Thanksgiving Spirit | SJVCEO’s Induction Review!

Clean Cooking with the SJVCEO was a key highlight from last year that we wanted to bring back around ahead of Thanksgiving! Check out how each of us made one of our household staples using induction cooktops from PG&E’s Induction Loaner program.

Courtney

We should start with this: I’m an old ass woman, very set in my ways. The neural flexibility is certainly less than it was even five years ago.  And even if all that wasn’t the case, change has always been uncomfortable for me.  I am not an ideal candidate for testing something new. Or, perhaps I am and a great focus group of one to understand what it takes to win over those of a very stubborn temperament…

What did you like
Every single piece of cookware I owned was compatible with the induction cooktop. I had heard tales that I’d need new induction-friendly pots and pans.  Heck, we even set aside budget in the #cleancooking campaign for cookware pieces assuming nothing any of us had would work! But, lo and behold the testing magnet sent with the loaner cooktop said everything I had was good to go! I use All-Clad, Le Creuset, and the star of the water boiling trial, the Tea Rex kettle, and I certainly didn’t purchase my cookware with the idea of induction compatibility all those years ago.  Knowing that I wouldn’t have to replace everything that fills my pantry to make induction cooking work full-time is a relief!

What was difficult
Me?  I think that’s the honest answer.  As Rochelle notes below, there’s a learning curve.  I cook most nights, and like nearly everyone with children or a job, by the end of the day I need to be able to get dinner cooked quickly.  Stalling out on soup at 5:30 on a Tuesday because I wasn’t comfortable with the heating levels and absolutely had zero capacity to scan a QR code and search website makes for a stressful night.  I really needed a printout with the cooktop. 

It's worth noting to participate in the loaner program you’re required to sign for the package.  Shipping is handled by FedEx and they don’t accept a waiver to dismiss the signature.  Mostly it was okay since I do work from home, but the delivery window was sent to me the night before and the window was six hours. Again, WFH, but I knew that it would be delivered during that 12 minutes I leave the house for school pick up.  And I was right.  For at least two of us, our cooktops were scheduled to be delivered on one day, but didn’t arrive, and notice wasn’t given.  If you have a traditional office job, or a busy schedule the loaner program isn’t convenient.

Food Review
I made tea.  It’s really hard to go wrong with that! Knowing the heating levels were a challenge for me, I went for the option that let me use the boil button!  The trial came back surprisingly close with a ¾ full kettle coming to boil in five minutes and 48 seconds on the induction and six minutes and eight seconds on the gas stove. As I said in my write up, 20 seconds is still 20 seconds closer to hot tea and a good book!

Samantha:

What did you like
One of my favorite things about the induction cooktop was that the pan came up to a necessary degree much quicker which made the cooking process much quicker.

What was difficult
Whether you have gas or electric cooktop in your home they both operate in the same way so when you go to cook you are on auto pilot. With the induction cooktop learning what number meant what degree was a change. I believe it would just take some time to get used to.

Food Review
My garlic mashed potatoes were a new recipe and one that I will be using moving forward. It is quite an easy item to make and really makes the meal come together.

Rochelle:

What did you like
One unexpected thing I came to appreciate about the induction cooktop was how easy it was on my cookware. For example, because the cooktop transfers heat directly into the food you are cooking, not directly into the cookware itself, it doesn’t burn your pots and pans. I am one of those people that will scrub and scrub to keep the outsides of my pots and pans looking as new as possible; with the induction cooktop, that’s not necessary. The wear and tear on your cookware is much less than using a traditional electric stove or a gas stove.

What was difficult
I would love to tell everyone that cooking on an induction cooktop is no different than cooking on an electric or gas range. However, in all honesty, there is an adjustment period. The cooktop has all the capability of producing the same quality of food you are used to but the journey to get there will differ a bit. I will say that adjustment can be compared to cooking in someone else’s kitchen for the first time or comparing the difference between cooking on electric coils versus cooking using gas. There is an adjustment but not an impossible one.

Food Review
I understand the importance of cooking to our cultural identities, so I made sure to cook something that was culturally relevant to me. I made hot water corn bread and, considering it was the first time cooking it on an induction cooktop, it was delicious! I know the 2nd batch will be even better because I will have a bit more experience working with the unit and will understand the nuances better. If I had to give it a rating from 1-10, 10 being the best it could be; I would rate it an 8. However, batch #2, I am confident, will be a 10.

Kelsey:

What did you like
As some of the ladies mentioned, the cooking time was nearly cut by a quarter for the item that I made. While cider still takes hours to make, cutting the time to two hours while maintaining the same delicious taste was a plus! In addition to the cooking time, I also felt that the convenience of the actual induction was far greater than the gas stove. For the induction, I can put it anywhere in my kitchen near an outlet and it occupied minimal space on my countertop. It was also WAY easier to clean afterwards, which of course, is a benefit that we can all get behind!

What was difficult
Of course, there is a learning curve with any new piece of technology and the key is how easy is it to tackle that curve? For example, the induction had two types of heat setting: “Power 1-5” and the normal temperature reading that most of us are accustomed to when it comes to cooking in your oven or air fryer. However, there was no description on any of the program collateral that came with the induction that described what the power settings meant. One item that was great that I wish was in more of the printed collateral was that when there is not a pot or pan on the cooktop, you receive an error message. This is very different from my gas stove and for the first few minutes, I thought I broke the induction! With these items in mind, it would be helpful to have more tips and tricks sent with the cooktop instead of having it all online.

Food Review
There’s nothing better than homemade cider when the holidays are here, and the weather gets nice and crisp! The induction cooktop for this particular item did not change the taste, temperature, or any additional details of the cider! It was just as great as it normally is on my stovetop