Individual Induction Burner Recommendations

Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a portable induction burner and was wondering if you could help me out. I've been looking at several posts here and I can't seem to figure out which one is used at ChefSteps.

I see a link to this thread http://forum.chefsteps.com/discussion/365/induction-burners

but I can't seem to open it. Every time I click on it, I'm directed to the main page of the ChefSteps community forum.

I really appreciate your help! Thanks!

Find more posts tagged with

Everything Else

Comments

tshewman

Try this link. https://www.chefsteps.com/forum/posts/induction-burner-recommendations-2/comments/1a6c24c7-2a29-40ba-ab86-56e26aea99ef

mikevanle

Thanks Todd, I tried that link and I see a few recommendations there but I really wanted to see @Chris_82369 link for the recommendation. Thank you for your help!

tshewman

Hi Mike, If helpful, that thread was more geared towards ranges than individual burners. For me that probably saved me some money as well as a cast iron bruise on my head. :-)

tshewman

Hi Mike, Found the link you were looking for (I think). Please send ice for cast iron induced headache. Apparently someone thinks I spend too much on kitchen appliances etc:-) http://www.chefsteps.com/forum/posts/induction-burners-6/comments/95b76987-8cb2-46b6-bd0f-b6ed7736ae4c

HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134

it that actually possible? I mean spending too much on equipment...i usually just explain that we are saving soooo much money by not eating out and having our own wine cellar that the cost of the "necessary" equipment is minuscule. Most of the time it keeps me from getting whacked with something but, It does not inhibit the "amplified dialog" :-)

Ben_Johnson_34605

We use a few different induction burners here at Chefsteps. We have a large 5 top unit that is made by GE like this one http://www.amazon.com/PHP900DMBB-Profile-Electric-Induction-Cooktop/dp/B0011YJE7E we also have some individual burners by Fagor http://www.amazon.com/Fagor-America-670041470-Portable-Induction/dp/B005LGUXLO/ref=sr_1_1?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1417627574&sr=1-1&keywords=fagor+induction and Waring http://www.amazon.com/Waring-Commercial-WIH400-Induction-Countertop/dp/B00C5IJ5AQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1417627610&sr=1-2&keywords=waring+induction Cheers!

David_Henley_36942

I have the Waring WIH400 and love it. Around $200 and it's mostly all I cook on now.

HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134

are you sure we are not married to the same person?

DouglasBaldwin_31850

I know it's not what they use at CS, but I got a Vollrath Mirage countertop induction burner many years ago and use it almost every day. I use it over the range on my stove because it gives so much more control: the model I have has a knob for setting the temperature (in 5 °C increments) or power level (to 1, 2, 3, …, 100). I really like being able to use a knob because I think it's faster and more natural than having to push up-and-down arrows. So you might consider their 59500P model (which looks like a newer model than mine) even if it's a bit pricier than what CS uses.

mikevanle

Wow, guys thank you so much for all of your help. I really appreciate it!

Eric_M_16062

I have a question... Why induction? There are a few at the restaurant I work in, I used them in school... hate 'em, hah. Finicky with pans, takes forever to heat up and the ones that do seem to work well need repairs all the time.

I haven't done much research, but my experience has been poor. I'd just as soon go buy a camp burner and a shitload of propane for a portable option, you could get a solid one for the same price.

Am I missing something?

Brandon_Byrd_40557

I love the idea of portable induction burners, but most of them seem to have major flaws that limits their usability. The major flaws are that they:

(1) have a small heating element relative to burner size

(2) have too few power/temperature settings

(3) are prone to overheating

I purchased a Max Burton burner a while ago and it exhibited all of these problems. While it was in most respects a nice unit, these limitations really hurt its functionality. The heating element wasn't large enough to evenly heat a 10" pan, let alone a 12". (Its maximum suggested cookware size was 13"). If you put a largeish pan on the burner and brought some water to the boil, you could see where the burner area was, and it was MUCH smaller than the surface area of the pan. This lead to extremely uneven heating. The power levels weren't fine grained enough to have sufficient control over heat. I mainly purchased the burner use with my pressure cooker, and it was very difficult to find a power setting that would maintain pressure without excessive venting. I've seen similar complaints about other units not being able to maintain a simmer -- they're either not hot enough or they're at a full boil (and there's nothing in between). Finally, the burner I got was prone to overheating when used with cast iron. Aside from pressure cooking, the other main reason I got it was for searing sous vide meat. But I wasn't able to heat a heavy cast iron skillet to searing temperatures without the unit overheating and turning off. Again, I see reports of similar things happening to other units so I don't think it's a flaw with this particular model.

Even with all these problems, I really liked the induction experience and would love to find a burner that actually works like it should. Doug Baldwin's suggested burner looks to be the real deal, as it has a very large burner and 100 power settings. But it's also $450, and that's way more than I'd like to pay for a single burner. If anyone knows of a burner that's cheaper and doesn't suck, please let us know.

Lou_34544

I'm looking for an induction burner up to about $150. Which brand seems to be most reliable? The Fagor doesn't have great reviews on amazon. A number of individuals report wild temperature variations and breaking.

I am looking for steady temeprature control and durability. Is the fagor better than the max burton? What about the Waring ICT200?