I've been using my GE Profile slide in for nearly 2 years and love it with no problems. Someone in your thread in the kitchen forum said the same thing and that they have since come out with a new model. This is true, although I believe they are not completely different, just a few changes to several features and looks. I do see someone who has a new GE induction has posted on here and having a lot of trouble with getting service from GE, so that doesn't give a person confidence. Electrolux was also high on my radar when I was shopping around, but I preferred the GE. Mine has 4 burners and a 5th that is electric, not induction for keeping plates or bowls of food etc. warm. I really like this feature as it doesn't have to be an inductive material, so it can be a serving bowl or plate. I don't use a pressure cooker but have had large pots of water and canning jars on my large hob or straddled across the 2 medium ones, front to back and things have always worked just great.

We also have the GE slide-in induction, purchased earlier this year. We love it thus far, and have had no issues with it. The convection oven is great, the induction is very responsive, and the top is super easy to clean. I don't use a pressure cooker, so I can't speak to that. I also read the post by the person who has had terrible trouble getting a repair person out even though the unit is still under warranty. We purchased ours with an extended warranty and are really hopeful that we can avoid that kind of a nightmare. I did pretty extensive research on induction ranges before our purchase, but I guess every manufacturer spits out a lemon now and then. In the meantime, we are so happy with it that when we remodel our condo kitchen next year, we intend to purchase the same unit for it.

artemis-ma:

No manufacturer currently sells a six burner induction range in the North American market.

Your mentions of "breaking the bank" etc, make me suspect that you want to stay below $2k as the price. Fortunately, going above $2k is unlikely to yield an induction range that will give more for your stated intentions.

If you want a five-induction-burner unit, you have to buy a 5-burner, 36" cooktop and install a wall oven beneath it (or elsewhere in the kitchen if you have the room). To have six induction burners, AFAIK, you would have to get a 30" (4-burner) cooktop and a second, two burner unit (often called "a domino"). The power connections for these are more complicated, too. (A single oven will require a 20 amp 240v connection and the the cooktops will usualy require a 40amp 240v connection, so some rewiring might be needed if you went this route. Most induction ranges require a 40amp 240v circuit, but a few require 50 amp circuits.) If you can work with revamping the 240v wiring, then you might want to consider the new GE and Bosch 36" induction burners with their "bridging" capablities.

Silken1 has (I think) the previous PHS GE PHS925 slide-in model. This had a couple of very long and mostly very positive threads, here, which will support the points that Silken made. I think Patricia has the successor model, the PHS 920 which has equally positive reviews here.

Personally, if I were shopping for an induction range right now, I might be more inclined to the freestanding version, the PHB920, because there is a bit more room on the cooktop and (thus) a bit more room for canning. From my perspective, the major differences between the previous "925" versions and the current "920" versions are (a) styling and (b) the ovens in 920 versions have more (and better) options and a full-power third ("true") convection element. The left front burner on the GE ranges is 11" diameter and both right side burners are 8" diameter with sufficient power to be quite usable for a canning kettle. (Consider that folks have been canning for decades with kettles on 8" diameter 2500 watt coil burners.)

Samsung's sub-$2k freestanding induction ranges (NE597NOPBSR and NE595NOPBSR) have interesting features (and sometimes just plain weird ones) but there are very few reviews here. Most have been positive. Samsung also has a reputation for poor warranty and post-sale support.

I would skip the Whirlpool induction ranges. That includes Maytag and the older Kitchenaid induction models. The newest Whirlpool models from Jenn Air, and Kitchenaid are very expensive. Whirlpool's induction burners all seem to have only 10 settings which many find too crude, especially if you want to run pressure cookers or long, slow simmers. The zone arrangements are odd and the big burners are mostly in the back. There seem to be more reports of problems with them, too. The last time I checked, the manuals discouraged using these stoves for canning.

The are some less expensive freestanding induction ranges from Frigidaire/Electrolux/Kenmore. The
best versions of Frigidaire models, in my opinion, is the Kenmore 95073
and the relatively new Frigidaire slide-in (which often seems discounted
to the $1500 to $1600 range, which is (by far) the least expensive
induction slide-in.) Some folks like these because they have rotary dial type control interfaces (i.e., knobs) for the burner controls. The Kenmore has a 10" diameter large burner on the right front and an 8" burner on the left which (as with the GE models) should be good for canning. The use and care manuals specifically discuss canning. So does the Frigidaire slide-in. There is an Electrolux IQ version of the freestanding range, EI30IF40LS, with some trade-offs. The two right side burners are 7" in diameter, so somewhat smaller. They are bridgeable/linkable into one big, rectangular burner but it is not clear how well that would work for canning. The Elux also has more heat levels at the low end of the burner heat setting scal giving finer control for simmering type cooking. It uses all touchpad controls on the backsplash.

As for canning -- induction-capable water bath canners are readily available and inexpensive if your current kettles are not induction capable. Pressure-canners are a different matter. Basically, for domestic use, all of the readily available large-capacity pressure-canners (Presto 16 qt and 24 quart, All-American 16 to 40 quart models) are aluminum and are not induction capable. (Fill them with water and filled jars, a stainless steel pressure unit would be too heavy to lift.) If you can work with smaller quantities for pressure canners, Fagor has several that can handle 4 quart jars at a time and the biggest Kuhn Rikon (12 quart capacity) will hold 5 quart jars at a time for pressure canning. (Costco.com has a Fagor "Rapida" 10-quart PC with a canning kit for $99).

I have a cooktop (wolf) I do like not having the oven under the cooking area.

Someone recently posted issues with a GE - but that doesn't mean they are all bad.

I hear a lot of positives on Bosch induction ranges. Think how often you really need more than 4 burners. You can always buy a freestanding extra burner. I still have my test burner that I bought to try out induction. I haven't needed it in my kitchen but I used to take it into work occasionally to keep food warm for pot lucks.

I have done some water bath canning but am far from an expert. My brother brews beer and uses a portable induction unit.

I too bought a small induction burner from Costco to try it out before getting my GE Profile range and have kept it. It has never been pulled out of the cupboard, but it might be handy as a2gemini says, so I keep it.