For searching out info in the future, it might help to know that "induction tabletop units" are often referred to as "portable induction cookers" which sometimes is abbreviated as "PIC." Now, on your questions about pans, are you looking for a way to heat several pans together on a single induction burner? If so, the caterer's serving pan idea won't work any better than it would if you used it over a small gas burner. Induction heating is not passed by magnetic contact between pans over a PIC --- well, only on such an infinitesimally small scale as to be of no perceptible use in cooking :>). Basically, the strength of induction fields falls off so rapidly that it has no heating effect on pans more than a fraction of an inch above the burner surface. For the same reason, stacking pans won't work either. Further complicating things for you, your PIC may claim to be a 9-10" unit, but the actual induction field on them is only 3.5" to 6" (depending on brand.) Beyond that small field, you have to rely on your pan's mass and conductive abilities to spread and transmit the heat widely. A stainless steel caterer's serving pan is just too thin to function that way. IOW, it won't work like an induction adapter disk (which basically converts the induction heating into a radiant electric surface.) In theory, something thicker might work as an adapter, such as one of Chef King's rectangular, 14" x 23" carbon steel stovetop griddles (about $70 last time I checked). My experience with this kind of thing has been that these can heat other pans but so slowly that they work better on PICs as warming trays rather than for bringing other pots to heat. Frankly, it might be easier to heat up each pan separately on the PIC, then put on the caterer's pan with hot water, and use the PIC to heat the water that will keep the pans warm. If there is a second electrical circuit, you also might consider buying a second PIC. IIRC, there are some Duxtop units which have pretty good reviews and now are priced in the same neighborhood as the Chef King griddle that I mentioned above.

I have a viking 30 inch vdsc that has been installed for about a year and a half and am happy with it. I chose this range because I wanted a black range and I wanted dual fuel, we have to use a lp tank and did not want to have both the range top and oven dependent on the tank. I am a cook-something-quick-and-easy-that-my-picky-kids-and-picky-husband-will-eat-5-days-a-week cook so did not need a super high powered cook top, I almost never go above med-high. I do use the simmer a lot and it is not the best so I bought a simmer plate to help get an evenly low cooking surface. The burners are closed and have been very easy to clean but I have not had any overflows or cooking mishaps that would get anywhere near that part of the burners. The black, shiny surface that is below the grates of the viking does show every little bit of dirt and I do clean it frequently using soap and water and a dry rag to buff out water streaks. The oven seems to take a bit longer to preheat than my old stove and because it uses the broiler to help preheat you cannot stick items in before the preheat is done or you will burn the tops (I still sometimes put items in early but keep them on the bottom rack.) The oven also cooks a little differently than I am used to, cannot really explain how or why but it does leave most items moister which is nice. If you have concerns with how a viking cooks I would recommend finding a dealer that offers demonstrations, the dealer I bought from had demos all of the time.

There are serious semantic issues with recent posts in this thread. The induction cooktop generates an oscillating magnetic field over the hobs, the frequency of which is in the tens of kilohertz region. This field induces eddy currents in the pan base, which is both conductive and resistive. The induced currents through the resistance cause the pan base to generate heat. In addition, the magnetic field reacts with the hysteresis of the pan base iron B-H curve and generates heat. Is the pan base heated? It is heated just as a tungsten bulb filament is heated when current is passed through it. The pan base, in turn, heats the food by conduction. The temperature of the food depends on several factors, but can easily exceed 100C. The hob temperature sensor will shut the hob down when the ceram surface over the center of the hob reaches some temperature limit set by the manufacturer. This has to be high enough to fry and sear. A pan filled with water will not exceed 100C (at sea level) in the water, but the pan base has to be slightly higher in temperature for heat to flow into the water to vaporize some of it as steam. When the water is all boiled out, the pan base will rapidly rise in temperature burning any food that was in the water and eventually overheating the pan. Then the contest is between what is being heated to destruction and the safety shutdown of the hob. My 3.5 kW Cooktek wok hob at full power will within seconds smoke peanut oil (450F) if that is the only material in the wok. kas

Unless I missed something, all have been sent, and only one has not been received. This one is almost a wrap. Ishareflowers will send to smitties, who chose National Cashew Day, I share has sent to smitties. Margo has received. Sjc48 will send to nottougly, who selected Indian Pudding Day, Sjc48 has sent to nottougly. Nottougly has received. Gardengirl37237 will send to beth_b_kodiac, who selected Indian Pudding Day, Gardengirl has sent to Beth. Beth has received. beth_b_kodiac will send to ishareflowers who selected Cook Something Bold Day Beth has sent to ishare. Ishare has received. Nottougly will send to poisondartfrog who selected French Toast Day. poisondartfrog has received. Smitties will send to Bluee who selected Chicken Soup for the Soul Day, Smitties has sent to Bluee. poisondartfrog will send to Gardengirl37237 who selected Homemade Bread Day, Gardengirl37237 has received. Amy Chavez will send to sjc48, who chose National Sandwich Day, Shirley has received. Bluee will send to Amy Chavez, who chose Eat A Cranberry Day, Amy has received.