America’s cook stoves are iconic, modern hearths, and we care more about this appliance than, perhaps any other. So, it’s no surprise that swapping in a new induction range can be a big decision!
What you need to know:
- A lot of advertising dollars have been devoted to nurturing our decades-old love affair with cookstoves. A Mother Jones article describes a PR campaign dating back to WWII era actors like Bob Hope and Ronald Reagan.
- New research about the health benefits of electrifying ranges appears regularly. California Air Resources Board describes health hazards associated with combustion cookstoves.
- If you have a gas range, low-cost harm reduction strategies include: increase use of electric appliances, such as an induction hotplate (CNN reviews), crock pot or toaster oven; enhance ventilation by cracking a window, cooking on a back burner, run the vent on high when baking or cooking; repair stoves if a yellow flame is visible.
- Up-front cost and highest efficiency: induction. In one study, cooking efficiency ranges from 28% for gas and 39% for electric coil to 70% for induction stoves — that means that a lot less energy is used to heat food with induction, lowering your utility bills. A wealth of information on induction cookstoves is available through ElectrifyNow, including a webinar with professional chef, Rachel Boucher.