I really don't know anything about that specific cooktop, but I wanted to mention this.

It is my understanding that the first time induction was introduced in the U.S. on a bigger scale, the units being sold, including Kenmore, I think, were not good. It gave so many people a bad taste, so to speak, that induction did not take off for a long time, and is just now making a comeback.

So, that could mean that Kenmore got a better one going, so they don't do it again, or it could mean that you really need a more powerful induction unit to cut it, I don't know.

I will be interested to see what people who actually know what they are talking about have to say. :)

Sunny

Hey! No Fair on the last sentence!

Anyway, the old low frequency induction products from many years ago and the latest high freq systems are totally different animals. The Kenmore unit is made by Electrolux and no doubt is good enough for most of us.

I have the Kenmore induction cooktop and love it. I am not a serious cook anymore, children grown.

I love the speed cooking food, less time on feet.

Sometimes I have 3 burners going at same time and it works great. I do not have all on highest power at same time, no need to, because it takes time to prepare the next pan of food.

I start off with high power, turn down, turn down, turn down, and finally end up with setting of #2 and food continues to simmer. Higher settings it boils fast/hard.

As with any induction cooktop, close watch on food is needed until you learn how long it takes to heat up, etc. Best to not turn your back on things cooking.

Made hotcakes for grandchildren and discovered the #5 heat is probably the best to avoid too brown. May need to lower even more. I like well browned hotcakes but hubby likes light color hotcakes.

The induction cooktop no doubt uses much less electricty than regular cooktops. Definitely saves time in the kitchen, less time on feet. Easy to clean. No red hot burners to get burned on. Has a lock to prevent accidental turning on.

At first I was not sure how the control panel was suppose to work and was beginning to get frustrated. Our son, an engineer told me it is the "heat" from finger and not the "pressure" that turned on the controls. Now it is great, have no problem getting burners turned on, just hold finger on control and bingo, it turns on.

Krissie

Hello,
On this forum, I find 2 different type of posts. the first is questions about a defective appliance, and the second is from people that are willing to buy the very best.

This forum is not for the average person, that has traditional cheap appliances made by American manufacturers. The common person with the $300 refrigerator does not post on this forum.

When a person talks about spending $5500 for a refrigerator, you are talking about a 1 in 5,000 person. This is a small percentage of American households.

I have the KE cooktop installed last December. I only use the highest power setting for boiling pasta water and it does a fine and speedy job at that. The lower powers are more than adequate for cooking everything else, so I don't think that I would benefit from having a higher power cooktop. It would be kind of like driving a Ferrari at 65 mph all the time.

My criticisms of the KE are minor and I would certainly buy it again. I don't like the stainless trim, but that's a taste issue and the controls are a bit quirky. The touch controls on the Whirlpool microwave and KE oven (also Whirlpool) are more sensitive. Some pans vibrate a bit and make a faint humming noise, but I believe that's true of all induction units and is really not at all noticeable when you are actually cooking although it is a bit startling when you first play with the thing just after hooking it up. Some people dislike the fact that it is not flush with the countertop, but it doesn't bother me. The advantage of the raised cooktop is that the ventilation is above the counter and the drawer beneath my cooktop is fully usable since the cooktop does not protrude down into the cabinet box.

Induction is great; fast and efficient and clean up is wonderful! I needed new pans anyway (DH hated mine and I hated his, so the compromise was a third, new set), but you may need to buy new or replace some of your favorites.

Do you think the vibration and/or buzzing can be caused from the weight or mass of the pan? How consistent is the noise? I tested the Diva induction and it clicks on and off on lower setting.

I have not noticed a buzz or vibration of pans on my Kenmoe induction. My pans are an assortment found at TJMax, various brands.

Marie

Some months ago there were postings about using "oven paper" or silicon pads under pans to protect the surface of these cooktops.

I'm wondering if this might also help decrease (or perhaps eliminate) the "buzz" effect...

At least it might shift the frequency spectrum of the buzz toward the lower tones by de-emphasizing the higher ones that might otherwise be produced by the hard surface of the cooktop directly vibrating against the hard bottom surface of the pan.

Anyone using these pads notice a difference in sound because of them?

If you do a "search" for Kenmore induction you'll find the exiting threads on this topic. At least one of those has well over 100 posts ... so there should be some good information there for you.

We are both SERIOUS cooks - have the Kenmore - and love it.
You can make a great meal on a bunson burner if ya know how to cook. :)

Actually, the extreme control in both flame size and air/fuel mixture of the Bunsen burner allows an incredible degree of flexibility in the type and variety of heat-based culinary effects that one can obtain from this exquisitely simple device. Indeed, those espousing a simpler life style might argue it's all we really need. But I still prefer my induction cooktop...

My heaviest pan, a Le Creuset dutch oven, and my lightest pan, an 8" Sitram saute pan don't buzz at all under any conditions. The others, if lightly loaded, have a varying degree of faint vibration based on weight and control setting. The noise is quieter than cooking and I no longer notice it. I suspect that the small pan has a very flat bottom which prevents the vibration.

Correct me if I'm wrong, I think the cooktop has up to 15 levels of heat settings but the display is only one digit. What happen when you go 10 and higher?

If I remember correctly it's 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, ... 6, 7, 8, 9, P. The display shows 5.5, for instance, as "5." For all practical purposes, the finer gradations don't seem too necessary.

"My heaviest pan, a Le Creuset dutch oven, and my lightest pan, an 8" Sitram saute pan don't buzz at all under any conditions. The others, if lightly loaded, have a varying degree of faint vibration based on weight and control setting. The noise is quieter than cooking and I no longer notice it. I suspect that the small pan has a very flat bottom which prevents the vibration."

Here are my theories about this. I used to run a lab for Intel, where I would have had excellent physics equipment to test these theories (acoustic spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, etc.), but I no longer have such equipment. So I cannot test these theories. (One of the first things I would do, with even an oscilloscope, is to measure the frequency of the induction cooktop's power output, then measure the frequency of the sound (buzzing), then measure the "ringing" of a pan when struck. Then I would do these things with a few different amounts of water in the pan.)

Still, I think this is basically what's going on:

Buzzing with induction cooktops happens when the pulsed power resonates with characteristic vibration frequencies of pans--sort of like harmonic resonance with cars on a suspension bridge. Power input causes small expansions of the metal as it heats, causing a physical deformation. If this deformation is happening at some harmonic of the pan's vibrational modes, the vibration of the pan may become audible.

A very heavy pan dampens this effect for a couple of reaons:

-- the power absorption is "smeared" over a greater physical distance (the thickness of the pan) and hence the power into the pan causes various parts of it to heat up at varying times, hence also "smearing" the time when the pan starts to expand under heating

-- a thick pan (such as Lodge or Le Creuset) has such high thermal mass per unit volume that expansion during a single cycle is small. Hence the acoustic output is small.

-- a thin, well-conducting pan (such as All-Clad, the magnetic versions) should have very noticeable expansion, except that its resonant frequencies (it's "ring" when struck) are probably further away from the driving frequencies

-- pans that are "full" or have stuff in them are both acoustically damped (the vibrations likely won't be heard through a pot of water, for example) and also have their expansions dampened down by the thermal mass of the water and other ingredients

This all fits with why different induction cooktops (different makers, different burners) and different pots and pans have various amounts of buzzing.

--Tim

Great to read such a thoughful reply, Tim!

I'm guessing that with the new wave of induction models about to hit the market we may see some sort of lab testing emerge...similar to that for other consumer electronics like cameras, HDTV, etc.

Induction units would seem to lend themselves well to an expanded evaluation spectrum that includes a bit more of a look inside than is warranted by, say, a gas range or electric oven.

I'm sure if we had access to how the different models actually function, we could make better choices.

Make sense, anyone?

"I'm guessing that with the new wave of induction models about to hit the market we may see some sort of lab testing emerge...similar to that for other consumer electronics like cameras, HDTV, etc.

Induction units would seem to lend themselves well to an expanded evaluation spectrum that includes a bit more of a look inside than is warranted by, say, a gas range or electric oven.

I'm sure if we had access to how the different models actually function, we could make better choices."

Yes, I think we'll see this. I used to subscribe to various stereo magazines ("Audio," "Hi Fidelity," "Stereo Review," "The Absolute Sound") and they devoted many pages in each issue to detailed testing, with frequency plots, impulse tests, etc. Of speakers, tuners, CD players, etc.

I suspect the "foodie" market is not quite as technical, but is interested in some of the testing results.

Like I said, I could easily do some tests if I just had a small fraction of the equipment any well-equipped lab will have. (But I have no intention of buying such lab items just to test my own Viking induction cooktop, naturally!)

A "Consumer Reports" type of test would be good. (Unfortunately, the brief notes in CR on induction units--some of them I learned about here on GardenWeb--have been of the "brief look" sort, with no real data or plots.)

The basic science of induction cooking is easy enough to learn, it seems to me. Once the basic idea is grasped, the rest is just design specs and features.

The 3.3 KW output of my Viking unit's highest power "burner" (ring, surface, hob, whatever terminology one chooses to use) is enormously powerful. Probably equivalent to a 25,000 BTU/hour gas burner, according to the conversion ratio of KW to BTU/hour and the "better coupling efficiency" of induction as compared to gas.

I find that this 3.3 KW burner is great for rapidly boiling large pots of water, but is almost too much for any ordinary pan, even for wokking. (Given the 695 CFM vent hood I have...)

I would have no hesitation getting the Sears Kenmore. Its power is not quite as great as the Viking's or the Cooktek's most powerful burners, but see above about what is needed!

--Tim

Wow! Thanks so much for all the great feedback.

Based upon all this and my other research, I feel comfortable getting the Kenmore.

The only thing I really don't like is the height where it protrudes on the surface...but I don't hate that enough to not get it.

Next issue...house plan calls for the cooktop on the island.

So choices with this will be:

1. Downdraft in island - This is what I've had the last two houses. Right now I have a GE Profile coil unit...was in the house when we bought...kept meaning to replace it and never got around to it. This has a downdraft (not telescoping) which doesn't seem to work well.

2. Island with overhead hood - I would like this functionally but not sure I would like the look of the hood in the middle of the room. Also, worry about lighting

3. Move cooktop to counter and then get overhead hood.

I realize this is the appliance forum so my question is confined to the induction cooktop issue. Are any of these choices specifically better or worse for an induction cooktop?

"Next issue...house plan calls for the cooktop on the island.

So choices with this will be:

1. Downdraft in island - This is what I've had the last two houses. Right now I have a GE Profile coil unit...was in the house when we bought...kept meaning to replace it and never got around to it. This has a downdraft (not telescoping) which doesn't seem to work well.

2. Island with overhead hood - I would like this functionally but not sure I would like the look of the hood in the middle of the room. Also, worry about lighting

3. Move cooktop to counter and then get overhead hood."

I've never lived in a house with an island cooktop. (I have the money to have such a house, but my last three houses have all had "normal" kitchens, not big designer kitchens).

Frankly, most houses I have seen with "cooktop islands" have not impressed me. I think the "food porn" t.v. shows present an image of friends and family gathered around the island as the cook prepares a meal a few inches away, but this has always seemed fanciful. Certainly I never see people sitting around near an island as food is being fried or wokked or pasta boiled, etc. Except at a Benihana.

A cooktop out in the middle of a kitchen causes all sorts of problems. Not the least of which is the one you note: hood options become both very expensive and very "dominant" (an overpowering visual element). There are many good reasons why most cooktops and ovens are ON OUTSIDE WALLS, and not just because this is where chimneys and coal shutes and whatnot are best located on outside walls.

A sink and prep area at an island may make more sense. No hood hanging down, a place for people to sit as food is prepped. Even a counter serving area.

Then turn around and use a conventional wall position for ovens and cooktops, with the hood mounted conventionally on the wall.

Just my opinion. (Sorry to offend any foodophiles, but I think the spending of many kilobucks on island kitchens, overly-large kitchens, is just a new form of keeping up with the Jones's. As someone here put it, they think their neigbhors are waiting to see what megabuck Eurokitchen stuff is put into their remodel so that they, the waiting neighbors, can then top them.)

Induction on a wall, with a good wall hood (chimney-style or the more conventional style, whatever it is called) is a good idea.

(But induction will not likely impress the neighbors, as they have mostly not heard of it, or remember the units of 15 years ago. Modern neighbors are conditioned to think Euroblingbling gas ranges are the only way discerning showoffs should go.)

--Tim

My present house is thirty years old and came with an island cooktop set up. And it's a fairly modest home, to boot. Last October I switched out the existing Jenn Air electric coil integrated downdraft cooktop with the Kenmore induction unit and a separate telescoping downdraft. The issues Tim brings up are indeed valid. However, I must say I enjoy having the island cooktop when company is over. My friends & relatives really do congregate at the island while I'm finishing up cooking. I like being able to converse with them while I'm cooking, and I like being able to talk to my husband in the family room while I'm preparing dinner. I do most of my prep work -- slicing, dicing, etc. -- at the island, right next to my cooktop. I realize it's just my personal opinion, but, given a choice, I'd much rather chat with my friends & family while cooking then stare at a wall. And, for what it's worth, cooking/kitchen sounds -- the buzz of induction, downdraft noise, dishwasher hummings, etc. -- don't bother me or my husband. But if noise is an issue, probably a downdraft is not the best option.

I'm very pleased with my Kenmore induction cooktop, which was installed about a month ago. I haven't noticed much buzzing, but maybe at "over 40" (OK, over 60) my ears don't pick it up. It is installed above a wall oven and both units came iwth a list of which units can be installed above and below each other. When I was planning the kitchen, Sears told me that I couldn't do that, but I read the spec sheets and decided that it would be possible. Anybody who wants a copy of that sheet just send me an email and I'll scan & email it.

The spec sheets are found at
http://www.contractsales.sears.com/comsale/appliance/applcat/applcat.htm

Like shambo:
10 yr old home, island cooktop came with.
Switched JennAir Ceran cooktop (cartridge style) to KE Induction. (side note: of all the material things that have passed through my life, I have hated that Ceran cooktop the most).
Downdraft telescope.

We also have people around the cook, and now that our girls are growing, they show a keen interest in cooking, and having an island that is no more than 6 ft wide enables all four of use to cook together, sharing and trading off tasks. Sounds very idyllic and hokey, but that's what happens.

PLUS. Being able to look past the cooktop and island to the breakfast table, and then past that to the great room (obviously an open floor plan) all the way to the tv about 30 ft away is a great bonus for the cook. We can keep cooking and not miss the action if any, not that we watch much tv at all but those times we do, it is wonderful not to have to turn around or left/right. When company is over, conversation with people in that room is still possible for the cook.

We like the induction top a lot but have become pretty soured on the Sears experience (see my other thread in Laundry). We will probably be cancelling some other appliances we had purchased with them and going with substitutes just for the luxury of not dealing with Sears again. Sorry to all the Sears cheerleaders here but this is a company that needs to get its act together bad.

We've had our Kenmore induction cooktop for a few months now and we love it. I don't notice the buzzing really myself. I have the vent fan on anyway, so it's not really an issue. I wanted to keep it to the lower end pricewise since we were doing all new appliances. The Kenmore was expensive enough for me!

I was happy to get all new pans out of the deal although it did cost quite a lot of money. Never would have gotten them out of DH if we hadn't "had" to have them! Went for All-Clad for the most part ($$$$) with some LeCreuset mixed in that I was able to get for a great price at Tuesday Morning and TJ Maxx. I figured the last set lasted me 24 years and I will be dying with this set, so I was worth it! *grin*

Marie

I am going to purchase Kenmore Induction Cooktop. However, the Sears Product Spec Sheet states you must have 7.5 inches clearance on both the right and left side of the unit which is 29.5 inches wide. What size of cabinet did you put your cooktop in? Also how deep into cabinet does it go down? Can a drawer really fit below the unit? I need to order cabinet but dont know what size to purchase. Our kitchen is completely torn out...we are starting from scratch. Any help about installing this cooktop will be appreciated. Thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: Kenmore Induction Cooktop-Product Spec

PS I used the "Call for Products Questions" service twice because I didnt believe the answer. Both Reps stated either surrounding cabinets or walls must be 7.5 inches away from unit which means a 45 inch cabinet. That still doesnt sound right.
I tried to use the link in other thread to get installation manual but it doesnt work anymore.

I also read that this unit was made by Electolux. I did find a installation instructions for one of their 30 inch induction cooktops that looks similar to the Kenmore on the electrolux web site. It doesnt appear you must have a 45 inch cabinet. Still apreciate feedback from anyone who has had them installed.. Thanks

PS-Electrolux also has 36 inch Induction Cooktop...to be availanle Fall 2006...thats right now:) http://www.electroluxusa.com/node35.asp?ProdID=36534

Here is a link that might be useful: 30 Inch Electrolux Induction Cooktop

PS-When I did a SEARCH for Electrolux dealers in my area (Austin, TX) it came back with the SEARS stores.

The new 36 inch Electrolux Induction Cooktop has 5 Zones to cook on. Look at the Installation Instructions for a picture of size and placement of 5th zone.

Here is a link that might be useful: 36 Inch Electrolux InductionCooktop Installation Instructions

The post below (by loraccia) was very helpful... and I purchased the unit over the phone one week ago Saturday.

At that time there was a 20% off one-day sale and the 5 yr warranty was also discounted to $99 (on that day).

Sales staff said the unit will be inhouse for pickup on 9/16.
I will keep you posted on installation issues that may occur... :)
My

* Posted by loraccia (My Page) on
Fri, Aug 25, 06 at 15:11

Here's the info on the 5 zone induction cooktop from Sears:

Presently, the induction cooktop can not be purchased on-line, it is only available at the store. It is a 36 inch cooktop, which I believe is made by Electrolux for Sears. When I ordered it about 4 weeks ago, they didn't have the model in the store yet. In fact, the salesperson didn't even know it existed. However, thanks to the knowledgable folks at Gardenweb, I knew it was about to be available for purchase and pressed the salesperson to look it up in her store computer. Boy, was she surprised!
FYI, the model number is 42900 and is part of the Kenmore Elite collection. It is black ceramic glass with stainless trim. Its front control panel has a red LED display.

According to the Sears printout, the five cooking zones are L front: 8 inch with 2200W (with 3,000W Power boost), L rear: 7 inch with 1800W (with 2300W power boost), R front: 10 inch with 2400W (with 3200W power boost), R Rear: 6 inch with 1200W (with 1500W power boost) and Center: 10 inch with 2400W (with 3200W power boost)

The installation diagram is anything but helpful! Study it several times and you will figure out that what they are referring to about the 7.5 inches is to TOP cabinets on either side. That can be talen with a grain of salt, especially if it is at one end of a cabinet run.
Yes, there is room fora drawer underneath. The thing does not go into the opening very far at all. It does allow clearance for most wall ovens that are put beneath. I don;t have time for an extensive descrition now, but I will share more later

Will a 30 inch Kenmore induction coodktop fit in a 30 inch cabinet or should I buy 36 inch cabinet? It seems the edge would be really close???? What size cabinet do other Kenmore Induction Cooktop owners use??

Offsite: I received a call from Sears telling me the delivery date on the induction cooktop will be later than first estimated. Did you receive a call as well?

loraccia,

Just called the Sears store and they are in back ck'ing to see if it came in.... and the answer is....

... it's not back there.

The staffer will call tomorrow (Monday) to see why, and to find out a revised date.

The really helpful staffer also entered the item number in her computer to see what delivery is projected for one ordered today... and got back "Oct 3rd".

I'll let you know tomorrow what transpires... and, also, the 5yr warranty cost I mentioned previously was correct (apparently on sale along with the unit that day)

Hi loraccia,

Just called Sears again to ck on delivery (was due 9/16).

The unit is on back order from the manufacturer.

Latest info is they are now quoting 10/3 for all deliveries, but "it could be sooner" for mine since it was ordered back in August

So guess I'll be on standby 'til I hear something different...

...or until someone here convinces me another model would be more desirable.

It's here!!! The Kenmore 36" induction cooktop was delivered last night!
Right now, it's in the garage. I'll bring it into my kitchen on Monday when the granite guy comes to template the center island have it installed 10 days later when the granite gets installed

Offsite (or anyone else with the cooktop), which downdraft system did you partner with the cooktop. I ordered the Kenmore (braun) downdraft which when in use, raises 9 1/2 inches above the cooktop. However, I am considering switching to the 7 inch Kenmore (Braun) downdraft because it's $500 cheaper AND better looking (on the website).

Any insight on the downdraft would be extremely helpful

Posted by greengirl_va (My Page) on Mon, Sep 4, 06 at 13:53

The installation diagram is anything but helpful! Study it several times and you will figure out that what they are referring to about the 7.5 inches is to TOP cabinets on either side. That can be talen with a grain of salt, especially if it is at one end of a cabinet run.

I read the installation instructions too.. says 7.5" space from walls or cabinets to the sides.. I don't understand the above comment I pasted in. I want to put a kenmore in a counter that abuts a wall with the oven in it. Why does the space matter if the cooktop never gets hot (or if you put up not flammable treatment like tile?)? Pots won't be at the edge either..

Wow! This Kenmore 30" induction is incredible!! I just installed it Saturday, and the wife loves it. She is a very serious cook and also a caterer. Had to buy cookware since not one of our quite large collection of cookware was induction capable. It is a Kenmore set that is "induction suitable", but I don't know how good it is, as far as induction cookware goes. It has fairly thick bottoms, but the sides seem a little thin.

It replaced an old Fridgidare electric cooktop that had those solid disk elements, which were very slow to heat up, agonizingly slow to cool down, and would cut in and out all the time while trying to boil water or sear meat.

So far, it seems to boil water significantly quicker and it is fabulous at modulating the cooking temp. As far as the buzzing, yes every pot has buzzed, but not real loud unless you put it on the power boost, and it doesn't bother my wife at all.

Another great advantage of the Kenmore, if you do any cooking with large pans is that the large burner has a 10" diameter, while a lot of other induction cooktops' largest burners are 9". With that 10" burner on power boost, you are getting 3200 watts cooking power. The power boost will only work for 10 minutes, but you can boil a large amount of water in that much time anyway.

Been using a Kenmore Gas cooktop past 8 years. Decided to do a remodel and through research decided induction was the way to go.

We just installed the Sears Kenmore Elite 36" Induction Cooktop. This is preliminary as I have only tested a few pans with water. Here's a summary:

Looks: Looks great (doesn't everything when it is brand new?) I find it interesting though that the cooktop has a slight bow in it. Contractor said this is on purpose and it gradually flattens out. I don't know if I would have noticed it if he hadn't pointed it out. The cooktop is not flush with the counter as there is a slight bit of ventilation but for all practical purposes it looks pretty flush.

Burner organization: Great. I compared this unit to many others and this was one of my favorite burner organizations - like the big 10" element in the middle.

Price - Better value than other brand in my opinion.

Controls - I can see why some would say controls or finicky, especially if you are transitioning from knobs, but if you have a basic understanding of how the controls work based on heat, not pressure and you can't use wet hands (lots of towels around the kitchen to take care of that) then I don't think you will find them finicky at all. I'm glad we got touch controls instead of hard to clean knobs like on the Viking Induction. Yuk.

Power - I can't make a comparison based on experience with other induction units but the contractor (this being his first induction install) was absolutely awestruck when he saw how fast I boiled water. It has two zones so if you want to maintain constant power on two pans, put them in separate zones. Otherwise it decreases the power just a little on the first pan. Is there not a reason why you can't just set the power setting on the first pan a little higher than you want knowing you will have a second pan in the zone?

Noise - The hum/buzz did really catch me of guard at first. Probably because I never remembered reading about it. Apparently this is common among induction units. I would suspect (again with no comparison experience) that the Kenmore may be just a slight tad on the noisier side. But I agree with most people, it's not that the noise is too loud, it is just that it is a different noise from the gas burners. It really only raises eyebrows on the Power Boost mode, sounds like a loud electric toaster. But that is actually a good point, it isn't louder than one of those traditional pop-up electric toasters (except in Power boost mode) so no one complains about their electric toaster being too loud? Because they are used to it. On power level 6 and below the noise is virtually unoticeable unless you are in a deathly quiet kitchen. I think it just catches people by surprise like it did me and take some time to get used to. The funny think is on my Demeyere Atlantis pans at least, you'll get a high pitched sort of radio interference sound when two pens are close together, but if it persists, you just notch on of the burners up or down a half step. Not really an issue, but again, takes getting use to. Someone who uses induction all their life then switched to gas may have a hard time initially getting use to the loud hiss of the burning gas.

Another thing you have to get use to is, mostly on the smaller burners, below 5.5 power level, the burner actually cycles turning on and off and you can hear that but again it's barely noticeable on medium on down. I guess it can't lower the constant power level low enough to achieve those lower power levels without cycling it on and off.

We are using Demeyere Atlantis pans - the best in the world for induction, well argueably, but not argueably the most expensive. I'm not the type to buy the most expensive stuff - heck I bought a Kenmore! But I love to cook and I love nice pans and afer lots of research these sounded worth the money. Found a website for a place in San Diego that has them cheaper than everyone else, about 20% cheaper. Can't remember the name, you'll know them when you find them by the prices. Everything is ordered direct from Demeyere, they don't stock the pans, maybe that's why they are cheaper? They are the most beautiful pans I've ever seen. I bought virtually every pan and then some (non-stick) in the Atlantis line so I spent over $1,000 on pans! They will last a lifetime though.

Can't wait to cook on the unit tonight. I'll provide a follow-up when I've logged several meals.

I have to disagree with some of the things I've read from other posters though (in this and other induction threads.) First on the energy savings. Even if a cooktop doesn't use that much gas or electricity, the difference between 43% and 92% efficiency is significant, especially if you have any sense of integrity as far as not being wasteful with resources. I highly doubt the actual energy cost if 7 cents for induction and 11 cents for gas per meal. That's a bunch of bologne. The poster didn't say what an 'average meal' is, how was it cooked, how many pans, for how long. Looking at our Natural Gas bill hear in the Seattle area, I can almost surely say an average meal costs more than 11 cents on a gas range. Despite the cost savings, even if insignificant, I will mostly enjoy the fact my kitchen will be much cooler when I cook in the summer.

The only thing now I'm concerned about is the scratching issue. I didn't buy a flat surface cooktop to have to mess with silicon pads and power towels under my pan. If I'm reasonably careful should I not have any problems? I know the cast iron probably needs a pad.

The other thing is what cleaner to use other than the polishing stuff that won't stain the stainless steel. I assume as long as no chlorine, ammonia, or acidic solvents I should be okay?

So now I'm curious what all of Kenmore induction cooktop owners think about it for cleaning around it since it sits slightly higher than the counter top.

Ok...I work for Sears Commercial Sales (I sell to contractors)

I see all the newest, latest and greatest. I can tell you now- that this cooktop is my lust. I do agree- the stainless steel strip at the top and bottom really are more of a bother than a luxury (food and particles get caught where it meets the glass- and it's you and a toothpick to clean it out)

I have been reading where people have been saying it's made by electrolux- and that's partially correct- what a lot of people do not know is electrolux is made by Frigidaire. A good majority of the Kenmore cooking appliances are made by Frididaire- the Microwaves are made by LG (which makes the majority of everyone else's microwaves too)

I don't sell a lot of these- mainly because people do not know about induction. The ones that I have sold this unit to, bought it on the fact that 'it's cool'

They did not buy it because it was induction. I feel that you will start seeing more and more induction cooktops out there- which will help the price come down some.

I'm waiting for Amana to get one in the mainstream (Viking is actually owned by Amana- and since they have one- i'd be betting they will be the next 'mainstream manufacture' to get one out.

I will agree that the Demeyere Atlantis will probably be your best bet for cooking on this cooktop. They are NOT cheap.

I wish we had a working display model- I bet if we did- we would sell a lot more- just by showing how fast you can boil water on it.

Anyhow- If you look at the ratings for this device it tends to get high marks- usually the only compliant is the stainless steel on it.

If anyone has any questions- feel free to ask!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sears Commercial

I am building and considering the Kenmore induction cooktop - please let me know if others have purchased cookware designed specifically for this cooktop. I have Calphalon and hoped it would be fine on this cooktop. Your input will be greatly appreciated.

After less than two years, tonight our kenmore induction cooktop started letting off smoke and a smell like an electrical fire. The thing was off and cool but had been used a couple hours earlier. We quick turned the circuit breaker off. The external wiring, circuit breaker, look fine and the smell definitely emanated from the cooktop. Calling kenmore repairman tomorrow but probably a waste as it is out of warranty.