Reading the user guide for the Electrolux, it looks like it doesn't have shut-off timers on the burners (the timer is just a beeper). Competitor's models have individual shut-off timers for each burner as well as a beeper; that strikes me as useful. For example, when we are cooking Basmati rice on our gas cooktop, we let it simmer for 15 minutes then turn off the burner; with a shut-off timer on an induction cooktop, we could have the burner shut off automatically and avoid any risk of boiling dry and burning. If one believes the user guide, the restrictions on pan sizes are pretty tight on the Electrolux; however, I suspect that reality is different. When we tested the Bosch 800-series cooktop, it was noticeably more lenient on pan sizes than its manual said (pans that were smaller than the stated minimum sizes worked OK). I am dubious about the crosses instead of circles. Without trying it, I don't know whether that's really an issue. You could easily simulate that part by drawing crosses on a piece of paper and seeing how easy it is to get a pan centered. On the plus side, I like the look of the controls on the Electrolux - individual instant-set controls is about the best set-up I have seen, assuming that the instant-set part is not too fiddly (you still have +/- controls to tweak with if you don't hit the exact setting using the instant "dial"). The Electrolux has the largest number of power levels that I have seen on any induction unit - around 25! I don't know whether that is a plus or not; the Bosch has around 19, and that seemed to be plenty during our simple tests, but I don't have enough experience of these things to know whether even more levels might be useful in real-life cooking. FWIW, Wolf's induction cooktop only has around 9 levels. This post was edited by PeterH2 on Sun, Feb 17, 13 at 21:40

OK we have the Electrolux Icon, (key word is Icon) to find that cooktop on the Electrolux web-site. Mine is the 30 inch model E301C75FSS4. We Absolutely Love it. Really fast, completely quiet (even thou it has a fan it has never come on--even with 3 burners going--alto not on high). We just can't recommend it enough, alto keep in mind we have only been using it a week or 2. Based on our other 3 Electrolux products that we have had for 3 years---we expect the cooktop to be as trouble free as those. I Think some folks don't believe the Electrolux is a Premium brand as Sears now sells them. When we bought the other 3 Electrolux) appliances They were not sold by Sears. When we bought the appliances for our kitchen, We completely ignored price Waited 30 years for this kitchen and figured waiting that long---we deserved what we wanted--(Ya Think?).So we are thrilled by all four Electrolux appliances now. Gary

This is not only true of this cooktop, but any hybrid: Why have both? I'd want to use any burner for any purpose at any time, not feel limited by the differences. I'd think the induction would be so fantastic, I'd only use the 'regular' burners when I was forced, then not resent that they didn't do as well as the induction. Spills will burn onto the 'regular' side, but not the induction, things will take longer to cook, the burners will stay hot after you've turned them off, etc. I'd end up forgetting and burn myself or set something burnable on the wrong surface. The usual argument is that you can keep some of your old pans, but if you have to get new ones for the induction side, why not use them for everything? If you get just what you need, rather than buying sets, it wouldn't be too bad to get the magnetic assortment you need. This is all what I learned and decided in my research on induction, which I thought for a long time was what we'd have in our new kitchen...But we ended up with gas, because of the size and numbers of burners we need for a large family. Best wishes!

Unfortunately the Elux is a "Hybrid". It has both radiant ribbon burners and Induction Hobs. When that one first came out , I saw several reviews that said the thing never worked. One of the problems with a Hybrid is if you use the radiant ribbon burners, the cooktop will get hot enough to burn stuff on, (Just like any "Conventional" Smooth Electric Cooktop) so you lose one of induction's best attributes, Ease of cleaning (or no cleaning if you cover it with paper towels as I do). Based on earlier reviews of that product, and the fact that it is a hybrid, I would "pass". Sorry to be the "bearer of bad news." WATCH OUT!!!! I found sites that do not describe it as a "Hybrid". If it is model # EW30CC55GW 30 or EW30CC55GW 36, then it is either a 30 or 36" Hybrid. Gary