Living Lightly: The Induction Solution

A Column Promoting a More Earth-Friendly Lifestyle

By John L. Turner

Are you in the market for a new cooking stove? If so, take a look at purchasing an induction stove rather than one with a regular electric coil or gas burner top. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA; www.nyserda.ny.gov), induction stoves are 15% more efficient than regular electric stoves and 3x more efficient than gas stoves! They use an electromagnet to heat the cooking pan itself rather than heating a coil or burner on the stove top so it is safer and spills are cleaned up more easily since they don’t bake onto a hot stove top (I know the annoyance of cleaning up baked-on stove top spills while recently making some soup that spilled over!). 

That’s a triple win — money saved from less energy used, less chance of burns, and easier kitchen clean-ups!

A resident of Setauket, author John Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island” and president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours.