DIAMOND INTERIORS

There are an overwhelming amount of decisions to be made when creating your new kitchen, from deciding on a colour scheme to selecting the right appliances to suit your needs. A qualified kitchen designer can assist in all these decisions and work with you to create a space that will truly reflect your personality, as well as suit your lifestyle.

A key decision when choosing your new appliances is gas or induction? To make the decision process just that little bit easier, Diamond Interiors has prepared a quick guide to selecting the right cooktop.

Gas cooktops operate by use of a flammable gas as a source of fuel. These models offer a more traditional way of cooking and are compatible with all kinds of cookware.

The good points of gas cooktops:

• Gas is a cost effective option
• Wok cooking is made easier with gas as heat can freely travel around the wok
• No need to purchase a complete new set of cookware as gas cooking is suitable for all kinds

The key drawbacks of gas cooking are:

• Lack of ability to control precise temperatures, sometimes required for technical dishes
• Cleaning the cooktop can be quite a task!
• Safety concerns, such as open flames, gas leaks, etc.
• Australian Standard requirement to meet minimum of 200mm clearance between gas cooktop flame and any combustible surface; this means your splashback options are limited should you not be able to meet the clearance requirement. Porcelain would be your best splashback option if your gas cooktop is too close!

Induction cooktops do not use heating elements and therefore do not show an orange glow when in use as a ceramic cooktop would. Induction cooking operates on a principle of electro-magnetic energy, where circular coils generate a magnetic field when in contact with iron cookware.

The good points of induction cooktops:

• Induction cooktops are certainly a safer option with children or elderly family members in the home as most models have a lock feature. Another safety feature to consider is the temperature of the glass during and after cooking: during cooking, only the space directly in use beneath your cookware will become hot, leaving the glass cool to touch around this zone. After cooking, the temperature decreases rapidly, again leaving the glass safe to touch very quickly after cooking
• Cooking time is reduced, leading to decreased time and energy spent in the kitchen
• Induction cooktops offer ease of cleaning as they are a flat, smooth surface.

The key drawbacks of induction cooking are:

• A question we are asked very regularly is whether or not your existing cookware can still be used on an induction cooktop.  As induction cooking works with magnetic fields, if a magnet can stick to your cookware, it should work. If not, then unfortunately, you will have to purchase a new set.
• Induction cooktops require a stronger electrical connection: most new homes are well equipped to accommodate an induction top however, an older home may need an upgrade in power. We highly recommend a qualified and licensed electrician is consulted should you have any concerns in regards to electricity.

Combination Cooktops offer you the luxury of not having to choose at all! Have the best of both worlds with these latest models that combine gas and induction cooking.

So which should you choose? Well, that all depends on your budget, needs and style of cooking. We highly recommend when purchasing a new cooktop, to think about how you cook, what types of food you make, etc, as this will influence your needs.

Which is your preference: Induction or Gas? Share your thoughts in the comments below!