Induction Cooktop Sales Jump 20 Times, LPG Shortage Pushes Shift To Electric Cooking

Mumbai: The shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in several Indian cities is forcing many households and small eateries to look for other cooking options. As a result, electric cooking appliances such as induction cooktops are seeing a sharp rise in demand.

With gas supply becoming uncertain, many consumers are quickly switching to electric appliances to continue their daily cooking.

Online Platforms See Massive Sales Growth

Online shopping platforms have recorded an unusually high demand for induction cooktops in the past few days.

According to industry sources, sales of induction cooktops on quick commerce platforms have increased nearly ten times, and several products are already sold out.

Large e-commerce marketplaces are also seeing strong demand. Amazon reported that orders for induction cooktops rose nearly twenty times within just 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Flipkart said its sales have grown four times over the past four to five days compared with the previous three to four weeks. The highest demand is coming from cities such as Delhi, Kolkata and parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Demand Rising For Other Electric Appliances

The sudden increase in demand is not limited to induction cooktops. Other electric appliances used for cooking are also seeing higher sales.

According to Flipkart, categories like electric cookers, kettles and air fryers are also witnessing strong demand as consumers search for alternatives to gas-based cooking.

Electronics Stores Witness Stock Shortages

The trend is also visible in physical retail stores. Electronics retailer Vijay Sales has seen a sharp increase in walk-in customers looking for induction cooktops over the past two days.

Some stores have already run out of stock, and the company warned that shortages could increase if demand continues at the current pace.

At Croma stores, demand has also risen sharply. Shibashish Roy, CEO and MD of Infiniti Retail Ltd., said customers are not only buying induction cooktops but in some cases purchasing multiple units at once, which suggests precautionary buying.

Sales of electric kettles at Croma have nearly doubled during the same period.

Switching To Induction Has Some Challenges

Despite the growing demand, shifting from LPG to induction cooking is not always easy.

Induction cooktops require special cookware, usually stainless steel or cast-iron utensils with flat bottoms. Many households may need to buy new utensils to use induction cooking.

For commercial kitchens, the switch can be even more expensive. Converting an LPG kitchen to induction may require new burners costing several lakh rupees, along with higher electrical capacity and backup systems.

Electricity Costs May Rise For Households

While induction cooking is energy efficient, electricity is often costlier than LPG per unit of energy.

Regular use of induction cooktops can increase electricity consumption by around 60 to 150 units per month depending on cooking needs.

For example, a home that normally uses 180 units of electricity per month could see usage rise to about 300 units after switching to induction cooking. If the household moves to a higher tariff slab, the monthly electricity bill may increase by Rs 600 to Rs 1,200.

However, many consumers are willing to bear the higher electricity cost for now, as LPG shortages are forcing them to look for immediate alternatives for daily cooking.