Need a new electric cooker/hob

[paul.deitch]

Tonight our 1970s manufactured Belling treasure decided to kill the circuit breaker 4 times and give my wife a “bit of a tingle”! It has got to go as I don’t have any life insurance on the wife. What do I/we need to know/specify to buy something which will last us another good few years with reasonable functionality. I have no idea what the options are nowadays and which manufacturers to avoid, so don’t know where to start. Any help appreciated.

[Roy E6]

Personally I would keep what you have got, and just insure the wife. If that's not an option though then induction jobs are the way to go. Neff is a good starting point but there are loads out there, from about £500 and upwards.

[caterhamboy]

Ikea induction hobs offer good value, think you get a 5yr warranty with them, i have just fitted one for home but fit them regularly at work. The benefits are instant controllable heat,boils my kettle in about 1min 30 secs from cold and energy efficient. Bad points are maybe still more expensive to run than gas, and you will probably need a new feed in 6mm cable running in.

[Simpo Two]

Induction all the way.

caterhamboy said:

energy efficient... more expensive to run than gas

One or the other surely... they use a lot of power but for a short time, and it goes into the pan not wasted up the sides.

caterhamboy said:

and you will probably need a new feed in 6mm cable running in.

Subject to model of course, but mine was happy with 32A so I used the old cooker supply. The new cooker is happy with 13A so I used the hood supply. The hood supply comes from upstairs

Induction all the way, rar.

[caterhamboy]

Simpo Two said:

Induction all the way.

caterhamboy said:

energy efficient... more expensive to run than gas

One or the other surely... they use a lot of power but for a short time, and it goes into the pan not wasted up the sides.

They are efficient against halogen, but gas still works out cheaper. Even with wastage.

caterhamboy said:

and you will probably need a new feed in 6mm cable running in.

Subject to model of course, but mine was happy with 32A so I used the old cooker supply. The new cooker is happy with 13A so I used the hood supply. The hood supply comes from upstairs

1x2200W induction zone with booster; 3000W.
1x1400W induction zone.
1x750-1700W radiant dual zone.
1x1200W radiant zone

7300w/230 = 31.7 amps

10 + 6.51 amps =16.51 amps

yes you are right it could run on 13 amps, but really you should work it out on the 1st 10amps plus 30% on remainder for diversity


Induction all the way, rar.

[dave_s13]

I've got an ikea induction hob and they are really good value at £299.

It's almost eerie how quickly they will boil a pan of water, you feel your fillings tingle! Well, not quite...

Be prepared to need new pans though. Most of our old ones don't work on it.

[Simpo Two]

caterhamboy said:

1x2200W induction zone with booster; 3000W.
1x1400W induction zone.
1x750-1700W radiant dual zone.
1x1200W radiant zone

7300w/230 = 31.7 amps

10 + 6.51 amps =16.51 amps

yes you are right it could run on 13 amps, but really you should work it out on the 1st 10amps plus 30% on remainder for diversity

If I used all four rings on MAX it might concern me, but I can't see that anyone ever would. They heat up so fast that MAX is only needed for a couple of minutes, then it's down to about 3 for simmer or 7.5 for frying. Have never used more than two rings!

The instructions actually state 32A for hob and 15A for oven, and although I was ready for something to pop when I tried the oven's pyrolytic cleaning cycle once, it was fine. Both units were incredibly easy to install.

[paul.deitch]

Thanks for the answers, off to IKEA tomorrow then. Wife is still alive too. Bought her supper out tonight.

[Simpo Two]

A 'distress purchase' then!



They're so easy to keep clean even I can do it; squirt of Jif, bish-bosh

Fot this reason try to find one without knobs, totally flat.

[caterhamboy]

Simpo Two said:

If I used all four rings on MAX it might concern me, but I can't see that anyone ever would. They heat up so fast that MAX is only needed for a couple of minutes, then it's down to about 3 for simmer or 7.5 for frying. Have never used more than two rings!

The instructions actually state 32A for hob and 15A for oven, and although I was ready for something to pop when I tried the oven's pyrolytic cleaning cycle once, it was fine. Both units were incredibly easy to install.

Just out of interest have you got the induction wired to a 13amp plug? and have you got mcb fuses or old style re-wireable or cartage fuses?

Paul before you buy have you already got sufficient cable to the point?

[Simpo Two]

caterhamboy said:

Just out of interest have you got the induction wired to a 13amp plug? and have you got mcb fuses or old style re-wireable or cartage fuses?

From the top:

Old kitchen:
Electric oven - 32A hardwired
Gas hob - 13A hardwired (for sparker)

New kitchen:
Electric oven - 13A hardwired supply from old gas sparker
Induction hob - 32A hardwired supply from old oven

So just a bit of swapping about, made possible because the new oven manages with less current than the old one. Circuit beaker box is same age as house, 1988. If there's a spike/surge it trips out.

[caterhamboy]

Simpo Two said:

From the top:

Old kitchen:
Electric oven - 32A hardwired
Gas hob - 13A hardwired (for sparker)

New kitchen:
Electric oven - 13A hardwired supply from old gas sparker
Induction hob - 32A hardwired supply from old oven

So just a bit of swapping about, made possible because the new oven manages with less current than the old one. Circuit beaker box is same age as house, 1988. If there's a spike/surge it trips out.

Sounds like the old oven was wired into 6mm? and the gas hob taken off the ring? does a seperate fuse turn off the hob but not oven?

If there's a spike/surge it trips out.

not sure about that one, either a fault or overload.

[Simpo Two]

caterhamboy said:

Sounds like the old oven was wired into 6mm? and the gas hob taken off the ring? does a seperate fuse turn off the hob but not oven?

If there's a spike/surge it trips out.

not sure about that one, either a fault or overload.

There's a circuit breaker called 'cooker' which is now of course the hob.

The new oven/hob have never tripped anything, only lightbulbs do that! Not sure what happens between breaker box and sockets or how thick the wires are as it's all in the wall, but it works.

[caterhamboy]

Simpo Two said:

There's a circuit breaker called 'cooker' which is now of course the hob.

The new oven/hob have never tripped anything, only lightbulbs do that! Not sure what happens between breaker box and sockets or how thick the wires are as it's all in the wall, but it works.

hairy muff

[Digger]

Does the Ikea Induction hob have a Timer?

[russ_a]

Never heard of any hob having a timer.

We have just brought a new cooker and would have loved an induction range but couldn't stretch the budget by £1.8k!

[caterhamboy]

yes, just set to 2 mins with full kettle of cold water and its boiling!
ikea very good value for money, the £299 one has 4 separate zones where your pan size needs to roughly size of zone to avoid energy loss, they also sell intelligent versions where it adjusts to size of pan and no lost energy.

[Simpo Two]

russ_a said:

Never heard of any hob having a timer.

Mine (Siemens) has two kinds; one counts down and turns off the ring; the other rings a bell but doesn't turn the power off. Brilliant and idiot proof.

But not cat-proof - the cat can walk over the sensors and turn things off!

[RobDickinson]

I've an induction hob. Its ace. Especially when gas is rare (and often using lpg bottles here).

70cm one all 4 have boost (3400w on one) timer, auto cook (whatever that is) very easy to keep clean and use , very quick.

Cracking piece of kit. Have to have ferrous pans etc tho .

[russ_a]

Well you learn something new everyday