Induction Cooktops

[CPseudonym]

Considering options for replacing our antique 2 burner electric cooktop with a single burner induction unit. We will install an inverter as part of this upgrade and notice 1500 watt is a popular size inverter and 1800 watt seems popular for induction cooktops. We found this one rated at 1500 watts and wondered if any of you have an opinion about it or better option for us?

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...top&ei=PY-sUr67CtfcoATZ9YG4Dg&ved=0CHcQ0C8wAQ

FYI, we are more day boaters/picnic cruisers not to be mistaken with long range cruiser/live aboards.

 

[rjtrane]

We used Cooktek single burner drop-in 1800 watt units on Sunshine. They are commercial grade with a commercial price of $700 each. They are top of the line, excellent units and have1,500 watt ones available, both drop-in and counter top Buying today, I'd go for something similar to that home-style, consumer unit you have found.

My suggestion? Buy it and use it at home. If you don't like it, take it back to Walmart. And try something else. Once you've settled on a unit, then you can shop for the inverter - most likely 2kW minimum.

 

[Bay Pelican]

It appears to have a digital display. Don't know if that is the case. A digital display raises the question as to whether it will operate on an MSW inverter, or must you buy a true sine wave inverter.

In either case I think you may be underpowered if you try and use a 1,500 watt inverter for this cooktop. Even if possible, it is probably not a good idea to run an inverter at max for long. 2,000 watts should be the minimum.

Good luck.

Marty

 

[CPseudonym]

Thanks guys. Mechanically there is precious little outside of my capabilities, electrically I'm a moron. I "google shopped" the silly thing and didn't notice it was walmart, I'll just buy it and try it at home as suggested.

 

[DavidM]

I hope you realize that these only work with ferrous metals: cast iron, ceramic coated steel and some stainless steels. If a magnet will stick, it will work.

David

 

[FF]

I asked this same question on a Bus board , and the response was induction cook tops dont like inverter power, esp small inverter power.

Trace 4KW,, Mastervolt or other large sine wave unit might be different.

I would try it out on someones boat or RV and see if it actually works.

 

[brian eiland]

Two burner unit on a Pilgrim 40

Here is an example of one utilized on a Pilgrim 40 vessel,....and a good photo of a two 'burner' unit.
Trawler Forum - View Single Post - Redesigning the Pilgrim 40 Trawler / Canal Boat

 

[brian eiland]

Calling all Cooks,.... Gas, Electric, or Inductive

Interesting conversation over here as well
Calling All Cooks! Gas, Electric or Inductive? - YachtForums.Com

 

[brian eiland]

And just found an older conversation I started on a similar subject a while back....
Cooking Apparatus on Boats
Cooking Apparatus on Boats - Boat Design Forums

 

[cafesport]

I asked this same question on a Bus board , and the response was induction cook tops dont like inverter power, esp small inverter power. Trace 4KW,, Mastervolt or other large sine wave unit might be different. I would try it out on someones boat or RV and see if it actually works.

We run a single burner with no problems on our 4kw sw trace. Boils water for tea in 20 seconds. Even beats the nespresso machine.

Via iPad using Trawler

 

[brian eiland]

Wikipedia excerpt

Induction cooking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In an induction cooker, a coil of copper wire is placed underneath the cooking pot. An alternating electric current flows through the coil, which produces an oscillating magnetic field. This field induces an electric current in the pot. Current flowing in the metal pot produces resistive heating which heats the food. While the current is large, it is produced by a low voltage.

An induction cooker is faster and more energy efficient than a traditional electric cooking surface. It allows instant control of cooking energy similar to gas burners. Other cooking methods use flames or red-hot heating elements; induction heating heats only the pot. Because the surface of the cook top is heated only by contact with the vessel, the possibility of burn injury is significantly less than with other methods. The induction effect does not directly heat the air around the vessel, resulting in further energy efficiencies. Cooling air is blown through the electronics but emerges only a little warmer than ambient temperature.

I'm hoping to look at a few more details on how these cooktops actually operate, and most importantly what their max current draw is, and for what duration??

 

[brian eiland]

Current Draw?

...from another forum

2 problems I see if you're not running a generator system (or plugging into a shore power socket every day).
1000 W medium setting equals 83 amps at 12V from your battery bank. Don't know about others but I really don't want to run a generator just so I can cook.

I'm wondering if your figures are a reality? If so I'm not sure that any electric cooktop could be utilized on a vessel powered by batteries and inverters,....yet there are a growing number that are doing so.

 

[rjtrane]

Sunshine's Induction Cooktops

Here's a photo of our induction CookTek cooktops. (It is hard to pick out the black cooktops inlaid into the black countertop - you may discern the SS trim of each unit?) As mentioned before, these are commercial grade units designed for hotel and restaurant cooking stations. To the left of the tea pot are the two controls - you essentially set the temperature you want and it holds that level of heating.

We have the units wired to different inverters - that way, we don't overload a single inverter should we run both at full blast!

As I mentioned earlier, I most likely will use consumer-level units next time - perhaps at 240 VAC so we can have a single unit with multiple hobs. I have yet to find a dual hob unit at 120 VAC.

 

[CPseudonym]

Reuben I'm unfamiliar with the term "hob". Can you tell me what it means?

 

[rjtrane]

"Hob"

solid cooktop burner - mostly cast iron ones are referred to as a "hob." Here's an image of a cook top with two "hobs." But can be used more generically to refer to a burner - and since on an induction cook top, there are no burners, perhaps hob is a better word?

 

[ronlord]

It appears to have a digital display. Don't know if that is the case. A digital display raises the question as to whether it will operate on an MSW inverter, or must you buy a true sine wave inverter.

In either case I think you may be underpowered if you try and use a 1,500 watt inverter for this cooktop. Even if possible, it is probably not a good idea to run an inverter at max for long. 2,000 watts should be the minimum.

Good luck.

Marty

The unit we bought last year allows you to set the wattage from 100-1300. It works great, we didn't use the princess range once last season.

For $57 it's a winner.

Spt 1300-Watt Induction Cooktop, Silver : Amazon.com : Kitchen & Dining

 

[cafesport]

...from another forum I'm wondering if your figures are a reality? If so I'm not sure that any electric cooktop could be utilized on a vessel powered by batteries and inverters,....yet there are a growing number that are doing so.

Here are some figures hot off the burner.



This was running full power for 1:37 to boil 16 ozs. of water in a teapot. The ac outlet is on a 15 amp breaker and it has never tripped. This is a 1500 watt el cheapo burner from a wholesale club. If you have the battery capacity it's worth trying for yourself.

Via iPad using Trawler

 

[brian eiland]

2 Burner Unit

Here is an example of one utilized on a Pilgrim 40 vessel,....and a good photo of a two 'burner' unit.
Trawler Forum - View Single Post - Redesigning the Pilgrim 40 Trawler / Canal Boat

This reference I made before shows a 2-burner cooktop. I've ask the gentleman to join the conversation we are having here, as well as tell us the manufacturer of his unit.

 

[drf6]

Since that is my picture...

It is a True Induction (brand name) unit. Induction Cooktops by True Induction | Single & Double Burner Cookers

We did have to purchase new pots and pans to use with it, but were looking for an excuse to buy a new set for the boat anyhow.

They have a 60 day risk free trial, buy one, use it and see if you like it or not.

We have a Victron 2500w inverter/charger and really haven't had the occasion to run it purely on the inverter, using either shore power or our 8kw genset.

When we first got it I tested it next to our natural gas range at home. I believe it brought water to a boil in slightly more than half the time it took the gas range to do the same (equal amount of water in the same pan). We really like it; spills are easy to clean not having any grates to deal with. The greatest advantage is that it stows away when not in use.

By the way, that sorry excuse for a counter top has been replace by this:

 

[aronhk_md]

BTW, I have heard of some folks using a steel plate on their induction burners to enable them to use their aluminum pots and pans, and noticed that some induction burners for sale on ebay come with one. My neighbor has induction burners and she asked me to have a plate made for her. We are going to try 1/8" steel and see how that works. Total cost, $10. Probably cheaper than going out to buy all new pots and pans initially, if it works.

 

[rjtrane]

Buying a steel plate to heat up so you can then heat up an old pot or pan is missing the point - the value of having an induction cook top in the first place is to use less energy with the added benefit of not having a hot cook top keeping burns to a minimum. My guess is by the time you've heated up the steel plate then heated up your aluminum pot or pan you might have just kept your old cook top? My guess is the cook would love an excuse to get new pots and pans, too? LOL.

 

[jwnall]

Buying a steel plate to heat up so you can then heat up an old pot or pan is missing the point - the value of having an induction cook top in the first place is to use less energy with the added benefit of not having a hot cook top keeping burns to a minimum. My guess is by the time you've heated up the steel plate then heated up your aluminum pot or pan you might have just kept your old cook top? My guess is the cook would love an excuse to get new pots and pans, too? LOL.

I thought that also, when I read about the steel plate. But didn't say so, mostly because I didn't have any facts to back me up in case someone called me on it. I bought an induction burner (just one burner) for my boat, and found a couple of pots in Goodwill that a magnet stuck to. About $5 each as I recall. Good condition, too.

 

[aronhk_md]

Ahhh....but I think you are missing the point as well There are many people who might want to upgrade galley/kitchens because a range has failed, or is on its last leg. Or perhaps because they are doing the whole galley. My neighbor just did hers.

But you see, she has a favorite pasta pot that is huge, has the strainer, etc. She has yet to find a similar pot in iron, or with an iron base. She doesn't want to give up on using this since it helps her to entertain. If someone brings a pot of something for a gathering and its not iron she can still throw it on and heat it up.

Hence, the iron plate.

There also may be some who having spent thousands of $ renovating, might want to hang on to their pots and pans for a while and count those as another large purchase down the road. A nice set can run $400-$600.

Just saying its another option. If it were not a good one why would some induction burners now COME WITH one? As for it being hot, well of course it is! lol I for one have had a hot stove around all my life and somehow survived

I know, I know...that's one of the reasons to GET an induction burner. But there are also reasons maybe to have a plate tucked away somewhere too.

 

[BDofMSP]

A nice set can run $400-$600.

I have to make a pitch for the Circulon Infinite series cookware here. It is incredibly rugged (only non-stick that is both dishwasher and broiler (!) safe), induction ready, and very, very affordable. A set of two pans is like $60 on Amazon. The 10 piece set is less than $300. I got rid of my Calphalon and only use this now. Oh they do make a portable induction plate too, but I've never used it.

Circulon Infinite Hard Anodized Nonstick 10-Inch and 12-Inch Skillets Twin Pack : Amazon.com : Kitchen & Dining

 

[drf6]

I second the motion concerning the Circulon Infinite series cookware. We also bought the 10 piece set and are completely satisfied.

 

[dodo]

Sorry, forget these price tags today.

2011 we made the switch from gas to induction on our boat and purchased IKEA 365+ cookware and it´s great! A 7-piece set is $ 49,99 and the same quality as the expensive “premium” cookware (WMF) we use at home. The admiral is replacing the pots and pans at home with IKEA 365+.
IKEA 365+ cookware series - IKEA

At home we have an induction cooktop with touch panel, usually fine but with wet hands it does not always work properly. Same story with the ceramic before. So for our boat we purchased a 2 burner with knobs and are very happy.

We have a Victron Quattro 3000 and no, absolute no problems running the induction cooktop and other devices at the same time.

Karl

 

[N4712]

Sorry, forget these price tags today. 2011 we made the switch from gas to induction on our boat and purchased IKEA 365+ cookware and it´s great! A 7-piece set is $ 49,99 and the same quality as the expensive “premium” cookware (WMF) we use at home. The admiral is replacing the pots and pans at home with IKEA 365+. IKEA 365+ cookware series - IKEA At home we have an induction cooktop with touch panel, usually fine but with wet hands it does not always work properly. Same story with the ceramic before. So for our boat we purchased a 2 burner with knobs and are very happy. We have a Victron Quattro 3000 and no, absolute no problems running the induction cooktop and other devices at the same time. Karl

Very, nice and clean install!!

 

[Keith]

I bought a Max Burton brand off Amazon and love it! Most of my pots and pans work with it, only the cheapie aluminum ones don't. Like someone said, you can pick up ones that will at the Goodwill or other resale shop, or garage sales for next to nothing.