JohnN

I know this is an ancient topic, but I was just reading through it and was surprised I didn't see anyone point out that many of these cookwares are clad which probably provides some complications for both welding and strength (you're welding to the outer layer of the clad, and you have to worry about the outer ply pulling off, etc.). That said, I'm unreasonably annoyed by rivets, especially on non-stick.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. We finally rounded up all the stuff and tried this one last night. It indeed is pretty close to the Red Robin recipe. I'll still have to try the other suggestions. Thanks! -john

Thanks for the ideas so far. I'm starting to suspect the key is probably the OJ and pineapple juice. -john

I'm sure it's probably not considered an authentic Mai Tai, but I like the fruity and sweet approach of the Red Robin Mai Tai. I've had better in Hawaii, but they were along the same lines, but with better, fresher juice and fruit. I've tried all sorts of mixes and recipes, and nothing seems right. Can anyone help me out? Thanks, -john

As far as I can tell, the Sunpentown products are sold as "Mr. Induction" via Springusa.com. On their web site, they have list a PDF user manual for the Mr. Induction product(s), on which, they specifically state iron and enameled cookware as "suitable". See page 6: Mr. Induction User Manual. Here is the bread crumb trail: On this Sunpentown USA page, you can see where they claim to be sold exclusively through SpringUSA.com. On page 2 of this Springusa.com product catalog, you see that the "Mr. Induction" products have part numbers that match the ones that are on the Sunpentown USA web site. Following the Induction Ranges link from the main page shows the link to the user manual. I think if the mfg says it is OK to use the cookware, you are good to go. -john

Why don't you try contacting the mfg? I'd think they'd have the straight skinny. -john

Hey Ed, Just wondering how the cookware is holding up? Thanks, -john

I think the main negatives are: 1) cost 2) can't use any old cookware -john

You might ask this question at That Home Site - Appliances forum. They have a lot of induction folks over there. -john

There is a one page article on induction stoves in the August/September 2005 Fine Cooking magazine. See pg 24. -john

All those hazards are known and tangible. Electromagnetic radiation hazards are not. All I can say at this point is that there are those who are susceptible to electromagnetic radiation and we may be among them. ← I hope you're keeping a respectful distance from your computer monitor. ← And power lines and cell phones and microwaves and um... -john

As I understand it, the great temperature control refers only to the way the burner goes instantly off or on, as with a gas stove and not at all as with a standard electric stove. You get the quick response of a gas hob without the gas hookup, and when you turn it off you're just left with the residual heat in the pan. I don't think the pan itself will cool down any differently, so you'll still have the slow cooling of a heavy pan and the quick cooling of a lightweight pan. If I've missed something, I hope someone with experience will set us both straight. ← Yah, I think the idea is that: Heat comes on very fast because 1) The pot itself is what heats up. There is no thermal transfer needed to slow things down and 2) the "element" (pot) heats almost instantly - think microwave. It cools "quickly" because the only thermal mass is the cookware (and food) - it does not need to cool an element in addition like in the case of a glass cooktop. So it is more "gas-like", but not magic. It sounds like the modern induction hobs maintain precise tempature control as well. -john

Hi Melissa, I've heard of people doing exactly what you suggest. In this particular case, they used the CookTek hobs which are available in a drop-in configuration. They are available in a single and double hob configuration. -john

I don't have one, but I think I can answer this one. I think the top is the same as used in other "glass" cooktops. So, it is scratchable, but it does take a bit of work to do so. You should be able to avoid scratching it with a bit of care. I think the biggest risk for scratches is cast iron cookware. It tends to be a bit rougher and harder than other surfaces, esp. if you slide the cookware back and forth on the burner. Some cookware can leave traces of the metal on the cooktop, esp. if you slide the cookware back and forth on the burner; but it can be cleaned with a mild abrassive and some elbow grease. I understand hot melted sugar is also one of the biggest risks to a glass cooktop as it can "spall" the surface as it cools. The biggest complaint I've seen with people who have "glass" cooktops is cleaning. And that is typically because the spilled food gets baked on. The upside of the induction cooktop is that the glass surface doesn't heat up like in a conventional cooktop and thus doesn't get hot enough to cook on the food for the most part. This means much easier cleanup. In fact, it appears some people even do things like put a piece of newspaper between the cooktop and the cookware for messy foods! Very slick. In general, it seems that the induction cooktops are probably the easiest to keep clean. A big plus in my book. Since the cooking mechanism is electromagnetic, the glass does not play a part and any scratches would only be cosmetic. -john

I noticed the above URL doesn't work any more. Here is revised one: ths.gardenweb.com -john