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We're considering both ceramic and induction cooktops. We know the theoretical advantages and disadvantages: efficiency (induction best), easy of cleaning (things stick to ceramic as the surface is hot), need proper cookware for induction (all our pots and pans are induction compatible), speed of response (don't care I cook everything very hot), safety, etc, but I'd like practical experiences. Induction costs around $1500 more, which we'd rather not pay if we don't have to, but stoves last a very long time so we'll pay it if there's a really good reason. My wife's used ceramic in the past and says she finds them fine, and my father in law who owned and ran a kitchen business for 20 years has one in his own kitchen.
Edit - I have ONE main question. Given we're happy enough with the current elements, will ceramic likely be ok for us, for fast hot cooking? We don't care about heating speed, we don't really care about how long it takes to change temperature, we don't care that it might stay hot for a while, we just want to get a pan very hot twice a day and cook food in it. We know induction hobs are great, but we're trying to work out if ceramic is good enough, so no need to share that information.
If anyone knows a good freestanding stove with an induction cooktop that's reasonably priced please let me know. We don't much care about the oven, we rarely use it, we use the elements ten times more.
We're strongly considering Beko stoves, specifically this one with a ceramic cooktop. Most Beko stoves review at 8/10 or better. We've seen it, looks like decent quality, the stainless steel matches the Bosch dishwasher close enough, and I like dial controls better than touch controls. It's around $1400 including installation. The induction version is $2500 to $3000, so significantly more expensive, and I don't like touch controls - my wife has trouble controlling them. Alternate ideas welcome :)
Also - interested in splashbacks as the Beko's don't have much of one, especially solid colors.
NB : gas is not an option for several reasons, including installation cost, daily charge and cleaning. Bottles aren't a great option where we are either. Please don't tell us gas is great.
