I have a 36" Kenmore induction cooktop, that has been installed since early August. I love the heat output. Need a huge stockpot of boiling water? Five minutes, its boiling.

However I don't love the touch controls, which would be more properly named press-slowly-firmly-and-deliberately controls.

I also don't like the layout of the 5 cooking zones. The two smallest cooking zones are at the back of the cooktop. So if you have large pots on the three large front cookings zones (say an asparagus steamer, a pot of potatoes, and a large skillet you are deglazing to make a sauce), and want to make a sauce (like hollandaise for the asparagus) that requires constant attention, it will be difficult to reach over the large pots in front to stir the sauce pot in the back.

Go to the search box at the bottom of the forum and put in "induction" and you'll find lots of threads with the information you're looking for.

I have a de Dietrich 309X which is am import but available stateside with warranty from Salon Blue ridge. I love it. It has 5 burners and the layout works well with one big hob in the front and a smaller hob on the back on one side and a small hob in the front with a bigger one in the back on the other side. There is a nice big hob in the middle that easily accomodates my 6 qt All CLad Saute pan.

I do wish the hobs were a little further apart so that pots the front and back hobs don't touch but other than that it's great.

Yesterday I melted chocolate IN THE POT on a back hob while making choux pastry on the front and I had a pot of water boiling for bagels in the middle.

Do search the forum--it'll help pick out a particular model. The technology is pretty nice. My model is no longer in production so all I'll comment on is general stuff. You won't find ANYthing easier to clean, or anything with better control of what you're doing.

I just made a big ol' pot of fudge on mine. Can't beat induction for candy--you can get the absolute perfect boil. And if you cook like I do, you'll appreciate how easy it is to clean up afterwards.

Can't beat it for boiling water and making pasta either. Fast and you can turn it down in the nick of time to save yourself from a boilover. Unless you're me, and you're somewhere else when you boil over, in which case, gee it cleans nice!

thank you all for the folow-ups on induction cooking. Who has used the Diva, Wolf or Thermador and what are your comments?

Just a comment to the touch controls. Yes, they are sensitive to wet fingers and then do not work properly or at all. A brief wipe with a dry paper towel resolves that issue quickly.

However, they have a MAJOR advanage when it comes to cleaning: a brief wipe and they are clean. Try that with bulky knobs that are splattered with grease.

I have been using a white GE induction cooktop with touch controls for 15 years now, and I am never going back to anything else, if I can help it.

We are currently in the process of determining what to get for a new kitchen elsewhere and I am somewhat disappointed that almost all of the cooktop surfaces are black. I don't know what got into the designers heads, but a black surface shows every smudge. So we are considering getting the Thermador induction cooktop with the "silver mirrored" finish. An expensive solution to avoid a black surface.

I"m including a link to a white induction cooktop I found during all my research. I plan on installing one too this coming year. For those of you who have a black one installed into some kind of stone; do you find it annoying to keep clean? I know it's not hard, but does it show everything? I plan on installing a wall oven below it so I probably couldn't use white because it wouldn't go with a stainless oven. Most of them have black glass. I'll also be getting an Advantium (in a yet to be built island) which definately is stainless and black glass.

Here is a link that might be useful: white...ish induction cooktop

Pretty. I think I'd be guided more by countertop color than oven color. It can just melt away visually if you get it in the right color. If you have a light stone counter, go with the white and it won't be bad at all. Matching appliances is safe, too, of course, but once installed, the cooktop will feel more like counter than appliance.

I have a black cooktop and it really doesn't show grime and I do put it to the dirt test. It's the largest work surface in my cluttered (about to be remodeled) kitchen so I do most of my prep work on that cooktop. I do use a cutting board, but I'm not neat. My cooktop has a slightly matte finish though (possibly from age?) and a shiny shiny surface might show every fingerprint. Go to a showroom (preferably after a fast food lunch) and touch everything! (If you see someone there feeling all the refrigerators, that's probably me.)

Where I do get a little grunge is around the metal trim, but I don't find it that awful. My control panel gets a little sticky too but they don't make them like that anymore (it predates glass-covered touch controls).

Diva makes actual white induction cooktops but they're not cheap :)

This is a stretch... has anyone out there had both the white and black and share your preference and why? (looks, cleaning, seamlessness into stone). Otherwise, I'm going to take my greasy fingers and work my way through some appliances stores!

You can ask the same question of people with regular electric glass cooktops too. It should be pretty much the same.
Betcha get a lot more answers that way!

For me it's mostly looks--don't like the big black hulk. And water seems to smear the black (minerals, maybe?) let alone greasy fingers!

Remodelfla, I'd love to hear reports of your test run through the stores ;)

I also have had mine just six weeks but wouldn't return to anything else...almost instant boiling water, perfectly controlled simmer,keeps my oatmeal warm so I can eat an hour after the rest..and the pot doesn't stick. If it conked out tomorrow I'd still try another.
Mine is black against granite and does melt in...looks clean enough with a wipe with the dishcloth...but if company is coming I "polish" it with the teatowel as well.

Chillkoot-what brand did you buy? Is it a GE per chance? That's the brand I'm considering as it is the most affordable and doesn't have the silver trim. I'm hoping to hear from as many GE purchasers as possible and confirm that they are all happy with their cooktop.

We considered Thermador, Diva and Wolf. Wolf was not going to be available in time for us so it was ruled out for that reason.

We liked the Diva, especially the 24 inch model but it was not available locally. I thought about having it shipped or making a trip to get one. Service wasn't available locally but when I talked with our long time trusted appliance service man he said that should not be a major concern in picking an induction cooktop for the following reasons - the technology is simple and easy to fix, parts can be overnighted and the brand has a good reputation.

Our builder discouraged me from the 24 inch model because even though we would never use the 5 burners on a 36 inch simultaneously, we would us them to move pans to and would look better under a properly sized hood. We went 36 inches and he was right.

So once I decided to go 36 inches, I looked at the Thermador. There was a model at a distributor that I could see in operation, factory service was available locally from our trusty longtime repairman. We went to try it out and were extremely pleased with the performance. The Thermador has been installed since July and everyone here loves it. It has replaced the microwave for most heating jobs. As an added bonus, it came with a great set of Demeyere cookware that is just fantastic.

We have the DIVA DDP-40 and could not be happier with it. Looks great, works great. Very sensitive temperature gradations, instant responsiveness, incredible power and speed. I would never go back to either gas or electric again.

remodelfla, thanksfor the link. I was aware of this new GE model, however, it has two "features" I do not like.

Firstly, the space requirements below the cooktop are much more severe than for most other induction cookops.

Secondly, the SS frame all around the cooktop is something I want to avoid this time around as it catches dirt that is hard to remove. If any frame at all, I prefer the cooktops where the frame is limited to the upper and lower edges, leaving the sides "unprotected."

Moose, if you're looking for "affordable without the trimwork", you might also consider the KA which is what we bought. I've been using it since Sept 1st and am thrilled with it. The touch controls work excellent, I cook alot and haven't had any power issues (or lack of power), and best of all no gunk getting under any trimwork!

loralee-what kind of clearance do you have underneath your unit? I am trying to squeeze a wall oven into our kitchen plans. In that case, I would like a cooktop with the lesser of the two clearances. If I am going to be forced not to have a wall oven, I can just tack a Monogram oven underneath the GE cooktop.

Moose,
Sounds like you're doing what I plan to do this summer. I'm trying to work with some existing cabinetry (tweaked of course) and want to install a 36" induction cooktop with an oven below. This will be where my existing range is. Then I'm going to add an Advantium in an island. Still unsure as to brands but trying to keep it real. I will probably use my cooktop more then my oven so if I splurge; it may be there.

hapz,

The thin chrome rim helps avoid chipping the glass top. The top in all of these and other flat cooktops are glass based as I understand.

Hi Moose, I just looked at the installation manual again and it said the unit itself is 3" deep and needs 5 1/8" clearance between the base cabinets (includes the depth of the unit itself). Doesn't say anything about above an oven other than to "contact your dealer". I just have drawers under mine since I have separate double ovens so I'm sorry I can't help more there.

There is a very helpful KA forum though, and KA Ricky really was wonderful answering all my questions and forwarding manuals for me. This had just come out in the late spring/early summer 2007, right during the week I was ordering appliances of course, so I couldn't get any info in Canada. You might want to try emailing him there (I didn't post, I just clicked his name & emailed privately. Got an answer the next day!)

Hope this helps.

Loralee-thanks for the info. Are you happy with the layout on yours?(I read about people and their layout issues on these forums all time, so I thought I would ask). Power is good for you, etc.? I wonder what canning would be like. Of course, I'd have to find an induction compatable pot for that.
I sure am looking forward to getting an induction cooktop though-can't wait!

After looking online and in stores for months, we finally narrowed down our induction choices to the Ge and the Wolf. I'd have been delighted with either, but, oddly enough, my husband liked the Wolf better because of its appearance. It sits on a granite countertop (Sapphire Brown) and blends right in -- not a black hulk at all. It's a 30 inch one because we didn't have room for a larger cooktop.

We've had it for a couple of weeks now, and it's just wonderful. I made a mess frying things early this week, and it took me maybe 5 minutes to make the cooktop shiny and clean. It's instantly responsive, easy to use, and the cooktop is well designed.

I guess we'll really know how good it is after several years, but I thought I'd share what we know so far.

We are about to wrap up our kitchen remodel project, should be completed by x-mas. I have all GE stainless steel appliances with the 36" ss induction cooktop. We just had our granite countertop installed last week and the cooktop installed earlier this week. First impressions, disappointed. Half the cooktop controls would not respond and one of the burners does not work. We had a GE technician come out and take a look. He's fixed the control so they work now but parts are now on order for the burner. I expected better quality but then since this is a new product, I suppose there could be problems. The stainless steel trim complements all my other appliances nicely but is very scratch sensitive.

As for the burners that work, we tested them and were impressed with the ability to control the heat so precisely. Once we get our kitchen complete, I will share more comments and picture soon.

Just a quick comment on touch controls. My induction touch controls don't care if my fingers are wet, dry, hot or cold. It's a Brandt (made by DeDietrich). It does not, however, respond to a gloved hand, or a very small finger (my youngest child has to use his thumb).

My controls, on an AEG cooktop, are also very responsive, even to wet fingers.

re: GE - I've had such bad luck with GE lately I would steer clear of their induction along with anything else.

Loralee 2007, have you heard anything about the frameless tops and chipping??

I've been using my Electrolux induction for about 3 months and love it for all of the reasons that everyone has already mentioned. It also sits above my wall oven and there is a minimal degree of clearance needed. It is a model that sits about 1/2" above the counter rather than completely flush which is probably why only 4" of clearance is needed.

Hi moose...sorry about the slow reply, mine is an AEG

bob cville
"However I don't love the touch controls, which would be more properly named press-slowly-firmly-and-deliberately controls."
I have the Kenmore 30'' cooktop and the touch controls are touch. Touch very lightly and they are very responsive. They do not like to be pressed. I had the same problen when I first got the cooktop. I was used to my old GE induction and before that an even older Kenmore induction.

Moose sorry for the lateness in replying! I'm very happy with the KA induction layout as well as power. I cook a LOT and haven't had any issues at all. I like that it's flush with the counter, and for cleanup, I just give a quick swipe with a potato scrubber along the edges and it's good as new! I just know you'll love your induction & can't wait to hear what you've picked!

Ferntherose, I haven't heard of frameless tops chipping. Besides my regular induction cookware, I also use a lot of cast iron and I'm not exactly easy on my cooktop. But I've never had a problem, no scratches or chipping. My top is quite thick and I can't imagine what you'd have to do to it to chip it.

loralee-If you don't mind my asking, how much did you pay for your cooktop? Did you pick it up through Sears(I'm old enough I still want to call it Simpson-Sears)and manage to get a deal with them?

The absolute best part of having this type of cooktop is the ease with which you can clean it. The lack of heat on the cooktop itself reduces the risk of oil fires and things burning onto the glass surface. I've had mine for just about a year now and am very happy!

Moose, I didn't find Sears competitive at ALL. Sure they "price-match", but I wanted their bottom line to begin with...not for some other sales office to do all the work and then they just "match" it.

Instead, I went with a local store (Dufresne) and "told" them they had to give me the same price on the KA as Sears was offering for the Kenmore since I was ordering ALL of my appliances through them. And they did it. My price was $1899 + taxes.

If you want to see pictures of it installed, just let me know.

Loralee-Wow! What a great deal you got on your cooktop! That gives me inspiration when I go to haggle for our appliances. Yes, I would love to see a photo.

LOL Moose! They have a LOT of markup built in to their appliance prices, do NOT be afraid to haggle! My TOTAL appliance budget was $10,000 and I kept to that, but got everything I wanted, with all of the features I needed.

It's very hard to find a dealer in Canada with an actual induction top not only installed but operational (I never did find one in Winnipeg that had one operational lol). And Sears had their Kenmore setup, but it was a "dummy", I didn't like the stainless trim or the "raised" platform anyways, but it sure was handy when negotiating prices that there was something comparable to the KA so that they dealer I chose KNEW he had to be competitive (that's what I made him believe lol, I had NO intention of going with Kenmore).

Anyways, because I had such a tough time finding them installed I thought you might like pictures to actually see it.

Here is my overall kitchen (pardon the missing trim kit for my freezer/fridge), cooktop on the left wall.

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Closer photo:

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And even closer photo (please pardon the flash, it's very hard to photo black without backwash)

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Best of luck on your search Moose!

Lora

Oh, Lora...that huge hulking black cooktop totally overpowers your kitchen!

Of course I'm kidding--it's a beautiful install and kitchen! What a great example. :)

I just wish all the appliances I wanted could be found in one store a little closer to home. I am going to start pysching myself for the haggling now. If I am lucky I'll be able to channel my mother! She is a gifted haggler!
Thanks for the pics. I almost didn't see the cooktop in the first two. After looking at gazillion kitchen photos with big hulking ranges and cooktops, yours just disappears(and it looks like it is sooo easy to keep clean)! I love your cabinets too-what are they? The backsplash is interesting as well.
You're kitchen shape appears to be relatively the same shape as mine is going to be. I think I am going to end up raising the peninsula a few inches and putting a wall oven under there, since I can't find space for it anywhere else.
What other appliances did you end up getting for your project?

loralee_2007

How much of a haggle did you get?

LOL @ Fori! Thank you for the compliment!!

Moose, you'll do fine. It's easy to haggle when you know the money is staying then in YOUR pocket lol. My cabinets were ordered through Kitchen Craft, and the SS inserts were a special order item. The other appliances I chose were:

- Kitchen Aid S Series dishwasher, hidden controls & whisper quiet (it really IS whisper quiet too!)
- Frigidaire Pro double convection ovens
- Frigidaire All Fridge/All Freezer w/trim kit & ice maker (LOVE these things!)
- KA induction cooktop
- OTR Whirlpool Velos (LOVE this thing too!)

Canuck, I got a great deal on all my appliances except the Velos which I had to purchase in the US since it's not available here. MSRP on my induction cooktop was $2299 and he offered me $2070 as part of my package price. I said "No, Sears has the Kenmore for $1899." Magically, they then dropped the price to $1850 - the total I paid was $7446 + $989 for the Velos (plus taxes of course). So I knocked off over $2500 from MSRP pricing, and kept my budget below the $10K mark I had set.

HTH

Lora

This is for my mentor, Loralee-I am assuming that you got a great deal on all your other appliances because you were ordering them through the same store. What kind of discount did they give you for the rest of them? I know we live in a capitalist economy and it makes our world go 'round, but it makes my stomach turn over when I think of how much of a mark up there is on just about anything!

LOL Moose! I know how daunting appliance shopping is so any help I can give I'll do so gladly!

I actually dug out my paperwork and here is an exact breakdown of what I paid (1st column) versus MSRP (2nd column)

All fridge: $940, $1299
All freezer: $940, $1299
Trim: $290, $425
Ice maker: $85, $150
Dishwasher: $1316, $1899
Cooktop: $1850, $2299 (other places were $2499)
Double ovens: $2025, $2799

Totals: $7446 versus $10170 for total savings of $2724 (easily allowed me to afford my coveted Velos *swoon* lol) I paid full price for that, but I don't regret it for a second. I finally can have T-bones in our frigid winter temps that are BETTER than on the BBQ - even DH agrees lol.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to check here again before Christmas as I have 24 people coming and need (somehow) to get prepared (I broke a rib and cracked another - merry xmas to me ugh) so please shoot me an email if you like. Otherwise I'll check in again on the 26th or 27th!

Merry Christmas Moose, I wish you the best over the holidays!

Lora