Portable induction burner: Mr. Induction by Sunpentown, or a Cooktek unit. Cooktek also makes built-ins. We bought the Mr. Induction to test induction (& because 2 of our burners were broken). It runs on 120 power, so it's not as powerful as 240 units, but it gets the job done nicely. We installed a built-in & now use the portable for tabletop cooking (sukiyaki) & as a burner out by the grill. One nice feature of the Mr. Induction is that you can set a timer to stop the cooking, which is handy for things like rice.

A friend of mine raves about the Nesco roaster oven, & we're considering getting one. It is a portable unit that not only roasts but can be used as a slow cooker or steamer. It has variable temperature control, not just the High-Low that a slow cooker has. There are various sizes available: 4, 5, 6, 12, & 18 quart (22# turkey size).

Another idea for the turkey is to use an outside grill, set up for indirect cooking & smoking chips. We prefer the wonderful smoked taste.

Target online has the Mr. Induction :) It's a great little device.

I lived for a year with a two burner gas ring and no oven but a funnel bottomed pot with a reflector cover. I learned to really cook there :) With all your options you can do anything :)

Can you find a table tall enough to be a comfortable cooking height? If you go that route, it might work better to keep your burners above it. In actuality it's probably not a problem, but I'd hesitate to cook on a wood surface. 'Course I scored a table something fierce with my notebook computer ;)

Have you checked out 20" ranges? Compact Appliances has a lot of them, as well as Mr. Induction and a lot of interesting stuff :) Here's a good review of one.

And since you were conserving space rather than (specifically) dollars, have you considered an antique that would enhance your kitchen? Perhaps like this one (do you have gas service?), with the buffet styling and smooth top? (Click on it for information. The site has all kinds of interesting antique stoves.)

I took another look at the pictured range above, just because it's so cool! :) It can be converted to electric!

I know it's wide, but I thought it was an interesting alternative to the library table with all that flat surface and the drawers :)

Diva DDP-2 two element induction unit.

I was looking around in the Panasonic web-site and they also sell a two element induction unit. It seemed kind of on the expensive side to me however.

Guys, thanks MUCH for all the ideas! Have checked out your suggestions and given it a lot of thought so far.

The Diva DDP-2 two element induction unit indeed looks tempting. Also the DDP-3 model (3 burners make a lot more sense for a single person not heavy into cooking than do 4 burners). Panasonic is worth considering too. But at this time I'm thinking a 2-burner halogen model, like the Verona or some other brand, makes more sense for me, supplemented primarily in summer with a portable induction burner that I initially get for the short term.

I have a duke's mixture of cookware, some of which isn't induction friendly and most of which I want to keep; i.e., a couple AllClad LTD and a few Scanpan pieces (not induction friendly) in addition to a couple AllClad stainless and several LeCreuset pieces (which I believe are very induction friendly). Also a couple Calphalon tri-ply stainless pieces that don't appear to be induction friendly as they dont hold a magnet tight like LeCreuset.

Has anyone used Calphalon tri-ply stainless on induction?

Has anyone used KitchenAid five-ply stainless on induction? (There's a 2.5-qt saucier I'm lusting after.)

Am considering the Sunpentown portable induction burner, but am undecided whether the SR-1881 (~$160) or SR-951 (~$250) would be a best buy for the long term. Does anybody have experience with both Sunpentown models?

As an alternative, am considering Cadco's portable induction burner ( http://www.globeequipment.com/Catalog/Catering+Supplies/Induction+Ranges+and+Cookware/CDC!BIR-1C.html ), which is intended for commercial use and thus I expect should be more durable.

Cadco's induction specifically recognizes/targets only the size of pot that's used. Does Sunpentown do that also, or is its whole burner "active" rather than just the size of the pan sitting on it?

Does anyone have the Cadco portable induction burner?

Actually, am toying with the radical idea of getting two Cadco portable burners, one induction and one halogen, and calling the cooktop "done" for both short AND long term. Whatcha think???

Per the Nesco roaster, it's basically a good idea as they indeed are very good, including being nice in the summer to plug in outside and keep heat out of the house (so if you're considering getting one, and if you'll use it, I'd recommend it highly). However, I already have a c1967 small oval one, a wedding gift I'll probably get rid of finally. Haven't used it in at least 15 years (too big for one person), and as for roasting, say for company, I prefer the old Farberware Open Hearth rotisserie (partly because it's also good "entertainment value"). The oval roaster just usurps too much storage space if it's seldom used. Might well dump the slow cooker as well for the same reason, relying instead on a LeCreuset Dutch oven on very low heat on stovetop or in oven. Per the outside grill idea, nope, been there, done that, no interest, way too much hassle unless you have a family or regularly have people over for BBQ. IMO, the old Farberware Open Hearth does close to as good a job at grilling as an outside grill anyway (yes, purists will disagree).

Good point about making sure the work table (as substitute counter top) be the right height--will have to keep that in mind. As for having a wood top, I'm considering looking for a table with a trashed top (cheap) and covering it with copper, stainless, granite, soapstone, soapstone tiles, ceramic tiles, or even Formica. A deep baker's rack (perhaps custom made) might end up being the best option as it includes useful shelves underneath.

Thanks for the Compact Appliances link. A nice 20" or 24" or maybe even 27" stove might still be an option. But the more I think of a superbly operational, very well insulated, counter-height small oven teamed with a dynamite 2-burner cooktop, the better it sounds: more convenient height and easier to keep clean in, around, and under (the old house does attract creepy crawlies of various sorts).

The reproduction stoves, including the Elmira (had looked at them before), are not an option. They're great looking and make quite an aesthetic statement (would be fabulous in a late Victorian or early 20th century house), but they're about 150 years later than the origin of my house (to be "in era" I'd have to use the walk-in cooking fireplace in what's now the dining room). I prefer something simple & understated that looks purely functional rather than stylistic so as not to detract from the house's fantastic Georgian-era architecture.

Will be appreciative of any additional wisdom, opinions, ideas, & sanity checks you're willing to offer.

Thanks!!

If you get stuff from Target online, remember you can get 10% off with AAA. I always forget.

I've read a lot of very good things about the Cadco ovens here, but don't have one myself. I may exchange MY ancient DeLonghi toaster oven for one, though!

fori,

THANK YOU for the AAA heads up. Didn't realize that.

The halogen hotplate from Target is going back, though. Tested it. It makes an obnoxious beeping noise that goes on forever, it works well for larger pans/pots but provides no "small burner" capability suitable for small saucepans (so lots of hot orange glow extending beyond the pan), and, with a raised ring around the round burner, it does not accommodate my square griddle pan. Besides, I'm sure this one's defective because one half of the burner circle lights/heats up only a fraction as much as the other half. So much for "durability." If I get another halogen hotplate, I think it'll be a Cadco--more than twice the price but it "should" obviate all these problems.

Cadco makes a couple 1/4-size ovens too. I'm thinking 1/2-size since it will be my only oven (unless I get a Cuisinart convection toaster oven too), but if you're thinking of a supplemental oven to replace your old DeLonghi toaster oven, you might be more interested in the 1/4-size.

Cool idea about countertopping the table! Especially if you do it in one of the metals you'll get a nice old/new contrast. (Can't help thinking artistically about your period kitchen--I mentioned the repros because they look cool, not for any thought they'd substitute for a couple dogs turning the spit :) )

While you're doing up your table, you could also make a simple box riser clad in the same stuff to hold your burners. That would give you "shelf" space underneath to stash a couple of tools, plates or the pepper pot :)

Your idea of having two separate portables sounds great to me. If you're cooking a lot of stuff you might want the elbow room.

I've been experimenting with the Mr. Induction, with is the SR-1881. It's easy to use, but I was looking for something to try out induction cooking, and use later for entertaining, or maybe (if I find some cheap pots) for my art studio, so I was interested in cheap and white (it was on discount). For $100 more you get 7 power settings but a range from 110°F ~ 440°F, rather than the 9 power settings and 120°F - 420°F range of the Mr. I. Since the lowest setting on Mr. I is lower than I've wanted, that end of the range isn't much help, though the extra approx. 20 degrees might speed up the boil by a few seconds :)

My pots are mostly LeCruset. It's fun watching the whole pot of water boil, rather than the bubbles coming from right over the flame. It wasn't the superfast people talk about with induction, which is probably a power issue. The lowest settings don't have much flexibility. I made a great marsala sauce, but it made up faster than I'd like. The bottom setting isn't warm enough and one up is too bubbly. I had the same problem with some soup I just made. Medium is pretty darned hot :)

The timer is great :) I think they all have that.

For an experiment, I used my big oval 5 qt. dutch oven for the soup, which is way too big for the burner. (I wanted to see what happens when you don't follow directions.) I didn't notice any problem with the soup in the edges cooking, but when I turned my back on the too high simmer, I did get a burn patch right over the center circle, just as if it were any other cooking element. What was really great was being able to put a plastic jug of water for the soup right next to it and not worry about it melting :)

So far my favorite pot, my 2.5 qt. Le Cruset soup pot, is my favorite pot to use on Mr. Induction, even though it has curved sides.

One thing to remember about induction cooking is that it only heats where there's iron. Therefore, if your pots are clad all the way up the sides, it'll heat up the sides. If it's only clad on the bottom it'll only heat from the bottom. I'd think there would be uses for both!

plllog,

Thanks for the input. Like the "box riser" idea--got to remember that one. Hmmmm.... was thinking of getting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (to be named Hazel, BTW, but maybe Charlotte would be more apropo)... so maybe she indeed ought to earn her keep by powering a fireplace spit!! Then there's the matter of the "55 gallon" cast-iron kettle on a crane in that fireplace, which obviously is meant for laundry as opposed to crab bisque, and which, therefore, must obviate the need for a stacked front-loading washer/dryer set somewhere.

Induction burners are rather pricey. And if I get one it'll be a long-term investment. So am thinking that a commercial quality, though even more pricey, might nevertheless be the best bet for durability. Cadco says its temp control is "infinite." Need to check it out, also the oven, in a restaurant supply house.

LeCreuset is awesome. I have the 4.25-qt soup pot (seemingly available only on Amazon) and the 5-qt Dutch oven. Need to get rid of one of them because they're essentially duplicative, but it'll be a while before making that choice because I love them both. Mmmm soup.... Would want to make sure an induction burner would handle the 5-quart, also the medium LeCreuset buffet casserole (which is fabulous for many things, BTW, worth your consideration). Have a 2.5-qt AllClad stainless chef's pot that's shaped like your soup pot and, like yours, it's just right for lots of things, especially for one or two people.

Your idea of "elbow room" is intriguing. The thought of being able to move the burners out of the way at will, perhaps to the other side of the room to the real kitchen counter (probably only the induction unit for safety's sake) to make room for some other food-prep activity on the table, is enticing.

This whole cooking-wall situation, including whether an exhaust hood is needed or whether the current wall exhaust fan is sufficient, also whether to leave the wall painted or cover it with something, requires much more thought yet.

LOL about the laundry kettle! Brings back memories of doing laundry with a bucket and solar water heater, and hanging it out in the rain :) But poor Hazel! I can just see you picking puppies and testing their thigh strength and paw conformation to find one which will run well on the treadmill :D Then you'd be ready for thanksgiving and could spit roast the turkey in the dining room VVVBG!!!

Yeah, those catering style induction units (Cooktek?) can cost like 10 times what Mr. Induction does :), though I think the Cadco is only about three times. And some do have more power settings. But is there anywhere you can test these? I have a feeling that except for the few that have significantly more power there really isn't too much difference. The durability factor is for making omelettes at the weekend buffet two days a week, week in week out, and not really comparable to home cooking for one or two.

My second favorite Le Cruset pot is 12" in diameter and about 2.5" tall. Which I guess is the "buffet casserole". I just checked on their website, since it has so many different names in stores :) It works great as a paella or a skillet, and is great for roasting veg in the oven, but is very big :) I haven't tried it on Mr. I, but I will be getting a full sized cooktop in the new kitchen. Though, actually, I think the Cadco does go up to 10", which is probably the size of the contact surface of that pot :) Third favorite is the 1 qt. saucier. I guess I have a thing for the round bottoms :)

On the other hand, my stock pot is also 12", not to mention the old canning pot :) The cooktop I've been looking at has a burner which will take up to 14". One of the advantages of the double burner arrangement is being able to use both burners together for a griddle or oval pot. I don't know about the portable double models, but on many of the cooktops they have pairs of burners which share power. Hm... Much to consider :)

No advice re the exhaust, except my house came without any and I couldn't stand it. One of the first things I did was put in a hood. It was a custom order, though I'm sure it was made of standard parts, and was actually a lot less expensive than the name brands, which wouldn't have fit anyway.

Another small range you might want to consider is the AGA Companion. It's 24" wide, has four gas burners and two electric ovens (Dual Fuel). One is a conventional oven with broiler, the other is a convection oven.

Not only does does this small range have a very traditional "cottage-compatible" look, it's available in a wide range of colours, as well as being an excellent and well-built appliance.

I meant to include a photo of the AGA Companion in the posting above. I forgot, but here it is:

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I like it better in yellow. Awfully cute thing, isn't it?

LOVE the Aga Companion! Had looked at it a couple years ago (I've owned the house for several years and rented it to a local, but now am moving in myself). Trouble is, the town doesn't have natural gas and I've decided not to install propane. So I need all-electric.

Well, it does come in all electric in Australia :) Even if they don't usually have them on the floor here you could find out if they have them in the catalog. It's sure a lot better looking, and probably better cooking, than other 24 inchers. And if there are conversions available for antique gas, you could probably convert the cooktop. Or drop in your induction burners ;)

I was looking at the Cadco manual. The power settings are not 'infinite' but 9 levels. This unit looks more like a Ceran-glass topped, stainless steel cased version of the Mr. Induction unit I have. Which is a good thing, actually.

It has a 99 minute timer and a temperature sensor.

The trick to the temperature mode is that it uses full heat until the pan reaches that temperature (well, when the sensor under the glass reaches that temperature). This means that it is very possible that thick sauces/soups can scorch. Also, if you leave it on a low temp setting for a long time, it can still scorch stuff. So I use the power settings rather than the temp settings.

I have a Cooktek as well (Apollo). There's is more like infinite in that there is a knob you turn from 0 to 10 (the Apollo is 0 to 100 but that doesn't make any difference). The Cooktek is LOUD (fan) I guess because it's designed for an industrial kitchen where everyone is shouting at each other anyway and wouldn't notice this thing over the huge exhaust fans.