Here’s another great tip from BobVila.com.

In the world of cooking appliances, the least expensive purchase can be the most expensive to run.

Standard electric ranges, while they cost less to buy and install, are slower to heat up and much less energy-efficient. Electric is only half as efficient as gas. But induction cooking is 85 percent energy-efficient, which is why it’s been so popular in Europe and Asia for years.

Induction election cooktops are powered by electricity, but instead of radiating heat to the pan, the burner works like an electrical transformer. Coils generate an A/C current which, when it’s met with a pot or pan containing iron, heats it by magnetic friction. The pan essentially becomes its own heat source, but nothing around it heats up. You can actually put your hand on the ceramic glass cooking surface after lifting the pot without burning yourself. And since nothing will cook onto the surface, it’s a breeze to clean.

Because it’s not really hot to the touch, an induction cooktop is safer around kids and can be controlled more rapidly and precisely. You do need to have iron or steel cookware. Aluminum, Pyrex® and all-copper cookware won’t work, but Grandma’s old cast-iron frying pan, for instance, is perfect. Basically, if a magnet sticks to it, it’ll work for induction cooking.

And if it’s the heating power of a restaurant-style gas stove you crave, look no further. A 2,000-watt induction range delivers as much heat as a 15,000 BTU deluxe gas range. Since induction cooktops are available up to 3,700 watts, you’re covered.

Induction cooking is expensive upfront. Four-burner cooktops can cost $3,000 to $4,000 and your home needs to have 220V electrical service, which could mean an upgrade. But imagine using half the energy for the same—if not more—cooking power.

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