Induction cook top

solar_dave

Been thinking about getting an induction cook top. Love the natgas for a quick cook but the long cook times it might be nice to have an induction.

Cariboocoot

Re: Induction cook top

Only if you can supply enough power to run it at the times when you want to use it.

And since this subject caused one of the biggest arguments the forum has ever seen I will warn everyone in advanced not to start that again or the thread goes on the first offense.

BB.

Re: Induction cook top

For long cooking times--Look at getting a large mouth thermos bottle... We cook with them all the time at home (soups, etc.).

Boil the food then let sit for 2-4 hours--Reheat if needed.

-Bill

solar_dave

Re: Induction cook top

Well my situation being grid tie I can always provide enough power. Last year we turned over 1604 kWh for a paltry $46 credit. I think it would be nice for the occasional long, low and slow cook.

Cariboocoot

Re: Induction cook top

solar_dave wrote: »

Well my situation being grid tie I can always provide enough power. Last year we turned over 1604 kWh for a paltry $46 credit. I think it would be nice for the occasional long, low and slow cook.

Yep; got grid = no worries. Off-grid they have the same problems as other electric heat; you have to supply fairly substantial power to run them.

They're very safe cooking too, as there is no open flame or hot element to ignite things. Could be a good choice in a home with little kids.

solarvic

Re: Induction cook top

Solar dave, Same thing happened to me last year. I bought an induction hot plate last winter for the same reason. Mine is a Max Burton brand I bought from Amazon. It works reasonably well. The cons of it is the lower temp settings are not very accurate. At 100 degree it thaws meat slowly so you won,t burn it but next setting of 150 degree it will boil water. Next setting at 210 you could burn things if you are not carefull. Next time I might try a different brand. Also you need to have stainless steel pans with a heavy clad bottom that a magnet will stick to. When I went stainless ware shopping I found sears and Macy,, both had nice sets and on sale. I bought Belgique brand at macy because I liked how the pans were rounded on the sides instead of straight up. Just a matter of opinion as both are from China. My gas well with the free gas is declining and I have been using some excess power with one of those oil filled heaters. Probably will try to burn up any of my excess power that way. Today I figured how the power co calculates my bill and I am was 3 kwh to my account for the last 5 weeks. Can not get much closer than that. Solarvic

Blackcherry04

Re: Induction cook top

I have two of the small portable ones, best I can say is that they are a alternative. I am not sure they all operate the same, but mine use a lot of power. The power setting are a guess at best , like a microwave, they pulse on and off ( 600W - 900w ) at least mind do, others may have a different control system.

solar_dave

Re: Induction cook top

Thanks guys, I am thinking of the NuWave which has settings in 10 degree increments.

Blackcherry04

Re: Induction cook top

solar_dave wrote: »

Thanks guys, I am thinking of the NuWave which has settings in 10 degree increments.

I don't see where that would work with the ones I have without a temperature probe in the pot on mine. It has the settings but they must be under the glass and with pots of different thickness bottoms react different in the way they cook. The glass does get pretty hot after a while under the pot. So, I don't use that mode.

Back in the day Microwaves use to have plug in probes, don't know if they have them anymore on the counter top models, they did work, I doubt many people used them.

I did leave a empty pot on mine once and after 10 minutes it was glowing.

H2SO4_guy

Re: Induction cook top

I have a Mr. Induction commercial unit that goes to about 1800 watts I think. It is around $499 retail and I got it on Evil-bay brand new for $150 or so. I am very happy with it other than you have to choose pots and pans carefully as they don't all work well with it. I made a Bambi steak on cast iron tonight and it was yummy! Heats water for tea very quickly, probably quicker than a microwave. Overall it works great and I would buy another.

This last winter it would add a bit of humidity and heat when there was extra power from the panels and I was here.

Good luck and they can be great.

P.S. It has 10 different settings with a click detent on each and you can select numbers of temp.

Joe94

Re: Induction cook top

I have a the NuWave. I run it with my 2000 watt inverter generator. I used my Kill-A-Watt to see power consumption. It uses about 1200wh at 350 degrees if I remember right. I used it to cook diner every night for a week. According to the Kill-A-Watt I averaged about 150watts a night by the end of the week.

niel

Re: Induction cook top

if the power consumption isn't a problem you can also use a crock pot. it will consume more power than your induction plates, but is cheaper to purchase and no special cookware is needed.

i like bill's idea with the thermos, but for larger meals you'll need more thermoses. i didn't know a thermos was rated for temps up to the boiling point of water. could cheaper ones have the glass break by introducing temps that high?

mike95490

Re: Induction cook top

niel wrote: »

...i didn't know a thermos was rated for temps up to the boiling point of water. could cheaper ones have the glass break by introducing temps that high?

You want to preheat them with hot tap water first, but they use (are supposed to use) Borosilicate glass (0% TC) like pyrex, freezer to oven, no breakage.

In the 70's in Okinawa, I had a 2L air pot, with glass vacuum liner, that I'd take SCUBA diving, and after each dive, make a "cup-o-noodles" to drink/eat. And then camping, it would keep boiling water, overnight, to about 180F, still hot enough for AM hot coco when everyone else is trying to figure out how to light a campstove.

waynefromnscanada

Re: Induction cook top

The most efficient cooking method I've found so far is an insulated electric pressure cooker. Unlike a stove top pressure cooker, it doesn't waste energy blowing off steam, rather it senses temperature, building it up and holding it at the proper point till cook time has expired. Once the pressure (temperature) is up, it cycles the heat just enough to keep the temp up, and since it isn't blowing off steam, that requires very little energy compared to anything else I've come across. Best cooking tool I've ever come across.