Induction cooktop?

[Treedbear]

I'm thinking of redoing my kitchen counters/cabinets and if I do it will be a good excuse to get a new cooktop. I have the same Thermador 4 burner electric coil-type that's been there since the house was built in 1956. I could replace burners but that seems like throwing good money after bad. I've been reading about induction cooktops for the past few years and they still get complaints about high noise levels both from the internal cooling fan and from some weird interaction between the high frequency magnetic field and the pan. The latter seems to occur unpredictably depending on the individual installation. But it seems like it might have to do with the pan construction. Specifically the way often high end cookware has multiple layers of various metals to provide more even heating. The least risky choice seems to be solid cast iron and so I'm thinking of buying a cheap enamel coated cast iron skillet and one of those single burner induction cooktops and seeing how it performs. Probably doesn't guarantee how the final choice will perform but it's probably a prudent first step. BTW I know gas is the best but I'm not on the grid and can't afford my own tank. I'm also aware I'll need to replace all of my old pots and pans that go back almost as far as the stove except for a few cast iron Dutch ovens I purchased recently. Anyway, I was hoping someone would say they've been using an induction cooktop for years with cast iron cookware and they absolutely love it. Potentially they can have all the advantages of gas as well as being more efficient since all the energy goes into the pan instead into the air around it, needlessly heating up the kitchen.

 

[Worldtraveller]

I prefer a flat top, but non-induction, type cooking surface. We have two single burner plug in induction 'hot plates' that we can use for cooking when we want, but it's nice to not to have to find the right pot, or replace most of our existing ones, for every day cooking.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I'm thinking of redoing my kitchen counters/cabinets and if I do it will be a good excuse to get a new cooktop. I have the same Thermador 4 burner electric coil-type that's been there since the house was built in 1956. I could replace burners but that seems like throwing good money after bad. I've been reading about induction cooktops for the past few years and they still get complaints about high noise levels both from the internal cooling fan and from some weird interaction between the high frequency magnetic field and the pan. The latter seems to occur unpredictably depending on the individual installation. But it seems like it might have to do with the pan construction. Specifically the way often high end cookware has multiple layers of various metals to provide more even heating. The least risky choice seems to be solid cast iron and so I'm thinking of buying a cheap enamel coated cast iron skillet and one of those single burner induction cooktops and seeing how it performs. Probably doesn't guarantee how the final choice will perform but it's probably a prudent first step. BTW I know gas is the best but I'm not on the grid and can't afford my own tank. I'm also aware I'll need to replace all of my old pots and pans that go back almost as far as the stove except for a few cast iron Dutch ovens I purchased recently. Anyway, I was hoping someone would say they've been using an induction cooktop for years with cast iron cookware and they absolutely love it. Potentially they can have all the advantages of gas as well as being more efficient since all the energy goes into the pan instead into the air around it, needlessly heating up the kitchen.

Induction will get the job done, but there is a learning curve! The question is, is it worth it? What is induction providing that makes it a better option? It is cool, but it costs more money, requires special pans, and different cooking style, It is still using electricity, and is it really necessary that the bottom of the burner isn't hot? For the premium you pay that is.

Also, as an FYI, electric cooktops are "greener".

As a side note, I have no idea what the wiring is for your current electric stove, but you might need to update that for a new stovetop.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

We have a gas range/stove that is part of the kitchen. But I love to use my electric skillet that is so convenient, so portable, so enclosed. It's like a slow cooker without the crock, and it can be used at temps up to 400 degrees. Never even heard of induction stoves.

 

[Treedbear]

...
Induction will get the job done, but there is a learning curve! The question is, is it worth it? What is induction providing that makes it a better option? It is cool, but it costs more money, requires special pans, and different cooking style, It is still using electricity, and is it really necessary that the bottom of the burner isn't hot? For the premium you pay that is.

Also, as an FYI, electric cooktops are "greener".

As a side note, I have no idea what the wiring is for your current electric stove, but you might need to update that for a new stovetop.

Thanks for the feedback. From what I've been reading induction is similar to gas in that it responds very quickly. All the energy goes into the cookware. Of course cast iron cookware responds slowly. Only steel, stainless steel, and laminated stainless steel respond quickly. The good and bad of that is that at low power levels the burner goes into the pulse mode so it's not necessarily a completely steady temp. But I think gas burners use the same technique. The better burners have more power levels so they approach the low simmer capabilities of gas. Like if you want to melt chocolate. At high power settings people say they'll boil water much faster than old style electric burners.

My pots and pans probably average 40 years old except for 3 enameled cast iron Dutch ovens. Yeah, I'm due for new cookware, and laminated stainless steel seems like the best bet. One thing to worry about is that some reviewers complain about annoying noise levels caused by the cookware. The burners have small fans for cooling the electronics, but they're not usually very loud. The problem is that the cookware itself resonates at high frequencies due to the magnetic field that produces the heating. It seems to be caused by the laminations within the pans that are there to create a more uniform heat distribution. So what I'm looking into is a company called True Induction that sells cooktops as well as a line of induction-ready cookware at reasonable prices. Amazon reviews look very positive. That's the other thing I learned from the reviews is that there are dozens of small companies making induction burners, and there are lots of disappointed customers when it comes to performance, reliability and support. So be careful. Even the big guys don't seem to give full satisfaction.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, it doesn't heat up the kitchen as much in summer. And my cooking style is getting kind of cramped anyway since my 64 year old 4 burner Thermador electric coil cooktop is down to 2 burners, one of which only works kind of on the two highest settings. Finding replacement parts that fit is hit-or-miss. I'd go for gas but my neighborhood doesn't even have city water and sewers. And I don't see how the old coil types are greener since half the heat never reaches the cookware. Lastly, my current cooktop has 220 wiring. Only the higher powered induction units need that. Like 3200 watts. I'm thinking of trying a single 1600 or 1800 watt unit. Supposedly these boil water faster than any standard electric burner. And reviewers say they can use it for melting chocolate. Not that I'll be melting chocolate, but it's a kind of benchmark test for how adjustable the simmer is. So I might need to run a few 120 volt, 20 amp lines. I can do that myself. My panel has room for another 18 breakers and it's located very close to the kitchen.

The setup I'm considering is made by True Induction and would cost about $600 or $700 for four burners, either as a single cooktop or 4 separate burners, plus a set of 6 stainless steel pots and pans of the same brand that's going for $339 (and can be purchased separately for about the same price). So I don't need to worry about spending a ton of money only to find out they produce weird noises and are unusable. People have done that! Actually that worry was the main reason I held off so long on making a decision. But now that I think I've found a product line that's satisfactory on all counts I'll still have the option to start by buying just one burner and one skillet to see what they're really like. Then adding more pieces depending on how powerful they turn out to be and how well I like the cookware. I really need a new skillet anyway. My ole non-stick ones are a hazard. You might say I already have a very 'different' style of cooking.

 

[Treedbear]

Update. I took the plunge a couple weeks ago and purchased 3 True induction brand 1800 watt single burner "drop-in" induction burners. Also bought their set of multi-clad stainless steel pots and pans. Ordered them all through Home Depot since they have a very easy return policy. I can just bring it back to them and not have to deal with the manufacturer. But I was extra careful with testing them all out so I'd have no qualms about returning them if I wasn't completely satisfied. I took each piece through its paces by boiling a liter of water using the various settings. No troubling noises, which was my first worry. The burners have a cooling fan that's a bit loud, but that will be damped down to nothing once I have them mounted in the counter top. Right now they're sitting on their 4 rubber feet on top of the counter. I have some pics below of the old cooktop and the new ones as I'm planning to lay things out, including one of my counter top ovens. My wall mount oven burned out several years ago, and since I just cook for me I find the small oven very convenient and energy efficient. I'll have two in that location, with one mounted above the other. I'll also need to replace all the cabinetry (obviously) as well as move the existing hood to the left. I also plan to replace the tiny cutting board/food prep area with a 3 foot wide butcher block counter where the sink is now. In place of the existing cutting board I'll make room for a 24" wide by 18" deep stainless steel cart that can be moved out to access the under-counter storage space in the corner. That will also allow better access to the left-most burner and provide a landing area for hot pots and pans. The sink (just visible on the left) will be moved to the left side of the butcher block. It just makes sense to have the food prep area, rather than the sink, underneath the window that's there, as well as being closest to the cooktop.

It takes 4.5 to 5 minutes to boil a liter of water with the new burners compared to 7 minutes with my old cooktop. That's really a big advantage. And the response is instantaneous. As far as weird noises goes there's definitely some interaction with the multi-clad in the pans. There are 10 power levels and anything below 5 you can hear a faint clicking as the unit pulses on and off. At 5 and above the power is on continuously. If I set it to 10 it does make a bit of a humming noise (like an electrical transformer does when under load) as it's about to reach the boiling point, and then it quiets right down again. So no problem. Performance is the same with all 3 burners and all 6 of the SS pots and pans. And my two cast iron Dutch ovens make no noise at all. The cookware set is really very nice. Magnetic stainless on the outside, surgical grade stainless on the inside, and aluminum laminated between them and extending all the way up the sides. Very comfortable and well fastened handles that stay perfectly cool. And uniquely the rivets don't go through the side of the pot so the insides are completely smooth and clear. They're riveted instead to a flange that extends from the top rim. They're a bit on the heavy side but that means quality materials. The set comes with a 5L pot, 3L pot, 1.5L pot, 10" skillet, 8.5" skillet, a 12" wok, and 4 glass lids. So I'm ready for anything that comes along. But obviously I have my work cut out for me to get it all completed. In the meantime the kitchen is a complete mess. Damage so far is $390 for the 3 burners and $339 for the cookware.