Induction kit

[Titan]

A bit off topic this and not what you might be expecting.,,
We need a new kitchen cooker and are considering an electric induction model as a replacement for the existing halogen/ceramic one.
Do any of you use induction hobs?
How good are they for eg frying steaks?


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[hard top]

Cooking on gas mate, otherwise, how do you want your eggs (ass the add used to go) nuked or boiled........

 

[r37]

Dont have one myself but have cooked on one in the past. The only real difference is that you need to use a special sort of pan for starters that has a thick metal base because thinner ones either dont heat up or heat too much and burn everything in the pan, other than that its the same as a normal halogen one.

 

[Titan]

The only real difference is that you need to use a special sort of pan for starters

What about main course and dessert ?




(sorry - couldn't resist that one)

 

[MAURICE THE MARTIAN]

A bit off topic this and not what you might be expecting.,,
We need a new kitchen cooker and are considering an electric induction model as a replacement for the existing halogen/ceramic one.
Do any of you use induction hobs?
How good are they for eg frying steaks?


Sent from m'iPhone using Tapatalk

Perhaps we should start a new topic-The Joy of Cooking
Or in my case the joy of Eating

 

[Snoops]

No personal experience of them but we're looking for a new cooker too and it is definately one to consider.

Found THIS ARTICLE but the main points are below. Written in June 2010 so prices will be out but technical part will still be relevant. Only thing with us is we like to cook with a wok so was looking at wok burner option and you can't do that style of cooking with induction.... and no, before you come back with one of your quips Titan - we don't cook everything in a wok !!!

My original list of disadvantages to induction was as follows:

your pans have to be magnetic (you can actually test them with a magnet) so copper or aluminium pans (which you might have already) won't work.
you can't pre-heat the pan in order to, for instance, seal meat quickly. It's a safety feature that most induction rings won't work with an empty pan.
induction hobs tend to be expensive
you need to be careful if you have a heart pacemaker (check with the manufacturer). If you get too close you may find your heart rate speeding up and slowing down, in tune with your cooking


It's still true that your pans have to be magnetic - but most new pans, these days, have some magnetic material introduced into the base (even copper and aluminium ones) ... precisely in order to make them suitable for induction hobs.

It's also still true that you should avoid induction hobs if you have a heart pacemaker.

I have revised my opinion a bit, though, when it comes to pre-heating pans. I recently visited Bunny Appliance Warehouse and met Carol Potter, a home economist with Britannia, who was doing a cooking demonstration. I had an interesting discussion with her, and one of Bunny's customers, about induction vs gas hobs.

Carol uses an induction hob, when she's cooking at home, and she reckons there's no problem with pre-heating pans for quickly sealing meat and fish. It is true that you can't leave an empty pan on an induction hob for several minutes, whilst it gets hot (because of the safety cut out) ... but you don't need to. People forget just how quickly induction rings heat up. Put your pan on the hob, switch it on and, after a few seconds, put in your steaks ... they'll be sizzling in no time at all.

The disadvantage of induction is in the fact that the pan has to be kept flat on the hob. If you're a cook who likes to mix and stir - or flip oil over your fried eggs - with the pan at an angle ... then you might not like induction. You'd have to consider whether or not you could change your cooking habits.

Another thing to be careful of, is how your induction hob is to be fitted (which I only just touched upon before). Because they're quite thick (50-60cm) and need good ventilation (because of the overheating cut out) ... they can't usually be fitted above a double, built under oven (a single one is fine) or into a thin worktop (check with your kitchen supplier).

The advantages of induction hobs are:

they are very much more energy efficient than gas hobs (good for both your pocket and the planet)
they heat up a pan of water very quickly indeed
they are very controllable. A pan can easily be held at simmering point and the heat can be reduced at lightning speed once a pan reaches boiling point
the hob itself doesn't get hot (apart from heat transferred from the pan) - which makes it safer - and easier to clean
many have a "keep warm" function - if your meal is delayed


So what about that final disadvantage - the high price? And what new models have become available since I last reviewed induction hobs?

Well, the cheapest 4-ring gas hob you can buy is going to cost you around £160. You're not going to get an induction hob for that sort of price. When I wrote two years ago, I said that the price of an induction hob started at about £350. That would have been for a 4-ring, 60cm hob, with knob controls.

Looking today - the best value 60cm induction hob is this Fagor IF-64R - which is £305 at Appliance City.

 

[Boysie]

I think out of the frying pan into the fire with one of
those new contraptions

 

[zedonist]

you cant beat a good Gas Hob, get a five ring with a wok burner, just so much more versatile than any electric hob.

I would not recommend Aluminium pans either, see Alzheimers, i would use good sturdy cast (steel / iron) pots and pans they distribute and hold the heat much better and some of the coatings on the market make cleaning much easier.

Another tip, buy a good set of Ceramic chef's knifes, they come sharp and stay sharp, a sharp knife is a chefs best friend.

P.S. Holding a dry piece of bread in your mouth while peeling onions stops you crying................