Have you recently replaced your cooktop with one that uses induction to heat the food you put in pans on the cooktop? You may have realized that your non-stick pans are no longer working now that you have this cooktop, so you consider buying hard anodized cookware for the non-stick benefits, but you will find that hard anodized cookware does not work well with induction cooktops.
You will find that sets of hard anodized cookware are not compatible with induction stoves or cooktops because they are often made using aluminum that has been chemically treated. The induction stoves work best with cookware that has ferromagnetic material at the bottom of the cookware; however, you can find hard anodized cookware that is compatible with induction stoves.
You can learn more about why hard anodized cookware should not be used on induction cooktops or stoves in this article. You can also learn what types of materials are best suited for induction cookware and what materials are not suited.
Can You Use Hard Anodized Cookware on Induction Cooktops?
Hard anodized cookware isn’t the best type of cookware to use with induction cooktops. The cookware is often made using aluminum that has been chemically treated, and aluminum doesn’t work well with the induction heating process.
It is best to use cookware that was made using either steel or iron when it comes to induction stoves or cooktops. For the cookware to use the heat from the induction cookware properly, it’s best to have a base that is ferromagnetic.
You can find hard anodized cookware that is compatible with induction cooktops. You want to look for a symbol on the cookware that says it can be used with induction cooktops, or you can use a magnet to tell if it is magnetic.
How Do I Know If My Pots are Induction Compatible?
Most pots and pans that are hard anodized will not be induction compatible, but they do make cookware that is compatible with induction. You can find these pots and pans when you look in the grocery store, but they might be hard to find.
The easiest way to tell if your pots are induction compatible is to use a magnet on them. Cookware that is made to use on induction stoves will be magnetic or ferromagnetic. This will attract a magnet to your pots.
The other main way to tell if your pots are suited for induction cooking is to look for a symbol that will be on the pots. This symbol is used to clarify that the pots are suited to work on induction cooktops. You may have to look carefully on the pots to find this symbol.
Cookware Materials that are Induction and Non-Induction Compatible
Some materials are better suited for induction cooking, while others aren’t. The best materials for induction cooking are either ferromagnetic or magnetic. If the material isn’t either of these, it is highly likely that the cookware should not be used for induction cooking.
Sadly, only a few materials are designed to go with induction cooking. It may be hard to find the right pots and pans to use with your new induction stove, but it’s possible to find the right cookware.
You want to look for cookware that is either ferromagnetic or magnetic. This magnetism should come from the base more than the rest of the pot or pan.
Induction Compatible
Materials that are made to go with induction cooking tend to be magnetic in some form. This can either mean the material is magnetic or ferromagnetic.
When you want to use your induction stove, you want to use pots and pans that are made using iron, cast iron, or stainless steel. All of these materials are either magnetic or ferromagnetic. They work great with induction cooktops and stoves.
Non-Induction Compatible
More materials aren’t made to be used with induction cooking than made to be used with induction cooking. While the pots and pans are not designed for induction cooking, they can still be used with other types of cooking.
The main materials that are used to make cookware and aren’t designed for induction cooking are aluminum, glass, and copper. These materials don’t work well with the induction heating process, so they shouldn’t be used with induction stoves or cooktops.
Many pots and pans are made using aluminum that has been treated chemically in some form or fashion. These pots and pans are still great tools for cooking. Hard anodized cookware is made in this way. These pots are still great for cooking, but they do not work well with induction cooking.
What Kind of Cookware is Best for an Induction Cooktop?
When using an induction cooktop, you want to use cookware that has been designed for this cooking process. But there are not many materials that are made to suit induction cooking.
You want to look for pots and pans that are made using iron, cast iron, or stainless steel, if you plan on using induction to cook. These pots and pans are designed for this type of cooking. They may be hard to clean though if food gets stuck to them.
Pots and pans that are made to be non-stick don’t work well with induction stoves. This can make it hard for you to clean your pots and pans after you use them.
If you like hard anodized cookware, you can look for the pots and pans they make that can be used on induction stoves. You will need to make sure they are magnetic or look for the tiny symbol that says the pots and pans work with induction cooking.
Any cookware set that has a magnetic field will work great with your induction cooktop. If you have a hard time figuring out if the pots and pans are magnetic, just take a refrigerator magnet and see if it sticks.
Final Thoughts
While hard anodized cookware is great cookware, it isn’t best for induction cooking. Induction cooking works well with cookware that has a magnetic field. Hard anodized cookware is made using aluminum, so it doesn’t have this magnetic field.
This means the cookware doesn’t work with induction cooking. Pots and pans made from iron or steel work best with induction cooking. You can find hard anodized cookware that is made for induction cooking, but they can be hard to find.
Any pots and pans made from iron or steel are great for induction cooking. These pans and pots can be hard to clean if the food sits too long on them. Non-stick pans do not work well with induction cooking. If you plan on using non-stick pans, don’t use an induction stove.
