A4 Box Induction Cooker

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 minutes ago, lindag said:

And, did you cave?

 

Of course.

 

[gfweb]

18 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Will no one save me from myself?

 

no

[JoNorvelleWalker]

13 hours ago, Pankaj said:

This sounds good. How come I don’t see any detail reviews on A4Box website. 

 

Are you the same Pankaj who posts content on the A4Box site?

 

[Pankaj]

9 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Are you the same Pankaj who posts content on the A4Box site?

 

Yes, I am the owner of A4Box.

 

i came across this blog and read all comments. I am trying to see if anyone is facing any problem with A4Box and if there is any area to improve. 
 

I see people enjoying with A4Box and have written detail reviews, but no one has submitted their reviews on our website. This can help others understand about A4Box.

 

i also love photos of recipes that all of you have posted here.  
 

I am all ears if you want us to improve on anything. Shoot us email at info@afourbox.com and put it to my attention. I see almost all emails from all customers.

[gfweb]

9 hours ago, Pankaj said:

Yes, I am the owner of A4Box.

 

i came across this blog and read all comments. I am trying to see if anyone is facing any problem with A4Box and if there is any area to improve. 
 

I see people enjoying with A4Box and have written detail reviews, but no one has submitted their reviews on our website. This can help others understand about A4Box.

 

i also love photos of recipes that all of you have posted here.  
 

I am all ears if you want us to improve on anything. Shoot us email at info@afourbox.com and put it to my attention. I see almost all emails from all customers.

Maybe you should link eG on your website. 

Edited December 16, 2019 by gfweb (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

@Pankaj, in what country are the A4 Box manufactured?

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

To answer my own question, the A4 Box is made in China.  My A4 Box came today, well packed.  Fit and finish are acceptable, if not quite up to, say, Zojirushi standards.  Zojirushi makes similar cooking units designed for table use but the Zojiroshi ones available in the US at least are not induction.  On the other hand they are not nearly as expensive as the A4 Box either.

 

The only negative I've seen so far about the A4 Box is that apparently (I could be wrong) the pans themselves are not induction compatible.  There is a metal plate in the base unit of the A4 Box that is heated by induction, and then the pans themselves are heated by conduction from the metal plate.  Had I known this I probably would not have ordered the A4 Box.  Plus the A4 Box non-stick coating does not look at all the best, though looks may be deceiving.

 

But the proof is in the pudding, and I have yet to make my pudding.

 

For anyone who cares, the A4 Box standard tray seems to fit in my CSO just fine;  though I have no plans for using it that way.

 

 

[lemniscate]

In the spirit of the old tune "Things that make you go hmmmm"  (C&C music factory 1990) I decided to test how the A4 box heats.

 

I started with a ambient appliance temp of 70F and did not put any plate into the A4 body.   I cranked the dial to max (11 for you Spinal Tap fans) and left it for 10 minutes (per Alexa).   The silver plate on the body got to a temp of 135F average, I was using my eTekcity infrared thermometer for the test equipment.

 

I then turned off the body and let the appliance return to the ambient of 70F to start the next methodology.   I put the flat top insert in (also ambient 70F) and set the dial to max setting.   After 4 minutes the middle of the flat top measured ~450F, the temps to the sides and corners dropped to ~380F as I moved the dot.  After another 2 minutes the middle of the griddle was ~475F and the outer edges were ~450F.    I stopped the test then as the proof of the induction  accessory plates was assured by methodology.

 

So, QED-ish?

 

 

[rotuts]

it seems the silver plate , fixed on to the devise ,  is not terribly magnetic , 

 

but has to be a bit to get to 135 F

 

the flat top insert must be very magnetic , and the magnetic field is not

 

attenuated very much by the silver plate.

 

fine work,  @lemniscate 

 

Kudos your way.

[lemniscate]

16 minutes ago, rotuts said:

 

the flat top insert must be very magnetic , and the magnetic field is not

 

attenuated very much by the silver plate.

See now, that's the weird thing.  The inserts are non-ferrous by conventional test.  I can't get a neodymium magnet to stick on them.   There are no sensors that say no insert in in the A4 and shuts down that I can find (unlike an induction hob which knows if a ferrous cooking vessel is on it or not).   The silver plate is just barely magnet attractive, the neodymium just barely sticks and that's a strong magnet.   I don't know what magic is afoot here, it just works.  Why?  I dunno.

[rotuts]

Weird Science 

 

you can keep the Kudos , awarded for Effort.

[lemniscate]

1 minute ago, rotuts said:

Weird Science 

 

you can keep the Kudos , awarded for Effort.

 

Probably no grant money available in A4Box investigations either.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On ‎12‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 12:05 PM, lemniscate said:

 

Probably no grant money available in A4Box investigations either.

 

With your IR measurements did you take into account emissivity differences between the two surfaces?  I would make thermocouple readings on my unit; however I am still deciding whether I want to return the A4 Box and I cannot return it if I've cooked with it.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

To look at it a different way, if the plate is 135F you should be able to put your finger on it.

 

(Please don't try that experiment.)

 

[Pankaj]

On 12/18/2019 at 10:27 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

@Pankaj, in what country are the A4 Box manufactured?

 

@JoNorvelleWalker A4Box are manufactured in China. 

[Pankaj]

On 12/22/2019 at 8:21 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

To answer my own question, the A4 Box is made in China.  My A4 Box came today, well packed.  Fit and finish are acceptable, if not quite up to, say, Zojirushi standards.  Zojirushi makes similar cooking units designed for table use but the Zojiroshi ones available in the US at least are not induction.  On the other hand they are not nearly as expensive as the A4 Box either.

 

The only negative I've seen so far about the A4 Box is that apparently (I could be wrong) the pans themselves are not induction compatible.  There is a metal plate in the base unit of the A4 Box that is heated by induction, and then the pans themselves are heated by conduction from the metal plate.  Had I known this I probably would not have ordered the A4 Box.  Plus the A4 Box non-stick coating does not look at all the best, though looks may be deceiving.

 

But the proof is in the pudding, and I have yet to make my pudding.

 

For anyone who cares, the A4 Box standard tray seems to fit in my CSO just fine;  though I have no plans for using it that way.

 

 

All A4Box pans are induction compatible and are good quality non-stick. They are FDA approved and PFOA free.

 

I think you are confused. there is no metal plate At the bottom, it is one part pan and we don’t do non-stick coating at the bottom of the pan. Reason is that when the induction plate transfers heat then non-stick coating will interfere. 

[Pankaj]

On 12/22/2019 at 8:57 PM, lemniscate said:

In the spirit of the old tune "Things that make you go hmmmm"  (C&C music factory 1990) I decided to test how the A4 box heats.

 

I started with a ambient appliance temp of 70F and did not put any plate into the A4 body.   I cranked the dial to max (11 for you Spinal Tap fans) and left it for 10 minutes (per Alexa).   The silver plate on the body got to a temp of 135F average, I was using my eTekcity infrared thermometer for the test equipment.

 

I then turned off the body and let the appliance return to the ambient of 70F to start the next methodology.   I put the flat top insert in (also ambient 70F) and set the dial to max setting.   After 4 minutes the middle of the flat top measured ~450F, the temps to the sides and corners dropped to ~380F as I moved the dot.  After another 2 minutes the middle of the griddle was ~475F and the outer edges were ~450F.    I stopped the test then as the proof of the induction  accessory plates was assured by methodology.

 

So, QED-ish?

 

 

So nice of you to share your results. 
 

A4Box is designed to work with pan and generate heat. If you use it without pan then it won’t heat up. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I'm still conflicted about whether I should return my A4 while I can.  I have yet to use it.  True, it is cute.  Yesterday a friend showed me her copy of The Little Book of Takoyaki.  Told her that I had a copy.  They say you can use shrimp, she added hopefully.

 

My doctor told me not to eat shrimp.  I spent the afternoon aimlessly browsing takohiki.  Thinking of Swedish meatballs.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I decided to try the A4Box.  Maiden voyage:

 

 

 

No these are not takoyaki.  Nor are they neko nabe.  They are Swedish meatballs.  Relatively little mess.  So far I'm pleased.

 

 

[lemniscate]

I will probably never make takoyaki, I've never been a big fan.   I also do meatballs in the takoyaki pan.   I thought it worked great.   I was also thinking some sort of stuffed mushroom would work it that pan.   I was thinking something like hush puppies might work.  Blistered small tomatoes possibly?

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker 

 

you rotated them once or twice for all around color ?

 

looks easier to do than in a flat pan.

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, rotuts said:

@JoNorvelleWalker 

 

you rotated them once or twice for all around color ?

 

looks easier to do than in a flat pan.

 

 

 

Yes, rotated them with kitchen chopsticks, easy.  Two or three times.  Meatballs removed from the pan with chopsticks.  The nice thing is I didn't have to form the balls by hand.  I simply used a Zroll 2050 1¹/₂ inch disher to portion the mixture into each cup.

 

 

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker 

 

lets review a bit :

 

I have a MeatBall  history , 

 

esp w Swedish Meat [ real meat ] balls

 

my mother has some sort of cooker thing  , a back in the day

 

and she made SB  for Students etc that came over to your house

 

as they had Killer tasty gravy , nice

 

if you were to make the SMB's this way

 

versus , the oven method that does not require turning 

 

and you save the Oven Jus for the sauce

 

what do you think about those two methods :

 

a tasty MB  ( Swedish or Not )

 

w the A4  vs the oven.

 

looking forward to you analysis.

 

BTW  Im having some M.R. just now 

 

two very different TJ's white table wine

 

combined   50:50  and ice cold

 

I know its a bit early here

 

But for Science ?

 

It Waits for KnowOne

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

12 hours ago, rotuts said:

@JoNorvelleWalker 

 

lets review a bit :

 

I have a MeatBall  history , 

 

esp w Swedish Meat [ real meat ] balls

 

my mother has some sort of cooker thing  , a back in the day

 

and she made SB  for Students etc that came over to your house

 

as they had Killer tasty gravy , nice

 

if you were to make the SMB's this way

 

versus , the oven method that does not require turning 

 

and you save the Oven Jus for the sauce

 

what do you think about those two methods :

 

a tasty MB  ( Swedish or Not )

 

w the A4  vs the oven.

 

looking forward to you analysis.

 

BTW  Im having some M.R. just now 

 

two very different TJ's white table wine

 

combined   50:50  and ice cold

 

I know its a bit early here

 

But for Science ?

 

It Waits for KnowOne

 

 

I am no meatball expert, but I would think oven meatballs would be more like mini meatloaves?  These were fried.  The little takoyaki cups are generously filled with butter.

 

My gravy expertise, though, needs more work.

 

 

 

As shown in the dinner thread.  Would love to hear more about your mother's sauce.

 

 

 

[Anna N]

Not meatballs although I am sorely tempted. Not takoyaki because I don’t have the appropriate ingredients and not aebelskiver because I’m not in the mood for anything  sweet. So how about pseudo gougères?

 

I still have not purchased The Little Book Of Takoyaki since the Kindle version costs almost twice as much as the paperback version and I resent that. But I did find a book by Kevin Crafts called Ebelskiver.  After ensuring that it had some recipes for savoury concoctions and that its Kindle price was reasonable, I purchased it.

 

I turned quickly to the savoury section and was very tempted by many recipes but only one would work with the ingredients I had on hand. On reflection, for someone new to the whole process of producing anything from a takoyaki pan, this was probably a poor choice. A slightly stiffer batter might have given me less trouble. but come along for the ride anyway. 
 

 

I only prepped the centre two rows of the pan with some melted butter. Actually I’m a bit of a lazy person as far as that goes and I used a silicone pastry brush on the warm pan and my already softened butter which works quite well and does not leave me with leftover melted butter.  
 

I had the heat at what I considered moderate. That is no more scientific than saying the control knob was in the middle position. Were I to repeat this exercise I would increase the heat from the very beginning. 
 

 

The mixture which is just a basic batter with stiffly beaten egg whites folded in along with some grated cheese. I used a small cookie scoop to transfer the batter to the pan but a spoon would’ve worked just as well (or been equally messy). .

 

 

This is an extremely messy process at least it was for me on my first try.  The little guy in the centre back is the first one I tried to flip. Obviously it was too soon. 

 

I added another row when I saw how much batter I had left.

 

 

I am dubbing the one in the centre at the rear the Ring of Saturn. As you can see it was a bit challenging to make sure that when they were flipped the uncooked surface would be fully inside the pan. I was using chopsticks, and let’s face it, my fingers, to manipulate these. 
 

 

So here they are.  Tasty little bites reminiscent of gougères.