Pans for an induction hob: do you need to replace your cookware?

Why pans matter on an induction hob

An induction hob heats the pan, not the glass. It does this with an electromagnetic field that induces a current in the base of the pan, and that current generates the heat directly inside the metal. The catch is that this only works if the pan's base is ferromagnetic, meaning a magnet sticks to it. If the base isn't magnetic, the field has nothing to work on, and the pan simply won't heat, no matter how high you turn the hob. That's why a hob that's perfect on a ceramic worktop can be useless on induction.

This is the one practical gotcha of switching to induction, and the reason some people hesitate. The good news is that checking is trivial and the fix, where one is needed, is cheap. You almost never have to replace every pan you own, so don't let pan worries put you off the upgrade before you've actually tested your cookware.

The two-second magnet test

Forget reading labels or guessing from the material. The reliable test takes two seconds: hold an ordinary fridge magnet to the base of the pan. If the magnet grips firmly, the pan has the ferromagnetic base induction needs and will work. If it slides off or only holds weakly, the pan won't heat properly on an induction hob. Do this with every pan in your cupboard before you buy a hob, and you'll know exactly where you stand, no surprises after delivery.

The magnet test beats reading the label because manufacturing varies and some pans marketed loosely as "all hobs" or "stainless steel" still aren't reliably magnetic. The magnet doesn't lie. It also works on a portable hob exactly as on a built-in one, so even the plug-in Russell Hobbs double hob needs compatible pans.

What works, and what doesn't

As a rule of thumb, here's how common cookware materials stack up:

• Cast iron (bare or enamelled) works brilliantly; it's strongly magnetic and holds heat well.
• Enamelled steel works, and is light and affordable.
• Most quality stainless steel works, but not all, because some stainless alloys aren't magnetic. Always test with a magnet.
• Aluminium and copper don't work on their own, because they aren't magnetic, unless they have a bonded magnetic disc in the base.
• Glass, ceramic and stoneware don't work at all.

The frequent surprise is stainless steel: people assume all of it works, but the answer genuinely depends on the alloy and construction. The frequent disappointment is a beloved aluminium or copper pan, which won't heat without help. Again, the magnet settles every case in seconds, so test rather than assume.

The cheap workaround: an adapter plate

If a favourite pan fails the test but you don't want to part with it, there's a simple fix: an induction adapter plate (also called an interface disc). It's a flat ferromagnetic disc that sits on the hob; the induction field heats the disc, and the disc heats your pan by conduction. It costs only a few pounds and lets you use non-magnetic aluminium, copper or glass cookware on an induction hob.

It isn't perfect: an adapter plate is slower and less efficient than a properly magnetic pan, because you've added a layer of conduction back into the process, and it negates some of induction's speed advantage. So treat it as a way to keep using one or two cherished pans, not as a permanent substitute for compatible cookware. For everyday cooking, magnetic pans are far better.

Buying new pans for induction

If you do need to buy, the reassuring news is that induction-ready cookware needn't be expensive. The only requirement is a flat, magnetic base that sits squarely on the zone, and plenty of affordable stainless steel and cast iron pans already meet it. Look for pans labelled induction-compatible, but still run the magnet test to be sure, and prioritise a flat, undamaged base, because a warped or ridged bottom heats unevenly on any hob.

Spending more buys better heat distribution, a heavier, more durable build and nicer handling, not better compatibility, which a budget magnetic pan has just as much as a premium one. So you can switch to induction without an expensive cookware overhaul: test what you have, buy a few replacements only for the pans that fail, and keep the rest.