Anyone ever seen a "wok adapter" for induction cooktops?
In theory a cheap pressed steel wok would work on an induction cooktop, but the "contact patch" for a traditional round bottomed wok would be so small it would be ineffective.
Has anyone seen a steel or cast-iron "wok adapter" with a flat bottom and a concave "bowl" on top to sit the wok in, serving dual purposes of supporting the wok on the stovetop and transferring the induction heat to the wok?
Could anyone speculate if this would this even work? Or wouldn't you be able to get the wok hot enough?
Best Answer
I've never seen one of these and I don't think they would work. You could shape a piece of metal to fit the wok base and it would heat up, however you'd run into trouble with the heat transfer. Air is a lousy conductor of heat, you would need direct metal to metal contact - any imperfections in the shape of either the adapter or the wok would reduce heat transfer dramatically. Even a bit of dirt could make a big difference.
EDIT: responding to the comment about extending the induction effect
Electrical fields follow the inverse square law, so they weaken at a rate determined by the square of the distance from the source. The magnetic field will be significantly less the farther away the metal is, the field at 4cm will be 1/16th of the power then it would be at 1cm, which is why induction pans need as much contact as possible. If the metal of the ring were to extend the magnetic field to the parts of the wok out of contact then that field would not be able to heat it well. But the magnetic field isn't going to get extended as the energy is going to be absorbed by the contact ring.
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Can wok be used on induction?
Yes, the wok must be made of ferromagnetic material such as stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron. Aluminum or copper woks won't work on induction cooktops. Use a flat bottomed wok on an induction stove rather than a round bottomed wok.How well do woks work on induction stoves?
Americans tend to be hesitant to adopt new cooking tech.Induction is different enough to feel unfamiliar, and it makes some potential owners hesitant to switch. The LG rep compared it to the situation with convection ovens, which help cook food faster and more evenly.HOW TO USE INDUCTION HOB/ COOKTOP / TIPS AND TRICKS
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Answer 2
AEG recently introduced this for their induction hobs. (It apparently works on all induction hobs.) Personally it looks a bit gimicky to me and doesn't look like it would work all that well but it has a lot of good reviews on Amazon so what do I know? (I mean, I know there's a lot of fake reviewing goes on on Amazon but it might be worth a look...) - I'll be honest I didn't look into it a huge amount as my hob's electric not induction so not sure whether it would work on mine anyway but thought it worth a share... https://www.amazon.co.uk/AEG-Fusion-MaxiSense%C2%AE-Induction-9441893204/dp/B007PR4IOA/
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