Can You Use Normal Cookware on an Induction Hob?
“Normal cookware” is not one thing. If a magnet sticks firmly to the base, it will usually heat. Round woks, aluminium pots, and glass need a different answer.
Written by Better IH Malaysia · Updated 25 August 2026 · For Malaysian homes and commercial kitchens
The magnet test (do this before you buy pans)
Put a fridge magnet on the centre of the pan base. If it grabs firmly and does not slide off, the base is ferromagnetic enough for induction. If it barely holds or falls off, that pan will not heat on an induction coil, no matter how “heavy” it feels.
Test the cooking surface you will actually use, not the lid or the side wall. Some stainless pots are non-magnetic on the sides and have a bonded induction plate only on the bottom. That is fine on a flat hob. A round wok with a tiny magnetic disc will still sit poorly on flat glass.
What usually works
- Cast iron and enamelled cast iron — excellent coupling, heavy, slow to cool.
- Magnetic stainless steel (many 18/0 bases; 18/10 often fails the magnet test unless it has an induction plate).
- Carbon steel pans and wok-shaped carbon steel on a matching wok hob.
- Some aluminium or copper pans that are sold as “induction compatible” because a steel plate is bonded under the base — check the magnet, not the marketing line.
In a Malaysian commercial kitchen, stockpots and sauté pans that already live on gas often fail the magnet test. Budget for a short cookware audit when you switch a station to induction, not only for the hob.
What does not work (or works badly)
- Aluminium, copper, and brass with no induction plate — the coil will not couple.
- Heat-proof glass and ceramic — no magnetic path.
- Warped bases that rock on the glass — poor contact, noisy operation, error codes on some controls.
- Pans much smaller than the coil — the hob may not detect them or will heat a hot spot.
A thin aluminium nasi lemak pot that rattles on gas will simply sit there on induction. That is a cookware problem, not a broken hob.
Woks: flat hob versus wok glass
A round-bottom wok on a flat induction cooker is the most common complaint we hear in the showroom. The wok touches the glass in a small ring, so the coil sees a weak load and the wok sides stay cool. Use a flat-bottom induction wok on a flat hob, or specify a round wok glass model such as D350I or the built-in AP-F35.
The 15 kW EW15WOKB is a wok station with a 400 mm wokpan — that is commercial plant, not a domestic flat hob with a wok sitting on it. Match the pan geometry to the hob geometry. That is the whole rule.
Glass, noise, and scratches
Induction glass is tough, not invincible. Dragging a cast-iron pan sideways will mark it. Lift, do not slide. Wet bases can spit when they hit a hot glass. Commercial stainless bodies still need the same habit: dry the pan, then set it down.
A buzz or hum with cheap cookware is often the base laminations vibrating, not a fault. If the hob shows a pan-detection error, try a known-good magnetic pan before you assume the electronics failed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my existing stainless pots on induction?
Only if a magnet sticks firmly to the base. Many stainless pots used on Malaysian gas stoves are non-magnetic 18/10. Test each pan; do not assume the set is uniform.
Will a normal wok work on a tabletop induction cooker?
A round-bottom wok will not sit or heat properly on a flat cooker. Use a flat-bottom induction wok on flat glass, or buy a wok-glass hob / wok station.
Do I need special induction cookware for commercial hobs?
You need magnetic bases and the right shape. Commercial-weight magnetic stainless or carbon steel is more durable than thin domestic discs. The magnet test still applies.
Related equipment
These category pages list models with written wattage, voltage, and dimensions.
Related guides
Induction Wok Cooking in Malaysia
Wok hei is a geometry problem before it is a brand problem. Match round glass to a round wok, or use a 15 kW wok station — do not park a kuali on a flat cooker and call it induction.
Induction Hob vs Gas Hob: Which Is Better in Malaysia?
A practical comparison for Malaysian kitchens — not a generic “induction is always better” pitch. Covers wok cooking, enclosed kitchens, LPG versus electricity, and when gas still wins.
Built-In vs Tabletop Induction Hob
Built-in sits flush in a cut-out. Tabletop sits on a table. The right one is whichever matches the furniture and the electrical plan you actually have.