The best pans for induction, and why most cast iron isn't one of them
If a pan blinks, hums or heats in patches on your induction cooktop, look at its base. Induction heats the pan, not the glass, so the base decides everything. Iron is the best metal for the job, but most cast iron leaves the foundry with a base too rough for a glass cooktop. We'll show you how to tell the difference in ten seconds, and which pan to buy.
By Ironclad Co. · September 2026 · 7 minute read
We design and sell cast iron pans, and ours are in this guide. The advice holds whichever pan you buy.
The short answer
Anything a fridge magnet grips firmly across its base will heat on induction: cast iron, carbon steel, enamelled cast iron and magnetic stainless steel. Plain aluminium, copper, glass and ceramic won't, unless there's a magnetic plate underneath.
The base matters as much as the metal. You want it flat and smooth. Flat so it sits flush on the glass and heats evenly, smooth so it doesn't scratch.
Most cast iron falls down here. Straight out of the sand mould its base is rough, and most makers leave it that way. Ours is hand polished smooth, which is why it's our pick. See the Legacy Pan.
Two steaks, a Legacy Pan and an induction cooktop.
The first-night problem
It usually happens the first night. The installer has gone, the cooktop is gleaming, and the frying pan you've used for years sits on the glass while the display blinks at you. Or it heats in patches. Or it hums.
A lot of Australians are going through this. Most new gas connections in the ACT have been blocked since December 2023, and new Victorian homes that need a planning permit have been all-electric since January 2024. Plenty more are switching by choice, because induction puts over 90% of its energy into the pan, against about 50% for gas, by the ACT Government's figures.
Cast iron has been around for centuries, and it should be the best pan there is for induction. Most of it leaves the foundry with the wrong base.
Four signs a pan and your cooktop don't get along
The cooktop can't see it.
The display flashes, or the zone switches itself off. The base either isn't magnetic enough or is too small for the zone. Many cooktops want a base of around 145mm on a 200mm zone.
It's slow, or patchy.
Plenty of "induction-ready" pans are aluminium with a thin magnetic plate fixed underneath. The pan only heats where the plate is, and a small plate may not be detected at all.
It rocks, or scrapes.
A warped or rough base doesn't sit flat. It rocks, heats unevenly and can scratch the glass. Most cast iron has this problem.
It hums.
Some humming at high power is normal, and pans with layered bases can crackle. Neither is a fault. A solid, one-piece base doesn't crackle.
Why the usual fixes disappoint
Adapter discs sit between the zone and a pan that won't heat on its own. The disc gets very hot, heats slowly, and gets around the cooktop's safety cut-out for an empty zone. Miele's own manual is blunt about them: “Do not use induction adapter plates.”
A new "induction-ready" non-stick set works, for a while. Most non-stick pans are built to be replaced every year or two, so you'll be buying the set again long before you replace the cooktop.
The base problem
Under the glass is a coil that makes a magnetic field. A magnetic pan sitting in that field heats from its own base, and the glass only gets warm because the pan is on it.
Iron responds to that field more strongly than most metals, so cast iron and induction should be a perfect pair. For most cast iron, they aren't.
Turn a typical cast iron pan over. It comes out of a sand mould with a pebbly base that feels like fine gravel, and most makers sell it that way. On a glass cooktop, that base causes three problems.
It scratches. Westinghouse's own induction manual warns that cast iron cookware can scratch the glass, and tells owners to always lift it.
It rocks. A rough base doesn't sit flush, so the pan can shift and wobble as you cook.
It heats in patches. The field weakens fast with distance, so the parts of the base sitting close to the glass heat hard and the rest lag behind.
So most cast iron isn't made for induction. It heats, but it fights the glass the whole time.
Left: a sand-cast surface. Right: the base of ours, hand polished.
What we do to the base
Every Legacy Pan is hand polished to our Antique Finish™, base included. It takes hours per pan. The base comes out smooth to the touch and sits flush on the glass, so no part of it is left lagging behind. It's gentle on induction and heats evenly across the base. Once it's hot, the iron keeps it hot, edge to edge.
The base: hand polished smooth, with the guarantee cast in.
Two tests you can do tonight
Hold a fridge magnet to the base of each pan you own. If it grips firmly and evenly, the pan will heat on induction. If it slides off, or only holds in the middle, it's going to struggle.
Then run your fingertips across the base. If it feels like sandpaper, it can scratch your glass.
Our bases: smooth under the fingertips, with the guarantee cast in.
Our pick
The Ironclad Legacy Pan
The 28cm Legacy Pan.
Ours passes both tests. We're a small company, and our pans are made the slow way. Each one is hand-poured from recycled iron, hand polished for hours, then triple seasoned by hand so you can cook on it the night it arrives.
A 5mm base, hand polished smooth, that sits flush on the glass.
Iron all the way through, with no bonded plate to separate and no coating to wear. It's free of PFAS, PFOA and PTFE.
2.7kg of iron, which keeps the heat steady when a cold steak goes in.
28cm across and 4.5cm deep. It fits medium zones and induction rings.
It works on gas, in the oven, on the barbecue and over a campfire too.
“From the induction stove to the oven and on the gas BBQ - so versatile. I'm amazed that there is absolutely no warping of the base - they remain completely flat - wow.”
Rob, verified buyer, Legacy Pan
The Three Generation Guarantee® is cast into the base. If the pan ever fails structurally, we make it right, in your lifetime, your children's and your grandchildren's. Chefs who cook for a living own part of this company, Lennox Hastie of Firedoor in Sydney among them.
Our small pan, for meals for one or two: eggs, sauces, sides and desserts. Light enough to lift with one hand, even when it's full.
Our full-size pan, for family meals for two to four. It sears, roasts, bakes and fries, and it's the one to start with if you're not sure.
Our biggest pan, built for feasts: big enough for eight steaks, a whole leg of lamb, or pancakes for everyone. Two large open grips instead of a long handle.
Hand-poured from recycled iron
Hand polished to our Antique Finish™, cooking surface and base
Seasoned by hand with vegetable oil, ready to cook
Cooks on any heat: induction, gas, electric, oven, barbecue, campfire
20cm across, 4.5cm deep and 1.8kg, with 4mm walls and a 5mm base
28cm across, 4.5cm deep and 2.7kg, with 4mm walls and a 5mm base
36cm across (43.5cm grip to grip), 5.5cm deep, 4.6 litres and 4.3kg, with 4mm walls and a 5mm base
No coatings. Free of PFAS, PFOA and PTFE
Three Generation Guarantee®, cast into the base
In the box: certificate of material purity, use and care cards, recipe cards, and access to the Ironclad Vault
30 days to cook with it before you decide
From people cooking on induction
“I bought it because I needed a new pan for my induction cooktop. I had never used a cast iron pan before… I've been using it for over a year now, and I love everything about it!”
Elizabeth, Legacy Pan
“This has replaced my non-stick pan and it works well on our induction cooktop.”
Kelsi, Legacy Pan
“I love my pan. It is fabulous for cooking on my induction top.”
Jess_cooinda, verified buyer, Legacy Starter Kit
“It's great. Top quality casting. Easy to clean. Works well on our induction cooktop too.”
Shane C., Legacy Pan
Match the pan to the zone
Your cooktop manual lists the smallest base each zone will detect, and the size on a pan's label is usually the rim, not the base.
The 20cm Lil Legacy fits small zones and induction rings. It's 1.8kg, light enough to lift with one hand, and $245.
The 28cm Legacy Pan fits medium zones and induction rings. It's the everyday family pan, $340, and the one to start with if you're not sure.
The 36cm Grande Legacy needs a large or bridged zone. Measure before you buy it.
Our 10cm Junior pans are too small for most induction zones to detect.
“I should have checked the size of the big pan though (like a silly goose I thought pans came in pretty standard sizes) as it doesn't fit on my induction hob.”
Match the pan to the zone. Add a little oil, give it a minute on low, then turn it up. Keep boost for boiling water.
Lift it on and off the glass. Don't slide it.
Clean it while it's warm, with hot water and a quick scrub. Don't let it soak.
Dry it properly and wipe on a light coat of oil.
That's the routine. The seasoning builds every time you cook with a little fat, and the pan gets better the more you use it.
“Don't leave it sitting around dirty, strike while the iron is hot and clean it before you sit down to eat, and the stored heat evaporates off any residual water.”
Leon S., verified buyer, Lil Legacy Pan (Almost Perfect)
Rather skip the seasoning?
The Satin Enamel Legacy Pan
The 28cm Satin Enamel Legacy Pan in Salt Stone.
The same Legacy Pan, finished in satin enamel: a black satin enamel cooking surface inside, and Antique Black, Olive Leaf or Salt Stone outside. There's no seasoning, soap is fine, and it works on induction too. It's covered by our lifetime guarantee: if something goes wrong because of how it was made, we replace it.
Our small enamel pan, for meals for one or two: eggs, sauces, sides and desserts. Light enough to lift with one hand, even when it's full.
Our full-size enamel pan, for everyday cooking for two to four: family meals, sides, breakfasts, baking and roasting.
Our biggest enamel pan, made for feasts: big enough for six steaks, a whole leg of lamb, or a frittata for everyone. Two large open grips instead of a long handle.
Ironclad cast iron inside, finished in satin enamel
No seasoning. Warm, soapy water is fine
Induction ready and oven safe
20cm across, 4.5cm deep and 1.5kg, with 4mm walls and a 5mm base
28cm across, 4.5cm deep and 2.7kg, with 4mm walls and a 5mm base
36cm across (43.5cm grip to grip), 5.5cm deep, 4.6 litres and 4.3kg, with 4mm walls and a 5mm base
Free of PFAS, PFOA and PTFE
Lifetime guarantee: if something goes wrong because of how it was made, we replace it
Hand wash and dry. Keep it out of the dishwasher
30 days to cook with it before you decide
Questions about cast iron on induction
Will it scratch my glass cooktop?
Any pan can scratch glass if it's dragged, or if there's grit or salt underneath. A rough cast iron base makes it far more likely. Ours is hand polished smooth, so lift it on and off, wipe the glass first, and you'll be fine.
Can cast iron crack on induction?
It's rare, and it comes from sudden temperature changes rather than from induction itself. Bring it up to heat gently, never use boost on an empty pan, and don't plunge a hot pan into cold water.
How long does it take to heat up?
A minute on low, then a few minutes at your cooking heat. Once it's hot, the weight of the iron keeps it hot, edge to edge.
Is it too heavy?
The 28cm Legacy Pan is 2.7kg, and that weight is what holds the heat. If you'd rather something lighter, the 20cm Lil Legacy is 1.8kg.
Will it rust?
Only if it's left wet. Dry it and wipe on a little oil after you cook. If rust ever appears, it scrubs off and the pan can be re-seasoned.
Is it non-stick?
Not on day one the way a coated pan is. It's seasoned three times by hand before it ships, and eggs want a little oil or butter for the first few weeks. The seasoning builds every time you cook with fat, and food lets go more easily as it does.
Can I use metal utensils?
Yes. There's no coating to scratch.
Buy the pan once.
If a pan of yours failed either test, this is the one to replace it with. The Legacy Pan is $340, ready to cook the night it arrives, and guaranteed for three generations of your family, whatever they cook on. Try it on your own cooktop for 30 days.
30-day returns for a refund or store credit. Return postage and the original shipping aren't refunded.
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Make some memories. Ironclad Co.
P.S. Do the magnet test and the fingertip test on your pans tonight. You'll know in ten seconds which ones are due for retirement.
Where our facts come from
How induction works, pan compatibility, zone sizes, noise and scratching: the Miele, Bosch, Fisher & Paykel and Westinghouse induction cooktop manuals. Adapter plates: Miele's manual. Electrification: the ACT and Victorian governments. Energy transfer: the ACT Government's cooking guide. Reviews: published Ironclad customer reviews, quoted as written.
