Induction cooktops are promising, but not perfect.(up front: News / Trends / Advice)(Gaggenau VI 411-610, Kenmore (Sears) Elite 4280[0], Viking VCCU1054B[SS])(Product/service evaluation)

Induction cooktops are the fastest-heating cooktops we've ever tested. Here's how induction works: Electricity passes through the magnetic elements under the cooktop's glass-covered surface. This produces a magnetic field that heats the pan on the stove. While this technology isn't new-some restaurants and cooking schools use it-it's being marketed for home use by industry heavyweights such as Gaggenau, Kenmore, and Viking.

How they fared: Besides breaking our speed record for bringing 6 quarts of water to a near boil, the induction cooktops we tested simmered sauce flawlessly and remained relatively cool because most of the heat generated by induction goes into the pan, not the surrounding kitchen. The cooler cooktop minimizes burnt-on spills. All these induction elements also shut off automatically when the pot is removed, even if you don't turn them off. This reduces the chance of cooking fires, which are a leading cause of house fires. (To learn more about cooking safety, see Safety Wise in our report on Ranges, page 25.)

Sound appetizing? Well, you'll pay a premium for induction. Prices start at $1,800 for the Kenmore induction cooktop and go up to about $3,500 for Gaggenau. Compare that with $550 to $750 for top-performing electric cooktops and $650 to $1,200 for gas. While the relatively inexpensive Kenmore offers excellent cooking performance, its touchpad controls were finicky in our tests. Sometimes reacting to our testers' touch, other times not. Nor can you use all four elements on high power at once. The pricey Gaggenau has only one element, and its controls took some getting used to. They also require cookware ...