I didn’t even know I could get something like this. I wonder if I could hook this up to my power inverter in my car and cook while I drive.
Looks very much like the one at Costco being sold under the Aroma brand, also for $49.99.
This would be great for the RV!
[QUOTE=CowboyDann, post:2, topic:350468]
I didn’t even know I could get something like this. I wonder if I could hook this up to my power inverter in my car and cook while I drive.
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no problem, just don’t text while you’re doing it.
A portable stove, who would have thought. I would totally use this while tent camping.
Not a bad price at all if you don’t have a stove top. Seems great for a dorm room or maybe a hotel if you need to cook on the go.
Pretty good price. $70 + tax at Target.
I will have to look up what constitutes “induction compatible cookware.” Does anyone know?
We’ve used induction cook-tops at our house for years, including a single “burner” portable unit like this. Faster heating, surface gets cooler a bit faster than anything else. Hard for toddlers to turn on accidentally.
It works by using magnetism to heat the pot/pan; the cook-top itself only gets hot because a hot pot/pan is sitting on it. If you remove the pot/pan, it turns itself off after a few seconds.
One caveat: only magnetizable cookware will work with these. So no glass/ceramic pots or pans. Take a kitchen refrigerator magnet, and if it sticks to the pot/pan, you can use it with this. If not, not.
Replacing kitchen cooking appliance this summer. Somewhat confused about gas/electric/induction and which way to go.
It has struck me that getting a gas or electric range and ONE great free-standing induction unit might be the answer. Is this induction unit top-drawer? Is it powerful enough? Is it large enough? Is it a great performer in terms of whatever else I don’t know enough to ask about?
[QUOTE=Wholesaleforless, post:8, topic:350468]
Pretty good price. $70 + tax at Target.
I will have to look up what constitutes “induction compatible cookware.” Does anyone know?
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It has to be magnetizable. So if a magnet stick to the cookware, it will work. If not, it won’t.
In my arsenal of kitchen appliances, I have an induction hotplate too (though not this brand). As long as your cookware is magnetic, it’ll work. It’s almost as good as cooking with gas in regards to heat up time.
Cook’s Illustrated hasn’t rated this particular model, but has many good things to say about induction cooking:
Details on the particular units they did rate are behind a paywall, but you can read the rest of their overview of what makes a quality induction cooktop.
Where’d you get the pot? It’s cute.
Careful. You might be surprised at how much cookware isn’t “induction compatible.” I have several stainless steel pots that aren’t. Some people assume that steel=magnetic, but that’s not the case with some stainless steel alloys (unfortunately including the better ones, like 300-series often labeled 18/8 or 18/10). It also won’t work with most “hard anodized” cookware unless specified as induction safe, and obviously straight aluminum or glass is out. Copper won’t work either. In addition, some steel cookware has an aluminum disk at the base for better heat distribution, which can make the induction cooktop less effective.
Easy test (as mentioned above), go to your kitchen with a magnet and see if it sticks tight to the bottom (outside) of each of your pots and pans. Any that it doesn’t stick to won’t work at all, and any that it only sticks lightly to might not work very well.
If you must have an induction cooktop and are attached to your non-magnetic pans, there is such a thing as an induction interface disk, which you put on the cooktop, and then set your pot on top of the disk. What this basically does is more-or-less turn your induction cooktop into a normal electric cooktop though, meaning less efficiency, slower heating time, more heat retention, etc.
Otherwise, it’s safest to use cookware that’s actually labeled as induction compatible, and usually with a higher price tag to match, or use cast iron, 400-series stainless, etc.
[QUOTE=smartheart, post:10, topic:350468]
Replacing kitchen cooking appliance this summer. Somewhat confused about gas/electric/induction and which way to go.
It has struck me that getting a gas or electric range and ONE great free-standing induction unit might be the answer. Is this induction unit top-drawer? Is it powerful enough? Is it large enough? Is it a great performer in terms of whatever else I don’t know enough to ask about?
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What utility do you have in the kitchen right now? If you already have natural gas, stick with it because it’ll be cheaper to operate. If you have electric only, then the most cost effective approach will be the standard smoothtop plus one of these. It’s not going to replace any of the cooktop’s burners, but rather, supplement it in the speed aspect. Induction is much faster.
[QUOTE=CowboyDann, post:2, topic:350468]
I didn’t even know I could get something like this. I wonder if I could hook this up to my power inverter in my car and cook while I drive.
[/quote]
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I see three problems:
- This thing takes 1300 watts, most inverters/car electrical systems really can’t supply this.
- The cookware gets hot, the food gets hot; do you want a bunch of hot stuff in the car?
- The heat from the cookware does get the surface of the induction cooktop hot, so you’d have to wait for it to cool off (can take several minutes) before you can put other stuff on it, like your hand.
I’m tempted to get this, except I have to worry about a relative with an ICD (Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator), who I could keep from using it, but wouldn’t want to exclude from the kitchen area.
Any thoughts?
If I were on the Colony, this would be a godsend.
Amazon reviews here for a 3 piece set (this plus a pot).
http://www.amazon.com/Regal-Ware-3-Piece-Induction-Cooktop/product-reviews/B004HB358W/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
I’m debating, might be good with a toddler around.