Induction cook top info.

[WV Bum]

Hey , was wondering if anyone has tried the Induction cook top in MH or for out door cooking. Does it require a lot of pull on electric in coach? If used outside , I was wondering if you could just use a extension cord running to shore power post . DW thinks it would be good for outdoor cooking. If there is a better one over another please pass that along also. Thanks

[gabeears]

For the last 3 years all we use for indoor cooking is the nuwave induction cooktop. Haven't turned the gas on except for faster hot water heating a few times. LOVE to cook on the nuwave, very fast versus an electric pan. Also electric is free. You do need special magnetic pans for all cooking.

[MSHappyCampers]

We are looking into getting an induction cooktop for the kitchen. I understand that the 2-eye cooktops are rated at 1800 watts, which is about 15 amps at 120VAC. That would only require a 16 AWG power cord if the distance is about 10'. I know lots of folks use a one-burner cooktop outside but I don't know how much they pull.

[slowmachine]

All of the residential-market plug-in portable induction cooktops will be 1800 watts or less. That's the 15 amp maximum continuous current that most 120 volt household wiring will carry.

I have a NuWave single burner, and a True Induction two burner unit. The True Induction unit is interesting, and very handy, because it splits the available power between the two burners. Increasing the power level on one burner decreases power on the other burner when the total power draw is at the maximum.

In my experience, you will almost never need the full power draw. It's useful when boiling water, especially a large pot for pasta, but most of your usage will be at the low end of the scale. This works because nearly all of the power is being transferred to the pan instead of flowing around the pan and into the kitchen air like you have with a gas burner.

The single burner units are available for well under $100 in many stores. I think I paid $59 for the NuWave at WalMart. That's a pretty low entry cost for experimenting with induction cooking. I like it so much that I bought an induction range for my home kitchen.



Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

[Koop]

We use a True two-"burner" induction cooktop. Good pans make a difference - they must contain ferrous metal. We can boil water just as fast than a gas stove.

[homeless]

Does good mean "Stainless Steel" I was told the pan just had to be flat? What is this about a magnet?

[Gordon Dewald]

We have an all electric coach. Primarily use a NuWave induction outside on and extension cord without issues. Try to avoid cooking inside. Do a lot of grilling as well.

[slowmachine]

The cookware must contain enough iron to be affected by the electromagnetic coil in the burner. An easy way to test the pan is to see if a magnet will stick to it.



Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by homeless

Does good mean "Stainless Steel" I was told the pan just had to be flat? What is this about a magnet?

Pans have to be a metal that can be magnetized. One of the best pans for use is cast iron. If a magnet will stick to the bottom the burner will work with it.

Will not work with aluminum or stainless (nickel) steel unless they have iron inserts.

[homeless]

I was unaware that cast iron had a smooth bottom?

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by homeless

I was unaware that cast iron had a smooth bottom?

Not sure if the pan has to be flat. I have a cast iron that is mostly flat but has the ripples etc from casting. I think the pan has only to be close as the burner creates a magnetic field through the cooktop. The cooktop does not get hot except for heat transferred from the pan.

[slowmachine]

Originally Posted by homeless

I was unaware that cast iron had a smooth bottom?

It doesn't need to be smooth, but it should be flat to work well. I have some older pans that I won't use on the induction burners because they are warped and rough-finished on the outside. They're older than I am. I also have some pans made for use on cast iron stovetops that have rings around the edge of the bottom to create an air gap between the stove and the pan to prevent warping. These are not what you want for induction. The cooktop surface is glass, which can be scratched by sliding pans across it. Flat-bottomed pans with smooth finishes are best. Many are conspicuously marked as being induction-compatible.



Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

[Gordon Dewald]

We generally lay a piece of paper towel between the pan and the cooktop. While the cooktop does not burn spills on it the paper towel makes it really easy to wipe up. Just pick up, and throw in the garbage.

[slowmachine]

You can also use a silicone hot pad or trivet between the pan and the cooktop. I do this when I'm cooking something that needs frequent stirring so that I can stir with one hand and not have the pan sliding around the cooktop.



Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B