A California-based startup has developed an induction stove with an integrated battery, a design that allows it to plug into a standard 120-volt wall outlet. This innovation removes one of the biggest and most expensive obstacles for homeowners looking to switch from natural gas to modern electric appliances, potentially accelerating a nationwide shift toward home electrification.
The new range, developed by a company named Copper, solves a critical challenge in residential energy conversion. Standard induction cooktops require a 240-volt circuit, but most gas stoves are connected to a simple 120-volt outlet for their igniters. By storing electricity in an onboard lithium iron phosphate battery, the stove can deliver the high power needed for cooking without requiring homeowners to undertake costly and complex electrical upgrades, a process that can often run into thousands of dollars.
A Costly Hurdle to Home Electrification
For decades, a major impediment to replacing gas kitchen ranges with cleaner, more efficient induction stoves has been the need for electrical work. Upgrading a kitchen circuit from 120 volts to the 240 volts required by conventional induction ranges is a significant undertaking. The process frequently involves running new, heavier-gauge wiring from the main electrical panel to the kitchen, a task that can require cutting into drywall.
In many older homes, the challenges are even greater. Houses built before the 1980s may have an electrical panel with a total capacity of only 100 amps, which is insufficient to handle the added load of a powerful electric appliance. In these cases, a full panel upgrade is necessary, and sometimes even the service line delivering power from the street to the house must be replaced. These combined costs can range from $2,500 to more than $10,000, often exceeding the price of the appliance itself and discouraging many homeowners from making the switch. This issue is particularly acute in multi-family housing units, which have been historically difficult to electrify.
How Integrated Battery Storage Works
The central innovation of the new stove is its ability to draw power from a standard 120-volt outlet and store it for later use. The appliance, named “Charlie,” continuously charges its built-in battery during periods of low power demand. When a burner is turned on high to boil water or the oven is preheating, the stove draws on this stored energy to supply the necessary power burst, far exceeding what the 120-volt circuit could provide on its own.
This “plug and play” approach eliminates the need for an electrician. The battery itself is a 75-pound lithium iron phosphate unit, a chemistry known for safety and a long operational life, estimated to be between 8,000 and 10,000 cycles or nearly 20 years of typical use. The battery is housed in a vented, insulated compartment to maintain a moderate temperature, even when the oven is in use.
Performance and Resilience Features
Cooking During a Power Outage
A unique benefit of the integrated battery is the stove’s ability to function during a power outage. The company estimates the battery can support about eight hours of continuous cooking on a full charge, or four hours of moderate cooking if the grid is down. For a typical family just making dinner, the stored energy could last as long as five days. The stove also includes an auxiliary outlet that can be used to power other essential devices, such as a refrigerator or internet router, providing a significant source of home backup power.
Enhanced Cooking Power
The battery does more than simplify installation; it also enhances cooking performance. By providing a ready source of high power, the battery allows the oven to preheat four times faster than a standard gas oven. Like other induction cooktops, the burners can boil water significantly faster than gas flames. The direct current from the battery also powers the induction burners in a way that eliminates the low-level “hum” sometimes associated with AC-powered induction units.
Grid Stability and Renewable Energy
Appliances with built-in energy storage can also play a valuable role in stabilizing the broader electrical grid. The stove’s control software can be programmed to charge the battery when electricity is cheapest and most abundant, such as midday in regions with significant solar power generation. This helps utilities by absorbing excess renewable energy that might otherwise be wasted.
During peak demand hours, typically in the evening when people return home and begin cooking, the stove can rely on its stored battery power instead of drawing from a strained grid. By deploying energy storage directly into homes through essential appliances, this model helps create a distributed network of batteries that enhances grid resilience and supports greater integration of renewable energy sources.
Health Benefits and Market Adoption
Facilitating the transition away from gas cooking carries significant public health benefits. A growing body of research has highlighted the health hazards of burning natural gas indoors, which releases pollutants that can exacerbate respiratory conditions. Studies have shown that cooking with gas in a home can increase the likelihood of childhood asthma by 42%. With approximately 45 million gas stoves still in use across the United States, the potential market for a simplified electric alternative is substantial.
New York City Initiative
The technology is poised for a major real-world test. In October 2024, the New York Power Authority and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) selected Copper as the winner of a challenge to develop an induction stove compatible with standard outlets. The agencies plan to award the company a $32 million, seven-year contract to design, test, and install 10,000 of these stoves in public housing apartments throughout the city. This large-scale deployment aims to bring the unit cost below $3,000, a significant reduction from the current retail price of around $5,999, and could prove the viability of battery-equipped appliances as a key strategy for decarbonization.
