Induction Cooktops

[gfweb]

When one looks at the pattern of induction heating/scorching on the bottom of I-friendly pans (posted somewhere on here) there is a clear limitation of the heating to the zone over the coil. The rest of the ferrous pan bottom didn't heat that much.

Therefore, it stands to reason that the side of the pan need not be magnetic and would have no influence on the efficiency other than to conduct the heat from the center.

Chris, did you happen to take the temp of the oil?

Edited April 26, 2011 by gfweb (log)

[dougal]

...

Therefore, it stands to reason that the side of the pan need not be magnetic and would have no influence on the efficiency other than to conduct the heat from the center.

...

The sides simply indicate what material is actually in contact with the food, and whether that is different to the exterior of the base.

My suggestion was that the food could be exposed to higher maximum temperatures in a pan that was NOT mounted on top of a distinct 'induction heatable' base, but that higher localised temperatures could be produced in a simple all-ferromagnetic pan.

Obviously, the pan's heat-shedding capability also matters - a bigger pan (more surface area) would be expected to lose more heat than a smaller one (other things being equal), and thus a bigger-than-optimal pan would equilibrate at a lower maximum temperature.

For most cooking, evening out the heating across the pan base is a highly desirable goal. And so any "flame-tamer" effect is a positive benefit.

But for pan-searing, its about hitting the highest temperature, and a "flame-tamer" effect would be unhelpful.

If you want to partially "char" the food surface, you need temperatures rather higher than the smoke point of normal cooking oils.

In pre-sv times, I never had any problem char-grilling in a ridged-base cast iron pan on a 4-burner induction cooktop. Unfortunately, I don't have the wattage figures to hand for comparison.

[Franci]

Hi.

I've been owning a Sauter induction cooktop since last August. Two days ago I simmered a veal stock for 12 hours, yesterday that burner blew off. Do you think it's normal?

I think I should be able to use my stove for as long as I want.

[Mano]

Go to Garden Web Appliance forum and search induction and then Viking. Tons of posts on both and nothing I recall about problems with induction reliability.

Viking is another story.

[andiesenji]

In yesterday's email from Kitchen Contraptions is this review of Induction Stoves

And there is then a link to Joy of an Induction Stove

which answers some basic questions.

[CharlotteLuck]

Hello All,

I am new to the society and have been reading different posts for months. I can't wait to join in the very informative dialogues. I want to use induction burners in a restaurant I'm am planning to open and I'm curious about the usability of induction burners. I have a couple of questions:

1. How feasible is it to use home induction ranges in a restaurant? The Best Buy guy seems to think so. LOL

2. Has anybody worked on an full induction range during service?

They seem to be a better option for keeping the kitchen cool, consistent heat, and overall safety. But I'm not sure if induction would be good during an intense service.

[Mjx]

Hello All,

I am new to the society and have been reading different posts for months. I can't wait to join in the very informative dialogues. I want to use induction burners in a restaurant I'm am planning to open and I'm curious about the usability of induction burners. I have a couple of questions:

1. How feasible is it to use home induction ranges in a restaurant? The Best Buy guy seems to think so. LOL

2. Has anybody worked on an full induction range during service?

They seem to be a better option for keeping the kitchen cool, consistent heat, and overall safety. But I'm not sure if induction would be good during an intense service.

I'd have significant reservations about using any sort of home unit in a restaurant setting; are commercial induction ranges available? If not, there may be good reason for it, and it would at least be worth investigating carefully.

[nickrey]

Tetsuya Wakuda, who features relatively regularly among the world's top chefs, uses induction cook tops in his restaurant (Electrolux brand). Can't find the post off hand but Blackp, a member of this site, asked Tets if the response was slow. In response, Tets grabbed his hand, put it in a cold pan on the induction plate, turned it on and asked if he still thought the response might be slow (it wasn't and he didn't). Seems the response speed is as good as if not better than gas. Google Tetsuya and Electrolux to check out some of the info.

[_john]

I use a 2 hob induction range during service where there is no hood above. It is a 200v 2kw range made by some big Japanese maker. There are some situations in a restaurant where an induction burner is really nice to have. It is really powerful and the response is fast. I have never had a problem with 200v induction burners. The two single hob 100v burners I had in my house both broke within a year and were constantly shutting down (overheating?).

[andiesenji]

Hello All,

I am new to the society and have been reading different posts for months. I can't wait to join in the very informative dialogues. I want to use induction burners in a restaurant I'm am planning to open and I'm curious about the usability of induction burners. I have a couple of questions:

1. How feasible is it to use home induction ranges in a restaurant? The Best Buy guy seems to think so. LOL

2. Has anybody worked on an full induction range during service?

They seem to be a better option for keeping the kitchen cool, consistent heat, and overall safety. But I'm not sure if induction would be good during an intense service.

There is a Japanese restaurant in Palmdale that nor uses the portable induction burners when cooking sukiyaki at tableside - they began this three or four years ago to get a reduction on their insurance rates. Having "open flames" in the guest area increased the premiums significantly - the female servers wear traditional kimonos and those trailing sleeves were considered dangerous when used with conventional braziers.

I had been to the place several times during the past fifteen or so years and commented on the induction burners and got the story.

They may well use it for other dishes but I always get the sukiyaki...

Edited February 14, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[mkayahara]

There is a Japanese restaurant in Palmdale that nor uses the portable induction burners when cooking sukiyaki at tableside - they began this three or four years ago to get a reduction on their insurance rates. Having "open flames" in the guest area increased the premiums significantly - the female servers wear traditional kimonos and those trailing sleeves were considered dangerous when used with conventional braziers.

I had been to the place several times during the past fifteen or so years and commented on the induction burners and got the story.

They may well use it for other dishes but I always get the sukiyaki...

So they work well? I've been considering an induction hot plate, and being able to use it for nabemono would by a big selling feature for me. (Yes, I realize they wouldn't work with traditional nabe, but since I don't have one, I don't mind.)

[cbread]

I'd be asking a restaurant supply place I trust whether induction hobs were any good for commercial kitchen use. That is if you have a supplier you can trust. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[CharlotteLuck]

Tetsuya Wakuda, who features relatively regularly among the world's top chefs, uses induction cook tops in his restaurant (Electrolux brand).

I went online and did some research on Tetsuyas kitchen and elecrolux and couldn't find any specifics. I want to see if I can see his restaurant kitchen layout. He does a lot of home kitchen design with some pretty high end stuff. I really think they will be worth the money invested if they are durable. I could always use gas and induction on the line as well.

[quattro98]

I'm sure there are others, but Cooktek makes commercial induction cookers.

http://www.cooktek.com/

[Joe Blowe]

I'm sure there are others, but Cooktek makes commercial induction cookers.

Why, yes, you are correct...

[Dave Hatfield]

We have an induction cook top from Ariston that we inherited when we bough this house 18 months ago.

I have always been a confirmed gas user, but getting gas in this location would have been both difficult & expensive.

The only problem I have with our induction cook top is that the controls don't seem to be very linear. They are touch controls that go from 0 to 6 with nothing in between. The difference between 5 & 6 is far too large. The difference between other setting is also too coarse.

I miss the 'infinite' control I had on my gas cooker.

Otherwuse induction is fine.

[carlux]

I have a Miele induction cooktop which goes from 0-9, (plusa booster control for a quick start) and I love it. I havent noticed a great jump between any one setting to othe other. What I particularly like is that I know, and can go back to, a particular setting for a particular dish, which is more difficult with gas. In my part of rural France I too can't get 'town gas' but I think I would still choose induction.

[JBailey]

My CookTek MC-1800 stopped over the weekend. It is maybe one of my most used appliances in the ktichen. Fortunately, I had another as backup.

May I say that it is such a pleasure to deal with a company who is headquartered and manufacturing in the US. They were so helpful having someone right at their headquarters on the help desk. They took care and concern with my problem and came up with a terrific resolution. If you are looking for an induction hob, certainly consider CookTek. I am a most satisified customer.

[lindag]

It seems that Induction, that was all the rage, is now fading in popularity. Anyone have any thoughts about this?

I've never cooked with induction but I'd love to experience it.

[rotuts]

its easy to get a single 'burner' induction 'plate' at amazon. I did $ 77 or so

love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Max-Burton-6000-1800-Watt-Induction/dp/B000MVN1M6/ref=sr_1_1/181-2256954-4658402?ie=UTF8&qid=1392564598&sr=8-1&keywords=burton+induction

[rotuts]

I cant find the sale section, but Ive had a bit of some computer 'burps' for a bit:

 

 

this is where I get my Mac hardware and this came up:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896268058

 

I have an induction top

 

know nothing about this one

 

but i thought id put it out there.

 

Cheers

 

Happy Cooking !

 

may your OS not #$OY#$@#(T^@#$%@#^

 

[Smithy]

Wow, that's a great price if the setup works as advertised.  $50 for the induction unit and the pot?

 

I don't need it, but this is very tempting.

[rotuts]

if you dont have one, get this one.  once you go Induction, well, that pretty much it !

 

50 bucks?  a case of Tj's lower shelf ?

 

6 bott's of Tj's mid- shelf ?

 

one bott of of upper shelf ?

 

[FauxPas]

It's a pretty good price. I bought one for about $69 through Target - the Aroma. I think they would be fairly similar though the Rosewill seems a bit better. The Rosewill has 8 heat settings, the Aroma has 7. Also mine is only 1500 watts, while the Rosewill is 1800. And the Rosewill allows you to set either by wattage or temp, the Aroma just gives you a setting of Warm, or 1 - 6. 

 

The Aroma single cooktop was my introduction to induction cooking and I love it. I might get a full-size induction cooktop soon, as a result. 

 

If you are interested in trying out induction for the first time, $50 is a great intro price. 

 

More reviews at Amazon, where the price is a bit higher (note that people say the pot that comes with it is pretty crappy):

 

Rosewill 1800 watt induction cooker

Edited April 20, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[Dave the Cook]

I don't have any experience with this unit, but I just finished building a computer that incorporated a number of components made or OEM'd by Rosewill. I was impressed with the quality, fit and finish. Seems like a solid company.