Induction Cooking:
Selecting a Unit

Selecting an Induction-Cooking Unit

Your decision-making will depend enormously on whether you are simply replacing some existing electrically powered cooktop or whether you are designing a new house, or at least a new (meaning major refurbishment) kitchen. If the first, you are completely limited by the power available through the electrical wiring already in place, and largely--though not necessarily wholly--limited by the existing countertop cutout (if the countertop is formica, you are not terribly limited, whereas if it's granite changes are harder to make). If you are in the enviable second position, you will still have some constraints, based on the allotted space in your overall design, but your hands are not tied.

If you live in the U.S.A. or Canada, note that we have two special North American "residential" induction units pages detailing those units now available in the U.S.A. and Canada; they include summary comparison tables as well as access to full data for each such unit, and should make your life a lot easier when it comes to evaluating and selecting a unit. The two pages are one for build-in equipment and another for free-standing countertop units.. You should still read this page that you're on now first, but after that you can focus on what you can actually buy, in North America or anywhere in the world.

Step One: Countertop Width

Curiously enough, with all the issues about power and features and looks, the first thing you need to settle is the countertop space you want or need to allocate to your induction-cooking gear. In Europe, the kitchen-cooking-area norm--or so it seems--is roughly 24 inches (circa 600 mm) of width for a cooktop, with 30 inches (750 mm) being considered wide and 36 inches (900 mm) luxurious; in North America, perhaps as a reflection of the "wide-open spaces", the norm is 30 inches and 36 inches is very far from unusual. But there are units available from 24 inches in width through 36 inches in width. But wait! (As one hears from television barkers.) The discussion so far has dealt only with integral multi-element build-in units, which tend to come in that limited, set range of widths (24, 30, 36), just as stock wall studs come in 8-foot lengths; but there are other ways to "build" an induction cooking area in your kitchen.

There are also build-in modules that are each single elements or element pairs, and such modules (often called "domino" units) are intended for use in creating customized cooking areas. There are, worldwide, from two to three dozen two-unit "domino" modules, plus numerous single-element modules. Though the one-time cost of separate cutouts is a bit higher, the extra entailed is probably small change compared to the cost of the equipment plus such base installation costs as wouldn't vary with module count. The typical domino is from roughly 12 to 15 inches (300 mm to 375 mm) in width, whether single- or dual-element. One could thus, for just one example, buy two 2-element modules and build them in with their inner edges about a foot apart, getting in consequence a 4-element, 36-inch-wide space with a nice one-foot "stripe" down the middle which one could pave with decorative tile or stone for a hot-pan holding station; as you will see, the possibilities multiply rapidly when one gives it even a little thought. Because we present all induction equipment with a cost-per-watt figure (where the data are available), you can easily see what makes sense for you. Keep also in mind that if you use individual or dual modules, you can "mix and match" powers and sizes to your exact wants and needs, perhaps better than could a maker constrained to select elements for an all-in-one multi-element cooktop.

Generally, single-element dominos (as opposed to the countless small household plug-in units widely available) are "commercial" units, with correspondingly high per-watt prices (though there are a few exceptions, including wok elements); for residential use, dual-element dominos are much the most common flavor. Such dual-element units sometimes have matched elements and sometimes unequal elements (by power and size), so there's quite a variety of choices. Most dual-element dominos are meant for installation front-to-back, the placement being established by the placement of their controls. (Commercial, as opposed to "household", build-in units usually come with controls meant for mounting on the vertical cabinet face under the unit, but household units typically have them integral with the cooking surface.)

There are even a few three-element build-in modules--circa 24 inches wide--so you could really mix it up, and get 5 or even 6 elements total. (At that point, it becomes price and power considerations.)

(If you are willing and able to have, at least for your cooktop area, a counter somewhat deeper than the usual 24-inch kitchen depth--say 30 or 32 inches deep--or would be using an freestanding "island" for your cooktop, you could easly use many of the nominally "commercial" units that otherwise are awkward in residential uses, in that two of them front to back exceed that standard 24 inches. Alternatively, if you have generous countertop width, you could spread out four or more commercial elements side by side over six or seven lineal feet, using the 10 inches or so of space behind the units creatively. Or, if you really want to get creative, you could even use bathroom cabinetry--which is just like kitchen cabinetry except 30 inches high instead of 36--for the cooking area and put freestanding commercial units there, units that you could shuffle around, and even take with you if you ever move; that way, if you can typically get by with, say, three cooking zones at a time, you could stay within a 4-foot width and, if you ever need more zones, pull out a spare or two and put it or them on the regular countertop. Only your imagination is the limit--well, your imagination and the high-power wiring that commercial countertop units need.)

So begin your planning by deciding how much countertop space you feel you want or need to occupy with your cooking area.

(If you are considering replacing an existing "slide-in"--a one-piece range/oven unit--it's important that you read our page on replacing "combo" slide-in units with induction equipment.)

Step Two: Supply Power

You can't get out what you can't put in. A cooktop can be rated for ever so many watts, but it will never be able to supply more cooking watts than your electrical wiring can actually feed it (without blowing a fuse or tripping a circuit breaker). Unless you're in the highly unlikely position of having 400- or 440-volt multi-phase service available (normally found only in commercial food-preparation facilities, if then), your cooking-area power will typically be supplied at a nominal 230 or 240 volts (the difference is not material).

Presumably you've read our little primer on electricity, but in any event, here is the gist as a rule of thumb:

The maximum power (in kW, kilowatts) you have available for electrical cooking is
the amperage of your circuit breaker or fuse for that circuit times 0.24.

(Most modern units quote power levels based on getting 240 volts, and will simply supply less power proportionately if the voltage level dips, meaning that such units do not increase their current draw to "make up" for lower voltages--meaning that they will not blow your fuse or circuit breaker if the voltage dips.

The minimum circuit capacity you're likely to have is 30 Amperes, which translates to roughly 7.2 kW maximum available power. Should you be blessed with a 40-amp circuit, you could pump roughly 9.6 kW out at max. At 50 amps, you'd have 12.0 kW to play with. Not coincidentally, if you peruse the MaxPower: data we show for 4-element build-in units, you will find numbers quite similar to those. And, as we ceaselessly point out, those whole-unit maxima are very often substantially less than the nominal sum of the individual elements' rated powers. (To repeat: that's not cheating: not everyone will have occasion to try running all four elements at maximum simultaneously, so having one or two particularly powerful elements is useful so long as we remember that to run them at their highest, we must sacrifice--typically--one of the smaller elements for the time.)

You might see a unit with a unit-maximum power of, say 7.4 kW--does that mean it is an unwise choice with a 30-amp circuit? Not necessarily. There is some anecdotal field evidence that units do not consume quite the power that their makers claim, or that many household circuit breakers are conservatively rated, or both. But our advice is to not buy any unit whose stated whole-unit maximum power exceeds that "amps times 0.24" guideline unless either the maker (preferable) or the retailer (less preferable) puts it down, expressly, in writing, that the unit is OK to use on a circuit rated at X Amperes (where X is whatever you have available).

Obviously, if you are in the design stage and can control the kind of wiring that will be put in, you should go for 40 amps, or even 50 or 60 (depending on cost) rather than 30 (we wish we had thought of that a few years ago). But don't go crazy needlessly. This is not a contest where the kid with the most watts wins. Ask yourself how much power you really need for the way you cook. If you're new to induction, keep in mind the rule of thumb from gas-energy values: induction-element kW times 7185 equals gas in BTU/hour. If you have an induction element rated at 2.2 kW, that is equivalent to a gas burner rated at over 15,800 BTU/hour; by most cooks' standards, that's a lot of cooking power!

If you have a unit that can put out a conservative 7.2 kW, that's at least (we're conservative here with our equivalency numbers) like having four equal-sized gas burners of roughly 13,000 BTU/hour each. Some typical "monster" very-high-end home gas units have outputs "as high as" 18,500 BTU/hour; that's roughly 2.6 kW in an induction, no big deal at all even at the lower-price end. Meanwhile, the very cheapest per-watt 4-element induction unit has a 2.4-kW element, and the capability of running--for at least enough time to, say, boil a large pot of water--an element "boosted" to a full 3.7 kW, well over 25,000 BTU/hour! So, again, don't go crazy over-estimating how much power you need. Get as much as your wiring will support, but if you're putting in new wiring, unless the price differential is small (and copper is expensive these days), 40 amps is probably enough for any 30-inch unit, and 50 amps for any 36-inch unit except a monster (check our lists for data on particular units).

Step Three: The Other Stuff

The great majority of induction units sold for household use have very similar feature sets; nonetheless, similar is not "exactly alike", so you need to think about what, if any, "extra" features are important to you.

The standard feature set typically includes "pot recognition" (elements will not power up unless there is a substantial ferrous mass on them, typically a 5-inch-diameter pot, though some will recognize a 4-inch pot); overheat protection (the elements turn off if they are getting too hot, as by being run wide open for some while with little or nothing in the pot or pan); "childproofing" (a way to set the controls to be inoperative till a code is entered, or some other scheme to keep little hands from doing mischief); residual-heat warnings (while induction heats only the pan, not the cooktop surface, the hot pan can itself heat up the surface, so that when you remove it the glass can be hot to the touch--these things have a little light to warn you if an uncovered element region is hot); and spill protection (the elements will shut off if liquids are detected on the cooktop surface, indicating boilover). Not every unit necessarily has each and every one of those features, and if one or another is really important to you, you should check. We have, frankly, been less than assiduous in cataloging unit "features"; we doubt we've mentioned anything not there, but we may omit some features of some units. As to other less-standard things:

If black makes you puke, you're going to have an awfully small set of choices (not none, but few--and all those are either white or the new "metallic" look); that's just the way it is.

Edge trim can be stainless steel or, for some units, simply a bevelled edge; both kinds are meant for "drop-in" installation, where the unit slightly laps its cutout in the countertop. The other option, available on some units, is unrimmed "frameless", which is meant expressly for a flush installation (which is pretty but costs more to install). If the type of install and trim is important, pay attention, because--to repeat--by no means do all units come in all three flavors. (Many times units with different model numbers are just the same unit with different trim options; that can be a simple suffix to a basic model code, or a whole different model number.) Caveat emptor!

Almost all units have "touchpad" controls set into the cooktop-glass surface of the unit; beware any that don't, in that their listed "width" may well need to be reduced by the space allocated to the control knobs or sliders or whatever. Most people really like touchpads: they're easy to operate, and a snap to clean (being basically part of the cooktop surface), but some people just are wedded to knobs, which are scarce on residential-type induction units.

Another feature that some but by no means all units have is pot-size recognition (which is not the simple pot recgmnition described above). The makers claim that the units' elements will adjust their coverage to fit the size of the pot. The most obvious form of such detection is elements that are "dual zone", meaning that the element comprises an inner, core element surrounded by a secondary ring (these are invariably marked out very clearly in the unit's surface as two concentric circles); the outer ring only activates if a pan large enough to well overflow the inner core is placed on the unit. Some "auto-detect" while others provide for manually turning on the outer element. How important such a feature may be is decidedly a matter of subjective judgement.

Yet another feature that varies in availability and that, we suppose, might be useful to some, is an electronic timer. Some units have none, some have an "alarm clock" timer (rings, but does not control any cooking elements), some have a timer that can control any one element, and some have the ability to have all elements run under independently timed control. Only you know if that matters to you: if it does, ask about it.

Finally, if--like most--you're buying a single four- or five-element unit, do consider the element layout. Most units use a rectangular pattern, but many instead use a "staggered" or diamond layout, a very few exaggeratedly so, or a trapezoidal pattern. Also consider if the stronger elements are in the back or the front, and which suits your style better.

Step Four: Clearances

Some units have restrictions on what can go under them (meaning build-in ovens) and over them (meaning required free space for ventilation). If you are just going to have cabinet space below and an exhaust unit at whatever height you like above, required clearances are no issue. But if you are constrained to have an oven under or something--say a build-in microwave/exhaust unit--over, be sure to very carefully consider each induction-cooking unit maker's specifications as to required clearances. (The illustration at the left shows how thin--vertically--induction cooktops typically are.)

If you have any questions or doubts, check with retailers or direct with the maker. Try to get the data in writing before making a final selection. Virtually all build-in makers have available a set of plans showing not only required cutout dimensions, but all mandated clearances; before finalizing choices, get a copy for each unit you are potentially interested in, if clearances will matter. (We recommend obviating the potential issues by not putting an oven under the cooktop, where it is inconvenient at best, and instead building in a wall oven at a convenient height and placement, and by not trying to put a microwave or extra cabinetry over the cooktop area; but your kitchen space may not allow such options.)

Be aware that posted reports from consumers suggest strongly that retailers and even customer-service representatives of makers very often don't know their elbow from a hole in the ground on this topic, but will nevertheless blithely give out 100-percent incorrect information. If you're having a design issue--you feel you absolutely, positively must put this WhoosieDoosie-brand build-in wall oven under your cooktop, but the maker of one or the other (or both) says you can't (or, more likely, that doing so will void their warranty), check, re-check, and re-re-check with higher-level people, and check the internet for others' experiences.

Step Five: Put It All Together

Now that you've done your homework, and developed the meshes of your filter, it's time to apply that filter. If you reside in North America, go to our short-form North American Build-In Equipment Table for a simple, compact listing and comparison of available units; or you can simplify the process by going to our Induction-Cooking Equipment Database, which allows you to interactively find units by specifying a width range, an element count, and your kitchen's electrical current-supply capability.

If you live in other regions, we are in the process of building analogous tables and selectors, but for now you can go to our Makers page, which tabulates which makers' products are available in which global regions, then look up the individual makers' pages here; each such page will list all available units--with an indication (where appropriate) of which are available where--showing at least element count, width, and (where we could discover it--many makers are terrible at giving information) the true unit total power, plus a link to the maker's web-site page for that unit (not by any means always in English).

Keep in mind that our $/kW costing guideline is just that: a guideline. At the "price points" where many units tend to bunch up, a small difference in real price could make a big difference in relative placement on the list. Use your head.

And, again: give some consideration to assembling a cooking area from two (or more) two- or three-element modules. (They don't even have to be from the same maker!)

Take our lists, strike off any units that don't meet your criteria, and see what you have left. When you've iterated that process a few times, you're ready to think about actually shopping for a unit--and that we treat next.

General Advice

Other than the things any informed consumer ought to know about buying anything, let us add these few remarks. First--though this is general--don't put too much stock in either brand names or price levels as guides to probable quality. Time and again, exhaustive tests by consumer groups have shown that for virtually every kind of product, many big-name brands' lines contain at least some so-so quality or sorely overpriced items, while some inexpensive or little-known brands stack up quite well for quality and durability. (And there is often drastic inconsistency: sometimes nearly the best and nearly the worst are from the same maker). That doesn't mean the old rules of thumb stand on their heads, it just means they are untrustworthy (expensive is not automatically good, but neither is cheap). "Anecdotal evidence" (what a few people may tell you) isn't an awful lot of good either. In the end, when your choice otherwise comes down to two or three brands' products, you just have to clench your teeth and go out on the internet and do your homework on those brands' reported quality, durability, and--quite important--reputation for customer service. That also applies to the place you may plan to buy from: price is certainly important, but it isn't everything (especially when price differences are small from retailer to retailer, as they often are in the "white goods"--appliances--trade).

We make no assertions about particular brands' reliability--though we have some definite opinions--but there are plenty of sources out there for the diligent inquirer. Some of those are:

• Consumer Reports, "Most & least reliable brands" (May 2007)
• J. D. Power, "Built In Cooktops and Ovens" (2007)

• U.K. Whitegoods
• Choice (Australia), "Appliance reliability survey 2007"
• consumer.org.nz, "Appliance reliability" (June 2007)

Whether you're going to buy from a place around the corner from you or across an ocean from you, be sure, as we said before, that you first have in writing the absolutely final, total bill you'll have for the product, taxed as appropriate and delivered to your door (and insured as appropriate). Consider also the costs of installation, though those won't vary much from one model to another (unless you go for two 2-element units--or some other "combination" installation--as opposed to a single 4- or 5- or 6-element unit).

A Quick Guide

(This is for North Americans; we expect to add a similar table for the U.K. soon now.)

For those in a hurry wanting quick pointers, we offer this summary table (which has no information you couldn't get from using our interactive Induction-Cooking Equipment Database). We want to make it clear that these are not "our recommendations": what they are is simply the best price/power ratio units for each amperage/width point--there are many other considerations that go into selecting, from presumed reliability to element layout to power distribution around the elements to sheer looks. But if you're reckoning on the "best buy" for your situation, this table should be helpful. (The unit names are each a click-on link to the full-info/buy page for that unit.)

You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure it all out!
	counter space → ampacity ↓	24 inches	30 inches	36 Inches
	30 amps	2 Ramblewood ICQ2s	Bosch NIT8053UC Fagor IFA-80 AL	treat as 30" & fill with trim
	40 amps	Diva DDP-3	GE PHP900	Fagor IFA-90 AL
	50 amps	Diva DDP-3	GE PHP900	GE PHP960

• At 30"/30A, the Bosch and Fagor are so close in price (the Bosch has shipping costs, the Fagor does not) that there is not truly a unique choice. But--be aware that there is some uncertainty about the Bosch current draw, in that they say 30 amps in one place and say 40 amps in another. Caveat emptor!

• If you have an existing 36-inch cutout and only 30-amp service (and can't rewire), get a clever carpenter to give you solid fill for 6 inches, get a 30-inch unit, and cover the fill with something like ceramic tile.

• At 24"/30A, the Ramblewoods (soon to be slightly upgraded in power--see the full table) are the only real option; we really know almost nothing about them or their reliability--they are a new brand, imported from Asia--so do your homework.

• Still at 24"/30A, this could be the one remaining situation where "self-importing" might make sense, because Europe is full of high-quality units at 24-inch widths or thereabouts (that's about 60 cm, a common European hob width). But, as we note elsewhere, there's also a lot to be said against "self-importing".

• Although unit prices can change frequently, it is unlikely that units' relative positions will change unless they're very close to start with. (There are, though, some currently unpriced units coming along in April from Miele and Siemens--and maybe others, April is the big annual trade show--so keep an eye out if you're in the market.)

Buying an Induction-Cooking Unit

Please be aware this site now offers many induction-cooking units at retail, at prices as good as you're going to find. You can see a list of what we have available, or you can read our case for why you should consider buying from this site. You can and should also read our generic buying information and advice.