What to look for in an induction hob...?
What to look for in an induction hob...?
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Discussion

Luca Brazzi

Original Poster:

3,983 posts

294 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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As per the title.....what are the key things, stats, etc to look for when looking to buy an induction hob?

Power ? Total or per area?
I'd be looking at a five 'burner'.

Best brands?
Price up to £1,200.

Is fitting a simple process, for an electrician, if there is an electric hob currently in place?

What things should I consider?

Thanks folks, for your thoughts and advice.

alock

4,551 posts

240 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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First, make sure no one who uses your kitchen has a pace maker. They don't mix.

We went with Neff flex induction. This provides fewer but larger areas. Each of our two zones has two separate temperature areas but could take 4 small pans (for a total of 8 across both zones).

rdjohn

7,153 posts

224 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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I am certainly no Mr DIY man, but I fitted ours quite easily.

Like wiring a plug with the main electricity off, plus a jigsaw to enlarge the hole, a little. Obviously next to impossible if you already have granite worktops. That was probably 5 years ago and it seems to work faultlessly

The hole and depth size were our limiting criteria so we ended up with a De Dietrich, which works brilliantly. One nice and useful touch is an inbuilt countdown timer which turns the plate off if you are simmering for a while. It has electrostatic switches that cut-out if they get wet from a pan boiling over, so switch location will be important when I buy another.

The change is well worth the effort.

Flibble

6,538 posts

210 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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Both total and per area can be important. You need good per area power to get things hot (obviously), but also total power is important if you want multiple pans on high heat. Mine has a limit on power drawn by rings per side, so for instance you can't have both the front left and back left rings on full power. But you can have both front rings on full power. It's something that is worth finding out if you can (and if you cook with lots of pans).

As above, fitting to an existing hole and with existing wiring is really easy. Only need an electrician if you need the existing spur replacing or upgrading.

Luca Brazzi

Original Poster:

3,983 posts

294 months

Monday 9th February 2015
quotequote all
Great feedback everyone...thank you very much.

Anyone disappointed with switching to induction ?

Super Slo Mo

5,374 posts

227 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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No, absolutely love Induction. We had gas before, it's a step up in terms of performance, controllability and cleaning. It also seems cheaper to run if that's a consideration.

PedroB

512 posts

161 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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The house we've just bought has a Neff induction hob. I've always used gas and was apprehensive about the induction.

Took a bit of getting used to, but love it now. The only thing it isn't great for is stir-fry/wok cooking as the contact area is so tiny. If I was speccing a kitchen I'd have induction but add a single gas burner with a wok cradle next to it, a bit like this: http://www.cookercentre.com/wp-content/uploads/201...

Pferdestarke

7,192 posts

216 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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I have Neff flex induction 90cm here. So four flex zones which can be paired, and a central high output burner.

It's very powerful but more importantly very controllable.

They should ideally have their own dedicated feed and be on an isolation switch as occasionally they need resetting.

The one we'd all like is this beauty from Gaggenau but it's around £3.5k last time I looked.

http://youtu.be/UfZnZlWiZqE

HotJambalaya

2,087 posts

209 months

Monday 9th February 2015
quotequote all
Pferdestarke said:
I have Neff flex induction 90cm here. So four flex zones which can be paired, and a central high output burner.

It's very powerful but more importantly very controllable.

They should ideally have their own dedicated feed and be on an isolation switch as occasionally they need resetting.

The one we'd all like is this beauty from Gaggenau but it's around £3.5k last time I looked.

http://youtu.be/UfZnZlWiZqE
Damn thats amazing.

Is this a common function on induction hobs? -The ability to just plonk the pans down anywhere?

Luca Brazzi

Original Poster:

3,983 posts

294 months

Monday 9th February 2015
quotequote all
Pferdestarke said:
The one we'd all like is this beauty from Gaggenau but it's around £3.5k last time I looked.

http://youtu.be/UfZnZlWiZqE
Wow. Just wow ! Serious want.

Shaolin

2,955 posts

218 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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HotJambalaya said:
Is this a common function on induction hobs? -The ability to just plonk the pans down anywhere?
No, most have rings marked on the surface and function like other cookers in this regard.

In respect of power supply, I thought we would have to upgrade ours for our induction hob cooker to a 45 amp supply, but when I had a closer look, it was already of the right spec, not a modern house or recent re-wire either. You can tell the power capability by the diameter of the copper wires, can't remember what it is now, readily googleable.

Burwood

18,718 posts

275 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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Super Slo Mo said:
No, absolutely love Induction. We had gas before, it's a step up in terms of performance, controllability and cleaning. It also seems cheaper to run if that's a consideration.
do you need special pots/pans. Yeas ago you did. Id be keen if i didnt have to change my kitchen gear

Pferdestarke

7,192 posts

216 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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You need flat-bottomed ferrous metal pans. So steel or iron. Or a mix.


Flibble

6,538 posts

210 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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Easy check for pans; if a magnet will stick to them, they are induction compatible.

Hoover.

5,993 posts

271 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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Just look at it as a good excuse to by new pots and pans....... all my old ones were suitable except for my frying pans..... ended up with Greenpan Michele Roux saucepans and frying pans, and a La Cruesette (sp?) wok and stoneware for oven ...... hehehe

swd

81 posts

211 months

Monday 9th February 2015
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We went for a Neff as well. The model numbers are bewildering so if in doubt just ring Neff directly and ask then the difference in the different models. The two shops we considered buying from weren't aware that the three (seemingly similar) models had different applications: one was for standard hard wiring, one was reduced total output so it could be run from a standard plug, and the third was designed to rest on stone worktops. We went for one without flex induction as we really couldn't see us using that feature enough. The savings were substantial. Love the hob.

swd

81 posts

211 months

Monday 9th February 2015
quotequote all
and p.s. we went for a new set of saucepans from Lakeland. Nothing super fancy - very middle of the range, but when the non - stick looks on its way out we won't begrudge replacing them.

Vron

2,541 posts

238 months

Wednesday 11th February 2015
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If anyone knows of a frying pan the size of one cracked egg that will work on an induction hob please let me know. I have searched and searched. I've got a Miele by the way. I was dragged kicking and screaming away from gas (I do a lot of cooking) but I have to say I'm a convert just for the cleaning aspect.

Pferdestarke

7,192 posts

216 months

Wednesday 11th February 2015
quotequote all
Vron said:
If anyone knows of a frying pan the size of one cracked egg that will work on an induction hob please let me know. I have searched and searched. I've got a Miele by the way. I was dragged kicking and screaming away from gas (I do a lot of cooking) but I have to say I'm a convert just for the cleaning aspect.
I have one. I think it's from Amazon.


tog

4,948 posts

257 months

Thursday 12th February 2015
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PedroB said:
The house we've just bought has a Neff induction hob. I've always used gas and was apprehensive about the induction.

Took a bit of getting used to, but love it now. The only thing it isn't great for is stir-fry/wok cooking as the contact area is so tiny. If I was speccing a kitchen I'd have induction but add a single gas burner with a wok cradle next to it, a bit like this: http://www.cookercentre.com/wp-content/uploads/201...
You can get a concave induction wok hob. Only two grand.

http://www.miele.co.uk/hobs/cs1223-1i-induction-wo...