If you’ve replaced your electric range or gas range with an induction cooktop, you are probably looking forward to using your new appliance. But you might be disappointed once you switch it on for the first time to find out it doesn’t work, especially if you’ve already prepped a meal that can’t be cooked using an alternative method, such as an air fryer or instant pot.
However, although it’s worth learning how to use an induction cooktop before installing one, there is one major difference you need to know when swapping from electric or gas to induction. It’s all about the pans.
However, even if you are using the correct type of pans, there are things you could be doing wrong. Here, we take a look at five reasons why your induction cooktop might not be working and how to put it right.
1. You’re using the wrong pans
The biggest mistake you could be making is using the wrong pans. Although you might have a beautiful collection of pans that you used on your previous gas or electric cooktop that you are reluctant to change, unless they are made of a ferromagnetic material, they won’t work effectively.
You’re in luck if you own a cast iron Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, as cast iron is one of the compatible materials that will work on an induction cooktop. Stainless steel cookware, along with carbon steel, is also fine. However, if you own copper, glass or aluminum pans, you’ll need to make a swap, as the material is not magnetic and won’t transfer any heat.
Top tip
You can check if your pans are induction-compatible by testing them with a magnet. If your pans have a strong magnetic pull to the magnet, they will work on an induction cooktop.
2. Check the size of your pans
Even though you are using induction-compatible pans, there could be other reasons why your induction cooktop isn’t detecting your pans. While any size pan will work on a gas or electric cooktop, this is not necessarily the case with induction cooking.
GE Appliances says that the induction element may not activate if the cookware is too small, explaining that an 11-inch frying pan may only have a magnetic area of 7.25 inches, and that this may be too small to be detected. This problem can be avoided by using pans that are the same size as the induction coil.
It’s also worth noting that if your pan is bigger than the induction coil, heat will still be transferred but not efficiently. Only the area of the pan touching the coil will receive heat.
3. The base of your pan is dirty
When using a pan on a gas or electric cooktop, if the base of the pan is dirty, you’ll soon know. And even if you don’t notice it first, your smoke alarm will be quick to alert you, as stuck-on food burns fast.
This might not be the case when using an induction cooktop, as any remaining food residue will interfere with the connection between the pan and the cooktop, preventing heat from transferring. So, before you start cooking, AEG advises that you ensure your pans are “clean and dry” before placing them on your induction cooktop.
4. Check your settings
It’s easy to make a human error, especially if you are using an appliance for the first time or still becoming familiar with how it works. So, if this is the initial time you’ve ever used an induction cooktop, it will take you slightly longer to get used to its nuances than if you replaced your cooktop with the same heating method.
Start by checking the power level you’ve selected. If you’ve chosen a low power level, it might take a while for your pans to pick up the induction heat, and you won’t be able to feel the heat if you place your hand over the coils, as you would with gas or electricity.
Another issue is that the child lock feature is activated to prevent young hands from accidentally turning on your cooktop. However, the advantage of an induction cooktop is that children are less likely to harm themselves as heat will only be transferred when a pan is placed on a coil.
5. The sensor is not sensing
Rather than your induction cooktop not working because of human error, it may be a direct problem with the appliance itself. However, where human error is often easy to correct, this isn’t often the case with appliance faults.
If your induction cooktop is not detecting your pans, there could be an issue with the sensors, and if they are faulty, they may not detect your cookware as they should.
Before resetting the sensors, follow the tips above to see if they help. If not, switch off your appliance and leave it for a few minutes before restarting it. This may help to reset the sensors so that they work correctly. If the sensors are still not detecting your pans, check your appliance manual for further advice.
