The material decides more than the price does
A pan bought for the wrong hob, or the wrong kind of cooking, is a poor purchase no matter how little or how much it cost. Before comparing sets by size or by what is included, it helps to know what the base material actually determines: whether the pan heats evenly, how it responds to sudden temperature changes, and whether it works on the hob it is going onto in the first place. A voucher code or coupon code is worth applying once that choice is settled, not before, since a discount on the wrong pan is still the wrong pan.
Induction compatibility: the magnet test
An induction hob heats cookware directly through a magnetic field, which means the base of the pan must be ferromagnetic, meaning it responds to a magnet, for the hob to heat it at all. Plain aluminium, copper and most glass or ceramic cookware are not ferromagnetic and will not work on an induction hob unless they have been built with a ferromagnetic plate bonded into the base. A simple way to check before buying is the magnet test: a standard fridge magnet held against the base of the pan should stick firmly. If it does not stick, or only holds weakly, the pan is unlikely to heat properly on induction, whatever the listing says. Product listings usually also carry an induction symbol, a coil-shaped icon, on the base of the pan itself or in the specifications, and it is worth checking this explicitly rather than assuming a stainless steel description is enough, since not all stainless steel is magnetic.
Materials compared
- Stainless steel: durable and resistant to corrosion, but not magnetic in its most common form. Cookware described as induction-ready normally has a magnetic stainless steel or an encapsulated steel base layered over aluminium or copper for even heat distribution.
- Cast iron: heavy, retains heat well and works on induction because iron is naturally magnetic. Bare cast iron needs seasoning and regular care to avoid rust; enamelled cast iron avoids that maintenance but is heavier still and can chip if dropped.
- Non-stick coated: usually an aluminium or steel base with a coating applied for release and easy cleaning. Works on induction only if the base metal underneath is magnetic, so the coating itself is not the deciding factor.
- Aluminium and copper: excellent, fast heat conductors, favoured for even cooking, but neither is magnetic on its own, so plain aluminium or copper pans need a bonded steel base to work on induction.
- Glass and ceramic: suited to oven use and some hob types, but rarely compatible with induction unless a metal induction disc has been built into the base.
Non-stick coatings and what the labelling means
Most non-stick cookware sold today uses a PTFE-based coating or a ceramic-based coating, and the older concern around PFOA, a chemical once used in some coating manufacturing processes, is less relevant than it used to be, since PFOA was phased out of cookware production in the EU, the UK and the US by regulation and industry agreement some years ago. Cookware sold now is routinely labelled PFOA-free as a result, and the more useful thing to check is the coating's rated maximum temperature and the manufacturer's guidance on metal utensils, since scratching a coating shortens its working life regardless of which chemical family it is based on.
Food contact rules, briefly
In the EU and the UK, materials that touch food, including cookware, must meet food contact material requirements that set limits on substances migrating into food during normal use; this applies to metals, coatings and any glass or ceramic glaze. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration sets comparable requirements for food contact substances. These rules sit in the background of any reputable listing rather than being something a buyer needs to verify item by item, but they are the reason genuinely unbranded, untested cookware from an unclear source is worth avoiding, particularly for glazed ceramic items where lead and cadmium migration has historically been the specific concern.
Checking for a code once the set is chosen
Once the base material and hob compatibility are settled, comparing retailers and checking for a current voucher code is a reasonable last step. We check codes across 527 shops in 22 countries several times a day, with no account and no cookies needed to browse them, and current listings for kitchenware retailers can be found under Home & Garden for UK-based shops or the matching US category for a US-based retailer.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a pan will work on my induction hob before it arrives?
Check the product listing for an induction symbol and, if in doubt, test an existing magnet against the base description in the specifications. A magnet that would stick firmly to the stated base material is a reliable sign; stainless steel alone is not, since only some grades are magnetic.
Is enamelled cast iron better than bare cast iron?
Neither is simply better; they suit different habits. Enamelled cast iron avoids seasoning and rust risk but is heavier and can chip. Bare cast iron is more forgiving of knocks and builds a natural non-stick surface with use, but needs drying and occasional oiling to avoid rust.
Does PFOA-free labelling mean a non-stick pan is safe to overheat?
No. PFOA-free refers to a manufacturing chemical that has been phased out of production, not to the coating's heat tolerance. Non-stick coatings still have a maximum recommended temperature, and overheating an empty non-stick pan can degrade the coating regardless of which chemical family it uses.
Why does copper cookware sometimes not work on induction even though it heats so well?
Copper conducts heat efficiently but is not ferromagnetic, so an induction hob cannot generate heat in it directly. Copper pans marketed for induction use have a stainless steel or other magnetic layer bonded into the base for that reason.
