Induction cooking works by generating a magnetic field that produces heat directly inside a pan with a suitable base — it does not heat the glass surface itself the way a radiant element does. That difference in how induction works is also the source of two of the most common complaints: a zone that seems to refuse a pan, and a hob that hums or buzzes more than expected.
Which Pans Actually Work
Cookware needs a magnetic, typically ferrous, base to work on an induction zone at all. Pans made of glass, ceramic, earthenware, plain aluminum without a special induction-ready base, and copper generally will not be detected or heated, regardless of how well the hob itself is working. A magnet held to the bottom of a pan is a quick way to check: if it grips firmly, the pan is very likely induction-compatible; if it does not grip at all, that pan will not work on this hob no matter which zone it sits on.
Protecting the Glass Surface
Sliding pans across an induction surface, rather than lifting and placing them, gradually wears the pattern printed on the glass ceramic, so choosing pans with a smooth, flat, enameled or polished base and setting rather than dragging them reduces long-term wear on the surface itself, separate from anything related to heating performance.
What Counts as Normal Noise
Induction hobs generate their magnetic field electronically, and a light hum or buzz — especially at high power settings, with certain pan types, or with a pan that is not perfectly flat against the surface — is a normal side effect of that electronics, not a sign of a problem. It typically changes or disappears entirely when you switch to a different pan or lower the power slightly.
When Noise Does Point at a Problem
A noise that is loud regardless of which pan is used, that grows noticeably worse over time, or that is accompanied by a zone cutting out or failing to reach its usual power is worth describing to a technician rather than living with, since that pattern points at the zone’s own coil or electronics rather than ordinary induction hum.
A Quick Way to Sort It Out
Testing a zone with more than one known-compatible pan — checking both heating and noise — separates a pan-specific issue from a hob-specific one before you assume either the cookware or the range is the problem. It is worth doing this test on more than one zone as well, since a noise or heating problem confined to a single zone is a different finding from one that shows up everywhere on the hob. Keeping a couple of pans on hand that you know work reliably on induction makes this test something you can run in a minute rather than something you have to plan for in advance.
If an induction zone on your range will not heat certain pans, or runs noisier than it should, a La Cornue cooktop repair visit tests the zone directly against known-compatible cookware.