Not Everyone Wants to Use Induction Cooktops: Here's Why

The government plans to withdraw the circulation of 3-kilogram (kg) liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders. As a replacement, the government will distribute free induction-type electric cookers to communities in several regions.

"PLN is tasked with conducting a pilot program for the conversion from 3 kg LPG stoves to induction cookers in 2022 in Solo City, Central Java, and Badung Regency, Bali. Each location will provide 1,000 beneficiary families with free cookers," said the Acting Director General of Electricity, Dadan Kusdiana, as reported by *Katadata.co.id* on Thursday (September 15, 2022).

Dadan explained that each household will receive one induction cooker with two burners, each with a capacity of 1,000 Watts. This will be accompanied by two cooking utensils: a pot and a pan, equipped with an Internet of Things (IoT) module to record electricity consumption data.

Not Everyone Wants to Use Induction Cookers

Although induction cookers are widely claimed to be more environmentally friendly than LPG, it seems not everyone is willing to switch to this type of cooker.

This is evident in a research report by Rizda Noverita and Dr. Jacob Silas Mussry, titled *Proposed PT PLN (Persero) Marketing Capability to Realize Induction Stove as A Preferable Option for LPG Substitution and Electrifying Lifestyle Growth* (2020).

According to the report, out of 131 surveyed individuals, only 63.35% were interested in buying an induction cooker, while 36.65% were not interested.

Of the group that was not interested, 63.5% believed that induction cookers would cause their electricity bills to surge.

Another 45.2% were unwilling to buy induction cookers because they would have to replace their cookware. Induction cookers can only be used with magnetic cookware.

This survey was conducted in April 2020 on 131 respondents spread across Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, and outside Java-Bali.

Respondents were aged between 24-55 years old and subscribed to a minimum electricity capacity of 1,300 VA. The majority of respondents cooked daily using LPG-based stoves, with monthly cooking fuel expenses ranging from Rp30,000 to Rp150,000.