Making the Switch to Induction - Tips For Newbies
- Thread starter Shutterbug57
- Start date
WOW...that was pretty cool.
So it's not a myth? Maybe online rumor would have been a better choice of words. I had read a few reports saying when you remove the cookware, the cooktop will be quite warm from heat transfer.
Again, I have zero experience with them yet, just reading online.
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I will check into that.
The issue with gas ovens is they have moist heat which is good for some things and death for others. That's why there are gas convention ovens (to help move the air and dry it out).
Our first kitchen remodel I went with a gas cook top and a double electric wall oven.
This last two times I used a gas "stove" which has a gas oven (no convection). I don't do that much baking to make it worth wile to spend more for a convection gas or an all electric oven.
Yea if you do go gas, just get the cooktop, and a separate electric oven. I think they make ranges that have gas tops and electric ovens underneath.
In my experience with induction, the top does transfer some of the heat from the pan. I wouldn't stick my hand on the element immediately after removing a pot of boiling water. It doesn't stay hot that long though.
My inlaws induction unfit gets a lot if use. Cast iron, pots and pans of all shapes and sizes. From what I've experienced, the pan does not have to match up exactly with the eye. Actually it's probably much less of a concern than with gas or electric. We put a large oval roasting pan on the largest eye to make a gravy from the turkey drippings this past thanksgiving.
In my experience with induction, the top does transfer some of the heat from the pan. I wouldn't stick my hand on the element immediately after removing a pot of boiling water. It doesn't stay hot that long though.
My inlaws induction unfit gets a lot if use. Cast iron, pots and pans of all shapes and sizes. From what I've experienced, the pan does not have to match up exactly with the eye. Actually it's probably much less of a concern than with gas or electric. We put a large oval roasting pan on the largest eye to make a gravy from the turkey drippings this past thanksgiving.
For some odd reason the last frame of that video reminded me of Bertha Roentgen.
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- Thread starter
- #27
OK, the installers got done about 50 minutes ago. After cleaning up, I have had the chance to run one test and so far am very pleased. The test was bringing 5 quarts of water to boil in my pasta pot with the pasta strainer in the pot. The pot is a Williams Sonoma 8 quart pot with the flat bottom that is, obviously, induction compatible. I had to buy it last week as my old Williams Sonoma pasta pots had aluminum bases which won't work on the induction cooktop.
The test results were - 5 quarts of water brought to a rolling full boil in 8 minutes & 44 seconds. I am used to having to use a calendar to plan my meal when boiling pasta water. The old cooktop took roughly 45 minutes to bring pasta water to a boil, not a full boil, and it frequently would not return to a boil after putting the pasta in the pot. Test 1 is a huge win for the new technology.
ETA - for the record, at the start of the test the pot was at room temperature and the water was cold from the tap.
Many of you asked for pics, so here they are. The first is the old cooktop followed by the new top. From a cosmetic standpoint, there is not a whole lot of difference. The biggest apparent difference is the knobs on the old cooktop versus the iPad type controls on the new one.
The old cooktop. The white sticker is just a reminder of which settings on the burner work, 4,5,8 & 9 out of a 10 position switch worked. The back two burners did not work at all and the front left burner was fully functional.
The new cooktop. The model is KitchenAid KICU509XBL.
The test results were - 5 quarts of water brought to a rolling full boil in 8 minutes & 44 seconds. I am used to having to use a calendar to plan my meal when boiling pasta water. The old cooktop took roughly 45 minutes to bring pasta water to a boil, not a full boil, and it frequently would not return to a boil after putting the pasta in the pot. Test 1 is a huge win for the new technology.
ETA - for the record, at the start of the test the pot was at room temperature and the water was cold from the tap.
Many of you asked for pics, so here they are. The first is the old cooktop followed by the new top. From a cosmetic standpoint, there is not a whole lot of difference. The biggest apparent difference is the knobs on the old cooktop versus the iPad type controls on the new one.
The old cooktop. The white sticker is just a reminder of which settings on the burner work, 4,5,8 & 9 out of a 10 position switch worked. The back two burners did not work at all and the front left burner was fully functional.
The new cooktop. The model is KitchenAid KICU509XBL.
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Awesome...and glad to hear it passed your first test with flying colors.
- Thread starter
- #29
After trying this, I am not sure I would quite go as far as myth. At the demo in the showroom, the sales guy put a paper towel between the burner and the pot when he boiled water, there was no scorching. When I brought a pot of 5 quarts to a boil and then removed the pot from the cooktop, the burner was too warm to touch for any time, but I could do a quick touch without pain or burning. It was easy to touch pretty quickly, but I did not time that. I would guess about 5 minutes, maybe less. So, if you have an adventurous young one around, they could possibly get burned, but they should have enough warning to remove their hand from the hot spot before they are seriously injured.
Wow, that is fast. Do they make combination gas/induction tops?
So if you turn an element on, forget it, don't put a pan on it, does it get hot/warm? I'm guessing not and the heat from touching it after a pan is removed, is the heat transfer from pan back to element? The same way a stainless steel countertop surface would be hot to the touch if I put a scorching hot pan on it and let is sit there for 10 minutes and then removed it and touched where it was. If that makes sense.
Either way, I am really looking forward to ours. If for nothing else, then the efficiency of it.
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- #32
No. If you turn the unit on and do nothing, it turns off in 1 minute. If you turn a burner on without a pot/pan, it does nothing and turns off in 1 minute. If you remove a pot/pan from the burner, it quits trying to heat the pot/pan and if you return the pot/pan to the burner in less than a minute, it resumes. If you don't, it turns off.
You can probably find the owners manual for your unit online. It could give you specifics for your unit.
- Thread starter
- #33
I have not seen any, but that does not mean they don't exist.
Thanks. You unit looks and sound great.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of it after a few weeks of cooking with it.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of it after a few weeks of cooking with it.
Thanks Shutterbug for posting your review and pictures. Your unit looks fantastic and I cannot wait to hear how it performs in the long run. Maybe several meals later.
45min to boil water is an awfully long time.
That auto-off feature is impressive for sure.
45min to boil water is an awfully long time.
That auto-off feature is impressive for sure.
- Thread starter
- #36
The old unit only had 2 burners left that worked at all. The large burner in the back left was the most powerful burner, but it had been out for a few years. When it worked, it still took at least 20 minutes to boil pasta water.
That is a nice modern looking cook top.
If it works have as nice as it looks you have a winner there
If it works have as nice as it looks you have a winner there
How delicate are the induction tops? My one worry would be in using cast iron, which is what I grab most of the time.
We move into a new house in a couple of weeks that has a electric cook top. I've used them in the past and don't like them. We'll be looking to put in a new unit and the concern I have seems to be similar to most regarding scratching an induction cook top. I haven't done much reading of reviews of users who have had these units for some time so am not sure if this concern is warranted or not.
The picture above of Shutterbugs unit looks great.
The picture above of Shutterbugs unit looks great.
I'm pretty sure induction tops are metal. At least they aren't glass.
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