What cookware material property is strictly required for effective induction heating?
Answer
The cookware must be made of ferromagnetic materials.
A crucial hurdle in the development and adoption of induction cooktops is the requirement for compatible cookware. Induction relies on the magnetic field to generate heat, meaning the cooking vessel itself must interact directly with that field. This interaction necessitates that the base material of the pot or pan be ferromagnetic—that is, magnetic. If a pot does not contain iron or another ferromagnetic material, the magnetic field passes through it without inducing significant eddy currents, thus preventing effective heating.

Related Questions
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