What portable electric burner for high heat (steaks)?

[torolover]

What kind of small or portable electric burner do you recommend for cooking with high heat?

I want to be able to cook steaks on my small deck, so it needs to be small and electric, and I have to be able to use a cast iron pan on it.

A brand or model number would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

[dcarch]

You are limited by the max wattage (1,800 watts in NY) at the outlet.

It doesn't matter that much, all electric heaters are by definition 100% efficent.

Try an induction cook top and the heaviest cast iron pan you can find.

dcarch

[Rover]

I've been using an inexpensive induction cooktop for exactly this purpose notwithstanding the instructions inform us not to use it outside. My range hood is ghastly and simply ushers cooking smells into my house and I end up sleeping with panfried fish perfume. My way of addressing this is to do as much of the panfrying outside on my deck which isn't big enough to house my in-the-garden bbq.

The induction cooktop works very well and I use my all-clad pots and my cast iron. It's a solution to my stinky kitchen issues until I can afford to reno the kitchen.

[Joe Blowe]

We have a BlueStar RNB (with the 22k BTU burner) and a Vent-a-Hood dual blower hood.

When I really want to get my sear on, I go outside with my Rosewill induction cooktop (got it for $40, but it's discontinued now ) and a cast iron pan.

Searing out in the open is so much better than any reasonably-priced, pro-style indoor ventilation system!

[jrshaul]

Induction systems have a big jump on standard resistive elements due to more efficient heat transfer to the pan. A cast iron skillet on a 1,800W induction setup is a very nice option, and you aren't stuck with a single-purpose gadget.

[DianaB]

For a couple of years I've used a small burner attached to a small gas bottle (propane I think) to cook steak at high temp outdoors as we don't have a ventilator in the kitchen. As an aside when we had the kitchen remade a couple of years ago I was advised that if we wanted ventilation we would need to buy a system designed for professionals to have any chance of success, in England it seems domestic ventilators are a waste of time.

The gas bottle rig ( around 20€ for the cast burner unit, plus cost of gas) was bought in France after seeing numerous similar set ups working well. Having read this I'm tempted now to get a single induction unit. I use cast iron cookware which I understand is ok for induction. Does anyone have any views on whether induction will give better results than gas? Eg, heat quicker, more evenly?

Any advice would be welcome.

Diana

[pbear]

Do you care about cost? If so, a Waring Pro Extra Burner (Model #SB30) will be perfectly adequate to your purpose and, being widely available for sixty bucks, much cheaper than an induction unit. Now, if you're going to use the burner for other things and/or don't care about cost, there's no doubt the latter has advantages.

[radtek]

LOL the FIRST thing I looked at and tested was the vent in my kitchen when considering buying the house. Even so I still often cook outside and will not fry anything inside at all.

I've wanted a portable induction cooktop but was afraid my cookware wouldn't work with it unless it said so on the bottom- which it doesn't. I'm taking it that this is not exactly the case?

[pbear]

Oops, to clarify, that was intended as a response to the OP.

As for your question, DianaB, one advantage of both electric burner solutions is that, once you figure out what settings give the results you like, you just use those and don't have to eyeball it each time. As between the two (fwiw, I have both), the induction unit is much faster and more versitile, whereas the standard plate is cheaper and smaller.

As for your question, radtek, you can easily test induction compatibility with a common magnet. If it sticks, the pan will work on induction.

[radtek]

Thanks pbear!

Out of all my cookware only one stock pot, a dutch-oven and my Fagor PC attracts a magnet. None of my stock pots, triple clad skillets or saucepans work. Guess it may be option B for me and stick with the hotplate.