horseflesh
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Posts posted by horseflesh
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8 minutes ago, btbyrd said:
I like induction cooktops in theory, but most of them suck in practice.
I wish I could trial a good induction cooktop with optimum pans. I could get a lot of use out of one but my only experience has been terrible and it makes me skeptical of even the nice models.
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21 minutes ago, andrewk512 said:
It also requires your phone to have the app open and in focus to maintain temp control.
Wait, so if I want the Control Freak to keep a pot at a certain temperature, that cannot be done without use of the mobile app?!
If that's the case it's an absolute deal killer and I'm unsubscribing from the thread, LOL.
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4 hours ago, cgman117 said:
Yes, except I have the 1440w model...
Ah yes that makes sense... I don't have a 20A circuit for it either. Thanks for verifying the warranty info. Nice looking unit, I need to read some more about it.
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6 hours ago, cgman117 said:
My Hatco Rapide Cuisine...
Is this your guy? And, do you happen to know if this is one of those brands that won't provide a warranty for home use?
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9 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:
Not @jaw, but Paragon. Forgive me if I repeat myself. Paragon is awesome. Now, if you will excuse me, I am off to smash a Kenji smashburger.
I'm definitely going to check it out. I like the idea of saving a thousand bucks, let me tell ya.
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Thanks @jaw. Interesting that the CF is fussy about cookware... that's a trait I already have on my junky cooker and I is not awesome. Do you have an induction cooktop you favor?
I cook outside a lot -- especially now that I am mired in a months long warranty issue with NXR -- and I need something decent... I am limited to 120V, though.
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On 5/22/2021 at 5:45 AM, kikochople said:
Anyone here using the Control Freak induction cooker with carbon steel pans? How do these perform on the unit? I’d like to know if the burner/heating pattern is nice and even.
I have De Buyer Mineral B Pro pans (24 cm and 28 cm diameter); even if I brought them to temperature slowly, got marked hotspots when tested them on several commercial induction hobs.
Did you ever figure out if the Control Freak would play nice with your carbon steel pans? I realize carbon steel is not the best for induction but I too want to know how it will perform on the CF. I can live with a compromise... but if the CF is unsuited to even simple tasks like heating up a quesadilla in a CS pan that's something I need to know before I bite.
Based on the teardown image and the CF dimensions the coil looks to be between 8-9" across, which is MUCH bigger than the coil in my current junky induction cooktop... it makes a vicious 3-4" hot spot in the middle of a carbon steel pan. It's nearly useless. But it is also perhaps the worst induction cooktop money can buy.
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A few weeks ago my NXR gas range/cooktop bit the dust... gas leak! While I've been dealing with the warranty rodeo I have been doing all my cooking outside on a pretty junky induction cooktop. And I hate it, I absolutely hate it... primarily because the heating element is really small, so pots tend to get a hot spot in the middle. It's especially bad with cookware that doesn't have a good heat spreader, like carbon steel... or especially cast iron. It's almost unusable with either of those kinds of pans.
I've been eyeing the Control Freak for a couple of years but with my new recent induction experience I am increasingly gun shy simply because it is an induction cooktop. Those of you who have and love the Control Freak, I would love for you to tell me that there's nothing to worry about in this regard. Or if it IS a drawback, knowing that up front would be a big help too. It would be too bad if I could not use my nice Darto carbon steel pans on the Control Freak, but it might not be a deal killer.
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1 minute ago, dtremit said:
Price is too high for me to take a chance on it from an untested vendor, though.
Yep, exactly.
I have 2 other sous vide gadgets but could maybe see myself using this. I would likely dedicate counter space to it, if I had one... and hooking up its circulator MIGHT be easier, or as easy, as hooking up one of my other gizmos.
But, without more reviews, it is too risky.
Even the Control Freak seems to have some quirks at 3x the cost.
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Here's a Kickstarter for a product like the Control Freak, the Njori Tempo. Looks like it will be about $500. Looking forward to seeing a comparison review.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/njori/njori-tempo-the-smart-cooker-for-adventurous-chefs
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That looks great! I have got to find a proper ice cream maker, this is killing me.
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@ErwinR -- I've made overnight caramelized onions in a slow cooker but since you have a CF I would try 300F and save some time.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1azCSYUU4I25VbHfaPnhOvF_fHplbhMvy/edit#gid=1369374172
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Man, I am gonna have to get a CF, aren't I?
One of my interests is making candy sugar syrup in various grades of darkness, as it is an important ingredient in some kinds of beer... and I am an avid homebrewer too. The CF looks ideal for that.
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On 9/10/2020 at 4:19 PM, JasonsCookingAdventures said:
As a note, I'm measuring the temperature using a no-name (cheap) IR thermometer. Perhaps that could be off calibration by 20 degrees (or issues with emissivity)?
If you have not set the emissivity specifically for the kind of surface you're measuring, it can be way off.
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On 12/17/2020 at 2:43 PM, jbates said:
If anyone needs (another) ControlFreak, subscribers to ChefSteps' StudioPass are having a 15% off sale (save $225!) until December 23, 2020 when purchasing through polyscienceculinary.com
I'm here because I have that opportunity and I am trying to figure out if it is worth it. I am a super serious home cook with other crazy appliances, so I am definitely interested in the Control Freak. I can't yet tell if it's merely very cool, or life changing like sous vide was. If any fans or haters want to weigh in I am really interested in what you have to say!
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I'd expect to need more time for a 4 mil bag, yep, though I don't know how much.
(FWIW I decided against stocking thicker bags. I have learned what kind of uncommon foods benefit from a thicker bag to resist punctures, and for those items, I just double up 3 mil bags. That's been working out well for me.)
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@m61376 can you post a seal photo? Hard to say if you are over or under, but my guess is your seal time needs to be longer. I would seal 3-4 ice water test bags each at + 0.1 second. Check the seal bar each time and look for discoloration, because if you go way over where you need to be, you can scorch it.
I think these machines are all different. My Minipack came preset to 2.2 sec but I found that was too long for my 3 mil bags. It overcooked and weakened the seal, and scorched the Teflon tape. 1.8 is what I use now.
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I will also vouch for https://vacuumsealersunlimited.com/.
My daily drivers are the 3 mil pint and quart bags. I don't use gallon bags as often, but when you need one, you need one.
As @rotuts said, you can use a big bag, cut off a strip on the end, then reseal it when you are done. I'll do that many times for an item like a big block of cheese.
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I missed that @md8232! That seems like a hell of a deal.
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56 minutes ago, md8232 said:
I bought this Unit and it arrived Saturday. Only 8 years of dithering!
An oil pump machine for $800? Beautiful, congrats! Looks great.
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I don't know THIS unit, but I have a different Minipack in this price range, and it's awesome.
I'd buy from Minipack directly if that's still possible.
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2 hours ago, paulraphael said:
I use a freezer bowl at home, and suspect I'd need to spend a couple of thousand bucks on a compressor machine that would outperform it.
Every time I look that seems to be the answer ... but I keep hoping for something to change.
56 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:I've had three compressor ice cream makers. I recommend the Cuisinart ICE-100. I spin my ice cream in the ICE-100 for 15-20 minutes.
Hmmm.... Not bad. 15-20 minutes is in the same ballpark as my pre-frozen cylinder.
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Since this thread has come back to life...
Does anyone have new input on ice cream machines? Are any of the less-expensive refrigerated units worth having?
I currently have one of the pre-frozen cylinder style. Reviews usually say that they make ice cream which is often better than that from refrigerated units, as the pre-frozen cylinder may still freeze faster than a cheap freezer does. This makes them a great value... but so inconvenient.
If someone has a refrigerated unit they love (not a full commercial model) I would like to hear about it. Obviously what I need in my life is the ability to make several batches of ice cream in a day.
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I noticed Costco has a $600 chamber sealer.
https://www.costco.com/maxvac-pro-chamber-vacuum-sealer.product.100536866.html
Anyone know anything about this model? I know people who are interested in a chamber sealer but the expense is a deterrent. A good option at $600 would be pretty cool.
New Toy: Breville/Polyscience Control Freak!
in Kitchen Consumer
Posted
Man, nothing is more confusing than induction... People seem to love it or hate it.
So far, I hate it! I have to live with it though since I am currently without a range and do all my cooking with one miserable cheap induction cooktop. (If my experience with what I have wasn't so bad I would have long ago upgraded to a CF or other commercial grade cooktop.)
Can anyone recommend a non-stick frying pan with really good induction performance? I have a Circulon Symmetry in my cart but if there is something objectively better I want to know about it. I don't care how much it costs, I just need one righteous nonstick pan to make the best of my induction life.