Everyone with an induction hob in their kitchen is being urged to spend 25p now to carry out an important check.
Miele kitchen appliance expert Ryan Adams, director of Ati Harrogate, says all households should buy a 25p refrigerator magnet to instantly check that their cooking pans are compatible with their induction hob. If pans aren’t suitable for the induction hob it means it won’t heat up efficiently, and this can both affect your cooking and shorten the lifespan of your cookware.
Mr Adams says the refrigerator magnet needs to be able to firmly stick to the bottom of the pan and if it does so, this indicates it’s compatible with induction hobs. But if the magnet doesn’t fully grip and easily slides off, it means the pan likely isn’t compatible and won’t heat up properly.
He explains: “To test if your cookware is suitable, use a refrigerator magnet. If it sticks firmly to the bottom of the pan, it’s likely induction-compatible. However, if the magnet slides off easily, the pan may not have strong enough magnetic properties for efficient heating.
“Pans made from cast iron, steel, or some types of stainless steel are usually compatible, but materials like aluminium, glass, or ceramic will not work. When shopping for new cookware, bring a magnet to double-check the compatibility before buying.
“Using the wrong pans on an induction cooktop can leave you frustrated, as incompatible cookware won’t heat up. Cast iron and stainless steel pans are great options, but using very high heat can damage their surfaces, wearing down non-stick coatings or causing discolouration on stainless steel.”
UK households are already being urged to make the switch from gas hobs to electric ahead of a potential sales ban to help meet net-zero targets, as induction hobs are more efficient.
But if you’re using an induction hob and your pans aren’t compatible, then it will impact your ability to cook efficiently, wasting both energy, money and time, so it’s important to do this quick 25p test as soon as possible.
Mr Adams adds: “If you use pans that are too small for the cooking zone, the cooktop may not detect them at all, wasting energy and time.
“Cheaper cookware can warp under high heat, leading to uneven cooking, and may even need replacement sooner, increasing your long-term costs. Investing in durable, induction-compatible cookware allows better performance and saves you money over time.”