Sales of induction cookers booming

Power curbs or not, more and more families in the city are turning to the induction cooker as an alternative to the LPG stove. The curbs in the number of LPG cylinders allotted for homes in a year is making them a favourite in the households.

 Though the electricity tariff has increased, the sales of induction cookers are on the rise. The petition filed by the KSEB before the State Electricity Regulatory Commission for imposing power restrictions in the state says that “the restriction in the use of the number of gas cylinders at subsidised rates may lead to the increase in the use of ‘induction cookers’ by domestic consumers.” Underscoring this statement was the response from the market.

 ‘’Every day, we sell around 25 induction cookers. Many consider this an essential home appliance these days. The sales of induction cookers in comparison with other household equipment are also high,” said K K Nair, manager of United Electronics in the city.



 “The trend has been there for the past one year. The cap on LPG cylinders too has prompted many people to buy an induction cooker. They are ready to spend between Rs  3,500 and Rs  5,000 on it,” said S Raveendran, manager of QRS showroom at Karamana.

 “The power required for an induction stove to operate comes in between 500 W and 2,000 W. On adjusting the temperature as per requirement, one can wisely manage the use of electricity,” he added.

 Experts agree that judicious use of induction cookers won’t make power tariff dearer for the consumers. “Those who consume less than 200 units of electricity a month will not be affected by the use of induction stoves. Besides, several people consider it a convenient medium to cook food, compared to other means, like finding fuel by installing a biogas plant,” said K M Dhareshan Unnithan, director, Energy Management Centre (EMC).

 “For boiling water or for preparing a cup of tea, induction cooker is fine. Using both induction cooker and LPG cylinder would go well,” said Safia Beevi, a home-maker.