For me, drumming up enthusiasm about an electric range is no mean feat. In fact, I have a particular and unabashed bias for gas. I've found cooking on an electric top to be unpredictable at best and downright catastrophic at least. To compound the issue, electric tops are often difficult to clean, in regards to cooked on food as well as the frequent unsightly depositions between the edge of the glass and the surrounding frame. So I'm mighty glad to see someone is attempting to bring the electric cooktop into the new millennium. Of course, strictly speaking, LG‘s LCE30845 is not electric but electromagnetic.

LCE30845. Designed by LG.

Induction is a relatively new technology–for cooking, that is. The process works not by direct application of heat but rather by generating an electromagnetic field beneath the cooking surface. This field is converted into heat by the resistive properties of the given pot or pan. Thus, the cooking vessel, rather than the cooktop, is the actual source of heat. The technology offers the intriguing proposition of a heat-free top, since, beneath the pan, the cooking surface always remains at room temp.

LCE appropriates the nifty science of this into a cooktop that looks darn good. It features four usefully-sized burners in a compelling black-backed ceramic glass outlined in tight-fitting stainless steel trim–it has a retro-futurist aesthetic that reminds of the first generation of video games. Smooth touch controls provide intuitive precision adjustment, and LCEs digital surface display is integrated in the top, so there's no confusion about which burner you've activated, no scanning of knob settings to confirm you’ve got the desired temp. LCE also features a bridge element that creates a longer heating surface-perfect for griddles and longer, casserole-style pans. This feature is an extra incentive for breakfast aficionados, promising the warm consolations of pancakes on Saturday and french toast on Sunday–or everyday, should your taste buds so desire. LCE’s additional features have an eye towards safety: child lock and auto shut off provide peace of mind, especially for obsessive types like yours truly. So if you’re among those who routinely perform an appliance scan before leaving the house, dispense with this worrisome tick and give induction a go with LCE.