I'm thinking about replacing my kitchen stove and I can't decide between induction or ceramic cooktop. I have a family of 4 and I cook almost every day. Which one is worth it more in terms of energy consumption and ease of cleaning?
Induction uses way less energy, heats up much faster, and cleaning is ridiculously easy because the surface doesn't get hot - only the pan does. Ceramic cooktop is cheaper to buy upfront, but it uses more power and you'll be cleaning burnt-on residue every day if you cook the way you said you do.
Induction is definitely more efficient and cleaning is a blessing, but what nobody's talking about is that you need compatible cookware - if yours are old or aluminum, you'll have to replace them all, and that's a hassle and an extra expense that may or may not be worth it depending on the situation. With ceramic glass you use more energy and it takes longer to heat up, but it works with any pan and you're less locked into it.
If you cook every day, the energy savings from induction pay for themselves pretty quickly over the next few years, especially with a whole family. What I'd do is check the condition of your pans first before deciding - if they're still good, induction gets expensive; if you need to replace them anyway, it's an opportunity to pick better ones.
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