The Main Appeal of Induction Cooktops to Consumers

The Indonesian government plans to phase out 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 piloting 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*, 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 frying pan, equipped with an Internet of Things (IoT) module to record electricity consumption data.

Is the Public Interested in Using Induction Cookers?

Although the plan has been widely announced, as of mid-September 2022, the government has not yet explained the level of public interest in using induction cookers.

This issue was previously examined by Rizda Noverita and Dr. Jacob Silas Mussry in a research report 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, 63.35% expressed interest in purchasing an induction cooker in the future.

Among those interested in induction cookers, 58.6% were attracted by their environmentally friendly nature, while 59.5% were drawn to their ease and practicality of use.

This survey, conducted in April 2020, involved 131 respondents from Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, and areas outside Java and Bali.

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