Photos courtesy of Viking

Induction rangetops look fairly similar to other electric rangetops, but the difference between them is under the hood. Induction cooking uses magnets that react to the pots and pans placed on the heating elements. This creates a surface that is always cold to your touch, and hot to the touch of magnetic metals. Induction heat transfers are extremely efficient, which is why an induction element can make a pot of water boil up to 50 percent faster than other types of rangetop burners.

Oven Properties: You can't have induction heat transfer in the oven, so induction ranges use regular, radiant heat in the oven.