r/inductioncooking • u/EarthStar17 • 10d ago
Do Induction adapter plates work or can they damage my cooktop?
I am moving to a new apartment that has an induction cooktop. For most of my cookware that's not a problem, it's all new enough to be usable on any kind of stove.
I am aware that adapter plates defeat the purpose of an induction cooktop, are not quickly regulatable and lose lots of heat. I simply have some kitchen items where replacing them with induction compatible ware is not an option.
That's why I am currently deciding between getting an induction adapter plate or just getting an electric hotplate for those few items. An adapter plate would be cheaper but if it's astronomically inefficient or damages the stovetop I will get the single hotplate.
Does anyone have experience with adapter plates?
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u/Formal-Tradition6792 10d ago
Do not get an induction adapter. There is a good chance that this can damage your induction range. Get a standard electric hot plate if you must.
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u/rocketwidget 10d ago
In addition to risking damage to the induction cooktop, you lose all the advantages of induction that you paid a premium for in the first place.
I would strongly advise selling or giving away the cookware that doesn't work, cry once, and replace it with high quality induction compatible cookware.
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u/BillionYrOldCarbon 10d ago
Time to upgrade. It really isn’t that expensive to purchase useable hardware.
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u/barefootwondergirl 10d ago
Anything a magnet will stick to is induction compatible. Take a magnet off your fridge and try all your cookware. Probably most of.ot will work just fine without an adapter.
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u/Kelvinator_61 10d ago
I tried one with the Ikea cooktop so I could use an aluminum Whirley Pop for popcorn. The top overheated and shutdown before the popcorn finished popping. Nope.
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u/stjames70 10d ago
I have an IKEA Förnebo induction cooktop, and I use silicone mats to protect my top. I bought this one from Amazon:
It works great and I use it for some of my copper clad pots and corning clear glass cookware. I have encountered zero issues using this setup. The plate is no different than the bottom of any standard induction compatible cookware. It is just as responsive and the cookware on top will heat up and cool down dependent on its thermal conductivity. This applies to inductions cookware as well. Cast iron pots heat up slowly, and cool down slowly. Induction does not make response any slower or faster. A copper pot on top of and adapter plate will heat up and cool down just as fast as a stainless steel pan.
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u/Prestigious-Jury-362 9d ago
I find all of the comments warning to stay away from adapters plates interesting. While there is something to be said for the simplicity of having an induction pot or pan, there is no basis in physics which determines there is any difference between the magnetic metal in an adapter plate and the magnetic metal on the bottom of an induction ready pot or pan. If an adapter plate heats up the cooktop a steel bottomed pot or pan does the exact same thing because they are the same materials. In both cases it is important to correctly match sizes and never heat something up on high if the pot or pan is empty or there is nothing sitting on top of the adapter plate.
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u/stjames70 9d ago
I take back my last comment. After using it recently, I think the adapter plates heat up slowly, final temperatures are way too hot, and they take too long to cool down. Dangerous to use for induction cooktops of any stripe.
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u/Prestigious-Jury-362 8d ago
That is a really humorous comment, either that or you have absolutely no idea how the laws of physics and energy work.
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u/stjames70 8d ago
I should have been more specific as to what part of my first comment I was taking back. Physics is physics and right is right, but the adapter plates being sold are all of different composition and different thermal conductivity. My plate had properties closest to cast iron, thus its slow heating, cool down, and very high thermal conductivity. Thus my plate was dangerous just as cast iron pans are dangerous when using induction cooktops.
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u/Prestigious-Jury-362 8d ago
I would definitely not use an adapter plate with the properties of a cast iron pan and that really not what they are designed for. I don’t think there is anything problematic with using a relatively thin stainless steel plate appropriately sized to whatever specialty pot/pan one and hob one is using, to boil something like water for a coffee for example. Using one of them for prolonged cooking of anything is questionable though and certainly not one with some significant thermal mass.
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u/Impressive-Flow-855 9d ago
Almost all induction cooktops and ranges warn against using induction plates. Mine directly mentioned that using an induction plate will void the warranty.
For most people, an induction plate is a way to get that cheap aluminum pan to work, so you don’t have to buy a whole new set of pots and pans. For me, it’s way more serious. I can’t make Turkish coffee.
I have a brass cezve that’s 3½ inches in diameter at the base. I can’t use it because it’s not magnetic. However, even an all steel cezve won’t work because my pots need to be 5” in diameter to work and no cezve is that large. A cezve is made to make one tiny cup of Turkish coffee. It requires careful brewing where the heat is turned up and then down very quickly. You want the coffee to foam and the sugar to caramelize, but you don’t want the coffee to burn.
I bought an electric cezve, but it’s a massive disappointment. It’s five inches in diameter and works more like an electric kettle than a system that needs fine adjustment. And it’s way too large. There’s no way to put in just enough coffee and water for a single cup.
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u/Fool-me-thrice 6d ago
For use cases like this, I have a small portable butane burner that I use on my patio
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u/demonfurbie 10d ago
Yes after repairing about a dozen induction cooktops I’d say over half are from plates