Cooking has changed a lot over the millennia. What started out as heating food items over a fire or coals has progressed through gas and electric range cooking to a new age of cooking with an electromagnet.

Induction units are unique in that they do not heat up themselves, only the cookware that you place on them. With induction cooking there is no more sweating over a hot stove in the summertime! However, the cookware must be made of steel or cast iron to work properly on an induction unit though, because the pots and pans must be made from a magnetic material. Unfortunately, this means that your fabulous copper pots won't work on an induction element.

It used to be true that for that "professional" cooking experience gas was the way to go but even the professionals are trading in their gas ranges for induction now. Gas used to be the one and only real option for professionals because of its quick reaction time when you adjust temperature. However, induction units react just as fast as a gas range does.

The nature of the induction stove makes it a great option for many people. Because the unit is only a few inches thick, it installs easily into a countertop while allowing an open area underneath which is perfect for wheelchair accessibility. The cool touch top makes it much safer for any household with small children as well. One extra perk to having the unit not heat up is that any spills do not bake on to the stove, making it a breeze to clean up.

If you are building a new home or just renovating your kitchen, consider an induction unit as a modern addition to your design to increase your home's value for resale or to make your kitchen more pleasant to work in. If you like to cook, the fact that it won't overheat your kitchen will be sure to make you wonder how you ever suffered with an electric stove for so long.  Carolyn Capalbo