Use an induction cooktop anyone? Anyone?

[908/930]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Maybe the answer is obvious, but will boil overs still burn onto the glass?

It will evaporate but it won't really burn, wet it down and it's still easy to clean.

[NYPorsche]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Anyone using one of these silicone mats?

NYPorsche - thanks. I'm looking at Electrolux, it seems to be priced better than some of the others. Good to hear you like yours.

This is the one we went with:
https://www.rochesterappliance.com/products/electrolux/ecfi3068as.html

Never used the silicone mats, but doing a bit of reading it seems they aren't really meant for high heat or extended cooking. I may (and probably am) be wrong on that. We've never used one and so far there's not been any scratching to the glass surface so far with daily use of cast iron. The stainless surround holding the glass in place has several scratches though. My take on it is that it's a working appliance, not a work of art. So - we're going to call it patina and then I'm going to sear another nice steak.

[Tobra]

I can't imagine switching from a gas cooktop to any sort of electric.


I find the idea that natural gas is going to give someone asthma or aggravate the problem from using it to cook fairly ridiculous.

[908/930]

People would likely be surprised how long induction has been used in industry to heat steel parts for heat treatment and hot forging, and a good reason for that. Works just as well to heat pans in the kitchen.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by 908/930

People would likely be surprised how long induction has been used in industry.

We used to use them in the lab when I was working in aerospace in the 80s. It wasn’t new then. We had an induction furnace about the size of a gallon paint can.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Tobra

I can't imagine switching from a gas cooktop to any sort of electric.


I find the idea that natural gas is going to give someone asthma or aggravate the problem from using it to cook fairly ridiculous.

You talking to me?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by NYPorsche

The ease of cleaning coming from our previous 5 burner gas stove is amazing. Our stovetop is also poorly vented, so it's been a notable change in heat accumulation during longer cooking, and we're getting less byproducts of combustion circulating through the house

Those are the two biggest drawbacks to gas. I like using the gas cooktop, but cleaning it is a pain, and I have to be very careful positioning the small (4 inch) pan that I use a lot so it doesn’t tip over. I don’t mind the combustion by products in my kitchen because I have a half decent vent.
But every single place we’ve looked at has a free standing resistance stove and no vent. Usually there is a microwave/range hood over the stove. Whoever designs these kitchens obviously doesn’t use a kitchen. I’ve resigned myself to have to replace the stove at a minimum, and probably have to live with some kind of recirculating hood over it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Maybe the answer is obvious, but will boil overs still burn onto the glass?

Sometimes the boil overs leave what looks like hard water spots. We have a cook top cleaner that’s almost like a polish, you apply it and buff the surface. Ours still looks like new.

[Tobra]

You have to make the electricity first. I am unaware of any method to do this that is 100% efficient.

You can use natural gas the way it comes out of the ground to cook. How efficient is that?


We have been doing doing this for a very long time, long before asthma became a common problem. It does not seem reasonable that everyone used gas to cook in their homes for pretty much ever and you did not hear about asthma much, if at all. Smells like BS

Also, I prefer the instant heat and infinite variability of cooking with gas

[lindbhr]

We are going to try induction, but not give up gas. Wolf has a component offering whereby you can get 2 induction burners and pair them with 3 gas burners. The total width is 39". This is our current thinking anyway....

[vash]

Originally Posted by Tobra

You have to make the electricity first. I am unaware of any method to do this that is 100% efficient.

You can use natural gas the way it comes out of the ground to cook. How efficient is that?


We have been doing doing this for a very long time, long before asthma became a common problem. It does not seem reasonable that everyone used gas to cook in their homes for pretty much ever and you did not hear about asthma much, if at all. Smells like BS

Also, I prefer the instant heat and infinite variability of cooking with gas

I dont know either. just a thought my doctor gave me. but you know what has been here long before asthma as well?. pollen. smoke..both those things can make me cough.

personally, I am not convinced I even have asthma. we'll know if a die of COPD. whatever. the rest of my life I will try to be less judgmental and be more open minded. you do you.

and induction. my friend in Asia has a wok burner that is induction. it is a concave surface that the wok nestles into. the heat changes so rapidly. I imagine the neighborhood lights dimming when he goes full power. it is pretty badass. he is a fantastic cook. he likes it. and he is good with it. my friend in Napa has a Thermidor induction, that simmers at a level my gas stove can only dream of. if I make polenta, I have to make a ring out of aluminum foil to get my tiniest flame to just kiss the bottom of the pan with heat. he hits a button called simmer. very dope. we all get to pick out stoves. I was just riffing.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Maybe the answer is obvious, but will boil overs still burn onto the glass?

Nope. We've probably had hundreds of boilovers (the missus trying to do too many things at once) and the glass is clean. I don't think we've ever used anything but a rag/towel to clean it.

The cooktop doesn't really get hot. The pot gets hot and is sitting on the cooktop so some heat transfers.

I suspect it would be possible for there to be an issue, but we've had enough boilovers that I think you'd have to be trying really hard to have an issue.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

I dont know either. just a thought my doctor gave me. but you know what has been here long before asthma as well?. pollen. smoke..both those things can make me cough.

personally, I am not convinced I even have asthma. we'll know if a die of COPD. whatever. the rest of my life I will try to be less judgmental and be more open minded. you do you.

If a Doc says "cooking with gas may be a problem" and you have another good solution, it would seem crazy to ignore the Doc. Stay healthy, fella. Maybe cooking with gas is a problem, maybe it's not, but better safe than sorry.

and induction. my friend in Asia has a wok burner that is induction. it is a concave surface that the wok nestles into. the heat changes so rapidly. I imagine the neighborhood lights dimming when he goes full power. it is pretty badass. he is a fantastic cook. he likes it. and he is good with it. my friend in Napa has a Thermidor induction, that simmers at a level my gas stove can only dream of. if I make polenta, I have to make a ring out of aluminum foil to get my tiniest flame to just kiss the bottom of the pan with heat. he hits a button called simmer. very dope. we all get to pick out stoves. I was just riffing.

Wow, that's cool, an induction wok burner!

We converted to gas at our old home many years ago. Obviously, there are aspects of cooking with gas that are great. But it's also horribly inefficient. I feel like half or more of the heat produced ends up heating the house instead of the pot. With induction pretty much all of the energy goes to cooking. Maybe some doesn't somehow, but at least it's not heating your home.

[jyl]

We are getting more winter ice storm power outages here, and they are lasting longer. Days not hours and I know people who were in their second week before power was restored. I want to be able to stay warm and make food and coffee. I guess a big enough generator will power an induction cooktop but I’d want that figured out before leaving gas.

[jyl]

We are getting more winter ice storm power outages here, and they are lasting longer. Days not hours and I know people who were in their second week before power was restored. I want to be able to stay warm and make food and coffee. I guess a big enough generator will power an induction cooktop but I’d want that figured out before leaving gas.

[Tobra]

Propane and propane accessories might be the ticket for that sort of deal

[masraum]

Originally Posted by jyl

We are getting more winter ice storm power outages here, and they are lasting longer. Days not hours and I know people who were in their second week before power was restored. I want to be able to stay warm and make food and coffee. I guess a big enough generator will power an induction cooktop but I’d want that figured out before leaving gas.

I would think it would take a big generator to power an induction stove. If you had a gas stove, that would help heat the house (when it was running). Or an induction stove with a propane camp stove or gas grill could also be the cooking backup, but that wouldn't help with heat. Every year when unusual cold weather hits the south, someone tries to stay warm by running a gas grill indoors and all of the occupants of the home end up dead from carbon monoxide. (so why don't gas stoves do the same?)

Yes, power outages are something to consider.

[908/930]

My backup for power failure is a portable induction burner and my small inverter generator, it will run the gas furnace to heat the house.

[wdfifteen]

I am putting solar panels on this place and probably a battery. I don't know how the battery works. Can it be a backup power supply? The solar system we have has no battery and shuts down when power from the utility goes down.
There is no natural gas and the house is not plumbed for propane. I'm going to have to spend some money on something. It may as well be something that helps pay for itself. Our natural gas generator cost $10,500 to install plus $250 a year for maintenance. It has run maybe 5 hours in 7 years. That's some expensive electricity.

[thingmon]

I have one. The other half dropped a pot on it and now only one burner works. Time for gas.