New Circulon single induction burner

16 years ago

For those who want to try out induction before committing to an entire cooktop - this got a quick review in the San Francisco Chronicle food section this week:

"Induction burner. Until recently induction burners were mostly available to caterers and professional chefs, but we've been seeing them make their way into the home cook's kitchen. Sur La Table sells one by Viking for $499.95, but we decided to try a less-expensive model just released by Circulon ($250 at Cooks Boulevard in San Francisco).

The burner, which fits on a counter or small table, uses electromagnetic energy to turn stainless steel pots into a heat source. It can boil twice as fast as traditional gas or electric stovetops. We found that the 13-inch glass-ceramic burner was not only easy to clean, but it also cooked evenly. It has seven cooking temperatures, and can be used to keep dishes warm or kept tableside for buffets. We liked using it with Circulon's 7-quart lock and strain stockpot ($100 at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Macy's)."

Here is a link that might be useful:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

klaa2
16 years ago
You forgot the link.

Anyway, while this is a good idea for those who want to try induction before going with a cooktop, keep in mind that if it plugs into a 20 amp 120 volt outlet, it's not going to be anywhere near reflective of the power of one thats hardwired.
jakkom
Original Author
16 years ago
Actually I did include the link the first time, it even showed up in the Preview, but GW with its usual quirkiness apparently dropped it. Link to full article is below.

And the unpleasant condescension of klaa2's comment is one of the big reasons I'm starting to dislike posting on this forum. I personally don't have any interest in induction, but was posting this in case it might help someone. It makes me sorry I even bothered.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to SF Chron Gadgets article
Related Discussions
Portable Induction Burner -
Q
Comments (9)
Villandry, your Viking portable was an accidental product in way. When they were getting set to launch their 30" and 36" induction tops, they developed the portable so reps could take them out on the road and do demos for dealers, specifiers etc. My reaction to it was, "Can I buy that one?" The reaction of others must have been the same. It's a great single burner cooktop. We loan our little protoype out to customers so they can "test drive" induction at home with their own cookware.
...See More
Portable induction burner arrived yesterday
Q
Comments (29)
I was wondering if you had some unusual HVAC, oh, like an outdoor wood furnace and I don't know what for cooling - Nubian slaves with ostrich-feather fans, who just happened not to be there at the time? Our tax assessor has us down for electric heat (partially correct, since the heat pump includes radiant heat for those times when the geothermal can't keep up) and no AC. Guess it has to be that way since they're not allowed to tax us on a geothermal system. But I know it looks strange on the tax card. If we ever sell, it might be hard to convince buyers what type of system we have. Though by then I hope geo will be much more common. We have hard water, so the little bit that spits out of the top of the canner (doesn't have a tight-fitting lid) vaporizes around the bottom of the pot and leaves a ring that I just can't get off. I also have some black burnt-on stuff right on the white ring that marks the smaller front burner, nothing seems to get that off (it's probably grape jelly).
...See More
Need help deciding - Single Induction or Double Non-Induction range
Q
Comments (16)
A 10" round pot over two 7" induction elements isn't likely to work well, and likely won't hit both pot sensors as well, so literally wouldn't work. Check the manual for whether you can bridge the elements with a double griddle. I'm guessing that you probably can. Also, make sure that each element has at least 17 power settings (1-9 with half steps). I've heard that some ranges only have 10, and that's not sufficient for a good cooking experience. Even more important than size is power output, and also power sharing since you're talking multiple pots. Make sure the outputs will work for you. A great big pot will work on a smaller element, but it'll have a hot spot. If you have thin enamelled steel, or carbon steel (which is usually only found on shallower pans), you're more likely to get rapid response. Next would be a high quality designed for induction clad steel. Are all of your big pots good on induction? You might have to invest in some new ones anyway. I LOVE my 11" element. My cooktop is 24" wide with the 11" double ring, a medium sized one and a small one. The only time that's not big enough is when I have a couple dozen guests and the chicken soup in one stock pot with the matzah balls in another, and I have one on the 15" gas cooktop. For spaghetti, for the family, a three quart pot on my medium induction element is fine. I have a few pots that I make spaghetti sauce in, but they're all the size of the ring at the base. I'm more likely to package it up for the freezer, and change to a smaller pot to heat the portion for dinner, however, so I don't have to deal with more work later. So... I think you'd be fine simmering your sauce in your big pot, and perhaps using an 8" steel pot for the pasta. Or something like that. Compared to the price of a new range, a couple hundred dollars for a few necessary cookware additions doesn't sound tragic. For boiling pasta, however, if you can get your current pot on the element without banging into your sauce pot, even if it's a little off center, it should be fine. It's not like you're cooking something on the pot where hot spots really matter. You're just heating the water that's cooking the pasta. Every new piece of cooking equipment, whether it's a cooktop or oven or small appliance, has a learning period. Each has its quirks. Adapting to those is necessary. Relearning your timing is essential. It's not hard if you don't resist it. Just be mindful and notice how things are working for the first month or two. It'll turn out fine in the end.
...See More
Induction burner ...your thoughts? OT maybe?
Q
Comments (16)
I bought a portable unit a few years ago. I figured it was a good way to cut down on the hydro (electrical) usage, as it heats up quicker than the electric coil. I keep it on the stove all the time. I don't have enough countertop to keep it on the counter, plus I like using the stove fan, so it's delegated there. It's out go-to cooktop, when needing just one burner. They've come a long way since we bought our first one. Notice i said first one. I bought one online, called Aroma. It works well, but not enough settings. When I use cast iron or a ceramic skillet, it overheats very quickly and beeps. I have to remove the pan and let it cool down. The only way to overcome this, and it works well is to use a silicone heat pad underneath the skillet. Because of the limited settings, I bought another induction unit, a brand which is only sold at our Home Hardware, in Canada. It has many more functions and I love that one. It's handy to use the original unit out on the balcony where hubby cooks bacon, meat etc in the summer.
...See More
klaa2
16 years ago
What exactly did you find condescending in my post? Having a bad morning?
gizmonike
16 years ago
We purchased a Sunpentown Mr. Induction single burner induction unit to try out induction. In the past on this forum, some who have tried this have complained about the wimpiness of this unit (compared to the hardwired ones using 240 or high BTU gas)--hence the warning. However, our Mr. Induction was every bit as powerful as our then electric small burners, so we were thrilled with it. We're even more thrilled with our hardwired induction (240 power) that we now have. We are still using our Mr. Induction as a portable unit, most recently to cook sukiyaki at the table, which is lots of fun.
plllog
16 years ago
Mr. Induction is also more powerful than my current gas cooktop and more subtle. Whichever one you choose, it's worth trying the method of induction cooking before making a decision. I learned about it on these boards and researched it all over the 'net, but was convinced by Mr. Induction, knowing that its results would be wimpy compared to the real thing.

Thanks, Jkom51, for passing the word about the new unit and keeping the discussion going.
brachl
16 years ago
Jkom51, thanks for the info. I have been planning on buying an induction cooktop, and your post made me consider getting a single induction unit to try it before I commit to such an expensive purchase. (Of course, I should have thought of it myself from reading all the postings, but I didn't.) Your posting has inspired me to buy one this week, so I can finalize my appliance order--thanks!
ginnytrcka
16 years ago
I've been researching the portable units to give it a whirl. Some of my reading stated that a 1400 watt unit is like a 10,000 btu gas burner, 1800 watts like 15,000 btu's. It seems like the 1200 watt units are better at simmering, using for parties, etc., but will get a meal cooked if it only takes a little longer. Compared to 8600 btu's, I think.
brachl
16 years ago
I bought the Circulon last month. Here's our experience with it so far:

Pros:
like the ability to control (9 levels) and time

works very well once heated up

ease of cleaning up

Cons:
noise -- it's loud enough that DH said he does not want an induction cooktop unless we can find one that is significantly quieter than this

speed of heating up: it is not as fast as I expected, although my expectations were probably based on what I had read about hardwired cooktops and therefore not realistic

New Circulon single induction burner

Comments (8)

klaa2

jakkom
Original Author

Related Discussions

klaa2

gizmonike

plllog

brachl

ginnytrcka

brachl

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

New Circulon single induction burner

Comments (8)

klaa2

jakkomOriginal Author

Related Discussions

klaa2

gizmonike

plllog

brachl

ginnytrcka

brachl

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

jakkom
Original Author