrician.
Its important to note that some homes (particularly older ones), may need a meter box upgrade to be able to run the induction cook top. Its possible that an electrician will need to bring your connection up to the required capacity; this can be expensive, costing upwards of $1000, so check what’s required at your home with an electrician before purchasing an induction cook top or it could be an expensive decision!