Is it? It has been a while since I read it but there was an article comparing the energy efficiency of different cooking devices and even though induction cooker is at the top the efficiency is only 70%-80% something.
Edit: Found it:
> There are no Energy Star® certifications for ranges, but research by the U.S. Department of Energy indicates an induction cooker is 84% efficient at energy transfer, versus 74% for a smooth-top electric unit, giving it a heating performance comparable to a gas element. More significantly, induction is 90% efficient with its power use, using 2.8 kW to deliver 2.52 kW. This is a substantial improvement over electric coils, which use 2.0 kW to deliver 1.1 kW (a 55% efficiency), and over gas, which uses 3.5 kW to generate 1.75 kW (a 50% efficiency).
So with many gas ranges, most of the BTUs produced go up past the side of the pan and into the exhaust vent, rather than getting absorbed by the pan and used to heat your food. Fancy Wolf and Vulcan ranges have burner designs that mitigate this issue, but I've never see them on anything cheaper than a few thousand dollars.
OTOH, even a basic GE induction range has almost no heat waste. So while a burner might only be rated for 10k BTUs, all of that heat is going into your pan. Which is how they do things like boil water in 2 minutes.
The biggest issue with induction is that the larger ones have enormous power requirements.
mywittyname says >"The biggest issue with induction is that the larger ones have enormous power requirements."<
No, the biggest issue is that electrical power is not (easily) available everywhere (think "wherever you camp") and always (think "earthquakes and hurricanes"). But I can carry or find gas/oil/coal/wood almost anywhere. How many trash fires in the inner city of Chicago on a cold night? There are always political signs, trash, and/or wood from buildings available to burn. Nothing like warming your hands by a barrel fire with a bunch of friends!
Edit: Found it:
> There are no Energy Star® certifications for ranges, but research by the U.S. Department of Energy indicates an induction cooker is 84% efficient at energy transfer, versus 74% for a smooth-top electric unit, giving it a heating performance comparable to a gas element. More significantly, induction is 90% efficient with its power use, using 2.8 kW to deliver 2.52 kW. This is a substantial improvement over electric coils, which use 2.0 kW to deliver 1.1 kW (a 55% efficiency), and over gas, which uses 3.5 kW to generate 1.75 kW (a 50% efficiency).
https://insteading.com/blog/energy-efficient-induction-cooki...