Hi, my name is Lynne and I want to share a best kept secret – the key to easy entertaining is quality cookware. Sure, you still have to do the preparation, but when you can rely your cookware to perform, as it should, it makes cooking a whole lot quicker and easier.
I love nothing more than having my family and friends around to enjoy a casual meal, lots of chatter, good food and special times.
If you’re like us and never have enough bench space and cooking area in your kitchen, you’re in the right place. Whether you need a cooking space when you’re on the road in an RV, in a dorm or just want to have an extra cooktop on hand to use when your need an extra burner, then a portable induction cooktop could be for you.
Induction to ‘Induction’
I was first introduced to induction when we were doing major renovations to our house about 5 years ago. The plan included redesigning the kitchen, dining, living and entertaining areas. I knew we were going to be without a usable kitchen for a while, but I had no idea just how hard it was going to be, and the builder delays! (If something could go wrong, it did, which kept pushing out our finish date.) So I ended up being without my cooktop and usable bench space for much longer than I expected.
I was intending to update all my kitchen appliances and had started looking at options. But I have to admit I really hadn’t decided on which way to go. I liked the idea induction’s instant heat. Especially the safety for little hands because the surface doesn’t get hot but I was used to cooking with gas. To change is hard, so I wasn’t convinced.
Our renovation kept dragging on and it was getting too cold to keep cooking all our meals on the barbecue. My family was totally ‘over’ bbq meals. This forced me to look at another temporary cooking option. That’s when I decided to try a portable induction cooktop, a perfect opportunity to give it a try. I figured at the price I had to pay for a portable one, if it lasted for a couple of months that was OK.
I was pleasantly surprised. The portable induction cooktop was a cheap solution for my short-term problem and it’s ended up being a really handy addition to my kitchen.
It’s very light so it’s easy to take when I go away. I’ve often taken it when we’ve gone away to visit family. We tend to get together with friends and relatives when we’re away and need a fair amount of cooking space.
And it’s so easy to cook at the table. Just plug it in and you’re ready to cook. While the meat or chicken is cooking on the barbecue, I’ll saute vegetables or a rice dish at the table. It works well.
When I do want to entertain more formally at home I’ve found having the extra cook-top has been invaluable. It’s easy to just store away and doesn’t take much space at all.
You might have gathered, I’m loving Induction cooking and for so many reasons.
Induction Cookware
I almost forgot the cookware. We’ve also covered top brands in induction-compatible cookware: Cuisinart, T-fal, Circulon, Duxtop to suit different looks, budgets and cooking preferences. Dive into the detail in our reviews that LJ (Linnie Jane) and I share to help you choose a quality set to suit your kitchen.
Happy cooking
Lynne, (and Linnie J)
Linnie Jane (LJ) is a researcher, product reviewer, tester and valued team member for yourcookhouse.com, and Bettysbakeware.com where you can find her expert reviews on everyday kitchen appliances, cooking and baking products.
And for the tea and coffee lovers, you can find LJ’s expertise shared on Coffeebrewinghub.com