Part 2: The Infrared Wipeout & E-Commerce Bottlenecks
In Part 1 of our Gas Care special report, we uncovered how the April 2026 Middle East conflict triggered a nationwide panic over LPG supplies, causing households to rush the market for emergency electric cooktops. We also confirmed that domestic LPG deliveries remain stable, meaning the immediate panic is largely driven by fear rather than actual gas shortages.
But if you still want an electric backup, why is it so incredibly difficult to find a good one? In Part 2, we explore the mechanics of how the e-commerce supply chain broke under pressure, why infrared technology became the ultimate casualty, and what is happening to prices across the market.
4. The Vanishing Act: Why the “Best” Models Disappeared First
When a panic-buying wave hits, consumers do not just buy anything at first—they buy the models that offer the best value.
The first items to vanish from Amazon, Flipkart, and local appliance stores were the popular mid-range and budget models from established brands like Prestige, Philips, Bajaj, Pigeon, and Havells. These units typically dominate the “best-seller” lists because they offer reliable safety features, great warranties, and excellent value for money.
The Quick-Commerce Bottleneck
We live in an era of instant gratification. Quick-commerce apps like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart have conditioned us to expect appliances in 10 minutes. However, these platforms rely on highly localized “dark stores” that hold very limited physical inventory for bulky, high-ticket electronics. Once their pre-stocked units were purchased by the first wave of anxious buyers, their localized networks collapsed, replacing the “Add to Cart” button with a permanent “Out of Stock” notification.
Big marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart faced a similar issue. While their warehouses are massive, their algorithms did not forecast a 300% to 500% spike in demand for induction cooktops in April. Once the prime inventory was cleared out, they were left waiting on manufacturers who operate on fixed production schedules.
5. The Infrared Shift: The Unexpected Victim
As high-quality induction cooktops disappeared, panicked buyers quickly realized they needed another alternative. Enter the Infrared Cooktop.
Before this LPG crisis, infrared cooktops were a slightly niche category. They were popular, but they did not have the massive, ubiquitous presence of standard induction stoves. Manufacturers and retailers historically kept a much smaller buffer stock of these units.
Why Demand for Infrared Suddenly Exploded
When induction models vanished, the pivot to infrared was instantaneous. In fact, infrared models quickly became more desirable than induction for one massive reason: Cookware Compatibility.
Induction cooktops rely on electromagnetism, meaning they strictly require flat-bottomed, magnetic steel or cast iron vessels. If a family bought an induction stove in an emergency, they often realized their existing pots wouldn’t work.
Infrared cooktops, however, use high-intensity halogen lamps to generate radiant heat. They work with absolutely any heat-resistant vessel. Families realized they could seamlessly transition their daily cooking—using their traditional aluminium kadais, copper-bottomed pans, and essential earthen clay chattis (crucial for authentic Kerala fish curries)—directly onto an infrared stove.
This ultimate convenience factor, combined with a naturally smaller starting inventory, meant that infrared cooktops were wiped out across the country in record time.
6. Price Gouging and the Restock Reality
With trusted brands out of stock, a dangerous vacuum was created in the market. Local, unknown, and unbranded manufacturers immediately stepped in to fill the void, taking advantage of desperate consumers.
The Price Doubling Effect: Retailers and third-party sellers on massive platforms noticed the desperation and jacked up the prices of entry-level, unknown brands. Obscure induction and infrared models that would normally struggle to sell for ₹1,200 are currently being listed—and bought—for well over ₹2,500.
When Will Stocks Normalize?
Major retailers (like Croma) and top-tier manufacturers are aggressively ramping up production to meet this sudden demand. However, supply cannot instantaneously match a nationwide panic spike.
- The Good News: There is no permanent shortage of raw materials for the cooktops themselves.
- The Timeline: Most industry experts and retail chain managers expect normal availability of branded units to slowly return over the next 2 to 4 weeks, assuming the LPG-related panic buying begins to ease as households realize their gas cylinders are still arriving on time.
In the final Part 3, we will dive deep into the Hidden Dangers of Non-Branded Cooktops. We will explain exactly why the cheap electronics inside these overpriced local models are a massive fire hazard in Indian kitchens, and give you Gas Care’s definitive advice on what to do next.
