Buying advice induction hob

jugglingcats

Hi, we are currently replacing a ceramic hob cooker in a rental property with an induction model. The old cooker is a fairly old, cheap double oven model. The ovens are quite fierce but the hob is lacklustre to say the least - it can take 15 minutes to boil a large pan of water.

We want to go with a freestanding cooker as replacement because we need a double oven and want as large a capacity as possible. Also for easier servicing/replacement.

Have currently identified the Hotpoint Ultima HUI611X as it ticks a lot of boxes. But am slightly worried about the power rating on the hob which is 1.2 to 1.5 KW (2 KW boost, 7.2 KW total for all rings). This is less than some other models, such as the AEG CIS6741ECM which is 2.5 to 2.8 KW (presumably when boost enabled).

My question is whether induction hob rated 1.2 to 1.5 KW is going to be adequate for general needs and whether it will be a big step up from the current ceramic hob?

Many thanks for your help!

knightstyle

Why do this for a rental property? Tenants will complain their frying pans, pressure cookers etc. do not work on it.
Better to get a halogen one?

neilmcl

Whilst I'm a big advocate for induction hob cooking the ones you'll get on a freestanding cooker are always going to be a bit of a compromise and I agree with the above there's no reason to spend good oney on fancy gadgets when it's a rental property. Get something that's basic and will suit everyone.

societys_child

the hob is lacklustre to say the least - it can take 15 minutes to boil a large pan of water.

The quality of the pans can make a huge difference. Heavy cast pans with a machined base, work well as opposed to the pressed steel cheapies.
If a pan can 'wobble' on the glass , even ever so slightly it won't work efficiently.

jugglingcats

Thanks for the replies... Should have made clear this is a holiday rental so our family spend quite a bit of time there and we supply all pans etc. Almost all the existing pans are cast iron or good quality stainless (induction ready).

Fire_Fox

Which? Reviewed this cooker in April 2017 and gave it an overall score of 64%. Summary says

"Which? verdict: Worth considering

The Hotpoint Ultima HUI611X is a top-of-the-range freestanding cooker with a double electric oven and an induction hob. Its stainless-steel design looks stylish and it has catalytic linings in the ovens, which help with cleaning. But can this freestanding cooker live up to the premium price when it comes to cooking a tasty meal? Read our full review to find out.

Pros
Extremely accurate ovens that are quick to heat up
Good grill
Fast hob is excellent for simmering
Easy-clean ovens

Cons
Bakes poor-quality sponge cake
Uses more energy than most"

Will post the full review in a minute.

Fire_Fox

"Overview

This freestanding cooker offers plenty of cooking options. It has a great hob and grill, plus two fast-heating and extremely accurate ovens. It's not cheap, but if your budget allows then it's certainly worth considering.

What is it?

It's a 60cm-wide, premium-priced, all-electric freestanding cooker with two ovens and an induction hob that has four cooking zones.

The main oven is fan operated and fully programmable. It has 46 litres of usable volume, and we found you could squeeze in a large turkey and still have space for a tray of roasties or vegetables.

The smaller conventional top oven has 18 litres of usable space, making it roomy enough for a smaller item such as a roast chicken.

There are catalytic linings on the sides and back of both ovens. These help to burn off cooking residues when you use the oven at high temperatures.

What's it great at?

The grill in the top oven does a good job. Around 80% of anything you place on the pan will turn a nice shade of brown.

Both ovens in this cooker take around 10 minutes to reach 180°C. That's not the fastest around, but it's quicker than many other models we've tested.

The thermostat on the main oven is amazingly accurate. It was less than a degree out when we set it to 180ºC. The top oven isn't quite as accurate, but was only four degrees out when set at 180ºC. Some ovens overshoot the set temperature by more than 30ºC.

Heat distribution in the main oven is decent. We tested this by cooking strips of shortbread, which turned out fairly evenly cooked, albeit a little pale in parts.

Like many induction hobs, this one can be set to a very low temperature, so is excellent at simmering. It will heat up water quite quickly, too - less than six minutes to get a panful of cold water close to boiling.

Catalytic linings in the ovens make them simple to keep clean. These help to burn off cooking residues when you use the oven at high temperatures.

Is there anything I should watch out for?

To test this cooker's baking skills, we made sponge cakes in the main oven - but we were disappointed. The first cake turned out with a wet top and an uneven structure, so we had another go, baking for longer. The second attempt wasn't much better, again emerging with a wet top and dried edges.

It's less energy efficient than the average cooker. But as cooking bills are, for most families, a drop in the ocean compared with heating bills, this probably shouldn't be a deciding factor.

Is there anything else I should know?

The stainless-steel finish can be hard to polish, and you might need to have a good read of the instructions before you get cooking with this model as it's not the most straightforward to use.

Induction hobs generate electromagnetic fields that can interfere with the settings on some pacemakers. The British Heart Foundation recommends that anyone who has a pacemaker fitted should keep at least 60cm between the stove top and their pacemaker. If you do get too close, moving further away should mean your pacemaker settings return to normal. If in doubt, check the written information given to you when your pacemaker was fitted. Most people with pacemakers should be able to use an induction hob safely following these precautions, but if you are buying a new hob or cooker, and you or a member of your family have a pacemaker, you may feel more comfortable with a model that isn’t induction.

Should I buy it?

Yes. The Hotpoint Ultima HUI611X did really well in all our most important tests. Only a couple of minor slip-ups prevent us from making it a Best Buy."

Fire_Fox

Which? tested the AEG in April 2019 and gave it an overall score of 65%. Summary says

"Which? verdict: A good cooker

Keen home bakers might want to take a closer look at the AEG CIS6741ECM freestanding cooker, as it has a SteamBake setting that's designed to give a tasty golden crust to homemade bread. Its induction hob, two ovens and grill offer plenty of ways to cook, but does this cooker deserve a spot in your kitchen? Our expert review will help you decide.

Pros
Oven is quick to heat up and cooks evenly
Good browning coverage in the grill
Hob is quick and easy to control for a gentle simmer
Spacious ovens
Easy to clean

Cons
No major flaws"

Will post the full review in a minute.

Fire_Fox

"Overview

This cooker is quick and easy to use, has no major flaws, and includes a couple of extras that should keep the chef in your household happy. Keep an eye on the hob as the pan will keep heating food even after it's switched off.

What is it?

This is a freestanding electric cooker with a double oven, electric grill and induction hob. The main oven is fan-assisted, and the top oven is conventional with an electric grill element.

This oven has a SteamBake setting. Simply pour some water into the shallow well in the base of the oven to create steam; this will keep food moist while it cooks, and hopefully give your loaves the perfect crust.

The induction hob's four cooking zones are controlled by dials at the front of the cooker, but some features, such as the power boost, are set using touch controls on the black glass surface.

What's good about it?

Both ovens are quick to heat up, reaching 180°C within 10 minutes. The fan helps to spread the heat evenly, so it's good for batch baking a couple of trays of shortbread on two levels at the same time.

The main oven is accurate, which means that the temperature inside is very close to the one you set on the dial. The top oven isn't quite as precise, running a few degrees hotter than it should.

A surprising number of ovens struggle to bake a well-risen sponge cake, but this one isn't bad, producing a light-textured cake with an even crumb.

As well as being easy to clean, induction hobs are usually quick to heat up - and this one is no exception. It will bring a pan of water to the boil in less than five minutes on high power, but it's also brilliant when turned down low for a very gentle simmer.

The grill is better than most, and has an effective grilling area of 80%. This means you won't need to keep pushing your bacon around into the centre of the grid to get it crispy.

There's ample room inside the main oven, so you'll have no problems fitting in a family-sized turkey on one shelf with enough space for a tray of potatoes above. The top oven is big enough to roast a chicken, or perhaps a tasty apple pie for dessert.

Is there anything I should watch out for?

There's not much to complain about with this hob, but you'll need to be quick off the mark if you see something about to boil over. Our tests found that the pan keeps heating up after the hob has been turned off, so you might not catch that pan of milk before it bubbles over.

Is there anything else I should know?

The ovens have catalytic liners inside to help keep them clean; these work by burning off any food or fat that splashes on to them during the cooking process. We found that they worked well during our tests, so you shouldn't have to do too much scrubbing to keep the interior pristine.

Should I buy it?

Yes. There's plenty to like about this AEG and our tests didn't uncover any major flaws, so you could do a lot worse."