When it comes to stoves, most Americans rely on either gas or electric heat to create their culinary masterpieces. However, a third, more efficient manner of cooking is slowly working its way into more and more kitchens. While already popular in Europe and Asia, induction is starting to take off in the States. Induction cooking provides benefits gas and heat simply can’t touch, but the best part? It’s only possible through magnetism! What is Induction? The science behind your stove is pretty straightforward. Burners heat up your cookware that in turn heat up your food. However, induction heat does this much more quickly. On average, it takes about 10 minutes to boil a pot of water using an electric stove, 8 with gas. Induction gets the job done in about 5 minutes. But what makes this possible? Magnetism, of course. An induction stove consists of tightly-wound copper coils. As the copper is energized, it produces an electromagnetic field. This magnetism is transferred to your cookware which is then able to heat up. You can watch a video of an induction stove in action here. Benefits of Induction Besides its speed and efficiency, induction cooking offers a wide array of perks—the most notable being safety. Because it depends on electromagnetism, these “burners” give off no heat unless they come into contact with another magnetized object (your cookware). However, the cookware will still get hot like normal, so take care as you would with any type of heat. Another boon is the cleaning factor. Induction stovetops are essentially flat, meaning they only need a simple wiping down. There are no external coils or burner grates to clean around and no annoying nooks or crannies for rogue bits of food to hide in. But the greatest benefit? It’s another way to use magnetism! While upgrading to an induction stove will save you time cooking and cleaning, there are a few drawbacks. For one thing, they can be a bit more expensive in terms of upfront costs. You’ll also need to use specific pots and pans that tend to run on the pricier side. The cookware needs magnetism, so only stainless steel or cast iron will get the job done. Already have an magnetically-drive induction stove? Share your favorite recipes with us!