Induction vs. LPG Cooking: Which is Faster?

The Indonesian government, through the state-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), plans to replace LPG gas stove subsidies with induction cooktops. This year, PLN aims to distribute 300,000 induction cooktops to beneficiary families.

Furthermore, PLN will also distribute approximately 5 million free 1,000-watt electric cooktops next year as a replacement for 3-kilogram LPG cylinders.

Note that electric cooktops are differentiated between induction and infrared cooktops. Induction cooktops use electromagnets to conduct heat, while infrared cooktops use halogen to generate heat.

According to a research report by the Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial titled 'Overview of the Electric Cooking Landscape in Indonesia', electric induction cooktops have the highest performance and efficiency compared to LPG stoves and conventional electric cooktops. For example, boiling an egg using an induction cooktop at 94 degrees Celsius requires only 0.169 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy and takes only 542 seconds.

Boiling an egg using an LPG stove at 94 degrees Celsius requires 0.456 kWh of energy and takes 1,125 seconds. Meanwhile, boiling an egg using a conventional electric cooktop takes the longest, at 3,000 seconds and 0.298 kWh.

(read: LPG 3 Kg Replaced with Electric Cooktops, How Big is the Global Electric Cooktop Market?)