What is an induction range?
Updated August 2026
An induction range is a freestanding stove that heats the pan itself with a magnetic field instead of heating a burner that then heats the pan. Coils under the glass surface generate a rapidly switching field, iron in the cookware resists that field, and the resistance becomes heat inside the pan wall. Roughly 85 percent of the energy reaches the food, against about 40 percent on a gas burner, which is why a quart of water boils in about 2 minutes.
Where it is
It fills the standard 30-inch range slot, and from three feet away it looks like any smooth-top electric stove. Two details separate them. Induction shows faint printed rings on the glass and never glows orange while heating, and it hums or ticks quietly while a cooling fan runs underneath. The other giveaway is the panel: an induction range needs its own 240V, 40–50A double-pole breaker, so look for a two-slot breaker labeled Range. If a fridge magnet grabs the bottom of a pan, that pan will work on the surface.
What it does
The appliance does two separate jobs, and only the cooktop half is unusual. The surface gives precise heat that stops the instant the pan comes off, so milk climbing the sides of a pot drops to a simmer in a second rather than the 20 seconds a hot electric coil needs to cool. The oven below is a conventional electric oven. Failures are mostly electronic: a control board or a single element coil dies, one burner goes dead while the rest keep working, and the repair runs $250–500. A cracked glass top ends use immediately, because 240V wiring sits directly beneath it. Skipped upkeep usually shows up as burnt sugar that has etched the glass for good.
Maintenance
Wipe the glass after every session once it is cool enough to touch, and give it a full pass with ceramic cooktop cream about once a week. Scrape melted plastic and boiled-over sugar off within minutes using a razor held at a low angle, since those two things pit the surface if they cool in place. Once a year, clear whatever has been stored against the cabinet vents that feed the cooling fans, then work through the rest of the range checklist. Kept clean, the unit should reach 12–15 years.
What it costs to replace
A replacement induction range runs $1,000–3,000 for the range, plus $300–1,500 if an electrician has to run a new 240V circuit.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need new pots and pans for induction?
Only the ones a magnet ignores. Hold a fridge magnet against the bottom of each pan: a firm grab means it works, a weak pull means it will heat slowly and unevenly, and no pull at all means the burner will not switch on. Cast iron, carbon steel, enameled steel, and most stainless pass. Bare aluminum, copper, and glass fail unless the maker bonded a steel disc into the base. Budget $150–400 to fill the gaps with a decent starter set.
What wiring does an induction range need?
A dedicated 240V circuit on a 40A or 50A double-pole breaker, fed by 8/3 or 6/3 copper cable. An existing electric range circuit almost always carries it as is. Switching from gas is the expensive part: running a new circuit from the panel costs $300–1,500 depending on distance and finished walls, and a full 100A panel may need a service upgrade at $1,500–4,000. Get that quoted before you buy the appliance, not after it arrives.
Why does my induction burner beep and shut off?
Three usual reasons. The pan is not ferrous or is smaller than about 4-1/2 inches across, so the sensor decides nothing is there and cuts out after roughly 60 seconds of beeping. The pan bottom is warped and touches the glass in only two spots. Or the cooling fan cannot breathe and the unit throttles itself to protect the electronics. Clear the cabinet around the vents, test with a flat cast iron skillet, and write down the error code before you call anyone.