t is time to replace my 15 year old gas slide in - it has a glass top that has broken twice now - I fixed it the first time, is near impossible to clean and the knobs are way too easy to turn, making it much too easy to accidentally turn on the gas.
Thinking about an induction range. I have used induction cooktops in cooking classes and loved them - fast and precise. anyone have one? I know I might need to get some new cookware but that's OK.
-------------------------------- "A mob is a place where people go to get away from their conscience" Atticus Finch
A friend built a house and decided on an induction range. Her mom (who has dementia) lives with her and she thought it was the safest alternative.
She absolutely loves it. She only had a couple of pans that work on it, and some of those work better than others. She's still in the process of acquiring cookware that will work with induction.
I don't know what brand of range she bought; I can find out if you are interested...
-------------------------------- We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb
Bazootiehead-in-training
Posts: 37880 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010
Word of advice. I have a single induction burner. I love, love, love it.
However, my daughters hate it. Apparently, it causes cookware (particularly clad cookware, maybe other kinds, I'm not sure) to vibrate and give off a high-pitched noise. Neither of them can stand to be anywhere nearby when I am using it, the sound drives them crazy.
Figure out a way to test particular pots around your daughter before you buy/install it and buy new cookware.
I had a single burner countertop unit (cost was like $80) and it was noisy. I asked my friend to comment on any noise hers might/might not make.
I pinged my friend and will post results when I hear back from her.
-------------------------------- We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb
Bazootiehead-in-training
Posts: 37880 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010
I don't have a range, I have a cooktop and it is the Frigidaire Professional line. I love it. I bought it because I wanted the control "knobs" and did not want electronic controls (which the majority of cooktops have these days). There is a Frigidaire Professional induction range but I cannot vouch for the range oven (I have KitchenAid ovens).
Very little noise and based on my usage the primary source of noise is actually from the cookware. The lighter weight and less expensive the cookware the louder the noise (by a lot). My enamel pans make no noise and heavier expensive multi-ply pans (like the one you gave me) make very little noise. Cheap pans make a lot more noise.
BUT this is based on my usage and I typically use only 1 burner at a time (at most 2). I have never used all burners at the same time (which I understand can cause more noise). You know I am sensitive to noise and it has never bothered me based on my usage.
-------------------------------- We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb
Bazootiehead-in-training
Posts: 37880 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010
Might be worth digging a little deeper to find out who actually makes the individual "Frigidaire Professional" appliances. FP is a brand and doesn't have much meaning by itself. Who knows who actually makes Frigidaire Professional refrigerators vs Frigidaire Professional cooktops and ranges? Some years back when we were buying a refrigerator, the salesman pointed out that the four models we were considering (that varied quite a bit in price) were all made by Maytag. They were sold under Maytag, Amana, and Kitchen Aid brand names (don't recall the fourth one -edit: Yes I do. It was Jenn-Air).
I would avoid Samsung kitchen and laundry appliances because their warranty service stinks to high heaven, and unfortunately those lines of products seem to have a high failure rate. But I haven't had issues with their electronics like TVs and such.
I just replaced my thirty year old Thermador gas cooktop and electric oven with a Dacor gas cooktop and GE oven (was too cheap to buy the Dacor oven). Six months in I'm happy with both.
-------------------------------- We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb
Bazootiehead-in-training
Posts: 37880 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010
If you have gas available I’d go with that. It’s the #1 choice of professional chefs and simple as a claw hammer. I’d also look long and hard before I invested in one of the upscale lines like Wolf, Viking or DCS. A lot of them don't cook any better that a standard residential range and some of them are worse.
Don’t even ask what it costs to fix one.
-------------------------------- Life is short. Play with your dog.
Originally posted by Steve Miller: If you have gas available I’d go with that. It’s the #1 choice of professional chefs and simple as a claw hammer. I’d also look long and hard before I invested in one of the upscale lines like Wolf, Viking or DCS. A lot of them don't cook any better that a standard residential range and some of them are worse.
Don’t even ask what it costs to fix one.
Yeah, I am leaning that way. Induction will cost me $900 more than a gas range in the same exact line- $1400 vs $2300 - plus the cost of new cookware.
I would not consider one of the 'professional' lines. Real professional equipment requires installation of safety insulation, etc. It is a device to apply heat to food. Nothing more. No status symbol. I care that it works properly and is easy to clean.
-------------------------------- "A mob is a place where people go to get away from their conscience" Atticus Finch
I do think you might benefit from a single, cheapo, stand-alone induction burner. It has uses. It isn’t as hot in the summer as a gas range (because, unlike gas, no heat escapes up the side), and it boils water twice as fast. And it can give you very precise temperature control.
Commercial appliances, as you point out, are a whole different beast. "Professional" is just a branding strategy and not anything with real meaning. They're just trying to create the illusion that you, too, can be a "professional chef". According to Consumer Reports, the Frigidaire Professional line is medium-priced, sort-of-ok-but-nothing-special line.
By the way, I checked and the Frigidaire name is owned by Swedish company Electrolux (has been since 1986). All of the Frigidaire appliances are made in the US, except for refrigerators, which are made in Mexico.
-------------------------------- We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb
Bazootiehead-in-training
Posts: 37880 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010
