The "uneven heat" induction myth

[joeekaitis]

Some folks complain that portable countertop induction cooktops are little more than pricey toys incapable of serious cookery because they don't heat the cookware uniformly.

I say: Pancake batter doesn't lie.

Gear: Max Burton by Athena induction cooktop. Cookware: Infinite Circulon round griddle preheated at the medium setting (5) for at least 5 minutes while I mixed the batter.

 

[frigilux]

I've never heard complaints about induction heat being uneven; although, I suppose if your cookware isn't perfectly flat, that may be a problem.

I, for one, can't wait 'til more brands make induction ranges available and prices moderate a bit!

 

[joeekaitis]

"I, for one, can't wait 'til more brands make i

I think the biggies have already killed the market for built-in induction cooktops by keeping the technology a boutique toy for the rich and refusing to market it as a practical affordable alternative to conventional cooktops for the rest of us. The microwave oven and the self-cleaning oven made the transition in 15 to 20 years, but induction has been around for 30 years with no signs of becoming commonplace.

The Diva all-electric induction range needs TWO 240-volt circuits. I haven't read the specs for the Kenmore (by Whirlpool) standalone induction range, but it's not priced for the masses.

Not everyone wants (and NOBODY needs) a 4500 watt speed-demon that boils a gallon of water in 15 minutes. I'd welcome an induction cooktop that equals conventional units in price and performance, in other words, the direct replacement no one's making and probably won't any time soon. The "cooler kitchen" alone would be enough of an incentive to buy one.

Meanwhile, folks are snapping up the portables and are pleased as punch with the performance.

Ya missed the boat, guys.

 

[maytagbear]

I was just at Sears today---

and the stand alone induction range takes a 50 amp circuit.

Many people would need to rewire for that.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[mixfinder]

Don't Rock The Boat

An uneven pan on a conduction cooktop may attempt to heat and then it will rock back and forth a bit and shut down. The conduction range uses significantly less energy than traditional. All full size conduction cooktops and ranges are designed to operate on 220 to be compatible with existing wiring. If you buy a conduction cooktop you may need to by compatible cookware. That is the only extra expense involved. There is not, one defendible drawback to cooking on a full size cnduction range or cooktop.

 

[foraloysius]

I have a single induction cooktop and it's great. You can see how evenly it heats by boiling water on it in a pot, the evenly devided bubbles show it.

If only I could have a built in cooktop! Ikea overhere sells a cooktop with 2 induction burners and 2 traditional ceramic burners. And it's only 449 Euros! In the UK it retails for 399 Pounds. Here's the link to the British Ikea site so y'all can see the specifications.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40156080

 

[mixfinder]

GE Induction

My friend and I purchased the Consumer Guide best buy GE cooktop for $1,599.00 It has many features and is nothing short of amazing. As I understand the technology is either Korean, German, Swedish or Chinese and we import and brand them here. Buying a Viking or Thermador at $3,000 + gets you the same innards as Sears or GE.

 

[nmassman44]

As much as I would love to have an induction cooktop...I can not have one since I had the pacemaker put in. My doc was very clear about it...if I had one I had to throw it out. Cannot be in the same room as one running. Something to do with the radio frequency that induction uses that will screw up my device.
But thats quite impressive with the evenness on the pancake.

 

[revvinkevin]

I could be wrong here, but...........

Aren't the induction cooktops a lot less efficient then other methods? I've heard they require a lot more power and high current (costs more to operate?) to acheive the desired result.

Sure you can boil a gallon of water in 15 seconds, but how often do you really need to do that?

 

[toggleswitch2]

oh Mary, everything one does in life is a health hazard.

Hi Kevin.

Actually In my belief is that they are they are MORE efficient, meaning they turn more of the electricity into usable heat than a standard elecric resistance coil/tube. IT goes wothout saying that they are more efficient (at the poitn of use) thnt a gas burner that only uses 30% of the heat generated (and 70% is lost into the room air).

The corollary (sp?) of that is that less heat is wasted/dispersed into the room, and it has the (nearly) infinite range of heats and the instant reponse of gas cooking.

Who knows however if the eletromagnetic waves are more or less dangerous than sucking in (breathing) the CO2, NOx and SOx (nitrous and sulfuric oxides) that a gas burner pumps out out.

Still, I'd love to try one.