I do have a question outside of the normal space.

How is the induction cook top, what have you used on it, and overall how do you like it?

I am considering it for an upgrade, and it is a Propane Vs Induction gig. I would like to hear your comments.

Thanks.
-Cecil

I love our induction cooktop, my wife thinks it's the best feature of the new kitchen. There is no residual heat except what is generated in the pot. If you have a pot/pan/etc and a magnet sticks, it will work. The circuits will note when a pan/pot is take off the element and blink a led at you til the pot returns (it will eventually turn off). It won't heat up a fork/spoon and it can determine size (to some extent, I've not wanted to test this to any degree). Don't drag stuff over the surface if it's rough. The KitchenAid induction cooktop has a click to it when a relay clicks in (no big deal to us some people have said they don't like the noise) and it has a fan keeping the electronics cool (a good thing IMHO) which precludes putting it above an oven.

We've had a wok hot enough to cause the crackling sizzle you get with a nice hot pot when the food hits it. This doesn't take long to heat up. Mind you, we had to unlearn habits from our very old antiquated cheap electric burners. Don't put something on there to warm up and wait a while.

If you have something oily, you can lay newspaper over the area including the 'element' and cook through it. The paper may scorch depending on the heat of what you are cooking.

Pros: Fast cooking, no extra heat, easy to clean top (no knobs on ours), didn't have to run a gas line to an island.
Cons: takes a big electric circuit, can't "see" the flame like in gas or quartz halogen, more expensive but cheaper than say Wolf.

Mark

It does sound like a serious adjustment from a 'normal' gas or electric stove top. Have you found a Moka pot that works well with it? And can you do a siphon type brewer with it?

-Cecil

It's a beautiful job Mark! The combination of wood and clear cabinet doors is striking. I especially like the tiles on the splash.

CRCasey wrote:It does sound like a serious adjustment from a 'normal' gas or electric stove top. Have you found a Moka pot that works well with it? And can you do a siphon type brewer with it?

-Cecil

Induction cooktops work by heating the pot with a magnetic field, so the pot need to be ferromagnetic, which means it needs to be made out of certain irons or steels. So you would need one with a metal bottom, and it needs to have some heft to it.

Cooking wise I've found induction tops to be on par with the better/best gas stoves out there, the only difference is that the induction top cares about what kind of pot you use, gas doesn't so you can use ceramic bowls and such with them.

CRCasey wrote:It does sound like a serious adjustment from a 'normal' gas or electric stove top. Have you found a Moka pot that works well with it? And can you do a siphon type brewer with it?

-Cecil

Well, I've never used a Moka pot or a siphon type brewer. If it's aluminum, it won't work, not all stainless steel will work either. I think we had to get rid of a couple of cheap pots/fry pans when we switched over. All our Costco stainless steel pots worked just fine.

Mark

Fullsack wrote:It's a beautiful job Mark! The combination of wood and clear cabinet doors is striking. I especially like the tiles on the splash.

Thanks, there are numerous all day adventures at the tile/granite/Ikea/plumbing/etc show rooms.... Sure happy with it now. The tiles were special order and had just arrived in the show room. Nothing was too expensive either, so our budget pretty much stayed in check.

Mark

CRCasey wrote:It does sound like a serious adjustment from a 'normal' gas or electric stove top. Have you found a Moka pot that works well with it? And can you do a siphon type brewer with it?

-Cecil

Cecil: Bingo, a Moka pot that would work on an induction cooktop. Found while looking around on CraigsList in the SF area for $60. Hunt down a "Richard Sapper 6 Cup Stovetop Espresso". Not inexpensive when new.

I also saw a stainless steel moka pot while Christmas shopping at Macy's, but I didn't have a magnet handy to see if the base was magnetic.

Mark