In the past several years, home appliance manufacturers have become increasingly creative when designing energy efficient products. One product that caught my attention in particular is the electro magnetic induction stove, a stove that uses electricity to generate a rapidly-changing electro magnetic field that interacts with nearby iron and steel objects (read: pots and pans). When the electro magnetic field interacts with a pan, it heats it up without significantly altering the temperature of the stove top or the surrounding room.

The stove uses no gas, and uses less electricity than a conventional electric oven. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, induction cooktops are 84 percent energy efficient, in contrast to traditional gas cooktops. Gas cooktops are only about 40 percent energy efficient because they must first heat a burner, which then heats cookwear. Magnetic induction stoves are also more child-safe than a traditional stove, because the surface of an induction stove never becomes hot--little fingers and fallen food are both safe from accidental burning.

Induction stoves are popular with experienced cooks because they offer precise and immediate temperature control, unlike electric stoves that need time for their coils to heat up and cool down.

There are some cons that come with a magnetic induction, including the inability to execute certain tasks that require lifting a pan into the air while leaving the stove on (think: flipping an omelet) because the stoves automatically turn off in the absence of a pan. Also, because it is an electrical appliance, a power outage would render the stove top useless. Induction stove tops tend to be more expensive than traditional stoves (they typically run around $2,000, in contrast to gas or electric which typically cost between $500 to $1,000) but their very low operating costs (only about $30 per year) and eco-friendly qualities help to take the edge off the buyer's remorse. For more information on the prose and cons of induction cooking, click here.

If you're looking for a new stove/oven, I strongly recommend looking into the electro magnetic stove top as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional gas and electric stoves. Happy cooking!

For some great deals on more cooking supplies and resources, check out