August 3, 2021 by Keshav Singh
Today, we have LPG in
almost every kitchen in India.
Now, India imports fuel and hence, it affects
the economy in a big way. There is a need to have an alternate source of fuel
for cooking purposes.
Electricity is the
best source available today that can go on to replace LPG as the primary fuel
in the days to come.
The Induction
Cooktops have become hugely popular because it presents a better and
more comfortable option for the Indian homemaker.
Without any further
ado, here is a quick comparison for top Induction cooktops
|
Induction Cooktop |
Key Features |
|
1. Philips Viva Collection HD4928   |
Power Consumption: 2100W |
|
2. Pigeon by Stovekraft
Cruise   |
Power Consumption: 1800 Watts |
|
3. Prestige PIC 20   |
Power Consumption: 1200 Watts |
|
4. Usha Cook Joy   |
Power Consumption: 1600 Watts |
|
5. Prestige Induction Cooktop Pic
6.1 V3   |
Power Consumption: 2000 watts |
|
6. Philips Viva Collection HD4938   |
Power Consumption: 2100 watts |
Best Induction
Cooktops in India
1. Philips Viva
Collection – HD4928/01 – 2100W
While delivering an
effortless flame-free cooking experience, this Philips Viva Collection
HD4928/01 model is customized for Indian menus like rotis, dosas, gravy, and
cooking rice dishes, and many more.
Besides the auto-cook
settings, this induction stove offers a manual setting to set the
temperature and timings according to your convenience and requirements.
The pause function is
a good one as it enables you to stop the cooking process and attend to urgent
phone calls and other work.
Operating this Philips
induction cooktop is easy as it features a Touch Start option
and Auto-off program.
Unlike your gas
cooking ranges, this Philips induction cooker body does not become hot
even when you prepare food at 200 degrees Celsius. However, you should not
touch the cooking surface immediately after using it. It can be uncomfortably
hot.
The six pre-set menus
should prove helpful for working professionals as they need not waste time
adjusting the temperature and timing. You can choose the pre-set menu and start
cooking straightaway. You can switch over to manual controls whenever required.
While cooking
faster than a conventional gas stove, this Philips HD4928/01 induction
cooktop seals nutrition into the food and prevents vitamin loss. Thus, your
food turns out healthier and tastier.
It is a RoHS-compliant
appliance, whereby it does not use hazardous chemicals in its manufacture.
Thus, this Philips induction cooktop protects human health and the environment.
Though this cooker
consumes up to 2100 watts of power, it enhances the cooking speed
considerably. Thus, it saves power and time while ensuring good performance.
Positives
·
This appliance comes
with easy-to-use controls that anyone can operate comfortably.
·
The six pre-set menus
make it convenient to cook the most delicious Indian foods.
·
The presence of a
manual mode allows you to customize your cooking options accordingly.
Negatives
·
The package does not
feature a start-up kit.
2. Pigeon by
Stovekraft Cruise 1800W
While the Philips
HD4928/01 induction stove consumes 2100W, this Pigeon induction cooker model
uses 1800W of power. While it consumes less power, it takes more
time to cook. Nevertheless, 1800W is the ideal wattage for an induction
cooktop.
The most significant
benefits of this induction cooker are its portability and high heating
efficiency. This induction cooktop features a bigger heating element to
ensure the uniform heating of your food.
The advantage of
induction cooking is that it helps retain the nutrients and vitamins in the
food, unlike the conventional cooking modes.
Facility-wise, the
Pigeon induction cooker model is better than the Philips HD4928/01 because it
offers seven pre-set cooking menus to the six offered by the
Philips model. These pre-set menus let you cook various Indian dishes like
rotis, dosas, idlis, rice preparations, and many more with ease.
The soft-touch
buttons and automatic shut-off system adds to your convenience levels.
This feature ensures to switch off the machine as soon as the cooking process
is over. Thus, this appliance consumes less power.
This induction
cooktop saves up to 35% energy compared to LPG cooking.
Besides, this compact cooking appliance takes up less space on your kitchen
platform than your conventional gas cooking range.
Positives
·
The 7-segment LED
display for power and temperature settings makes this appliance an attractive
one to have in your kitchen.
·
The smart timer
feature allows hand-free cooking. Instead, you can set the timer and let the
cooker do its job.
·
Induction technology
makes this appliance an efficient cooktop by saving fuel and power.
Negatives
·
Compared to the
Philips HD4928/01 induction model, this cooker takes more time to cook your
food.
·
There is a gap between
the control panel and the glass that allows water to enter the machine.
3. Prestige PIC 20
Induction Cooktop with Push button
Compared to the Pigeon
Induction Cooker and the Philips HD4128/01 models, this Prestige PIC 20 consumes
less power at 1200W. Resultantly, it takes more time to cook your food.
Therefore, it is not as efficient as the two models reviewed earlier.
Besides boiling your
milk or preparing your rotis, you can use this induction cooker to pressure-cook
rice and bake idlis. This cooking appliance also allows you to prepare
curries, gravies, and sauté potatoes to prepare a wholesome meal for the entire
family in quick time.
This model feature
automatic voltage regulators to take care of the voltage fluctuations. Besides,
the anti-magnetic wall blocks the surplus radiation and ensures to cook a
healthy meal.
Induction cooktops are
excellent cooking appliances because they do not require fuels like LPG,
kerosene, and others that can harm the environment. Besides, the use of
magnetic radiation helps cook food comparatively faster than conventional
modes. It also ensures to retain the nutrients to enhance the
health factor.
Like the Philips and
Pigeon models, this Prestige PIC 20 features easy control options for automatic
power and temperature adjustments. Besides, the aerodynamic cooling system
ensures that the appliance’s surface remains cool to touch.
The portability
factor makes this appliance handy to use, even when you go on
vacation. In addition, the flat and smooth surface allows for easy cleaning of
the appliance.
Positives
·
The Prestige PIC 20
consumes less power than the Philips HD4928/01 and Pigeon induction cooker.
·
This induction cooktop
is an eco-friendly one as it does not use LPG or other fuels.
·
The range of Indian
menus makes it ideal for Indian cuisine.
Negatives
·
As it consumes 1200W
of power, this induction cooker takes more time to cook food.
4. Usha Cook Joy
(3616) 1600W
Induction cooking is
an efficient cooking mode as it heats the area in direct contact with cookware.
Hence, there is no energy wastage and ensures precise and instant heat
application. Moreover, Usha Cook Joy 3616 comes with an exciting range of
features, including pan-sensor technology.
This induction cooktop
comes with five pre-set menus and an additional manual control
feature to prepare your favorite Indian dishes with ease. The advantage of
pre-set menus is that you do not have to worry about the temperature and timing
settings. Of course, if required, you can always switch over to the manual
mode.
This Usha Cook Joy
3616 induction cooker model is a safe appliance to use as there are no
open flames to deal with. You need not worry about gas leakages or fire
hazards. There is no danger of scalding your fingers as the glass top remains
cool throughout the cooking process.
The in-built timer
allows you to set appropriate timings when you use the manual
options. Besides, the pause function allows you to pause the cooking process if
you have other urgent duties to attend to.
This induction cooktop
saves power as the pan sensor technology detects incompatible vessels and stops
the power supply. Besides, the overheating protection feature switches off the
cooktop if it gets too hot.
Compared to the
Prestige PIC 20 that consumes 1200W, this Usha Cook Joy 3616 model uses
up 1600W of power. Though it consumes more power, it makes up by quickening
the cooking process. Thus, you save power in the long run. This model
matches up to the Pigeon induction stove discussed earlier.
Positives
·
The auto-switching to
the power-saving mode to prevent overheating is a significant benefit that is
not available in many models.
·
The 3-hour timer is a
handy feature that allows you to set the perfect timings for cooking your food.
·
This induction cooktop
features anti-skid feet. Thus, it balances well on your kitchen tabletop,
making it one of the safest appliances to use.
Negatives
·
This Usha Cook Joy
3616 model features five pre-set menus, much less than its peer models like
Prestige and Pigeon.
5. Prestige Induction
Cooktop PIC 6.1 V3
Prestige OIC 6.1 V3 is
an improvement over the Prestige model, Prestige PIC 20.0, reviewed earlier.
Moreover, it provides greater convenience by offering a unique feature,
the Automatic Whistle Counter. A first in India, this feature
counts your pressure cooker’s whistles and automatically switches to the Keep
Warm option.
Even otherwise, the
Automatic Keep Warm option is available to maintain your food warm and ready
for serving. This induction cooktop reduces manual labor to the minimum by
offering automatic touch controls to set temperatures and
timings.
The range of pre-set
Indian menus does not even require you to set the timer. It is programmed to
deliver delicious food for the entire family.
On the safety front,
this Prestige model is reliable because of the automatic voltage
regulator feature. It prevents the appliance from voltage fluctuations and
short circuits to ensure durability and better overall performance.
The feather
touch control options make this induction cooking appliance one of the
most comfortable to use for all. The automatic temperature and timer controls
for different foods is an advantageous feature as it saves time and human
labor.
The presence of an anti-magnetic
wall protects the users from magnetic radiation. Besides, this
Prestige model features a dual heat sensor that senses the vessel temperature
and prevents overheating. Thus, it saves power.
While consuming 2000W
of power, this machine speeds up your cooking considerably. The Prestige
PIC 20.0 takes comparatively more time to cook the same food quantity. The
vents are placed at the bottom of the appliance to allow heat to escape
conveniently.
Positives
·
The innovative
controlling options make this induction cooktop a desirable appliance in every
kitchen.
·
It saves time by
speeding up your cooking sessions.
·
This Prestige PIC 6.1
V3 induction cooker is one of the safest appliances in its category.
Negatives
·
This induction cooktop
is comparatively expensive to other similar appliances, like the Philips
HD4920/01 induction cooker.
6. Philips Viva
Collection HD4938/01
Ventilation can prove
to be a significant issue in any induction cooktop. The appliance can get hot,
and lack of proper ventilation can be problematic. However, the Philips Viva
Collection HD4938/01 does not have any such issues because its elevated
cooktop position allows air to circulate freely from beneath the
appliance.
Indian households can
rejoice as this induction cooker provides ten pre-set Indian
menus to enable quick cooking. Besides, the manual option is always
available to cook unique dishes. This option requires you to set your timer and
temperature settings manually, depending on your requirements.
The sensor touch keys
enhance the convenience levels and make it easy for anyone to operate this
Philips HD4938/01 induction cooktop.
This model is
different from its predecessor, Philips 4928/01, as it features a 24-hour
delay timer function. It also offers a Child Lock function that
does not allow anyone to tamper with the settings accidentally. In addition,
the auto shut-off program prevents food from overheating and saves power by
automatically shutting off the machine when not in use.
Like the Philips
4928/01 model, this induction cooker is RoHS compliant. In
addition, it ensures there are no hazardous chemicals involved in its
manufacture.
With LPG prices
increasing daily, this Philips HD4938/01 induction cooktop offers an economical
alternative. However, this appliance consumes 2100W power.
Therefore, it translates to around two units per hour of usage.
However, the advantage
of induction cooktops is that they speed up your cooking and are eco-friendly.
They are also safer to use than the conventional gas cooking ranges.
Induction cookers do
not use flames for cooking food. It enables to retain the nutrients and prevent
vital loss. Hence, the food comes out more delicious compared to using other
traditional cooking modes.
Positives
·
Ten pre-set Indian
cooking menus offer an extensive range of convenient cooking options.
·
The 24-hour delay
timer is unique to this cooktop. It is not available in other models like
Philips HD4928/01, Usha Cook Joy 3616, and Prestige PIC 6.1 V3.
·
The high-quality glass
finish glass panel looks attractive and facilitates comfortable cooking.
Negatives
·
Compared to models
like Pigeon by Stovekraft and others reviewed above, this appliance is
expensive. However, it comes with better features.
7. Prestige PIC 16.0+
1900W Induction Cooktop
This Prestige PIC
16.0+ is a favorable option for budget-conscious Indians as it is available at
attractive pricing. In comparison, the Prestige PIC V.3 is an expensive model.
The Prestige PIC 20 is a competitive option but comes equipped with fewer
features.
1900W power
consumption should be ideal
for an induction cooktop. It saves power while ensuring your food cooks at a
decently quick rate. In addition, this induction cooker does not allow any loss
of nutrients or vitamins to provide delicious and tasty food every time you use
it.
The push-button
options make it comfortable for elders to use this cooking option. They do not
have to depend on LPG gas stoves. Hence, it provides a safe option. Moreover,
the flat and smooth surface allows for easy maintenance.
Features like an anti-magnetic
wall help block magnetic radiation to enhance the food taste
considerably. In addition, the automatic voltage regulator feature ensures
durability and better performance.
Like other Prestige
models, this induction cooktop is an intelligent appliance because it
features automatic power and temperature adjustments for
different food items.
The error code
description function is a welcome feature as you can encounter errors with the
machine’s functioning at times. But, again, the instruction manual lets you
know more about these codes to troubleshoot issues with ease.
Positives
·
Like other models such
as Philips 4928/01, Prestige PIC 6.1 V3, etc., this Prestige PIC 16.0+ is an
eco-friendly kitchen appliance.
·
This induction cooktop
allows you to use flat-bottomed steel utensils for cooking.
·
The timer function is
handy when you have other chores to do. The appliance switches off
automatically after the cooking session.
Negatives
·
It does not have
adequate ground clearance like the Philips HD4938/01 model. Hence, ventilation
can be an issue with this cooktop.
Frequently Asked
Questions – Best Induction Cooktops
1. Which of the two
cooking modes is faster – gas cooktops or induction cooktops?
The induction cooktops
are the faster of the two. They work by transferring heat directly to the
cooking utensil without suffering any heat loss. It is not the case with gas
cooktops. Some of the modern induction cooktops come with anti-magnetic walls
that prevent the dissipation of magnetic energy.
2. What is the most
significant drawback of the induction cooktop?
You cannot use all
kinds of cooking vessels on the induction stove. They have to be either made of
steel or iron. Copper-bottomed utensils are of no use in the induction stoves.
Also, you need to have flat-bottomed utensils that should occupy the entire
area of the cooking plate.
3. How can induction
cooktops save you time and money?
You have induction
cooktops coming with pre-set timers. By setting the timing for each cooking
operation, you save time as you need not supervise the cooking. The induction
cooktops enable you to concentrate on other aspects of cooking and kitchen
work.
4. Which of the two
processes is economical?
When you consider
subsidised LPG cooking, it is cheaper than the induction cooktops. Otherwise,
induction cooktops offer the most economical process. The cost of heating 10
litres of water in various appliances is as follows.
Unsubsidized LPG – ₹
10.80
Subsidized LPG – ₹ 5.09
Induction Cooktop – ₹ 5.21
Electric Oven – ₹ 5.91
5. What are the best
induction cooktop brands available in India?
Philips, Prestige,
Pigeon, Havells, Preethi and Usha are the popular induction cooktops in India.
6. Are induction
cooktops environmentally friendly?
Yes, the induction
cooktops are environmentally friendly as they do not involve any burning of
petroleum fuels. Hence, you do not have any emission of gas. The induction
cooktops are electrical appliances.
Comments
Post a Comment