Induction hob saves energy, heats the contents of pots faster and makes housewives easy to care for. You no longer need to enjoy the aromas of burnt foods and wipe off droplets of fat that stick to the surface. But picking the best value for money is still a pretty difficult task.
Induction Panel Selection
Safety and profitability make such a plate a welcome assistant. But these qualities are combined with the high cost of the induction hob, which forces one to approach the issue of choice wisely. It is not a theoretical necessity to change the dishes, because if the old one is in normal condition and is attracted by a magnet, then it is suitable. And not about the coating, since with proper care, glass ceramics and more expensive tempered glass will serve equally. The right choice is dictated by other parameters.
Hotplate Information
Round classics are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Manufacturers increasingly mark burners with squares, rhombuses or hexagons. Often there are ordinary crosses that indicate the center. But the speed of cooking and the quality of food are not affected by the fantasies of the designers, unlike the size of the burners. If the bottom of the dishes covers less than 70% of the area, the stove will not turn on. The standard diagonal of the burners is from 14 to 21 cm, but in some models automatic adjustment of the heating zone is possible.
For those who use gas or do not want to completely abandon the electric classics, combined models are provided. In them, part of the hob is reserved for gas burners or heating stoves.
Size and design
The needs of a small family will be satisfied by a single or double burner stove. If you need to cook for 3-5 people, then the cooking surface should be much larger. And equipping the model with an enlarged heating zone will not be superfluous.
The color palette of induction hobs is impressive and has long gone out of black and white. Their shape is also not limited to the usual square and can be either rectangular or oval, or quite futuristic. But the minimum width is always at least 30 cm. For 3-4 burners, this parameter increases to 45 cm. And at least for 5-6 heating zones, it starts from 60-80 cm.
The average thickness of such plates is 6-8 cm. But there are also thin ones - from 4 cm, and 10-cm "bbw". However, it is not worth focusing on this parameter.
Dependent and Independent
Dependent induction hobs are rare. There are two explanations for this. The first is practicality. When the oven is located under the stove, it is not too convenient to use. And the common control panel in case of malfunction of one of the devices will leave the hostess without both overnight.
The second is technical limitations. There should not be massive metal objects near the induction hob. Creating a dependent version, the manufacturer is forced to think about its isolation from the oven, so that its casing does not affect the operation of the stove. And this will not add beauty and practicality. And the main advantage of the dependent panels will nullify - the reduced, in comparison with the acquisition separately, cost of a set of household appliances.
Manufacturer
The impeccable reputation of the brand is the guarantor of the long service life of the acquired equipment. European manufacturers offer high-quality performance of different price categories. But this does not mean that among the little-known brands it is impossible to find a decent induction cooker. Just before the acquisition is worth reading customer reviews.
One of the parameters that you should pay attention to, regardless of the manufacturer, is the energy efficiency class. For induction panels, it should not be lower than A. Even better is A +.
Profitability
The main advantage of such hobs is their high efficiency of approximately 90%. This means that if a heating element or gas boils water in 10 minutes, then an induction cooker of a similar capacity will cope with the same volume of liquid in about 5 minutes. Moreover, the heating element switches off immediately after removing the tank from the burner.
Bottom line: relatively small electricity bills, even if a powerful panel is selected. And a relatively high cooking speed, if the economical version has become the chosen one.
Features of modes and functions
Locking the control panel is important if there are children in the family. Protective shutdown will help the hostess who has sipped milk. The timer will help out often distracting culinary specialists. Tightening the power of the neighboring one onto the burner, the Power Boost mode will be useful in the morning rush.
But this list of functions is not limited. Choosing an induction hob, determine how necessary will be:
- power adjustment (up to 16 heating levels);
- induction without borders (the opposite of strictly defined burners, the stove itself turns on under the dishes);
- regulation of electricity consumption;
- pause;
- residual heat indicator.
To enhance comfort, manufacturers can also offer features such as modes to maintain heat and adjust constant temperature. These are program modes, the absence of which is easily compensated by manual power adjustment.
Induction Panel Rating
The most expensive panels can even be equipped with displays showing the current power of the heating zone along the hotplate contour. But its cost directly depends on the list of possibilities of an induction cooker. Therefore, it is recommended to cut off everything that is not useful in everyday life - it will turn out to save wisely.
Among the well-known brands, Electrolux, specializing in the production of combined cooking surfaces, can be noted. Hotpoint-Ariston and MAUNFELD offer the best price. Hansa and Gorenje delight their customers with original designs. The most economical LG induction panels are recognized. But the "middle ground", according to leaving customer reviews, was Bosch equipment. Some of the panels of this brand are steadily holding the lead in the ranking of the most bought.
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