Commercial Induction Range Buying Guide
New modern commercial induction range installations are an attractive way to outfit your professional kitchen.
What is an induction range? These types of conductive range tops channel electrical currents magnetically, enhancing how stove burners heat up cookware and the food inside. These new kinds of range tops bring real benefits to a fast-paced kitchen. Getting the right types of quick-operating ranges can save significant amounts of time and enable chefs, line cooks, expediters, and servers to work together efficiently for a successful result.
If you're looking for the best commercial induction cooking range for your kitchen, here are some things to consider while shopping.
Complementary Induction Range Cookware
To get the best results, it's a good idea to use cookware that's compatible with inductive range design.
In general, any ferrous metal can help concentrate the electrical currents correctly to improve how you use your new induction range. Cast iron and stainless steel are two common options — each of these responds to the magnetically generated heat localization, meaning they heat up quickly.
To test cookware for its metal quality, apply a magnet. The more the magnet adheres to the pan or pot, the better this item will work on an induction range.
Speed of Heat
The engineers behind these sophisticated modern cooking ranges promise that many of these designs will heat up faster than traditional electric ranges and even gas ranges. But it's important to have the most modern technology in play, or you might find your range doesn't heat up as quickly as you'd like. Look at “speed of heat” metrics for induction ranges to make sure you have the right range that will power fast-paced kitchen work.
Flat Surface Considerations
View Countertop Induction Ranges
In a way, induction ranges are great for long-term use because there are no burners or accessories to clean. The range is just one flat, even surface.
However, when shopping for an induction range and using them over time, keep in mind improper use can cause scratching or abrasions that can compromise your range. Different types of buildup can also occur as materials burn to the surface. If you’ve worked professionally in a kitchen, you’ve seen how quickly range tops of any kind can get grimy and coated with messy residues.
Induction ranges are not entirely immune to these types of problems. Even though you can wipe the range clean, a deeper clean may be needed if oils, grease, or other substances burn or congeal to the surface. It’s also important to prevent these compounds from getting trapped between the range top and the bottom of a pot or pan, because you could have an even messier situation — like a fire — on your hands.
The Importance of Smart Controls
Because induction ranges are heaters hidden under a smooth, flat veneer, it's essential to have the right visual controls so everyone knows when a burner is hot.
Most modern induction ranges have specific settings and either digital or light-up analog dials that show how hot a burner is. These dials continue to show the heat even after the burner has been switched off, which is a crucial safety feature. Proper training is necessary for everyone working with one of these induction ranges.
Smart controls can also help with consistency. According to some seasoned chefs, one of the joys of these range tops is that a given heat setting always delivers the same steady results, whether the burner is set to simmer or a high heat.
Going Gas-Less
When buying a commercial induction range, keep in mind that some cities may soon require electric stove ranges over gas. Concerns about climate change and moves toward greener lifestyles are powering a trend where governments incentivize or even mandate renewable power sources like solar and hydropower. Chefs’ prized gas-powered ranges may someday be a thing of the past.
Regardless, you can’t go wrong with a commercial induction range. Their quick-heating and sophisticated capabilities are undeniable and a benefit to any kitchen.
For more invaluable kitchen and restaurant gear, take a look at Chefs’ Toys. We stand behind the quality of our products because we are “for chefs, by chefs.” Our team has real kitchen experience. We know the day in, day out, and everything in between of the culinary business. Let us help you find the best solutions for your food service business.
