20 Jun Is Induction Stove Power Consumption Economical?
As induction stove is becoming the kitchen equipment sensation, many are still wondering if it is practical to use compared with the already tried cooking stoves. Compared with the other appliances used in the kitchen, the induction stoves have the highest wattage that ranges from 1200 watts to 3000 watts which confuses people why it is economically wise to choose an induction stove over the other stoves. To learn if it’s impractical to use an induction hob, we’ll show you how to calculate induction stove power consumption.
After the calculation, you can compare the total cost of power used by the induction hob with the total cost of gas used by the gas stove and the electric stove power consumption.
But, initially, we’ll provide you with some reasons why it is more economical to use an induction stove, even if it has a higher wattage than other home appliances, than other cooking stoves.
How Do Gas and Induction Stoves Work?
To better understand the notion that an induction stove is way more practical than other cooking stoves let’s first learn how they work.
- Gas Stove
With the use of natural gas, a gas burner produces a flame that heats the pan and cooks the food. The advantages of a gas stove are it does not require specific cookware for it to function and there are regions wherein gas is cheaper than electricity.
- Electric Stove
The electric current passes through the electric stove coil which starts to turn into a bright orange and heats up the metal. This transfer of energy is called thermal heat transfer.
- Induction Stove
The induction stove uses electromagnetic fields to transfer heat to the cookware. When an electric current flows to the induction coil it creates a magnetic field and transfers the heat directly to the cookware. Thus, the heat is passed through a magnetic field. Though, unlike a gas stove which is compatible with all types of cookware, a ferromagnetic pan is required to use the induction hob.
Energy Efficiency
Though gas stove is still mostly used by many, gas is the most inefficient source of heat transfer as forty percent to sixty percent of the heat escapes in the air. Electric stove has seventy-four percent energy efficiency, while induction stove has an efficiency of eighty-four percent to ninety percent. Because of this, the food is cooked faster with the use of an induction stove than usual.
Heat-Up Time
To test the heat-up time of both induction and gas stoves, a five-pound water is heated in a pot. The induction stove took an average of 5.8 minutes to heat the water; the electric stove took 11.5 minutes, while the gas stove took 14.1 minutes. This shows that the induction stove is almost 3 times faster than the heat-up time of the gas stove, while two times faster than the electric stove.
Temperature Response
With an induction stove, it took an average of 12.5 minutes to cool down a medium pot; the electric stove took 22.5, while a gas stove took 16.3 minutes. This is because the induction stove directly transfers the heat to the pot and does not produce additional heat to the surface of the hob. So, since there’s a minimum heat residue on the induction stove surface, it responds rapidly to any changes in temperature. Additionally, it limits the heat it produces to ensure that the hob will not overheat.
For a detailed explanation read this study done by Frontier Energy which proves that induction stoves have higher energy efficiency, faster heat-up time, and best temperature response compared with the other cooking stoves.
How to Calculate Induction Stove Power Consumption?
These are the terms that are used to calculate the power consumption of an induction stove.
Kilowatt per hour (kWh) – this is the unit used for the total power consumption of an electric device.
Watts (W) – is a unit of power used to know the rate of consumed electricity of a device.
Kilowatt (kW) – is another unit of power that is used for devices that have higher power consumption. One kilowatt (KW) is converted as one thousand Watt (W).
Operational Hours – this is the amount of time the device uses electric power.
Electricity Tariff – this is the amount that the electricity provider charges per kWh
Below is the standard formula to get the power consumption of an induction stove. But, for easier calculation, you can use this induction stove power consumption calculator.
kWh = Watt x Operation Hours/1000
Let’s say, the price of the electricity is 0.265 U.S. Dollars per kWh and the induction stove has a wattage of 2000W. For a household, the standard usage time of an induction stove is 3 hours.
So, that is kWh = 2000W x 3/1000,
Thus, kWh = 6000 / 1000
which is equal to 6kWh.
The higher the wattage is, the faster the heat-up time is, which results in a shorter cooking duration. So, with the use of this power consumption formula, try to compute your induction stove power usage to get the total cost and compare it to the cost of the gas usage. This way, you will know which is more practical to use.
To further discuss why an induction stove is economical when it comes to power consumption, let us compare the electric usage of an electric stove.
An electric stove has a longer heat-up time than an induction stove. And, the standard wattage of electric stoves ranges from 1200W to 3000W. Assuming that the operational hour of an electric stove is an hour longer than an induction hob, and the wattage is similar which 2000W.
So, that is kWh = 2000W x 4/1000,
Thus, kWh = 8000 / 1000
which is equal to 8kWh.
Is the Power Consumption of Induction Stove Economical?
According to the results of the tests done by Frontier Energy, an induction stove is more energy-efficient, has a faster heat-up time, and has the best temperature control response. With this, since it is faster to finish cooking using an induction stove, you can save not just energy but also time.
Therefore, it is more economical to opt for an induction stove than the other cooking stoves. Moreover, you can compare the induction stove power consumption from your electric stove usage with the use of the given above formula.
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