One of today's most exciting technologies for the kitchen can be found in electro magnetics. I feel like the dad in The Graduate when he sagely whispers into Benjamin's ear "plastics"! Ok I'm dating myself but truthfully it was an old movie when I saw it for the first time. Back to the kitchen, the electro magnetics I'm talking about is induction cooking. Whenever I bring this up to my clients they invariably say, "isn't that the thing where you need special pots"?

You certainly do not need new pots IF they pass the test. Simply grab a magnet and if it sticks to the bottom of your pot you're good to go. That's it. Some work and some don't. Now if you're splurging on a new kitchen or stove perhaps a new set of pots is in order anyway, yes?

History of Induction Cooking

Induction cooking technology was actually first introduced at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago. It became available to homeowners in the seventies but you probably never heard about it because, well frankly, it was a fail. Kinks were resolved as the technology continued to advance in Europe and Asia. Then several years ago induction cooktops were back and they've been gaining popularity in the luxury market every since. In fact, Ryan DeGraffenreid, Territory Sales Manager for Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean for Subzero-Wolf, ventures to say that when considering electric vs induction their clients are choosing induction most of the time!

Why Induction?

The big reasons to go with the big "I" are safety, ease of maintenance and cooking efficiency. Since your pot only heats up where it makes contact with the burner you're a lot less likely to get burned, plus all your energy goes into cooking your food instead of it being expelled into the air. In fact, with induction, 84-90% of energy goes into your cooking as opposed to 44- 55% for gas, the least efficient. Electric falls somewhere in between. Induction cooking is also a bit quicker. It takes about 4 minutes to boil water with induction. It's about 7 minutes for electric and 8 for gas. If your pot does boil over, clean up is a lot easier since the area surrounding the pot will not be as hot. It's no fun chiseling baked on goo off your cooking surface!

The New Choices Make Induction Available for Everyone

I am looking forward to downsizing and moving back into my little condo by the water. My kitchen will definitely be getting a makeover (stay tuned) and since induction technology is now available in the 30" range format, I'm in. I've been doing a bit of research and have found that you can switch to an induction range starting at $1,700 for a free standing (as opposed to slide-in which has controls on the front) model by Kenmore. Right now with the current sale you can get that down to $1,099.00 It's the same size as your old 30" range too so no worries there. Then at the other end of the spectrum you can find this Subzero-Wolf which retails for over $9,000. Currently it's the only 36" induction range on the market. Needless to say it's the Rolls Royce of ranges!

Is All Induction Created Equal?

One thing I have notice with just about every single model is that the ratings are consistently 4.5 stars. There also typically seems to be a lemon in the mix as well. If you come upon a bad review you should read it and decide if the issues are something you should research further. Bad reviews can be great tools. All these ranges feature convection ovens. (another blog post) The main differences are styling and bells and whistles including myriad settings on the higher end models. Find an appliance retailer in your area and check it out. If you're in my area I'd love to go with you. :-) As far as my search goes, I'm still exploring. Price is definitely important but this model by Bosch is a clear favorite. It retails at $3,199 and also includes a warming drawer at the bottom. I'm still looking though. As I always say, when it comes to doing your kitchen you must pick your battles. Spend the money where it means the most to you and save in areas where you really don't mind compromising a little. The trick is deciphering both which is one of the things I explore with my clients.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments or questions about induction cooking, pro or consumer, do share!

For years my husband and I have thought about the day when we'd be able to live small in a big way. That means less stuff and more meaningful moments, experiences and adventures.

The suburban life has its advantages and I will certainly miss having the big kids :) around as well as my morning walk route and garage studio. That said, we're trading it in for simplicity, morning coffee and sunset wine on the water. Yes, we're selling the house and moving back to my chick pad on the intracoastal which will now be a sanctuary for two, plus one kitty. My musings brought me to Minimalism, a very inspired documentary about how two guys made it happen in their lives. Check it out on Netflix. Downsizing and moving is kind of like a mandatory form of minimalism, it's the only way. Scary? Yes, but also exciting and since kitchens is what I do I began exploring the idea of what makes the Minimalist Kitchen. Here are thoughts to get you started if the idea inspires you too.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."- William Morris

These words by William Morris are the perfect place to begin when considering the Minimalist Kitchen. The concept is, of course, not new. Morris was a nineteenth century British designer, writer and social activist who espoused this principle and his advice is the perfect way to begin the journey to the Minimalist Kitchen. Consider every single item in your kitchen in due course, i.e. not necessarily all at once but methodically and thoroughly. If you're not sure, one way to decipher usefulness is to take note of the items you use every day, week, month and only on holidays. Items used only once a year don't need to be stored in the kitchen if space is tight and if it's been more than a year why are you holding space for it? The kitchen remodeling process is very helpful in this regard. You're forced to empty all your cabinets then, as you live out of boxes during the process, you quickly become familiar with the items you really depend on. Chances are there are less than you thought. Usefulness is huge BUT remember the beauty too. This means if you LOVE something you get to keep it!

Consider Multi-Use Appliances

These appliances offer versatility and save space for things you love.

My daughter's boyfriend got us this rice cooker for Christmas and we have never looked back. Not only is it a convenient rice cooker but it's also a slow cooker and a steamer! You can even hard boil eggs with it. In my house it earns its space in the kitchen. The Aroma Professional Rice Cooker comes in a variety of sizes too.

If your cooking goals are loftier there are many luxury appliances that combine convection, steam or microwave technologies into one appliance. This Bosch Benchmark combo oven features steam on the top and regular convection on the bottom. You can also get a microwave on the top if you prefer. These are just a couple of examples but you get the point, yes?

Ditch the Duplicates

Do you really know how many you have? I certainly was surprised to see I had so many funnels! Speaking of duplicates, when I move we're having one big set of dishes that we love and use everyday. That is all and I give you permission to do that too. If you have little ones you will have to strike the right balance between beauty, durability and price. I love the variety of suggestions here. If you must have a set of separate dishes for the holidays remember they can be stored outside the kitchen if space is tight.

Detach & Re-Charge

One nifty feature I've been working into most of my design lately is a charging station. Give yourself and your devices time to re-charge. This charging station gives you a safe place to store devices off the counter top and out of sight. A few hours of detachment can work wonders. It's a de-clutter strategy for your kitchen and your mind right in line with the Minimalist perspective. See some of the options at Docking Drawer Try it!

Organize Your Recipes Digitally

I don't know about you but I have a lot of cook books and most of them I don't use. There are so many easy ways to organize and save your favorite recipes on line. I usually use Pinterest or AllRecipes.com to curate my collection . If you're not too internet savvy just take a photo on your phone or tablet. It's as easy as that. Definitely keep cookbooks with sentimental value such as the ones with grandma's hand written notes. I actually wish I had some of those!

The goal for me is less stuff. The payoff is saving money, easy cleaning, maintaining what I have, knowing where everything is when I want it and having more time and resources to travel and enjoy the relationships and experiences in my life. As The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus say "Love people and use things because the opposite never works."

Stay tuned for my downsizing moving adventures in the months to come and let me know how I can help you craft your own Minimalist Kitchen.

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