On 1/2/2024 at 7:27 AM, chromedome said:I just tripped across an interesting wrinkle on the whole theme of induction cooktops that's targeting the (substantial) number of households that aren't capable of supporting full-power induction without electrical upgrades. Their solution? Battery storage within the appliance, so the induction coil is powered directly from the battery (ie, wattage not limited by 120V wiring) and the direct electrical connection is used only for charging. Apparently at least one or two other startups are pursuing similar solutions.
https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/bto-peer-2023-copper-street.pdf
I believe that's how the upcoming Impulse cooktop works:
https://www.impulselabs.com
I'm not sure that $5500 for a 30" cooktop really addresses the segment of the market that's looking to avoid the cost of a 240v circuit, though they claim a significant percentage may be covered by tax incentives. Also looks like it's way too big to put an oven underneath.
The 10kw peak output per burner is intriguing, though — presumably a boost mode, but they claim to be able to boil a liter of water in 40 seconds.
If I had rooftop solar, this would definitely be an interesting option.
