New PolyScience toy.

PolyScience is hinting at a new device. Looks like an induction hob with an integrated thermocouple. Sounds similar to Meld, and the Meld site only says they've partnered with a large kitchenware company. Has anyone tried this out yet? I don't know if Meld was ever released, but I know it was kickstarted. Did it ever launch?

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Matthew_Snyder_68770

Hmm.... not sure how useful something like that is. I just don't use my cooktop or induction unit for anything that's temperature-critical. It seems like it would take much longer to cook to core than sous-vide, all the while the food would be exposed to air. What is the intended purpose of the device?

Brandon_Byrd_40557

The only portable induction hob I've seen that is really worth buying seems to be the Vollrath Mirage Pro. The others have too small of a heating element and a paltry number of power settings (the Mirage has 100 power levels). I can't use my pressure cooker with my Max Burton induction hob because the heat level either makes the pressure cooker vent steam like crazy or it's not hot enough to maintain pressure. The Vollrath solves this problem, but it's $500 new. I've been keeping my eye out on eBay for used ones though. If Polyscience can deliver an induction hob with sufficiently variable power that also offers temperature control via probe -- and can do it for around $300 -- then it's pretty exciting. Otherwise, I'll just stick with my circulator and my crappy gas stove.

douglas_bd

I tend to agree. What I recall from an episode of cooking issues that highlighted Meld, you could set it to cook a steak, for example, and it would tell you when to add the steak, when to flip, baste, etc., and controls the temp automatically throughout. Basically providing direction at every step of the process. I don't find this particularly compelling, and to me, doesn't seem to be a natural fit with PolyScience from a brand equity standpoint. I'm wondering if there's something I'm missing. Maybe the fit is technology in the kitchen, but the target audience would seem to be less confident cooks, which doesn't seem to be their core audience. But I'm making a lot of assumptions here. I connected a couple dots that may have nothing to do with one another. I don't know that this new product at PolyScience has any relationship to Meld, but it seemed like a big coincidence.

tshewman

I've see the oliso which is a hob for SV and grill plate but limited in induction adjustments, so the PS could be interesting. I believe PS is now a subsidiary of breville so the induction hob would make sense as Breville seems more consumer driven (https://www.polyscience.com/news-release/polyscience-and-breville-strategic-alliance) FWIW, I have a Max Burton and havent experienced the "allot or little" power that Brandon expresses when using a PC, but for my next one, I would like more temp control for other items.

Matthew_Snyder_68770

Yeah, I don't think cooks that need step-by-step instruction are buying $1000 water pumps. lol

david.davenport

Hi, I can help answer your questions! Yes, Breville|Polyscience do have a new product coming in the new year: A temperature control cook top directly sensing and controlling pan temp with additional probe that can control the temp of the ingredients directly...We met Chris Young recently and he thought it would be a good idea to start a conversation on the forum. Seems like you've started it!

douglas_bd

Hi David, Thanks for stopping by! I'd recommend starting a new thread to get some visibility. This one is far enough down in the queue that it won't get many views. I think anything that adds precision and control is good. From what I'd heard about Meld (and I'm not sure if the products are related, but they seem similar), I felt that it was positioned as handing control over cooking to the device, vs. giving you more control over your tools. I much prefer the latter, which sounds closer to what you (and Brandon) describe. Accurate temp control on a cooktop and ability to dial it in with precision is something that would appeal to me and probably others here. Recovery time is also something I'd be interested in understanding / improving. Anything you can share would probably be of interest to a good number of folks on the forum!