Induction Cooktop?

[Katodude]

Patriot Plus. The cheapest one. You need to have power, but that is something I dont trust batteries to run. Also if I had to run it on a standard propane tank it would drive me crazy. Connected to the main propane line its amazing.

I have a 1/2 acre lot and one is supposed to clear and acre. So I bought two!!! We are an overkill house. I would say it gets rid of about 95% of the mosquitos.

 

[jseyfert3]

I moved from Ohio to Florida in 2015 and the Florida house had a gas stove which might be fine up north, but I felt like the stove and air conditioning were fighting it out! I quickly ran power to the kitchen and got an induction stove again. It is just the perfect cooktop! I can boil anything quickly and the cooktop never gets hotter than the pan. Cleanup is a breeze - just wipe it and you are good to go.

No, lots of cooking on a gas stove in the north in the summer isn't great either. Even here in lower Wisconsin we certainly have at least a few weeks of 90+ temps, and seeing 100 for at least a few days is a regular occurance. Gas stoves are generally considered 50% efficient or so, so you're putting twice the heat into your house as a 90%+ efficient electric stove (even the terrible coil electric stoves are around 90% efficient generally I think).

We would also need a larger tank and bury -- which we had quoted a few years ago around 4K, which seems like a lot before even filling it. Also, propane would certainly create project creep. Hey, the cooktop is gas -- we need to order a new double oven, and a water heater, and...

I think gas ovens are terrible! They put out loads and loads of heat. That's okay in the winter, but sucks in the summer when your AC is running. Electric ovens don't need ventilation, so they just have a small steam vent. But gas ovens need fresh air so every time the burner fires up it's loads of heat right out into your house. Way worse than any gas stovetop ever is. And all this doesn't mention the growing amount of research showing that unvented gas appliances are really not that great for your health.

If I had a choice, it would be electric ovens 100% of the time (unless I built a wood fired pizza oven or similar), then gas or induction cooktop. And I think I'd like induction more than gas, for the reasons mentioned by people here who have them.

 

[DAB942]

In a week and a half, I'll let you know it it's goes.

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

We currently have gas. When we had to order a new range I looked at induction due to the precise control over heat. I had to go back to gas after 2 local electricians quoted over $700 for the dedicated 50 amp, 240 volt circuit that was needed for the induction. I bought a GE 5 burner gas range and it is the worst range we have ever owned. I now wish I would have installed the induction and bit the bullet on cost.

 

[DAB942]

We currently have gas. When we had to order a new range I looked at induction due to the precise control over heat. I had to go back to gas after 2 local electricians quoted over $700 for the dedicated 50 amp, 240 volt circuit that was needed for the induction. I bought a GE 5 burner gas range and it is the worst range we have ever owned. I now wish I would have installed the induction and bit the bullet on cost.

We're already wired, since we couldn't have gas.

 

[DAB942]

The new cooktop will be delivered tomorrow -- I'm having installed on Monday. I installed the last cook top -- once is enough for me I'm going to replace an anodized griddle with cast iron -- I see the ones you can flip from griddle to grill. I can only imagine the air gap has an impact on induction, no?

 

[DAB942]

Installed it yesterday. All is well. Boils water FAST! This morning, my wife says "how to you launch this rocket?"

 

[jseyfert3]

How's the heat control? What's your overall thought on it so far?

 

[DAB942]

How's the heat control? What's your overall thought on it so far?

Welllll, I haven't done much on it. My wife has made eggs and we've cooked on the grill outside every night. My wife did struggle with the heat for eggs. She set it too low because the old one low was more like medium on the midsized burner. I will tell you it boils water FAST. That's the only thing i've done on it, so far -- that and telling my son to put his hand on it and then crank it up to powerboil.

 

[jseyfert3]

Welllll, I haven't done much on it. My wife has made eggs and we've cooked on the grill outside every night. My wife did struggle with the heat for eggs. She set it too low because the old one low was more like medium on the midsized burner. I will tell you it boils water FAST. That's the only thing i've done on it, so far -- that and telling my son to put his hand on it and then crank it up to powerboil.

Well, that's a really good sign actually. And somewhat expected. That means you have really low heat, and really high heat. And it should be controllable anywhere in between, with good consistency.

Lol on the last part, but I recommend making sure people you do that to don't have rings. Most rings are probably not affected, but more and more rings are made out of other metals besides silver and gold. Oh, and watches. Stainless watch bands would probably heat to some extent I would expect, and smart watches may not be happy.

 

[DAB942]

Well, that's a really good sign actually. And somewhat expected. That means you have really low heat, and really high heat. And it should be controllable anywhere in between, with good consistency.

Lol on the last part, but I recommend making sure people you do that to don't have rings. Most rings are probably not affected, but more and more rings are made out of other metals besides silver and gold. Oh, and watches. Stainless watch bands would probably heat to some extent I would expect, and smart watches may not be happy.

Great point. Yes, I do like that the heat can go true low. Our old unit even low was hot. It was nearly impossible to get the temp you wanted.

Side note: getting rid of the old one is a task. Charities and thrift shops around her won't take it. I DO NOT want to throw it in the dump. Going to put it up for free on FB. I'd rather give it to someone who needs it that throw it out.

 

[DorsalSpine]

We have had an induction cooktop for over a decade now. My wife loves it. It's very controllable and very fast. You need to be careful with anything ferrous in the induction field. It will heat up very quickly. Steel, some stainless, iron will all react. That's why you use a magnet to test cookware. My guess is the field will fry electronics both literally and figuratively.

We use induction at work to heat treat steel and to braze carbide. A 1" steel rod in an induction ring will go from room temp to 1,300 degrees in about 30 seconds.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Side note: getting rid of the old one is a task. Charities and thrift shops around her won't take it. I DO NOT want to throw it in the dump. Going to put it up for free on FB. I'd rather give it to someone who needs it that throw it out.

I you are still having trouble getting rid of it, see if you have a Habitat for Humanity in your area. They should take it. When I remodeled my home, I donated all of the old flat panel doors, several vanities, and countless light fixtures.

--Jeff