On our new cooktop (Miele) you can hold > or > to quickly go from 0 to 9, and I assume you can do this on most other models, so for us not having a direct number to press is not an issue.

One thing we really like is the auto-cook feature, if you start by pressing > the element will switch to max power for a preset amount of time then turn down to the selected level. If you start by pressing > then you go to the selected level, i.e no auto-cook.

The individual timer is nice to cook rice, to quote Ron Popeil you set it and you forget it...

I don't have any of the cooktops you mentioned, but on mine it has a -/+ button and if you keep your finger on it, it scrolls, so you don't have to press it repeatedly. Direct choice would be nice, but I do not find it to be a pain to scroll, and it takes up less of the cooktop for the controls. I have turn off timers on each burner, and I use them often. It factored into my decision to buy this cooktop--at the time, only a few others offered that feature. It's useful.

I'm also used to using a 12 inch skillet. I recently replaced it with a 10 inch one, saving money over buying the larger one. It's driving me nuts, another 12 inch is back on my radar. I, personally, would be unhappy with a 10 inch hob as my biggest one. An 11" lets you use a 12 inch skillet. 12 inches on a 10 inch hob wouldn't work.

Cj

The subject of hob size has been discussed before, although it usually has been buried in longer discussions which can make the info hard to find.

For whether to get a 10" or 11" hob, consider this:

Most 12" pans are only 12" across the top. What matters for induction is the base of the pan. The bases of most 12" fry pans are actually only about 9 inches in diameter, and some are less. Some cast iron frypans and dutch ovens have bases close to 10" in diameter.

If you want to use very large pans --- I'm thinking about 14" diameter "everyday" pans or large stockpots that double as canning kettles (I've got a couple that are 13"-plus across the top although the induction bases are actually only about 12" across) --- there are a couple of different things to consider.

There is a general rule of thumb that most (but not all) manufacturers subscribe to in their user manuals: that it is okay to use pans with diameters up to 1" larger the burner markings on the induction surface. What happens when you get beyond that extra inch of base diameter? Well, depending on a lot ov variables, including pan construction, you may find the outer edges of the pan are not as hot as the part within the 12" base diameter.

For things like water bath canning, boiling immense amounts of corn-on-the-cob or pasta, the difference between 10" and 11" burners will be negligible. When you boil water, it really does not much matter if the heat is perfectly even across the base or not. Think about all those people who have been canning for decades with 8" diameter coil burners.

For things where even heating may be critical --- will you be using canning kettles or huge commercial stockpots to sear 15 or 20 pounds of stew meat, or stir fry immense quantities of veggies, or cook down 25 pounds of apples for apple sauce or apple butter, or maybe have 5 gallons of bolognese or marinara simmering for days on end --- you might prefer the 11" burner over a 10" one.

Bear in mind that there is a flip-side to this which is minimum pan sizes. The bigger the burner, the bigger the minimum pan size. For those times when your garden isn't dumping a hundred pounds of tomatoes on you, maybe you just want to fry a couple eggs in a eight-inch non-stick frypan? And maybe the smaller burners are taken up with other pans? The base of the 8" fry pan may be too small to register on an 11" diameter burner. If this aspects will matter to you, download the user manuals for those cooktops and check out the minimum pan size specfications.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Mon, Aug 26, 13 at 16:17

I have turn off timers on each burner, and I use them often. It factored into my decision to buy this cooktop--at the time, only a few others offered that feature. It's useful.

What one do you have?

Most 12" pans are only 12" across the top. What matters for induction is the base of the pan. The bases of most 12" fry pans are actually only about 9 inches in diameter, and some are less

My biggest pan (one that I use frequently) is 12" across the top and across the bottom. It's straight-sided. I use it to cook fish, boneless chicken breasts, that kind of thing.

For things where even heating may be critical

Like fish, boneless chicken breasts, etc. No major project otherwise other than soup, for which I know the hob size is not really important. But if I'm sauteing 4 salmon fillets, don't I need a bigger pan surface, and therefore a bigger hob?

I have a Miele 36 inch. My center hob is 11 inches. The next largest are about 9 inches, and the 2 smallest are a little shy of 6.5 inches. I chose it because I liked the layout and the size of the hobs, and I liked the turn off timers for each burner. I also like the way I can configure the controls. It cleans up easily, but that can be said for all models of induction cooktops. I've had it for going on three years and I am happy with the performance.

Cj

sjhockeyfan ---

Sounds like you have a 12" saute pan. Maybe you can get bigger salmon filets than I can, but I suspect that a 12" saute pan is plently big enough for four of them. (As long as you aren't in Alaska or BC and hauling the big 'uns out of the water yourself, that is.)

At least, it should be if that pan has a heavy base and construction. If it does, it should be "good enough" to spread heat fairly well and probably will be fine for the heat you use in cooking salmon filets and other fish and chicken breasts and whatever "that kind of thing" is. If you want to get pans intensely and "perfectly" evenly hot -- no sorch marks when you melt lead, say --- and produce a Martha-Stewart magazine-photo-shoot-ready "perfect" sear on five or six 2" thick tuna steaks, you might have less risk with the 11" burners on the GE and Bosch. That is because there is less risk of a slightly cooler outer edge. But maybe you are like Consumer Reports and use an optical scanner to get incredibly precise grading of the evenness of your sear? Or maybe perfect is never good enough? :>)

Is there any place around you that can actually demo any of the units you are looking at?

If it were me and my preferred pan were a 12" saute pan, I would probably be inclined to favor the cooktops with larger burner just because the bigger burner would be a little bit better match with the pan size. But, frankly, I'd be more concerned with customer stisfaction, reliability statistics and the reputation of local warranty service providers.

Of course, it is possible to way overthink this, too.

I know I'm over thinking this! And driving myself (and you LOL) crazy! I am no Martha Stewart - not a perfectionist in the kitchen in the slightest. I just want my food to be cooked all the way through :-)

Not Martha either and love my Bosch with shut off timers. I don't think the plus or minus is a big deal.

I can use pans of almost any size on my 2+ year old cooktop. Still works nicely if too big for the hob. I don't always have the pan centered or even on the hob completely and it works just fine.

Most induction users love their cooktops or stoves, no matter the brand. I love the timers, but induction is so great and easy on your life, the brand is kinda small stuff. Read the reviews here. We love all our brands.

Clearance underneath is important. Installation manual will tell what amount of underneath clearance is required. I wanted my cabinetry to have a drawer underneath for utensils. That was a big factor for me. So I got Bosch and didn,t get GE. this was back in 2011. Things may have changed.

Westsider40 is right, clearance is important and it varies from model to model. If you're thinking you want drawers or storage underneath, you'll want to research that for the models you're considering.

I'm going to disagree with JWVideo on a few points. A heavy pot is not necessarily one that will heat evenly. I had a 12 inch Tramontina skillet that was pretty and very heavy, but was horribly uneven in it's heating. It's really a pain to cook in such a pan, especially fish fillets that are sometimes thinner. Some will cook through before the others are even brown--and it's not easy to jockey them around to hit the hot spots like you can with chicken breasts.

It's not overthinking the issue to take into consideration the size of the pan you prefer to use and the type of cooking you do. I call that prudent, and believe me, you are not driving anyone here nuts. You'll always get a better answer if you give more information about how you will use your cooktop and what really matters to you.

In general, you will find that all of the induction hobs heat evenly, and again, Westsider40 is correct in that most here love whatever brand they've purchased. I have read few instances where people really didn't like their cooktop. The Miele has taken a few hits for fiddly controls, and one person was having trouble with hers recently, but other than that, I've not gotten the feeling that any of them are prone to problems. If you are intending to use a pan with a 12 inch bottom, I'd definately choose a cooktop with an 11" or larger hob as it's largest. As to controls, get what you think will work for you, and if you aren't sure, find a demo. I had to travel more than an hour to demo the Miele, and I brought my pressure cooker and another favorite pan with me. If I was spending that kind of money on the cooktop, I sure didn't want to make a mistake! The person at the showroom wasn't fazed at all, or if she was she hid it well. :-)

I don't mind the -/+ control, because if I hold my finger on it, it scrolls pretty fast. If it didn't scroll, I believe it would be annoying. I also have the option of making it increase or decrease in half steps, but I've found the regular increments to be fine, so I've not set it up to do that. I also like the idea of being able to just poke the level I want, like the Bosch models have. The turn off timers are also a strong plus for me--I use them all the time. I can also just put regular timers on the hobs, but I almost always use the turn off timers.

The user manuals for models you're considering can also be a source of good information. You can download them off the manufacturer's site or often from vendor sites, like AJ Madison.

I hope that this helps. Good luck and be sure to come back and tell us what you chose!

Cj

>>> I'm going to disagree with JWVideo on a few points. A heavy pot is not necessarily one that will heat evenly. No disagreement on that, at all. Your discussion of that Tramontina pan is a good example of factors other than the burner that affect how well a big pan cooks on the induction. Seems to me, however, that this kind of pan problem will be a problem with whatever size of burner you use it with which does not help with choosing between the cooktop with the 10" burner and the ones with an 11" burner.

It's not overthinking the issue to take into consideration the size of the pan you prefer to use and the type of cooking you do. Actually, that was the point I thought I was making, too. I gather that sjhockeyfan has been happy with the current 12" saute pan, which is why I suggested the cooktops with the 11" burners might be a better fit.

>>> In general, you will find that all of the induction hobs heat evenly, and again, Westsider40 is correct in that most here love whatever brand they've purchased. Absolutely no disagreement from me on this. That was what I meant when I mentioned that one can overthink the choice.

>>> controls If I expressed an opinion on this, I didn't mean to. I don't have an opinion. I'm fine with either of the set-ups, although I'm happier with rotary knob controls (which are not available on any of the models that sjhockeyfan is considering.).

>>> The user manuals for models you're considering can also be a source of good information.

Indeed. I also suggested this in my first post, above. So, excellent advice and no disagreement from me.

Thanks all. We've had a difficult time finding any appliance store around here (even the big ones) that has a good number of electric cooktops on display, let alone induction cooktops (to the extent they have anything other than ranges, they have gas cooktops). I think I understand the issues now and will definitely try to see some of these in person before we finalize our choices.

I really do appreciate all the help.

Just went through your same process. I wanted the GE but had to nix it on the clearance issue. That was a deal breaker. I also really needed an 11" element. I fry and sauté a lot with a 5 qt saute pan. I hate when the edged aren't hot. So I have the Bosch. Cannot tell you how much I love it. The -/+ buttons scroll like a dream. Interestingly, I don't use timers; until I read this thread, didn't know I had 'em. ;-) If I would change one thing about the Bosch, it would be to pull that 11" element to the front. That was one thing the Elux had -- big element where I wanted it. Consider that if you are short, or have a bad back. For me, the 11" trumped position. Also, the amazing, sleek black good looks of the Bosch. So subtle to look at; just a sheet of black glass. Good luck.

MizLizzie, which model did you get - 300, 500 or 800? (Just curious which button layout you have).

I got the basic 300. It met my needs, and had a good rebate at the time. Probably still does. I just wanted a clean, simple look with no metal or anything around it. One of the biggest drivers of my remodel was to go induction, and I am very happy with my choice. Here is a pic, if it helps, of what it looks like in our installation.

And because I can't help myself, here is what you can put in the drawer underneath the Bosch. I was so glad to have been warned here about the clearance issue with so many of these cooktops. Apologies to anyone from the KF who is getting tired of this pic, but it just amazes me . . .

Thanks MizLizzie. Love the organization in that drawer! Alas, my oven is going under my cooktop (we've had that setup before and it works fine for us), so no drawer there for us. My equivalent drawer will be right behind me, and I do keep a crock of my most-used utensils next to the cooktop.

MizLizzie - I never get tired of your gorgeous kitchen and that amazing drawer!
My Wolf required 6 inch clearance of anything flammable so I am missing my drawer - which is living in the basement.

Interesting how folks are always interested in the largest pans they can get the cooktop to accept. There are only 2 of us & I value smaller size pans, also. For ex., I love my little 4" butter/milk warmer pans & really hope my new Bosch 500 will cooperate., when it gets installed.

Let us know if that 4" pan works. We recently had a rather long thread here about somebody who had 4.5" pans and was concerned about them not working on her induction cooktop. Many makers' manuals -- at least those that I''ve read --- say the smllest pan recognized by the smallest burner is 5" or 4.75." The little butter/milk warmer might be okay if it has enough magnetic metal mass,

Just want to chime in here ...I'm another induction lover who will never go back ..I have the Viking range and have yet to have a situation where I needed a bigger hob ..I have a 14"" pan that I use to sauté in without issue ..like what's already been said , demo one and play with controls ... It's what turned me off Electrolux /GE. And towards Viking ... Find the range or cooktop you can be at one with ...one you can control and not have to look at the controls ... Good luck with your decision !!

This post was edited by luv2putt on Wed, Aug 28, 13 at 23:51

Edited to remove duplication

This post was edited by luv2putt on Wed, Aug 28, 13 at 23:53

Aw this thread is making me excited for the Bosch 36" 500 I'm about to order! To the OP, I also went w/ Bosch bc of the big burner, I almost always cook with the largest pan I can. I AM short though and am nervous about that big hob, which I'll likely use at least half the time, being in the middle rather than right in front. But in a way I like that bc I feel its safer with my little ones around, pans aren't too close to edge of counter.

FYI anyone ordering a Bosch...several months ago they had a $300 rebate on any induction cooktop, in addition to the 10 or 15% rebate if you buy 3 Bosch appliances.

I strongly suspect theyre bringing this rebate back, probably this weekend for Labor Day, bc I just got a quote from my local appliance store and she included a $525 rebate on the cooktop...I'm guessing it was $300 for the single rebate, plus $225 as the 10% off bc I'm getting 3 Bosch 500 series applliances.

Also, Lowes has a great price on Bosch cooktops this week, its listed in another thread.

Aw, luv to putt, your red Viking is so gorgeous,don't tell us you cook on it too!

Aw, luv to putt, your red Viking is so gorgeous,don't tell us you cook on it too!

I posted a thread not long ago about trying to make my Bosch 300 accept a pan with an 8" bottom without making an extremely annoying cyclic hum. My 3 large pieces of cookware all have 8" bottoms so I'm not happy with the 11" hob at all. Still, I selected the Bosch for it's reliability, and overall, love my cooktop.

MizLizzie, Love the look of your kitchen! Which granite is that? Love the drawer, too.

Thanks, a2g! You inspired a lot of my kitchen. Barbarav, that is Cambria Shirebrook quartz. a2gemini has something very similar but more rust than red in her reveal. Cambria Bradshaw. (Link below.) It is amazing stuff. I had some resin issues in the island but on the whole, I love it. Thank you.

Here is a link that might be useful: a2gemini's Kitchen

For those of you who have Miele induction, do you by chance also have a Miele oven? I am leaning toward either the Miele or GE induction..but I do like the individual timers on the Miele and the stop and return feature if you have to step away. I like the price on the GE! I'm also leaning toward the Miele Combi Steam oven and will need a 30" regular convection oven too--but not sure if another Miele is the way to go. Would love input.

For those of you who have Miele induction, do you by chance also have a Miele oven? I am leaning toward either the Miele or GE induction..but I do like the individual timers on the Miele and the stop and return feature if you have to step away. I like the price on the GE! I'm also leaning toward the Miele Combi Steam oven and will need a 30" regular convection oven too--but not sure if another Miele is the way to go. Would love input.

We don't have ours yet, but my research shows all the Bosch units also have individual timers for each hob.

Westsider40... I cook on it daily !!! Just did some chicken on a La Creuset cast iron grill pan... Browned the chicken on the stovetop and finished up in the oven ....

Edited for double post

This post was edited by luv2putt on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 1:02