For me direct select separate controls for each hob is a must and no up/down to change heat levels. All 4 of my ”smaller” hobs are the same size so having to place larger pans on a medium or larger hob isn’t something I have to think about. I don’t have timers for each hob but that is a feature many folks seem to like.

Kim G--Thanks. I have been reading reviews of some units we looked at and saw comments about the hassle that it is to have to use a master switch to use prior to adjusting separate hobs. When you say no up/down to change heat levels, do you mean none of the plus/minus stuff and that you prefer a slider or knob?

yes I mean the plus/minus. I have a Wolf. It comes with the auto lock feature enabled so you have to unlock it before using it. That can be disabled which is what I have done. All I have to do is touch on for the hob I want to use and then the “dot” for the level or touch boost. To adjust the level - just touch the “dot” or you can use it as a slide bar which I rarely do.That one touch adjust is awesome when a pot is about to boil over. I didn’t consider any cooktops that had knobs - Gag might have been the only one at the time that had a knob. I like the smooth clean look - cleaning is a breeze! The controls do complain if water gets on them. Not a big deal for me - wipe it off and move on.

So my advice is try to find a store that does demos . I have 3 clients that insisted on induction and went back to gas so really make sure this is a good choice for you. Also all your pots need to be induction friendly too. I run a catering biz from my home I use an all gas 36”range and double wall ovens electric and I have a portable induction burner i use for delicate sauces and melting chocolate and do not find it something I would use for anything else . Not to mention almost all my pots were purchesed in Italy for a fortune and no way would I part with those .

I like timer and flex zones.

After using a radiant range with knobs and a portable induction cooktop with up/down controls, I decided I preferred knobs.

Bosch ranges have the "master switch" so I rejected those.

Having at least one large cooktop element is good.

Since induction range elements don't glow (like a radiant burner) and have no flame (like a gas range), I find a power-level indicator adjacent to each element useful. LG and Samsung ranges have those. Some ranges just have numeric indicators grouped together or no cooktop indicators at all.

I bought the LG LSE4617ST but would have bought the LG LSE4616ST (with somewhat fewer features) had it been available at the time. I think the LSE4616ST is probably the best deal among models with knobs.

The only deficiency I've found in the LG LSE4617ST is the up/down control for the oven temperature. The Cafe CHS985SELSS has direct-entry.

If you're willing to go with all up/down controls, the Frigidaire FGIH3047VF sold by Walmart for $1200 is by far the best deal though its largest cooktop element is relatively small.

This is a second home that we bought a year ago. My other home has gas, that's what I am used to, and I like it. But, my only option here is electric. In this situation, induction is a no brainer over my other choice--a traditional electric range. Plus, this is a Florida home, and induction ranges put out a lot less heat than a gas, so even if gas were a choice I'd probably go with induction.

Have you cooked on an induction burner?

I had gas for 30 years, moved into a home with a glass top electric range and miss gas. Before deciding between induction and gas I bought a single induction burner.

I have one sister that has gas, one that has induction and one with electric glass top. This seems to be a very personal choice.

I personally didn't find the induction as fabulous as the hype and have decided to get gas.

The other concern that I had was the possible interference with medical devises.

Although there are lots of articles that state the induction cooktops are fine for people with pacemakers or other medical implants, my one sister has a pacemaker and spoke with her cardiologist and decided it is not worth the risk. I have a friend who got Parkinson's and has a device implanted in her brain that stops the tremors. She was told not to use induction cooktops. The single burner I got triggered the invisible fence shock collar that my dog wears. Took me a minute to figure out why she yelped and was acting weird. Then I heard the warning buzz when she walked up and sat down. I took off the collar and tested it. If it was within 3' of the burner it would begin vibrating and buzzing and when she ran through the kitchen I am sure she got zapped before she could react to the warning.

We've had a 5 burner Diva induction cooktop since 2004, I believe. I would never go back to gas, as our induction is just as fast, and the cooktop just needs a wipe to stay clean, and still looks brand new. We love the fact that only the element you are using gets hot, but the rest of the cooktop stays normal temperature. If you have cats or young children, that's a wonderful benefit, because it's hard to get a burned paw or fingers when only the area under the pot, heats up. We have never had a malfunction so far, and it's been almost 17 years. We love the way it automatically shuts off if something spills over, or if the burner was not turned off after the pot was removed from the element.

I can't speak for others but my mother had a pacemaker, and it was never affected by using my cooktop. I did worry about that at first, but her cardiologist had no concerns about it. We don't have an electric fence, but our dog wears a shock collar, although it's never set on 'shock' but only on 'vibrate.' If Sophie is in our yard, she barks when a bird lands on the feeder, if one flies overhead, if the neighbour's dog is outside, if a neighbour is on their patio grilling, if the neighbour's windchime moves...you get the picture.

But so far, her collar has never activated when indoors, when anyone is using our induction cooktop. She always follows us into the kitchen, and you can hear the vibration mode, so I'd know if it was triggered. DH and I can't say enough about how much we love cooking with induction. I'd never ever have thought I'd put it above cooking with gas. In fact, after trying ours out, we've now converted several of our friends and neighbours!

I have induction and love it. The home we are moving into has a very nice gas range but no way will I ever deal with a messy, hard to clean gas range when I can have a totally smooth, sleek looking cooktop that’s a breeze to clean.

Some units have half steps when selecting power levels. 17 steps for Bosch, for example instead of 10.

I have a Samsung induction that has knobs and the burner in use has blue led lights that come on to simulate a gas flame. Seems silly, but lets you know the burner is active.

I think having different sized burners is important because different cooking methods need varying power inputs. For example a pot that needs to simmer for hours does that better on a burner smaller than the pot. The highest powered burners don’t simmer as well, especially if the pot and contents are small.

wdccruise--I have a few follow-up questions to your comments.

"Bosch ranges have the "master switch" so I rejected those." Does this mean that I have to first find a turn on button for the entire unit prior to turning a burner up or down?

"bought the LG LSE4617ST but would have bought the LG LSE4616ST (with somewhat fewer features) had it been available at the time. I think the LSE4616ST is probably the best deal among models with knobs." The only feature that would really appeal to me about the more expensive one that you bought is the warming drawer. (I have zero interest in all of the WIFI enabled stuff.) Do you actually use the warming drawer? If so, what can it be used for--real cooking or just maintaining heat?

ulisdone (and others too)--

I appreciate the comments on matching pan size to burner size and understand that for a small pan that I want to summer I am better off with a small burner. But, the entire pot size thing confuses me. How closely do I need to match pan size to burner? If I use a pot that has a smaller diameter than the burner, what happens? If I have a pan that is larger in diameter than the burner, what happens? If I use a pot that has a different size than the burner, what happens? I am thinking of an oval cast iron and enamel roaster that I have.

Thanks.

"Does this mean that I have to first find a turn on button for the entire unit prior to turning a burner up or down?"

1. You turn on the main switch.
2. Select one of the cooktop elements.
3. Set the selected element's temperature with a slider.
4. To use a different element, select that element.
5. Set the newly-selected element's temperature with a slider.

If the element whose temperature you want to change is not the currently-selected element, you must select it before changing its temperature.

"Do you actually use the warming drawer? If so, what can it be used for--real cooking or just maintaining heat?"

You cannot cook in the warming drawer. In fact there is a warning against leaving foods in there too long. I've never used the drawer but I haven't had the range very long. The instruction manual warns against using the warming drawer as a storage drawer to avoid damage to the heating element. If you want a storage drawer, the LSE4616ST is a better choice. I have used the cooktop's warming element.

"But, the entire pot size thing confuses me."

You match the pan size to the element; if a pan is too small for an element, the element won't recognize the pan and it will turn off. I suggest reading page 29 of the LG manual. The minimum and maximum pan sizes for the three sizes of elements would be:

• small 5.5" to approx 7.5"
• medium: 7.5" to approx 9"
• large: 9.5" to approx 11.5"

The Cafe CHS985SELSSlets you bridge two elements for an oblong pan.

Some further clarification in answer to your question about how "closely" you need to match pan size to burner size. I'm summarizing years of discussions here; you can search on this topic and gets lots of hits if you want more detailed discussions or discussions about specific brands of ranges and cooktops.

Pans smaller than the induction burner diameter: A general rule of thumb here has been that pans will work if they cover at least 60% of the induction burner surface based on its nominal diameter. Some brands publish minimum pan base diameters in their user guides. An example is the LG manual quoted by wdccruise. (You probably already knew about downloading pdf of the guide/manual for any stove or cooktop you are considering but it is helpful to find manuals as specific as the LG one.) We sometimes forget that we have to measure actual pan base diameters; the nominal diameters are always measured across the top of a pan which may not tell you how big or small the base is and it is the base that determines heating with induction.)

For stoves and cooktops that mark burners with painted cross-hairs rather than a circle, you may have to check under "specifications" to find out the rated or nominal size. (Can't always tell the size those burners just by looking at them.). Some brands seemingly tune their electronics to require greater coverage of the burner. (I'm recalling some threads from Samsung owners (IIRC) who complained here that their 8" skillets (base diameter) would not work on their stoves' 11" diameter induction burners.)

Also, be aware that what works and doesn't can be affected by variations in the amount of magnetic mass of particular pans. For example, posters here have reported that particularly tiny but heavy pans --- such as 3¼" diameter Bialetti stovetop espresso makers and very weighty Demeyere butter warmers --- worked on six-inch diameter induction burners. (IIRC, those reports were for GE and Electrolux induction ranges from several years ago.) OTOH, those tiny Bialetti espresso makers or a stainless measuring cups won't have enough mass to work on most large (say 12" diameter) induction burners.

Pans larger than the burner diameter. Generally will work, but how well depends on what you are cooking and, again, you also have to read the manual for the stove or cooktop you are considering. The general rule of thumb here over the years has been that when you want the most even heating of the base, pan bases can overlap by up to an inch or so. OTOH, there are tasks where you don't need perfectly even heating across the base --- boiling a large kettle of water for pasta or lobsters, or deep fat frying, water bath canning, or pressure cooking are examples that come to mind.

When you want perfectly even heating in, say, a very large saute pan, you can use it on a smaller diameter induction burner but you have to depend on the pan's construction to conduct heat to areas that lie outside the burner's induction field. Or, you do a lot of stirring to move the food from the less hot areas to the hotter ones.

Same story with bridging burners with large roasting pans and big rectangular griddles, too. With those, it is pretty much the same as with gas and radiant electric burners, as well.

Do be aware that some stove and cooktop brands (or at least some models) forbid any use of heavy or oversize pots and pans. That's usually thought to be because the company cheaped out on electronics which can't take heat reflected back from the over-size pots' bases or because they tried to cut their production costs by using slightly thinner ceramic-glass tops which won't bear the weight of a large kettle of water. Again, you have to read the manuals/user guides to find out which have those limitations

wdccruise--Thank you for the clarification of how the master switch on a Bosch impacts usage. And, thanks for filling me in on what a warming drawer can actually be used for. I was hooping for more real cooking ability, and it doesn't sound like that drawer is going to do much for me.

jwvideo--Thanks for the reminder to actualy measure the bottom of the pan when determining an size. I can see that especially with a flared side frying pan this can be an issue. Before making a purchase I will definitely check on each manufacturer's warnings about using odd size or very heavy cookware. What's the use of having induction friendly cookware if the manufacturer forbids certain uses?

"I was hooping for more real cooking ability, and it doesn't sound like that drawer is going to do much for me."

Maybe you should consider a double-oven model:

• Cafe CHS950P2MS1
• Samsung NE63T8951SS

Beware of analysis paralysis!

wdccruise--

Yes, both of those models are at the top of my short list.

Or you could add a countertop oven, like the Breville Smart Oven. Cheaper than switching to a double oven range, and could be all you need.

I actually looked at those yesterday, but I have a very small kitchen and am trying to keep counter space free. While there I also saw something I had never seen before--the Ninja Foodi. The big advantage with this is that when not being used it flips us vertically and thus takes up very little counter space. That said, it is still 19" wide by almost 8" deep in that flipped up position. All these items just take additional counter space. (Plus, I am still trying to figure out where to put the microwave).

Joy Wills

This really sounds like a glowing endorsement. Thanks for the tip about the griddle too. It sounds like perhaps I could also be happy with just the regular one oven range with the warming drawer. It was very helpful for me to learn the actual temperature range of the warming drawer.

I have been reading a ton of reviews, and that rubber strip between the cooktop and the edge is a pretty common complaint.