Q & A on Induction Range Availability

Q.

Peggy

I found you when I googled kitchen appliance blogs.

My wife and I are designing a house and we only have space for a range rather than separate oven/cooktop.

My wife likes cooking with gas but we recently had to delete the LP gas tank and associated piping due to budget concerns and now are hoping that there will be an induction range on the market when our kitchen is installed (probably June 2008).

I have spent a fair amount of time searching but I have not found a single integrated induction range (w/electric oven) on the market.

Are you aware of one that is available or imminently available? Thanks.

Frank

A.

Thanks for your question Frank.

Doing a quick, cursory search on Google doesn't divulge much. And the Diva de Provence induction ranges are out of most people's affordability range;-D

But why are you so set on a range? A cooktop with oven below is definitely do-able and then you can buy each for the features you like. The installation is also sleeker and easier to keep clean.

Here is a GE setup:
























I would definitely consider that option, unless you are willing to wait...And I wouldn't hold your breath if I were you.

Europe definitely has them, but demand would have to be great to start seeing them here.

Peggy


Peggy

Hugely helpful. Thanks for the amazingly quick response! We have a GE gas range now and it has been a serious service problem (4 service calls in 3 years-all related to the gas oven portion) and will probably steer away from GE but I will explore some combos. Our allowance is $2500 and we maybe could stretch a little but I didn’t think we could afford separates (and maybe we can’t) but I will start searching. Thanks again.

Frank

A.

I just grabbed the GE image because it was the first one I came across.

Check Sears, theirs might be in the more modest range. Induction is definitely a high-end option.

I did notice that Consumer Reports had a review on induction cooktops. Those are likely to be US-made and modestly priced, because they never review the good stuff that comes from Europe.

I recommend electric ovens for the self-cleaning feature. It's worth its weight in gold!

There is also the issue of a difference in the cost of your cabinets; because you will need at least a cabinet front to mount the oven into.

Peggy

Q.

Hi Peggy, I'm the wife of Frank. I could go with either form factor. What I'm really wondering about is your opinion of induction cooking in general.

Do you like it? Is it responsive enough? Can you get a really low simmer? A really kick butt boil? Any precautions? I know about the cookware.

Ellen

A.

Honestly Ellen, I have never used it. I am only going by what I have read; because all of my clients, for years, have gone with gas cooktops...And I have gas myself.

Once you settle on a product, I would seek out the distributor in your area and go in with your favorite recipe and ask to cook on a demo unit. Most distributors have live products in their showrooms.

Please share with us what you select and how you like it down the road.

Peggy

Dishwasher with a Difference

SMEG (Italy) has come out with a really different dishwasher that may be useful for those "unusual" situations:

It is 36" wide, 22-53/64" high, and 21-21/32" deep...The first, to my knowledge, horizontal dishwasher.




















The drop-down door seems to be articulated; so that it doesn't protrude so much, but instead, folds on itself.

It also has an interior light...unusual.

The STO905U dishwasher is available in the USA and Energy Star rated.

Peggy

FIRE!!!! and How to Deal with One

I have had two home fires over the years:
In the first, my detached garage burned down after I discarded some two-day-old charcoal from the grill, and the second resulted from my using a blowtorch to burn off old paint around the exterior of a window.
























I also almost lost a brand new kitchen I designed when the homeowner removed a teakettle from a halogen burner and went to answer the phone. When he returned the wall cabinet to the left of the cooktop was scorching. Fortunately he had a 36" hood over a 30" cooktop, or he would have returned to a full-blown fire...Lucky for both of us. Phew! Ever since I have related that story and encouraged clients to buy only halogen cooktops with a limiter that turns the burner off when a pan is removed.






Most home fires start in the kitchen. As a kitchen designer, I can tell you we are haunted by the possibilities. There have been many times over the years when I have refused to design or draw something a client wanted because it was a fire hazard.




















I would rather resign a commission and leave the job than expose myself and my clients to fire hazards.




















I received this link today, from the San Mateo County Fire Service. There are great tips for reducing fire danger in the kitchen and dealing with a fire if one happens.

Read and be safe.

Peggy

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The latest statistics from NFPA say that one out of every three home fires started in the kitchen and more than 100,000 fires a year were related to cooking.

Here are a few safety tips to remember:

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food. If you must leave the the room even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).

Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove.

If you have a fire in your microwave, turn it off immediately and keep the door closed. Never open the door until the fire is completely out. If in doubt, get out of the home and call 911.

Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan (make sure you are wearing the oven mitt). Turn off the burner and slide the pan off the burner.
Never pour water on a grease fire. If the fire does not go out, get out of the home and call 911.

If an oven fire starts, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothing. If the fire does not go out, get out of the home and call the fire department.

To avoid the accumulation of grease, always clean the vent screen above your stove. You can put these in the dishwasher! If you cook frequently with oils, butter, and grease, make sure to clean it at least once a month.

Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and learn how to use it.