Induction cooktops are nothing new. in fact, according to an article published in 2008 by CNN Money, physicist Michael Faraday discovered the scientific principle of induction in 1831. Of course, it wasn’t applied to the kitchen until much later and even then, the high cost of cooktops made them prohibitive to most Americans; by 2000 they had all but disappeared from the market. They’re back now and have steadily gained popularity since being reintroduced in this country in 2006.

The good news: prices for induction cooktops are dropping quickly! When we updated our cooktop report a year ago, induction cooktops cost upwards of $1,500. in our current report, the top-rated induction cooktops cost a staggering third less. at the price of about $1000, induction cooktops are only a couple hundred dollars more than the best electric cooktops. Stand-alone ranges that use induction have taken off as well, with prices comparable to a high-end electric range (and significantly lower than some professional gas or dual-fuel ranges).