Been using a Kenmore Gas cooktop past 8 years. Decided to do a remodel and through research decided induction was the way to go. We just installed the Sears Kenmore Elite 36" Induction Cooktop. This is preliminary as I have only tested a few pans with water. Here's a summary: Looks: Looks great (doesn't everything when it is brand new?) I find it interesting though that the cooktop has a slight bow in it. Contractor said this is on purpose and it gradually flattens out. I don't know if I would have noticed it if he hadn't pointed it out. The cooktop is not flush with the counter as there is a slight bit of ventilation but for all practical purposes it looks pretty flush. Burner organization: Great. I compared this unit to many others and this was one of my favorite burner organizations - like the big 10" element in the middle. Price - Better value than other brand in my opinion. Controls - I can see why some would say controls or finicky, especially if you are transitioning from knobs, but if you have a basic understanding of how the controls work based on heat, not pressure and you can't use wet hands (lots of towels around the kitchen to take care of that) then I don't think you will find them finicky at all. I'm glad we got touch controls instead of hard to clean knobs like on the Viking Induction. Yuk. Power - I can't make a comparison based on experience with other induction units but the contractor (this being his first induction install) was absolutely awestruck when he saw how fast I boiled water. It has two zones so if you want to maintain constant power on two pans, put them in separate zones. Otherwise it decreases the power just a little on the first pan. Is there not a reason why you can't just set the power setting on the first pan a little higher than you want knowing you will have a second pan in the zone? Noise - The hum/buzz did really catch me of guard at first. Probably because I never remembered reading about it. Apparently this is common among induction units. I would suspect (again with no comparison experience) that the Kenmore may be just a slight tad on the noisier side. But I agree with most people, it's not that the noise is too loud, it is just that it is a different noise from the gas burners. It really only raises eyebrows on the Power Boost mode, sounds like a loud electric toaster. But that is actually a good point, it isn't louder than one of those traditional pop-up electric toasters (except in Power boost mode) so no one complains about their electric toaster being too loud? Because they are used to it. On power level 6 and below the noise is virtually unoticeable unless you are in a deathly quiet kitchen. I think it just catches people by surprise like it did me and take some time to get used to. The funny think is on my Demeyere Atlantis pans at least, you'll get a high pitched sort of radio interference sound when two pens are close together, but if it persists, you just notch on of the burners up or down a half step. Not really an issue, but again, takes getting use to. Someone who uses induction all their life then switched to gas may have a hard time initially getting use to the loud hiss of the burning gas. Another thing you have to get use to is, mostly on the smaller burners, below 5.5 power level, the burner actually cycles turning on and off and you can hear that but again it's barely noticeable on medium on down. I guess it can't lower the constant power level low enough to achieve those lower power levels without cycling it on and off. We are using Demeyere Atlantis pans - the best in the world for induction, well argueably, but not argueably the most expensive. I'm not the type to buy the most expensive stuff - heck I bought a Kenmore! But I love to cook and I love nice pans and afer lots of research these sounded worth the money. Found a website for a place in San Diego that has them cheaper than everyone else, about 20% cheaper. Can't remember the name, you'll know them when you find them by the prices. Everything is ordered direct from Demeyere, they don't stock the pans, maybe that's why they are cheaper? They are the most beautiful pans I've ever seen. I bought virtually every pan and then some (non-stick) in the Atlantis line so I spent over $1,000 on pans! They will last a lifetime though. Can't wait to cook on the unit tonight. I'll provide a follow-up when I've logged several meals. I have to disagree with some of the things I've read from other posters though (in this and other induction threads.) First on the energy savings. Even if a cooktop doesn't use that much gas or electricity, the difference between 43% and 92% efficiency is significant, especially if you have any sense of integrity as far as not being wasteful with resources. I highly doubt the actual energy cost if 7 cents for induction and 11 cents for gas per meal. That's a bunch of bologne. The poster didn't say what an 'average meal' is, how was it cooked, how many pans, for how long. Looking at our Natural Gas bill hear in the Seattle area, I can almost surely say an average meal costs more than 11 cents on a gas range. Despite the cost savings, even if insignificant, I will mostly enjoy the fact my kitchen will be much cooler when I cook in the summer. The only thing now I'm concerned about is the scratching issue. I didn't buy a flat surface cooktop to have to mess with silicon pads and power towels under my pan. If I'm reasonably careful should I not have any problems? I know the cast iron probably needs a pad. The other thing is what cleaner to use other than the polishing stuff that won't stain the stainless steel. I assume as long as no chlorine, ammonia, or acidic solvents I should be okay?

You should search the forum. This has been discussed many, many times already. Most people with induction ranges tend to be happy with them, so you should focus more on looks, features, and price than "quality" or "reliability" because they're all pretty similar in that regard. The majority of people will be happy, some won't and will make their hate for the brand known. First off Kenmore does not make anything. They rebadge other products. This has been true since the brand's inception over 80 years ago. The downsides of buying Kenmore are: only Sears technicians can get repair manuals (which are important for highly electronified stuff like induction ranges) and only Sears technicians can do warranty work. Why anyone would want a Sears tech in their house instead of a good local repairman I don't know. You can read online reviews of Sears/A&E service to confirm this. The advantages of buying Kenmore are... um, um, um......... Kenmore induction ranges are made by Electrolux, which sells higher end induction ranges under their own brand and also makes Frigidaire. Frigidaire is the best value in a freestanding induction range (and any range, as a matter of fact). Other brands that mainly seem to be praised by their owners include GE and Samsung. Another interesting option is Whirlpool, the only brand with a double oven induction range. Personally, I have a slide in Electrolux induction range which I really like, but as I understand it the latest freestanding induction range from them is cut back in features from the slide in. First, what is your budget for this range? That should rule out a few. Then, compare burner layouts and wattages, as they are the main differences between the different offerings. Most induction range ovens come standard with 3rd element convection and a meat probe.

Hi, so good to hear no one was hurt! How scary! Anyhow, I can't answer exactly as to the question you asked, but I do have a slide in (gas though) by Frigidaire (which is a division of Electrolux I think), with electric oven, and I just can't get over how fast the oven pre-heats. I have to change my normal procedure of turning oven on as I prepare meals, and have to turn it on much later. It is also convection, which I also like. Also, do your parents have a toaster oven? As empty nesters, we use ours way more than the actual oven, and I've converted my Mom too.

Frigidaire is simply the Electrolux's North American subsidiary for major appliances. If an Elux appliance is made here, it is made in a Frigidaire factory. The "Electrolux" brands are used for the more upscale models with Frigidaire brands being segmented between plain Frigidaire, Frigidaire Gallery and Frigidaire Pro (which sometimes aimed at the Elux market, too.) They pretty much all come out of the same factories. There will be some variation in materials, but the differences are mostly a matter of features and capabilities and design/aesthetic/appearance. Going upmarket does not necessarily mean more reliability and durability. Sometimes the extra features mean that there are just more things that can go wrong and result in more problems as you go further upmarket (which apparently has been the case for SxS and FD fridges bardged as Electrolux and Frigidiare Pro).