How to Choose an Induction Hob

[Edislaw]

There appear to be huge knowledge gaps amongst professionals on induction hobs. The manager of a branch of our largest electrical retailer yesterday told me that only copper pans could be used with induction hobs. Neither he nor his staff could answer simple questions like the size of cooking zones, power of individual zones, Amperage and power rating of a hob.

When it comes to more detailed questions, therefore, there seems little hope of a proper response. One manufacturer says that the cooking zone must be at least 30{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} cover to create a circuit, another says two thirds must be covered. Claims for combined or bridged zone present even greater confusion. One of the most expensive manufacturers claims the pot can be placed anywhere, another claims up to five pots may be used on the same zone. Yet another claims pots can be moved anywhere on the surface and the circuit moves with the pot.

It strikes me that these claims are being made by marketing people with an incomplete understanding of the technology. I make no claims for my understanding as the only source open to me is the information provided by these marketing people. In the hope that there is an expert out there may I ask a few questions.

1. If the circuit is completed by the pan why does the relative size of the hob matter, other than the need to avoid rogue connection made by dropped implement?

2. If the most efficient power use is achieved by covering the whole cooking zone how is this achieved wit a round pan on a square zone?

3. If a hob has four cooking zones rated at 2.2, 1.4 and 2 x 3.3 kWs how can the hob be rated at 7.2 kWs, particularly when there is a booster feature which can increase the power available by 30{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}

4. More than one manufacturer claims there are several induction loops in each heating zone which means a pan can be placed anywhere on the zone. This appears to fly in the face of the claims that 30{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of a zone must be covered to achieve a circuit and that the whole zone must be covered to achieve maximum efficiency.

Understanding these issues may make it a tad easier to choose the correct hob.

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