Are Halogen Hobs the Same as Induction Hobs?

Since the introduction of the modern stoves that we cook on today, speed has always been a huge part of cooking. It’s an important thing to consider when choosing the best cooker for your needs.

How long a hob can take to heat food and liquids matters significantly to most of us who lead busy lives. In fact, even most enthusiastic home-chefs take into consideration the amount of time a hob spends heating up when they are choosing a new hob.

So, it’s of no surprise that halogen and induction hobs are thrown into this debate.

Which is quicker? Are these hobs, in fact, the same as each other? If they aren’t, what are the differences?

Well, let’s delve deep into this halogen hob and induction hob debate and find out which one heats up the fastest and how they are different.

 

What Is a Halogen Hob?

If you’ve been searching the web looking into halogen hobs for any length of time, then perhaps you are now convinced that halogen hobs work by some form of magic.

In most of the cooking forum posts about halogen hobs, a lot of people say they are brilliant. Still, not many people are willing to give a clear idea as to how they work.

Many swear on halogen hobs over pretty much any other hob, but how do they actually heat your food?

Halogen hobs use a halogen bulb, of course. This is a very powerful bulb filled with a halogen gas that is used to create radiant heat.

So, a halogen hob heats up your saucepan, for example, with direct radiant heat from the bulb itself and with conduction from the ceramic cooktop too.

Where a halogen hob differs from a traditional electric hob is that the halogen elements of the hob tend to heat up food far quicker.

What Is an Induction Hob?

An induction hob is another thing altogether. An induction hob uses electrical induction to heat a cooking vessel.

So, instead of thermal conduction (like in a halogen, gas or electric hob), an induction hob has a coil of copper wire underneath the glass top. When a conductive pan is placed on the cooktop, an alternating current is passed through it which heats your food.

There are advantages to each style of hob, and there are disadvantages too. Let’s take a brief look at them now.

Halogen vs. Induction

Advantages of halogen hobs

• You can use any pot or pan made from any material
•  Heats up quicker than most electric hobs
• Safe and easy to clean

 

Disadvantages of halogen hobs

• Not the quickest source of heat on the market
• Can need servicing faster than other electric hobs
• Only about 80% of the heat is transferred to the pan

 

Advantages of induction hobs

• Heats pans extremely quickly
• The hob cools down quickly
• Fine adjustments can be used to dial in perfect temperature
• Safe and easy to clean
• Almost all of the heat generated is used and not wasted

 

Disadvantages of induction hobs

• Expensive – one of the most costly hobs on the market
• You may need to replace your cookware
  
  

Are Halogen Hobs the Same as Induction Hobs?

While halogen hobs are one of the faster electric hobs on the market. It would appear, after much research from far brainier people than I, that halogen hobs are not as quick as induction hobs for heating your food due to the heat that escapes.

Halogen hobs put out a lot of heat, which is great, but this can mean that the elements in these hobs wear out quicker than other electric hobs. A halogen hob tends to convert less heat into cooking power than an induction hob too, so the elements need to work harder still.

So, to summarise, halogen hobs are great hobs, but, in my opinion, and many others, they do not hold a candle to induction hobs. Sure, you may need to invest in new cookware that can conduct the heat properly if you buy an induction hob. Still, an induction hob will heat your food quicker, and they tend to last longer as constantly overloading the elements.

While halogen hobs and induction hobs have been compared over the years, they are in fact, very different ways of heating your food. Halogen hobs are at the higher end of the electric hob market while induction hobs are in a league of their own.

I hope this article about halogen hobs and induction hobs has helped you in your quest for the perfect hob for your home. For more information on hobs, hob cleaners and lots more, please explore our website further! Happy cooking!