As an experienced cook with many years with portable induction cooktop, I would like to share my experience, and clear up a lot of bad information propagated by some well meaning, but totally unqualified people who have submitted comments about the Max Burton 6000 Portable Induction Cooktop. I am also an Electronics & Mechanical Engineer, giving me additional insight into some of the issues being discussed.
First off, this Max Burton 6000 Portable Induction Cooktop is a tremendous bargain, comparing favorably with products many times its cost. It is truly an 1800 Watt (input) Induction Cooker. Induction Cookers cannot be compared in any way to simple hotplates that use a resistive heating element. Electric hotplates, similar to conventional gas and electric burners are at best around 50% efficient. The wasted heat simply goes into heating your kitchen and makes your stove and cookware handles scorching hot. Induction Cooking is typically 80-90% efficient. Remember that even though the Max Burton 6000 is a great value, it is still a light duty, "entry level" Induction Cooker (NOT for continuous commercial cooking use). If it is used properly, it should give years of reliable service. Even though I own a big Wolf commercial gas range, Induction hobs such as this have become my cooking "weapon of choice".
You can consider the following to be "Induction Cooking 101". This will help cooks who are new to Induction Cooking get a quick grip on the basics:
Cookware: Your satisfaction with Induction Cooking is directly proportional to the quality of your cookware. The cookware MUST have the following two characteristics:
First: At least the bottom must be ferrous (in other words, a magnet must strongly "stick" to it). Hint: Take a magnet with you when searching for cookware.
Second: Your cookware must also be a good heat conductor of heat. Induction cooking only generates heat in a 5-7" circle in the bottom of your pan. The heat conduction characteristics of the pan allow the heat to travel outward and up the sides of the pan. If the pan is a poor heat conductor, you will have a small hot spot in the center of the pan, and the rest will be relatively cool. The best cookware is triple-clad (magnetic stainless steel outside, aluminum or copper center layer, non-magnetic stainless interior cooking surface). Vollrath "Tribute" cookware is my favorite (not inexpensive, but really performs great!!). Next best is a laminated pad or "cap" on the bottom of a stainless pan (similar to the totally triple-clad, but doesn't conduct much heat far up the sides of the pan). Cast Iron and Enameled Cast Iron works fairly well for slow cooking and braising, but in spite of popular belief, it is not a great conductor of heat, and can exhibit hot spots if used at high heat settings. AGAIN, Induction Cooking has no radiant energy, nor a gas flame to heat the sides of your cookware. Your cookware MUST be a good heat conductor!
Yes you can preheat an empty pan (if you follow my directions)!. First a little information about the way your Induction Cooker senses the temperature of your pan. The heat sensor is located under the glass/ceramic cooking surface. Because of the thickness of this surface, it takes a finite amount of time for heat from the bottom of the pan to "soak" downward through the cooking surface in order to reach the temperature sensor. If you select a high heat or temperature setting initially, the pan will quickly get screaming hot before the heat sensor "knows" about it (a phenomenon called "overshoot"). The remedy is to start your pan in the "temp" mode at a low temp. setting (like 180°F). Once the pan, cooking surface and temp sensor has stabilized (you will hear a clicking sound as the cooker cycles the power on and off), you can advance to higher settings in a similar way and get on with your cooking.
I have read the comments about some users developing cracks in the top surface of the plastic housing to the left of the display & keypad. This is almost certainly caused by using cookware that laps over the edges of the cooking surface, or using very high heat settings, The flat part of the bottom of your cookware should not exceed 10 1/2" inches.
Unless you are bringing a pot of water to a boil, resist the temptation to cook at the higher heat and temperature settings unless it is really necessary. Remember that Induction Cooking pumps an astonishingly great amount of thermal energy into the BOTTOM of your cookware. Make sure that you and your cookware are up to the task!
The only big gripes that I have with the Max Burton 6000 is the INTOLERABLY LOUD BEEPER and the incredibly stiff, cheap power cord ("MAX", ARE YOU READING THIS??!!). As a qualified engineer, I have already "reasoned" with the beeper. . .
Happy Cooking! Bob Ziller
