Software
Houzz Logo Print
gldcc

What Induction range do you have?

10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago

I am particularly interested in induction ranges. I wonder which ones people have. What are the the good qualities of that particular range that you have (or one you are familiar with), the qualities that could be improved, etc. I am talking about things like placement of pans on the cooktop, knobs vs no knobs, the way the touch controls function, that kind of thing. Also how do you like the oven on your range. Is it noisy? Accurate in temperature? Does it handle small pans well? I understand the merits of induction, and most articles I read, go on about that, rather than the practicalities and comfort of an individual range. I thought I would ask real owners how they felt. Thank you.

Comments (17)

  • 10 years ago

    I have this one. Just got it this spring and it's my first experience with induction. I'm very happy with it so far. I liked the hob arrangement which utilizes the entire cooktop and the granularity of the settings. I would have preferred a slide in but I don't care for stainless appliances and this was the closest thing I could get to black which is what the rest of my appliances are. I also decided with the mixed reviews on reliability of various induction ranges it might be better to make a smaller investment and see how it goes.

    Electrolux freestanding

  • 10 years ago

    Yeah, 3katz4me is the one to ask about the freestanding Electrolux induction range.

    Also, the current thread on the recently released KitchenAid slide-in now has some additional practical use posts. The thread is here and you might try posting some of your questions there for the three folks who have that range so far.

    gldcc thanked jwvideo
  • 10 years ago

    I have the GE Profile slide-in range, and am very happy with it. Pot placement has not been an issue (my biggest concern switching to induction), and we often have 2-4 burners going. I've had zero problems with small or very large pots/pans. It doesn't make mich noise, but sometimes it loud if I put a lid on a pot.

    The touch controls don't respond 100% of the time, but it isn't enough of a problem to be bothersome.

    I've had it since November, so no idea about longevity.

    gldcc thanked pippiep
  • 10 years ago

    JWVideo, thank you for the suggestions. Actually I have learned a lot from your previous messages/comments on this forum. One from a number of years ago, about how to view stove purchases was influential in how I am viewing this.

    3katz, thanks for the information. A couple of questions if you don't mind, is your oven fan quiet? And can you put a small pan on a burner that is quite a bit larger. The placement of burners and their size is something I care about.

    pippiep, glad to hear the good news about pan placement. How is the oven? Is the fan quiet and the temperature ok? I am not finicky as some about the oven, but the noise level is an issue with me.

    I really do appreciate the information you are all giving. It really does help.


  • 10 years ago

    Well I guess whether or not a fan is quiet is a matter of opinion. I actually haven't used the oven that much as we do more grilling and cooktop cooking in the summer so I just turned it on and tried it using the pre-heat feature. The fan was on during preheat - noticeable but didn't bother me. It took 7 minutes to heat the oven to 350 degrees then the fan went off completely. I also turned it on convection and even that fan was pretty quiet in my opinion.

    I moved last year from a house with Dacor double wall ovens and those were louder as I recall and the fan ran all the time including an extended period of time after shutting the ovens off. I got used to it but so far this range seems like an improvement in that regard.

    The cooktop has two medium sized hobs on the left, a large one on the right front and a small one on the right back with a warming burner in the middle of the back. One of the things that was important to me was that I be able to fit my two largest All Clad and LeCreuset pans on at the same time which I can easily do on the front two hobs or right front and left rear. The manual says the minimum pan size has to cover the inner demarcations on the hob which are about an inch inside the total cooking area. On the medium hobs this is about 5 1/2 inches and my smallest All Clad sauce pan is that size. So three of the hobs will accommodate my smallest pan.

    The only thing I feel like I can't do on top is fit three large pans, something I could do previously because I had a 36 inch Wolf gas cooktop. However it's a rare situation that I would have a need to do that so not too concerned. I don't notice much cooktop noise except when I turn the big hob on powerboost. If I put the cover on the pan it really rattles so I don't do that. I used to put the cover on when I had gas to get water to heat up faster but that's not really necessary with the induction.

    I also like that this range has a warming drawer on the bottom. Coming from a home with double ovens I often kept something warm in one oven while using the other one and I did miss that. So I figured this is a reasonable alternative as double ovens aren't really feasible in my new home. My only complaint so far is that one of the hobs got scratched early on though I can think of nothing I did to cause that. It's minor and I'm just really careful now not to slide or turn pans on the burners at all. That's kind of a nuisance but the benefits of the induction far outweigh the nuisance factor. I also now keep a placemat on the top in front when not in use since we have an OTR microwave and DH sometimes sets things on the cooktop when using the microwave.

    My house is 15 years old and had 40 amp service to the previous electric range. I did have to get the wiring and breaker upgraded to 50 amp which was fortunately do-able for about $600.

    gldcc thanked 3katz4me
  • 10 years ago
    I'm sensitive to the oven fan noise. In my last house, we had a GE Cafe dual fuel, and the fan was very loud and seemingly always on. We bake bread several times a week, and had to leave the oven cracked open a bit after we used it to reduce the amount of time the fan spent running.

    Now with the GE Profile induction in this house, I have NO issue with the oven fan. It stays on for a very short amount of time even when we bake at 450 degrees. Very, very happy with this improvement.
    gldcc thanked pippiep
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    3Katz that is wonderful information. Just the kind I am looking for. I too will be going from a double wall oven to a range, though my ovens are so old, anything, except the noise, would be better! I have opted for more counter space rather than the wall ovens. Glad to know the warming drawer can help out when needed. I know the ergonomics of wall oven vs range oven, but I also remember my mother in her 90's only using the bottom of a double oven or a toaster oven, because lifting into a waist high wall oven was too difficult for her. And she shrank in height quite a bit. Cooktop placement sounds very good. I have a small Staub pot which is only 5 inches, it might work.

    Pippiep, great! Glad to hear there is another model out there without the fan noise! I had thought of looking at the Bosch, but have been scared off by the reports of a loud fan. Plus there isn't a dealer in my area, which I find very odd. Glad you found some quiet in your kitchen! You mentioned small pans worked, do you think a 5 inch pan would work on any of your burners?

  • 10 years ago

    I don't have a 5" pan, but I do have this set: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-8-Piece-18-10-Stainless-Steel-Tri-Ply-Clad-Cookware-Set/19581112

    The smallest pot and pan both work on the biggest hob. Supposedly, you can have up to a 1.5-2" variance and it will work.

    gldcc thanked pippiep
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    gldcc: should be no problem with the Staub pan on a GE like pippiep's GE (6" small burner) or 3katz4me's Electrolux (5" small burner, IIRC). I'm recalling a post from somebody here with the Electrolux (seattlelandlord?) who reported using use one of those little (3.75" diameter) moka pots on the 5" burner on his Elux.

    The big deal for induction is not just base diameter but the magnetic mass in the pan. Your enameled cast iron Staub has plenty and should also work on the GE's 8" burners and the Elux's 7" burners, as well. Heck, I have a side induction cooktop with a single, supposedly 8" diameter induction
    burner and have no trouble using my smallest saucepan, an annodized
    Circulon pan with a 5" diameter induction slug in its base.

    gldcc thanked jwvideo
  • 10 years ago

    Jwvideo, thank you for relieving my mind about the pan size issue. Good to know it is more than just the diameter of the pan.

  • 10 years ago

    I have a Kenmore Elite Induction slide-in purchased in 2009. You don't read much about Kenmore induction on this site anymore but back then, it was one of the few options available.

    I LOVE my range still to this day. The number one most important thing I would look for is burner placement. My range has both of the larger burners in the front which is perfect for how I cook.

    My cooktop is near perfect; very precise, makes almost no noise.

    The convection oven is really no different than the KitchenAid I had before it. If I had to be super picky -- I'd love it if the oven was slightly bigger, the racks were "extended racks" and the fan was quieter. I have cooked countless cookies in this oven though, and have zero complaints.

    We bought the extended service plan when we purchased the range. The only thing we ever had fixed was a very noisy convection fan.

    Don't buy anything without taking a look at Kenmore.


    gldcc thanked stir_fryi SE Mich
  • 10 years ago

    Oh, my Kenmore also has a warming drawer that I forget I have -- have used it maybe 5 times in 7 years. Works fine but you have to remember that it takes time to preheat.

    gldcc thanked stir_fryi SE Mich
  • 10 years ago

    Thanks so much Stir fryi. From your nom de plum do I take it that you stir fry on your range? Being as you are happy with it, I gather it does an adequate job? Kenmore gets top marks from Consumer Report and also from the site Reviewed. Glad to hear from someone who actually has one. You are all helping a lot.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    Fyi - As noted, the Kenmore induction ranges are made by Frigidaire/Electrolux. Very similar to the Frigidaire induction ranges with some differences in burner sizing and number of oven functions. Should be equally reliable. Sears apparently sells a fair number of the Kenmores so it is sort of suprising that we do not have more postings here on the current models.

    gldcc thanked jwvideo
  • 10 years ago

    i have had this one for 4 years. http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-36inch-induction-cooktop-stainless-steel/p-02243920000P

    I got it scratched at a Sears Outlet for $850. I love it! I'll never go back to gas. My only complaint is that the newer models have locks for the controls, and this one does not. Occasionally my arm or something will brush the controls and turn the heat up or down without me noticing.

    gldcc thanked Shannon Morrison
  • 10 years ago

    just realized you were asking about ranges instead of cooktops. Sorry!