Infrared cookers have become a popular choice for modern kitchens because of their speed, safety, and convenience. Whether you’re a student, working professional, or home cook looking to reduce time in the kitchen, an infrared cooker—such as the Polar Infrared Cooker—can significantly improve how quickly you prepare your meals. But the critical question is: how fast can you actually cook on an infrared cooker?
To answer this, let’s look at how infrared technology works, what makes it faster, and how much time it can genuinely save in everyday cooking.
Understanding Infrared Cooking Technology
Infrared cookers work on a simple yet powerful principle: direct heat transfer.
Instead of heating the air around your cookware, infrared radiation heats the vessel itself. This method is faster than gas burners or electric coil cookers, which lose a lot of heat to the surroundings before your pan even warms up.
A Polar infrared cooker typically uses a ceramic infrared heating plate. When powered on, the plate emits heat waves that the cookware absorbs instantly, converting them into thermal energy. This allows the cooker to reach high temperatures quickly and maintain them consistently throughout your cooking process.
What Makes Infrared Cookers Faster?
1. Instant Heating
One of the biggest reasons infrared cookers save time is their ability to heat up within seconds. While electric coils take time to warm up and gas burners heat unevenly, infrared plates reach cooking temperature almost immediately.
2. Even Heat Distribution
Infrared technology distributes heat uniformly across the cooking surface. This eliminates hotspots and allows food to cook evenly and quickly, reducing the need for frequent stirring or repositioning of the pan.
3. High Wattage and Thermal Efficiency
Most infrared cookers operate between 1500W and 2200W, offering strong heat output. Combined with minimal heat loss—nearly 90% of the heat goes straight to the pan—they cook faster than traditional stoves while using less time and energy.
4. Compatible with All Types of Cookware
Because infrared cookers don’t rely on magnetic conduction (like induction cookers), they work with almost any type of cookware—stainless steel, aluminium, cast iron, copper, and even glass. This flexibility ensures you always use a vessel that conducts heat efficiently, which further speeds up the cooking process.
How Fast Can You Cook? Real-World Cooking Times
Accurate speed measurement is used in everyday life. Here’s what you can expect on a Polar Infrared Cooker:
Boiling & Beverages
- 1 litre of water: 4–6 minutes
- Tea or coffee (2 cups): 2–3 minutes
- Milk (500 ml): 3–5 minutes
These times are noticeably faster than traditional electric stoves, which commonly take 8–10 minutes to boil 1 litre of water.
Daily Cooking
- Rice (1 cup): 10–12 minutes
- Dal (pressure-cooked): 12–15 minutes
- Vegetable stir-fry: 5–7 minutes
The instant heat and stable temperature significantly reduce cooking time for regular dishes.
High-Heat Cooking
Infrared cookers handle high-temperature tasks very efficiently. You can make:
- Roti/Paratha: 1–2 minutes each
- Deep frying: Oil reaches frying temperature quickly
- Searing and browning: Faster due to high surface heat
This makes infrared cookers ideal for Indian cooking styles that involve quick temperature shifts.
Other Practical Advantages
Besides speed, infrared cookers offer several benefits that support faster and safer cooking:
1. Precise Temperature Control
With multiple preset modes and temperature levels, Polar infrared cookers let you switch from simmering to frying instantly.
2. Reduced Heat Loss
Since most of the heat goes directly into the cookware, the kitchen stays cooler—a significant advantage in Indian summers.
3. Portable and Compact
Suitable for small kitchens, hostels, PGs, office pantries, and travel setups.
Conclusion
The answer is: surprisingly fast—often cutting cooking time by nearly half compared to traditional electric stoves. With instant heat, even temperature distribution, strong wattage and high thermal efficiency, the Polar Infrared Cooker is an excellent choice for anyone looking to speed up daily cooking without compromising safety or flavour.
Whether you’re boiling, frying, sautéing or simmering, infrared technology ensures your meals are ready quickly and efficiently, making it a valuable addition to any modern kitchen.
