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In our industry, there is always a lot of talk about which cooking surface would be faster for searing a steak - induction or gas?

Induction is not new technology since it was introduced in the 1980s. However, it is far more recent than gas or traditional electric, which started in the 1920s and 1930s. The first popular induction cooktops were the now defunct Diva at $3,500 for four basic burners.

Thermador had the first real innovation in the market by offering a borderless cooktop without traditional burners. What this means is that you can place the pan anywhere on the cooktop's surface, or move it while cooking, and the cooktop will automatically adjust to where the pan is placed.

Samsung released their first ever induction cooktop this year. It has some pretty nifty innovations like Wi-Fi and BlueTooth. So we will compare both. First, let us look at induction itself.

The next generation of appliance upgrades is Wi-Fi, without question. One day in the future, you will be able to call your appliances and have the food ready when you arrive home. We are almost there with some Wi-Fi wall ovens like Dacor and Jenn-Air.

Curiously, Samsung has introduced an induction Wi-Fi cooktop. In theory, you can connect your phone to the cooktop and monitor the burner settings as well as use time functions. Before we look at Wi-Fi, I want to see if this cooktop is competitive on features like output.

Induction has changed the market for electric cooking. Induction is magnetic heat, which excites the molecules in the metal pan to heat the food faster with instant simmer response. 

About three years ago, a number of manufacturers started to market more intuitive products. You may have seen the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator with cameras inside. There is laundry with Wi-Fi (for some reason) and a wide variety of products designed to make life easier.

However, wall ovens and induction cooktops top the list of products to consider. Induction is more powerful than any high BTU professional cooktop. It also simmers better, we will show you in this recipe.

Induction appliances have been improved in the past few years. They are also more affordable than the 1990's when they were being sold for $3,999.

Now, induction cooktops are significantly less and have effectively become the high-end electric cooktop. In fact, you should definitely consider an induction instead of a comparably priced electric stove.

After working in the food service industry for 25 years, I have seen many different styles and types of cooking options. They've ranged from gas to electric and now induction. The feedback on these options differs from Chef to Chef, kitchen to kitchen, and homeowner to homeowner, depending on what is preferred.