Uaually ane electic items from Europe are not cpmaptible with our electric. Maye explain a bit more about the reason to make life complicated when there is one of these available in the US . I don't like induction so have not explored that type of cooking but to me this sounds like something a bit off. I lkke appliances to loook lke what they are and I guess I wounderhow long the counter will last where this is installed. Of course the good thing you will be forced to get real stone or at least no fake plastic stuff .

I looked at the website, and to me it looks ike they've taken an induction cooktop, and instead of the induction cooktop glass surface, they've substituted a surface that looks like a Quartz or laminate counter. Can you please explain the benefits?

The website talks about benefits that are already benefits of an induction cooktop: "It allows cooking on a surface where there is no glass or visible burners, so cleaning is very easy", and "it allows working just a few centimeters from the cooking area due to the low residual temperature on the surface." You can place the controls outside the cooktop or in the cabinet front, so that is different from a regular induction cooktop. I am not trying to criticize your choice because it's a new technology. It just sounds like you will have to jump through a lot of hoops to install it.

I also want to ask about who will service it? For the Invisacook, lots of tales of woe of needing repairs and/or replacement. What happens if you install the TPB Tech induction cooktop and something is not working, needs repair/replacement? If one area on it fails, does the entire thing (entire counter) need to be replaced?

The brochure shows the voltage range (180 to 240 volts) and frequency range (50 to 60 hz) so it would work in the US. The product has CE certification.

@RoyHobbs: "It just sounds like you will have to jump through a lot of hoops to install it."

I don't see why it would be more difficult to install than a typical countertop and induction cooktop. I would imagine that it would cost a fortune if only because of the price of shipping a large, heavy, crated countertop from Spain to the US.

CE certification is not UL. You can have issues if you have a fire.

@RoyHobbs Re the benefits: aesthetics and increased counterspace.

Re maintenance: according to the team I spoke with in Spain, if there's a fault then they'll just deliver a new induction unit that's attached to the countertop (which is easy to swap out with the faulty induction unit) – I wouldn't need to change the countertop, as none of the mechanism is within the countertop.

@wdccruise Re shipping costs, I've not received a quote yet but yes, I don't expect it to be cheap...

It sounds like appearance is very important to you. I think there would be pros and cons of keeping it nice looking. I'd be worried about scuffing the smooth stone with your pans. Maybe take an old stainless pan and a sample of the countertop material and do an aggressive scratch test, just in case. (I wonder if maybe you would help to choose a matte surface for it? IDK.)

If there's really stubborn cleanup -- like burnt-on starch -- what would that look like on a countertop surface? would you still be able to use a good cleaner like barkeepers friend?

On the other hand, a black glass top shows every dang water streak, even if it's clean. I have to actually windex or polish with a dry microfiber if I want it to to be spotless. It's annoying to do every time (so I only do it when people are coming over, LOL).

@User All great points, thanks. And yes, appearance in the kitchen is important to me – having worked in some Michelin-starred kitchens, I'm a bit particular ha :-) I mean, look at it!

The cookware have 3mm thick "legs" that separate it from the countertop to prevent thermal shock and impacts. This means that I'd need to get their specific cookware too.

Do you have a small, contemporary kitchen? What aesthetic are you aiming for?

A honking big La Cornue with giant hood looks great to me! And I could use all my tarte tatin pans, cocottes, Alessi pasta and coffee pots - without a second thought! Fussy little pans with legs would keep me out of the kitchen.

By the way, insurance said that because it is CE certified, it doesn't void anything and can be included like any other item.

If I were going for this i'd ask for installation info. It could be pretty low tech to prep an appropriate counter material and you've said the swap is easy. All you need to have them help you with is counter prep. Then your shipping costs are greatly reduced. That money can go towards the counter in your location.

@dan1888: "It could be pretty low tech to prep an appropriate counter material and you've said the swap is easy."

As shown on page 10 of the brochure, the company is selling a four-layer countertop -- "the new generation of countertops" -- with induction elements, not induction elements for a countertop produced by a 3rd party.

The cookware has to have legs? Sorry but I agree with @latifolia. The pictures of TPB are gorgeous, but I've seen some glass top induction ranges that look amazing. Some of the drop-in ones are nearly seamless. It would blend in even more if you get something like soapstone or some other dark material.

I don't know anything about your intended cooktop, but I know what a really quality set of cookware costs, that is, something like AllClad, MadeIn or Demeyere.

If you have to throw that all away in addition to purchasing your new cooktop, paying for shipping it to the U.S., paying for installation, plus the loss of all that cookware, plus buying new cookware, well, that's very, very big bucks.

Can you please explain to us exactly what it is that this TPB Tech induction top can do that another induction top can't?

And whatever that is, is it worth the price of say, I'm just guessing here, $15,000?

@loobab re your point "If you have to throw that all away in addition to purchasing your new cooktop, paying for shipping it to the U.S., paying for installation, plus the loss of all that cookware, plus buying new cookware, well, that's very, very big bucks."

Relative to the alternative (purchasing a new regular induction top):

- Purchasing new cooktop: I'd need to do this in both cases

- Paying for shipping to the US: agree, this is incremental

- Paying for installation: only installation is the countertop and, as I'm remodeling the entire kitchen anyway, I'm already going to be installing new countertops

- Loss of cookware: My ten-year old cookware is due for an upgrade :-)

Based on initial quotes I've received from Spain, the cost of a large porcelain slab + four burners is approximately the same cost as a leading (e.g., Thermador) induction range; I'd then need to separately buy a countertop.

So given my situation – I'm remodeling and need a new countertop anyway – I don't think the price delta is actually that large... That said, I've not receive shipping rates yet.

And to your question: "Can you please explain to us exactly what it is that this TPB Tech induction top can do that another induction top can't?" It's completely invisible and seems to be significantly more powerful than Invisacook, the other invisable cooktop option.

I'm getting induction but I know the first scratch on the glass will be devastating. I'd planned on cooking though a protective silicone mat that I could just collect all the splatter on and toss it in the dishwasher. I'm going to look at invisicook again. At $2300 it certainly is a lot less than the Thermador Freedom cooktop I had in mind.

I remember this invisible feature being offered when I ordered an induction cooktop for my home in 1989. The only issue I see now that was the same issue back then was that the countertop doesn't get hot but the pans get hot while cooking, and over time scorch or discolor the surface of whatever material your counter might be.

Pan on a metal grill over fire... same same.

I just went to look at invisicook again at a local showroom. I like the concept but it still seems kind of Radio Shack gadget like with the interface hidden. It is wifi capable now but not sure it can turn on your vent hood like a Thermador paired systems can. Is it controlled by Siri now? Can you schedule a pot to begin to simmer? Questions I'd like answered. If I can use voice instead of having to deal with the clunky interface controls I might be more interested.

My kitchen designer said he imported and installed TPB Tech here in the US...

But I am leaning towards Invisacook. How is the longevity of it? Anyone knows?

Did he say how much TPB was all in?

@Holger Bach I've been looking for someone who's familiar with the installation for a while! Would you be open to sharing your kitchen designer details please? Would love to hear his thoughts on TPB!

TPB has been around for 10 years, wonder why they have no distributors in the US. Also, what about being forced into a chippy porcelain counter? That's one benefit to the Invisicook... you can use granite.

I am a chef and honestly see no advantage to going with omething that is not radiliy available in NA the fact ois they have very specific install and materials that are not readiliy avail in NA.

Interesting thread!

But having read the information on the websites of TPB and Invisacook it seems to me they both have a maximum of 3000 kW per booster or 7.200 kW in total.

However, I'm curious what you're turning up to.

@Monique Barrow: "they both have a maximum of 3000 kW per booster"

Most powerful element comparison:

• TPB 11" / 2300w / 3000w (boost)
• Bosch Benchmark NITP660UC* 12" 9" / 3300w 2200w / 3700 3400w (boost)
• Bosch NIT8660UC* 12" 9" / 3300w 2200w / 5400 3700w (boost)
• LG Studio CBIS3618B** 11" 7" / 3700w 1850w / 6000w 3700w (boost)

*dual-ring induction zone

**dual-ring induction zone and indicators that show each element's power level

Thermador Freedom full surface /3500w / 5,500w (boost)

@wdccruise, I see what I’ ve done wrong. Of course it must be 3000w or 3kW( and 7.2 kW or 7000w.

But still the significant difference in power, as op said, can’t be explained.

Watch the TPB Tech - Breakfast video.

1. How does one know the location of an induction element on the cooktop?
2. Even if one can find an element, how does one know how to center a pan over it?
3. The control panel for each element consists of a few tiny buttons and two indicators. How does one know where an element is in relation to its control panel?
4. If one had a cooktop with several elements and each element's control panel was near the element it controlled, wouldn't the control panels be spread all over the cooktop?
5. There's no display of an element's power level other than the tiny indicator. LG and Samsung induction cooktops, for example, have an array of LEDs adjacent to each element that shows its power level.

I am in charge of sales of TPB Tech in Central Europe and more than 3 years of experience with the invisible hob, not only TPB, because we also tested Invisacook and Cooking Surface Prime in detail. If you want to know any detail about this technology and the implementation, do not hesitate to contact me. I don't know of any implementation of TPB tech in the US yet, but the only problem I see is connecting to the grid (it's at 230 V and 50 Hz). But I think that can be solved with your electricians. Logistics is not easy, but it can be solved. barta@level02.cz

Anything can be done with enough money but the point is this is not made for the NA market I want a Neff slide oven door oven but not available in NA yet so i wait .

@Patricia Colwell Consulting: " I want a Neff slide oven door oven but not available in NA yet so i wait"

BSH already has three brands producing a bewildering collection of appliances -- some of which differ only slightly by brand -- in the US market. I don't think it's going to add a fourth anytime soon.