Your Home Electrification Steps
Electric Cooking
Use low-cost renewable energy to create your next meal. Help the planet, and your health!
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Induction and conventional electric stoves are the best way to cook. They don’t burn fossil fuels or release toxic pollutants into your home – pollutants that are now understood to be a cause of asthma and can lead to other respiratory illness.
- Cook using FREE electricity (with Solar PV)
- Reduce your energy bill
- Disconnect from gas and save even more!
Gas is finally on the chopping board
While energy used by household cooking is, on average, low in comparison to other appliances (around 6% of total), making the switch to electrified cooking means you can finally make the move to get off gas.
This means no more connection fee and will reduce your overall energy costs by $200+ per year – increasing as the cost of maintaining the aging gas network is shared by fewer customers.
Induction: Turn up the heat
An induction cooktop is a glass-topped magnetic heat source for cooking. It can be a flat unit that fits smoothly into your counter, a freestanding stove or range or a slide-in, or a portable benchtop unit. Anywhere you have either a gas or a standard electric unit can be fitted for induction.
- The cheapest form of heating/cooling available
- Use rooftop solar for FREE heating and cooling
- Use single units (not ducted) for higher efficiency
Benefits of induction cooking
Easy to clean
The cooktops are made from flat glass that is easy to clean.
Energy efficient
Induction stovetops use electromagnetic technology to heat the cookware and its contents without wasting energy heating the cooking surface. Energy is delivered directly to the pot or pan immediately, making it twice as efficient as gas and electric stovetops where the energy must first be converted into heat. This means that water boils in half the time it would on a gas or electric stove.
Gas stoves can lose a significant amount of heat due to the open flame, and electric stoves lose heat through radiant heat transfer. Induction cooktops can transfer around 85-90% of the energy generated to the cookware, making them more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Precision and control
One of the most significant benefits of induction cooking is its precision and control. Unlike gas or electric stoves, which rely on open flames or radiant heat, induction cooktops use electromagnetic fields to heat the cookware directly. This means that the heat is evenly distributed and can be adjusted with incredible accuracy. You can quickly change the temperature from a simmer to a boil by simply adjusting the settings on the induction cooktop, providing you with precise control over your cooking process.
Faster cook times
Induction cooktops heat up much faster than traditional stoves. Because the heat is generated directly in the cookware, there is virtually no wait time for the element to warm up. This means you can start cooking almost instantly, reducing your overall cooking time and allowing you to get meals on the table faster.
Safety
Because they only heat the cookware and not the surface of the cooktop itself, there is a lower risk of burns and accidents. Additionally, induction cooktops typically have built-in safety features such as automatic shut-off when cookware is removed or timers that can prevent overcooking. These features make induction cooking a safer choice, especially in households with young children. Absence of a very hot surface or flame lessens the chance of accidental fire or burns.
Auto – sensing – when cookware is removed, the cooktop automatically senses this and the heating action ceases immediately, so no risk of accidentally leaving the element on.
Healthier
They avoid emissions of harmful contaminants that can cause respiratory illnesses. Australian researchers from the University of Queensland made similar findings back in 2018.
“We found that 12 per cent of childhood asthma is attributable to exposure to gas stoves used for cooking, and eight per cent is linked to household dampness,” lead researcher Dr Luke Knibbs said in announcing the study, which was published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
“Cooking with gas releases chemicals such as nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde, which causes inflammation in the airways and exacerbates asthma.
Costs & Benefits
|
UPFRONT COSTS
approx. $1.5k+ for induction, $600+ for electric resistance PLUS $700+ for wiring (if replacing gas) |
AVERAGE LIFESPAN
15 years. |
HEALTH BENEFITS
Better indoor air quality, eliminate a health risk comparable to second-hand smoke by getting rid of your gas stove. |
|
FEATURES/BENEFITS
Faster cooking, easy clean up, less wasted heat = cooler kitchen. |
DIFFICULTY
Medium. Installer required but will fit standard sized stoves. |
COST SAVINGS
Allow you to disconnect from gas, saving $200+/yr in connection fees. |
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Learn more about electric cooking
Your next steps with electric cooking
1. Get a home energy assessment (optional)
Consider getting an energy assessment to determine how well your home is sealed and insulated, and inspect your current appliances for their efficiency. These professionals offer insights through experience and software modelling that can better educate your decisions and save you a significant amount. In Victoria, professional home energy assessments (Scorecard Assessment) are offered at a discount through the VEU program. You can find a local assessor via the national Scorecard website.
2. Decide what type of electric cooking suits you
Induction cooktops are more efficient (and once you’ve tried one you’ll never go back!) but they are more expensive to buy, and may require you to purchase replacement cookware.
Check if your current pots and pans will work with induction using the magnet test. If a magnet sticks to the bottom of your pots and pans, you’re good to go! Most stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic pans with metal embedded will work with induction. Glass, copper, and aluminium pots and pans will not work unless they have an additional metal plate on the bottom.
3. Select and purchase a stove
Read reviews and shop around to find an induction range or cooktop that meets your needs. Consider features like knobs vs. touch controls, and burners with varying sizes and power levels.
4. Install
Most big retailers will provide installation options when you purchase an appliance. Install your stove and be sure to keep using your range hood fan, since even electric cooking harms indoor air quality — though much less than when cooking with fossil fuels. Enjoy your safe, rapid-to-boil, easy-to-clean, and climate-friendly new stove!
Electric Cooking FAQ's
I'm switching from a gas stove. Will I need electrical work?
Induction stoves, like electric, require a dedicated electrical circuit. If you’re moving on from gas, you may need to install high-capacity wiring, a new outlet, and, potentially, upgrade your electrical panel. Finally, you will want to cap your gas line. This is likely work for a licensed electrician (and plumber, if a gas cap is needed), and the costs would depend on your existing wiring and panel, the distance from the kitchen to the panel, and other variables in your home.
Will my pots and pans work with an induction stove?
Check if your current pots and pans will work with induction using the “magnet test”. If a magnet sticks to the bottom of your pots and pans, you’re good to go! Most stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic pans with metal embedded will work with induction. Glass, copper, and aluminum pots and pans will not work unless they have an additional metal plate in the bottom.
I'm a renter, can I get an induction stove?
It’s possible to negotiate with your landlord to get your stove replaced as it could add rental value to their home. In the meantime, you could purchase a portable induction stove (around $100) which you could use instead.
What's better: Electric resistance or induction?
We believe that an induction stove trumps a conventional electric stove in three main areas: Speed, efficiency, and safety.
Induction is really fast. One of our members did a test boiling 1L of water in an electric kettle an in a saucepan on an induction cooktop. Induction won.
An induction stove is 5 to 10 % more energy-efficient than conventional electric stoves and about three times more efficient than gas stoves, used commercially in Europe since the 1970’s.
Since induction heats cookware instead of the stove surface, the stove remains safe to touch at all times. So it’s much safer to use.
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The Home Electrification Guide is a tool we’ve created to help Wangaratta homeowners navigate their transition to an electrified future. It’s free and takes 2 min to complete.