Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent value. Induction seems to be the future!
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2023
In what seemed like a fluke, the first of this cooktop to arrive was non-functional, despite fully wiring and checking voltage to both legs and continuity of ground. Long story short, the seller and Amazon were very responsive, and a functioning replacement was sent immediately.
We have since enjoyed the continuous glass of this cooktop with touch controls. Our previous cooktop was a radiant glass cooktop with dials that got in the way of cleaning. It is also worth mentioning that the replacement for our exact model of cooktop would have been $1800 (which did have downdraft fan), while this one was under $300. It was well worth the risk to try induction for this price.
As far as function, I've been generally happy with how quickly the pans heat up compared to the radiant cooktop. We use mostly cast iron, but also an enameled steel tea kettle. The weight of the cast iron takes a little longer to heat and cool than the thinner steel, but it's impressive how the pan immediately warms, much like a gas cooktop. I have noticed that the largest center "burner" doesn't seem to heat the entire pan evenly, as a rolling boil tends to be toward the edge of the large enameled cast iron pot we have. This may be a cast iron thing, as it doesn't conduct heat as well as a layered copper or steel would.
We also chose to buy one of the available silicone mats that help protect the glass from scratches, and since it's induction, silicon or not the cooktop is much easier to clean. Nothing burns onto the surface.
The timer feature is great, and it's possible to set a pan to cook for a predetermined time before shutting down. The locking feature is also handy, and avoids accidental button presses while cleaning. Further, the cooktop detects whether a pan is present and won't attempt to "heat nothing", even if a button is accidentally pressed. I'm particularly happy about the safety features, as our son badly burned his forearms as a child on our previous radiant cooktop (hot burner), but on this cooktop it likely would not have been an emergency room visit. Surface temperatures are much lower than radiant after cooking, and it cools faster, since the source of the heat is the pan itself and not the radiant element below the glass.
Installation was easy once the countertop was made ready. In fact, after installing the first cooktop that had to be returned, the replacement took only about 10 minutes to drop in and wire up with the factory electrical whip. Perhaps the best part of this particular cooktop as a replacement to existing electric cooktops is the 10ga wire and 30a circuit required. This was equal to our existing electrical, so it didn't require expensive upgrades.
We have noticed that power level 4 seems to be slightly harder to "find" on the slider, but it's a minor complaint. There is also a noticeable fan noise not present in gas or radiant cooktops. I would say it's quieter than most microwaves and similar to the fan on our oven--not a big deal to us, but worth mentioning. It can also cause some minor buzzing, considered normal by the manufacturer. None of the sounds are obtrusive in my opinion, and they would be hardly noticeable over a conversation or a sizzling skillet.
As long as it lasts a long time as expected, this is still a five-star product.
Pros: Low cost, continuous glass surface, quick heating and temperature adjustment, lower surface temperatures after cooking, extra safety features compared to radiant/gas.
Cons: Potentially uneven heating, limited to induction ready cookware (obviously), minor noises.