How to choose a hot plate?

[Safina]

Hi,

I am renting an apt that doesn't have a gas stove. The landlord approved only a two burner hot plate. My friends advised me to look for energy star rating applicances.
I don't know what to buy and appreciate your recommendation.

Also, I like to cook en papillote a lot (cooking using parchment paper). so I am also looking for an electric oven that can be suitable for this type of cooking.

Thank you !

 

[Kayelle]

Hi Safina, and welcome to Discuss Cooking.


After a whole lot of research on my part, I recently purchased the single burner version of this hot plate. I'm very happy with it.


https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/st...-cast-iron-double-burner-in-silver/1046982278

 

[Andy M.]

If you have compatible cookware, induction hot plates would be a great choice.

I'd go with a Breville toaster oven. The come in several sizes.

 

[Safina]

Thanks so much for the replies!
Andy M. what are the compatible cookware for an induction hot plate?
Also, I was hoping to get energy saving appliances to save on my electric bill.

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks so much for the replies!
Andy M. what are the compatible cookware for an induction hot plate?
Also, I was hoping to get energy saving appliances to save on my electric bill.

Induction compatible cookware would gnerally be a magnetic metal. Aluminum/ anodized aluminum won't work. You can check your cookware's website to see if it's compatible.

Induction cookware will save you electricity as it works so much faster than a traditional hotplate.

All toaster ovens will probably use roughly the same amount of electricity. You probably won't be able to run both appliances together off the same outlet/circuit breaker.

 

[medtran49]

We can use the toaster oven and 1 of the induction burners at the same time, even with the wattage on the induction burner set at 1800. We cannot, however, use both induction burners at the same time with the wattage at 1800 on high or the sear function.



I second the induction burner. They are so nice to have. We have 2 Nu-wave PIC Titanium burners.

 

[Kayelle]

Induction compatible cookware would gnerally be a magnetic metal. Aluminum/ anodized aluminum won't work. You can check your cookware's website to see if it's compatible.
.

As Andy said, you must have magnetic metal cookware for an Induction hot plate. An easy way to test each of your cooking pieces is with a magnet. If it sticks, it will work. If it doesn't, it won't. Try it with a refrigerator magnet.
My favorite cooking pans are not magnetic, so I opted for a standard elec. hot plate.

 

[jennyema]

Are you paying for the electricity yourself?

 

[Kayelle]

It sounds like you also need a toaster oven. Most opinions are that the Breville toaster oven is the best if you can afford one. There are many more affordable ones out there and I'm happy with my Black and Decker being the only TO narrow enough for my space available.

 

[tenspeed]

I have a Breville 800XL, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a countertop oven. We have a Thermador dual wall oven, and I bought the Breville for the small items. It worked out better than anticipated. It holds quarter size baking sheets, and heats up in less than 5 minutes for any temperature (as compared to 15 - 20 minutes for the wall oven). It's just two of us, and now the only time I use the wall oven is for things that won't fit in the Breville (like half size baking sheets) or that are too heavy for the Breville (like cast iron dutch ovens). I make a number of things in 8 x 8 glass baking dishes, and it works perfectly in the Breville. I don't know how well other countertop ovens function, but cooking times and temperatures are the same in the Breville as the wall oven, so I consider them equivalent in performance.

Assuming you have the room (and budget), I would not get anything smaller if you are planning to use it as your main oven.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

It sounds like you also need a toaster oven. Most opinions are that the Breville toaster oven is the best if you can afford one. There are many more affordable ones out there and I'm happy with my Black and Decker...

And I'm very satisfied with my Hamilton Beach, Kayelle. Sometimes the best just doesn't suit needs. My primary need was a counter top oven that had two racks, or would allow my full-size loaf of bread to bake without running into the heating element in the top of the cabinet. Been there, done that. I can cook fish/chicken/pork chops on one shelf while roasting potatoes or other veggies on the other shelf - just like in the big oven, but without heating up the entire kitchen.

 

[caseydog]

Thanks so much for the replies!
Andy M. what are the compatible cookware for an induction hot plate?
Also, I was hoping to get energy saving appliances to save on my electric bill.

Induction burners are the most similar electric burners to gas. They are very responsive, like gas. You will have to use ferrous cookware, aluminum will not work. Basically, if a magnet will stick to the pan, the pan will work on an induction burner.

CD

 

[tenspeed]

Induction burners are the most similar electric burners to gas. They are very responsive, like gas. You will have to use ferrous cookware, aluminum will not work. Basically, if a magnet will stick to the pan, the pan will work on an induction burner.

CD

Getting technical here, stainless steel is ferrous, but not all stainless steel is magnetic. Food grade stainless is typically 316 stainless, which is not magnetic, and is not induction compatible. Clad cookware manufacturers can make their products induction compatible by using a magnetic stainless (400 series) on the outer layer. A magnet will be more strongly attracted to the outer layer than the inner layer in such a pan. Not all clad cookware is induction compatible. As CD said, if a magnet sticks, it is induction compatible.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I recently purchased one of these Oster toaster ovens as a concession to old age and it works fine. My main interest was the timer with automatic shutoff but the convection feature is nice for an oven in this price range, approx. $50.00. Make sure that you allow for a 6" clearance around the oven when it is being used.

Good luck!

https://www.oster.com/oster/oster-6...-oven-brushed-stainless-steel/TSSTTVCG04.html

 

[Kayelle]

As Andy said, you must have magnetic metal cookware for an Induction hot plate. An easy way to test each of your cooking pieces is with a magnet. If it sticks, it will work. If it doesn't, it won't. Try it with a refrigerator magnet.
My favorite cooking pans are not magnetic, so I opted for a standard elec. hot plate.

Induction burners are the most similar electric burners to gas. They are very responsive, like gas. You will have to use ferrous cookware, aluminum will not work. Basically, if a magnet will stick to the pan, the pan will work on an induction burner.

CD

Getting technical here, stainless steel is ferrous, but not all stainless steel is magnetic. Food grade stainless is typically 316 stainless, which is not magnetic, and is not induction compatible. Clad cookware manufacturers can make their products induction compatible by using a magnetic stainless (400 series) on the outer layer. A magnet will be more strongly attracted to the outer layer than the inner layer in such a pan. Not all clad cookware is induction compatible. As CD said, if a magnet sticks, it is induction compatible.

I think there's an echo in here.

 

[Andy M.]

I think there's an echo in here.

It's my magnetic personality. I attract imitators.

 

[caseydog]

I think there's an echo in here.

We all added something to the conversation.

CD

 

[tenspeed]

Induction cooktops are marketed as being more efficient than electric coil cooktops. However, the US Department of Energy conducted a study that showed there isn't much difference.

https://www.chowhound.com/post/induction-cooking-energy-efficient-dept-energy-1019044

An independent test confirmed this.

https://www.centurylife.org/is-indu...-energy-efficiency-comparison-between-stoves/

One advantage of electric coils is that it will work with any cookware. Did you know that you can determine if cookware is induction compatible with a refrigerator magnet?

 

[medtran49]

Induction cooktops are marketed as being more efficient than electric coil cooktops. However, the US Department of Energy conducted a study that showed there isn't much difference.

https://www.chowhound.com/post/induction-cooking-energy-efficient-dept-energy-1019044

An independent test confirmed this.

https://www.centurylife.org/is-indu...-energy-efficiency-comparison-between-stoves/

One advantage of electric coils is that it will work with any cookware. Did you know that you can determine if cookware is induction compatible with a refrigerator magnet?

Well, the induction burners certainly boil water a heck of a lot faster than our ceramic stovetop, though we have been shopping for a new one and a lot of the models have burners with extra oomph to do things like boil water or sear on them now.



My biggest thing with the induction burners though is that we don't get the heat output into the environment like we do with the regular stovetop. It gets a lot hotter in the kitchen when we use the conventional stovetop versus the induction burners. Maybe they don't save energy cooking, but they sure as heck save energy regarding air conditioning.

 

[Kayelle]

One advantage of electric coils is that it will work with any cookware. Did you know that you can determine if cookware is induction compatible with a refrigerator magnet?

@ tenspeed.