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New Toy: Breville/Polyscience Control Freak!

CanadianHomeChef

By CanadianHomeChef
in Kitchen Consumer

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Snowpup

Snowpup

Posted
Posted

Had anyone else tried using theirs as a precision griddle?

 

My baking steel mini griddle 'fits' almost entirely inside the perimeter of the glass, with only a centimetre or so overhanging but not touching the surface at the corners.

 

It's bliss to use.

MVIMG_20200703_071852.jpg

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adey73

adey73

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Snowpup said:

Had anyone else tried using theirs as a precision griddle?

 

My baking steel mini griddle 'fits' almost entirely inside the perimeter of the glass, with only a centimetre or so overhanging but not touching the surface at the corners.

 

It's bliss to use.

 

 

is the heat equally distributed across the griddle or just where the coil is?

CanadianHomeChef

CanadianHomeChef

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, Snowpup said:

Had anyone else tried using theirs as a precision griddle?

 

My baking steel mini griddle 'fits' almost entirely inside the perimeter of the glass, with only a centimetre or so overhanging but not touching the surface at the corners.

 

It's bliss to use.

MVIMG_20200703_071852.jpg


I've thought about it but I was worried about heat conductivity... It works great? Geeze.. now I might need to buy one... 

Edited by CanadianHomeChef (log)

Sizzle and Sear

Owner/Editor

https://www.sizzleandsear.com/

CanadianHomeChef

CanadianHomeChef

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
7 hours ago, adey73 said:

 

is the heat equally distributed across the griddle or just where the coil is?


It's never going to be "equal" but I am left wondering if it's usable? Technically a 10-inch pan is larger than the coil but if it's made out of good materials, the drop off can be minimal. 

Sizzle and Sear

Owner/Editor

https://www.sizzleandsear.com/

KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, CanadianHomeChef said:


I've thought about it but I was worried about heat conductivity... It works great? Geeze.. now I might need to buy one... is it the mini from baking steel?

It does look like a baking steel, but those are really expensive (like the CF isn't? ha!) - what about a small cast iron griddle? https://www.lodgemfg.com/product/chef-collection-square-griddle?sku=LC11SGR - $40 rather than $175....

Edit: or $93 from McMaster Carr... https://www.mcmaster.com/6544K32/

Edited by KennethT (log)
md8232

md8232

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Snowpup said:

Had anyone else tried using theirs as a precision griddle?

 

My baking steel mini griddle 'fits' almost entirely inside the perimeter of the glass, with only a centimetre or so overhanging but not touching the surface at the corners.

 

It's bliss to use.

MVIMG_20200703_071852.jpg

 

I wish you’d posted this 2 days ago.  It was burger day here, but I never thought about this.  Smash burgers will be so much easier

now.

How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?

Charles De Gaulle, in "Les Mots du General", 1962

CanadianHomeChef

CanadianHomeChef

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
20 hours ago, dmg said:

 

thank you for the info. I have not used Max/Fast because I fear tripping a breaker. but.. it annoys me that it is the default.

 

does anybody know if there is a way to change the default to medium or slow?


No way to change the default (as far I  know). 

I'm assuming you are using an adapter on the Canadian model? If I was in your situation, I'd give it a try on fast.... for certain applications (like searing). The unit, from my understanding, is still 1800watts. Yes, there's a little bit of an extra draw from the adapter, but I've plugged mine (USA model - also 1800 watts but with a standard 15-amp plugin instead of the 20-amp that comes with the Canadian model) into a 15amp circuit that had a couple other things plugged in drawing a little bit of power. Never had a problem. I'd avoid things like boiling a large pot of water or heating up a large pot of oil (I think they draw the most power) but searing/panfrying/sauteeing/simmering should be okay..... Luckily I live in a kitchen with 20 amp circuits throughout the kitchen... so I never worry and it gives me a little of extra wattage to plug in other things. I only plug it into a 15 amp circuit when I'm cooking outside (if I run the extension cord inside, I have to leave the screen door open a crack and a bunch of bugs get inside)

The only time I've ever had the CF blow a breaker on me was when I brought it to a friends house. I found out they had aluminum wiring and it as just a bit too much for it to handle. I solved the problem by plugging the control freak into the plugin on the stove... 

Does your stove have an additional plugin? Maybe give that a try... 

Edited by CanadianHomeChef (log)

Sizzle and Sear

Owner/Editor

https://www.sizzleandsear.com/

CanadianHomeChef

CanadianHomeChef

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
4 minutes ago, KennethT said:

It does look like a baking steel, but those are really expensive (like the CF isn't? ha!) - what about a small cast iron griddle? https://www.lodgemfg.com/product/chef-collection-square-griddle?sku=LC11SGR - $40 rather than $175....

Edit: or $93 from McMaster Carr... https://www.mcmaster.com/6544K32/

 


Thanks. I'll have to take a look at them... I've already spent a small fortune on kitchen equipment since schools have been dismissed for the summer 😂 I just saw the baking steel is out of stock on Amazon.ca. I'll have to see if I can source any of your suggestions from Canadian suppliers

Sizzle and Sear

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Snowpup

Snowpup

Posted
Posted
On 7/3/2020 at 9:34 AM, adey73 said:

 

is the heat equally distributed across the griddle or just where the coil is?

 

It's okay.  Not much worse than a large cast iron skillet.

 

The CF will read the temperature from the button of the steel, so will be a little low, but consistent enough to compensate.

flir_20200703T105004.jpg

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CanadianHomeChef

CanadianHomeChef

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
14 hours ago, Snowpup said:

 

It's okay.  Not much worse than a large cast iron skillet.

 

The CF will read the temperature from the button of the steel, so will be a little low, but consistent enough to compensate.

flir_20200703T105004.jpg

That’s not bad. Does it maintain this gradient at higher searing temperatures? I’ve added the mini griddle to my Amazon wish list. 

Sizzle and Sear

Owner/Editor

https://www.sizzleandsear.com/

dmg

dmg

Posted
Posted (edited)

I made creme brule.

 

it was extremely easy. I used chefstep's recipe. You heat the cream to 70 degrees, mix with the egg yolks/sugar mixture, fill mason jars and cook at 80 degrees.

I did all with the Control Freak (small pot for the cream, large pot for the jar cooking) and it was, well, almost trivial. The results were delicious.

 

The recipe asks for a circulator for the jar cooking, but I the CF worked great.

Edited by dmg (log)
ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, dmg said:

I made creme brule.

 

it was extremely easy. I use chefsteps recipe. You heat the cream to 70 degrees, mix with the egg yolks/sugar mixture, fill mason jars and cook at 80 degrees.

I did all with the Control Freak (small pot for the cream, large pot for the jar cooking) and it was, well, almost trivial. The results were delicious.

 

The recipe asks for a circulator for the jar cooking, but I the CF worked great.

 

For the SV part did you use the probe or the pot setting?

CanadianHomeChef

CanadianHomeChef

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
On 7/10/2020 at 1:16 PM, dmg said:

I made creme brule.

 

it was extremely easy. I used chefstep's recipe. You heat the cream to 70 degrees, mix with the egg yolks/sugar mixture, fill mason jars and cook at 80 degrees.

I did all with the Control Freak (small pot for the cream, large pot for the jar cooking) and it was, well, almost trivial. The results were delicious.

 

The recipe asks for a circulator for the jar cooking, but I the CF worked great.

 

Funny you should mention that. I made creme brulee the other day too. Used regular ramekins and just wrapped them in plastic. Filled the pot with enough water os it was just below the rims of the ramekins.

I used probe control but I'd imagine for something like this, pan control wold work just as well. 

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Sizzle and Sear

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, CanadianHomeChef said:

I

Is it new?

Same price here: https://testek.ca/en/produit/control-freaktm-induction-cooker-from-breville-polyscience/ 

Nope - I was aware the price had come down since she bought it - she likely isn't.

 

 

the Chocolate Doctor
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dmg

dmg

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 7/11/2020 at 1:20 PM, CanadianHomeChef said:

I

Is it new?

Same price here: https://testek.ca/en/produit/control-freaktm-induction-cooker-from-breville-polyscience/ 

 

The one I bought, via amazon, came from them. Yes, it is new. It looks like they are trickling the CFs in amazon. They only offer one at a time. I bought it via amazon because 1) I did not have to pay PST, and 2) no shipping.

Edited by dmg (log)
dmg

dmg

Posted
Posted

 

On 7/6/2020 at 10:58 AM, CanadianHomeChef said:

That’s not bad. Does it maintain this gradient at higher searing temperatures? I’ve added the mini griddle to my Amazon wish list. 

 

This weekend I cooked okonomiyaki in a cast iron circular griddle. I was a bit surprised by the variability of temperature in the surface (and some areas overheating while reaching temperature), even if I let it warm for 30 min or so. And frequently it would go over the desired temperature. I suspect any steel-only griddle would have similar problems (great heat capacity but not as good head conductivity).

 

But it all makes sense. I guess the aluminium sheet in the stainless steel pans helps dissipate the heat (difference between heat capacity and heat transfer).

 

Are there any clad griddles in the market?

 

The mini griddle is available in Amazon.ca as of today, but the full cost makes it exorbitant (shipping ~40). By the way, the price from the US, including shipping (~US$50) is cheaper than the Amazon CAD price. 

dmg

dmg

Posted
Posted
On 7/10/2020 at 12:38 PM, ElsieD said:

 

For the SV part did you use the probe or the pot setting?

 

I used the probe.

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dmg

dmg

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 7/3/2020 at 9:06 AM, CanadianHomeChef said:


No way to change the default (as far I  know). 

I'm assuming you are using an adapter on the Canadian model?

 

yes, with the adapter.

 

Quote

If I was in your situation, I'd give it a try on fast.... for certain applications (like searing). The unit, from my understanding, is still 1800watts. Yes, there's a little bit of an extra draw from the adapter, but I've plugged mine (USA model - also 1800 watts but with a standard 15-amp plugin instead of the 20-amp that comes with the Canadian model) into a 15amp circuit that had a couple other things plugged in drawing a little bit of power.

 

 

I did an experiment today. I boiled around 3 L of water in a small pot. I used a kill-a-watt to monitor the power consumption. From 20 to 75, the maximum draw was 14.7 A (steady), but at it reached 80, it went up as high as 15.7A (steady). It did not tripped my breaker (I think it is 15 A) but the Kill-a-watt started beeping above 15A.

 

So this is reassuring. I will keep using medium, though. I don't need the speed of fast ;)

 

 

Edited by dmg (log)
SantiagoDraco

SantiagoDraco

Posted
Posted
On 6/16/2020 at 10:45 AM, adey73 said:

forgive me if someone has already posted this....

 

but those of us who were wondering where the competition is to hopefully lower the price of precision induction, Vollrath released a range of induction/probe based units in January.

 

https://www.vollrathfoodservice.com/products/countertop-equipment/cooking-equipment/induction-ranges/4-series-induction-range

 

@btbyrd put me onto the Mirage Pro and I love mine. This new iteration have larger coils plus the probe and are more powerful.

However only found one review,  that spoke of noisy fans and crashing of software and you can only save 4 files on their usb which is Java based.

 

Maybe in a couple of years there might be a few on the secondary market, as of now they are very expensive. 

 

Just saw this.  Interesting but not sure why anyone would pay those prices for the Vollrath over the Control Freak which to me seems to be a much more capable (and certainly better looking) product.  I'm sure the Vollrath is rugged and all but the CF has it all, including an actual physical probe for the pan (very important for accurate temps) vs the under glass probe of the Vollrath.

SantiagoDraco

SantiagoDraco

Posted
Posted
On 7/3/2020 at 11:02 AM, KennethT said:

It does look like a baking steel, but those are really expensive (like the CF isn't? ha!) - what about a small cast iron griddle? https://www.lodgemfg.com/product/chef-collection-square-griddle?sku=LC11SGR - $40 rather than $175....

Edit: or $93 from McMaster Carr... https://www.mcmaster.com/6544K32/

 

Cast iron would be a bad choice since cast iron has very poor heat conductivity.  Heat would be focused at the coil and not spread evenly compared to steel.

  • Like 1
jandreas

jandreas

Posted
Posted
On 7/2/2020 at 4:53 AM, Slim W said:

I have never had the unit overheat or shutdown, it's 41C/106F out right now and I would not hesitate using it. Maybe the 220V model has better cooling?

 

I think that might play a part.

 

 

IMG_3528.jpg

Slim W

Slim W

Posted
Posted
On 7/17/2020 at 10:06 PM, jandreas said:

 

I think that might play a part.

 

 

IMG_3528.jpg

 

 

I have never seen that!  I was outside the other day frying at 39deg C with it set to MAX..  My unit in Canada is in Newfoundland, high ambient temperatures are not a problem there :) 

EsaK

EsaK

Posted
Posted
On 12/30/2019 at 5:21 PM, Max Q said:

 

IMG_20191230_122648.thumb.jpg.0ac207f875149023d9236c57d24637d7.jpg

 

Since I've checked the probe and I know it's accurate, the only answer that I can come up with is that the pan sensor is significantly under-reading the pan temperature, and by an amount which depends on the pan construction.

 

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has seen this as right now it's hard to see a reason not to return it.

 

 

 

I'm not sure if @Max Q is actively on eGullet, but I got the same UK model this week and experienced exact same thing. For example heating water to 60C on whichever speed setting on pan temp control. Pan temp reads 60C, while probe (which I checked with Thermapen) said 68-69C. Software version is 5 27 in mine, same as someone else had in this thread. I wonder if anyone else had to return theirs and what was the end result of that?

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