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A4 Box Induction Cooker

Kerry Beal

By Kerry Beal
in Kitchen Consumer

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JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, lindag said:


I don’t see the point unless you’re like @Smithy and are traveling much of the time and don’t have access to a full size kitchen.

Does that help?

 

But is there fan noise or not?  As much as I adore my Paragons I wouldn't situate one on my dining table.  (I infer you don't often serve takoyaki nor cheese fondue.)

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

Thanks, everyone, for trying to talk me out of it.

 

  • Haha 2

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

lemniscate

lemniscate

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, chromedome said:

To me it feels like an induction version of my large electric skillet. I'm not in the market for such a thing, but I can certainly see the utility of it.

 

This is exactly what this is, a configurable electric induction skillet/hot pot.   I do think its a thoughtful design, but I have only three "cooks" in it so far.  

Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, lemniscate said:

I just went out on the patio and tested the A4 noise against the Duxtop hob.   They both live out there.

The A4 is virtually sound-less.  I turned the dial to full and got my ear right down against it and there is  the tiniest buzz, I don't think there's a fan in it, it may be the induction circuitry I am hearing.  I cycled the dial to make sure I was hearing the sound correctly.  Again, I had to have my ear right down near the unit.

 

This is very useful information, and I thank you for it. Noise is something that has put me off the idea of getting an induction unit, based on comments I've read here and elsewhere. It seems the A4 folks have got that problem figured out.

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

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lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Thanks, everyone, for trying to talk me out of it.

 


And, did you cave?

  • Sad 1
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, lindag said:


And, did you cave?

 

Of course.

 

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
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?

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Pankaj

Pankaj

Posted
Posted
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.

  • Like 2

Regards,

Pankaj Khatwani

Director

Brand - A4Box

www.afourbox.com

gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted (edited)
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 by gfweb (log)
  • Like 1
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

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.

 

 

  • Like 5

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

lemniscate

lemniscate

Posted
Posted

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?

 

 

IMG_8856.jpg

IMG_8857.jpg

IMG_8858.jpg

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

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.

  • Like 2
lemniscate

lemniscate

Posted
Posted
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.

  • Like 1
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lemniscate

lemniscate

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, rotuts said:

Weird Science 

 

you can keep the Kudos , awarded for Effort.

 

Probably no grant money available in A4Box investigations either.

  • Thanks 1
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JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
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.

 

  • Like 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

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.)

 

  • Like 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Pankaj

Pankaj

Posted
Posted
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. 

Regards,

Pankaj Khatwani

Director

Brand - A4Box

www.afourbox.com

Pankaj

Pankaj

Posted
Posted
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?

 

 

IMG_8856.jpg

IMG_8857.jpg

IMG_8858.jpg

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. 

  • Like 3

Regards,

Pankaj Khatwani

Director

Brand - A4Box

www.afourbox.com

  • 3 weeks later...
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

Oh No !

 

No No No

 

the A4 lookalike a unique Item

 

for " balls "  

 

ie various spherical iterms

 

now they need to consider 

 

a second or not 

 

" ball " field  

 

w die rent sized balls

 

just saying  

 

they do look nice and easytto do.

  • 4 weeks later...
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2020 at 4:41 PM, rotuts said:

Oh No !

 

No No No

 

the A4 lookalike a unique Item

 

for " balls "  

 

ie various spherical iterms

 

now they need to consider 

 

a second or not 

 

" ball " field  

 

w die rent sized balls

 

just saying  

 

they do look nice and easytto do.

 

If you want bigger balls than the A4Box just get a Lodge P7A3 Aebleskiver Pan and use it on your Paragon.

 

  • Like 2

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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