The tabletop is a lightweight and compact device for heating and cooking food in a wide variety of conditions. They are indispensable in small kitchens, in country houses and dachas.

Until recently, the main tool of housewives in places where there is no gas remained electric tilesfamiliar to many from Soviet times. But now there are more economical and convenient infrared models. Let's consider their principle of operation and advantages.

The appearance and principle of operation of the infrared stove

An infrared stove is called, which is heated by heating elements that generate infrared radiation. This heating is based on the ability of water contained in food to absorb infrared radiation, while generating a large amount of heat. Thanks to this, food is prepared quickly, acquiring excellent taste and preserving useful properties.

Most models of IR tiles for home use have glass ceramic surface... They consist of a body, a heating element, a hob and a control unit.

The heating element, and then the dishes with food, are heated by means of an electric current.

The glass-ceramic hob surface is resistant to pressure and temperature extremes. You can safely put heavy pots on it and not be afraid to wind up the maximum heating temperature. But glass ceramics is afraid of pinpoint impacts. Do not drop heavy objects on it. The panel may break, for example, from being hit by a rib on the lid of a pan, falling off a metal corkscrew, etc.

The glass-ceramic surface has good thermal conductivity, due to which the stove heats up to a high temperature in a matter of minutes. In household models, as a rule, maximum heating up to 300 ° C is provided, professional IR stoves are heated up to 600 ° C.

The use of a glass-ceramic panel makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of the stove and the time for its heating, to increase the efficiency and, due to the low inertia, to provide quick change temperature.

You can cook any dishes on infrared tiles: from borscht to pancakes. Except desktop models modern manufacturers offer both floor-standing options with and without ovens. The number of cooking zones usually varies from one to four.


In addition, infrared grills are held in high esteem today. There are small models for home and garden that can be used in the kitchen, balcony or veranda, as well as professional grills for restaurants. They allow you to speed up and improve the quality of service, make it possible to demonstrate cooking in front of guests without soot and burning.

Different models of IR cookers are offered for purchase for home and commercial use. You can easily buy inexpensive household models of the brands Saturn, Ricci, Sardo, A-PLUS and professional equipment Bertos, Zanussi, Gorenje, Angelo Po.

Advantages and disadvantages of using an IR cooker

Let's evaluate the advantages of an infrared stove:

• The first and, undoubtedly, very important advantage is the economy of the device. Using such a stove allows you to decently reduce energy costs.
• An infrared oven allows you to significantly reduce the time spent on cooking, which means it adds free minutes to the hostesses.
• Such a device, in contrast to a simple electric stove, makes it possible to sharply reduce the temperature, as if to screw on the gas, which is very convenient.
• The glass-ceramic panel is easy to clean, this simplifies the cleaning process and saves on the purchase of cleaning and detergents.

• Most models are offered in several power levels (usually up to 10). When food is heated to 60 ° C, electricity is practically not consumed (cannot be compared with a microwave)!
• The stoves are equipped with timers and convenient displays for control. Many models have a child lock function.
• Any dish (except paper and plastic) is suitable for such a stove; you do not have to buy a new one as when buying an induction model.
• A hot indicator is usually provided to prevent accidental scalding while the tile cools down after use.
• There is protection against overheating and power surges.
• An infrared stove is safer and more comfortable than a gas one: there is no open fire, soot, carbon monoxide.

Now about the cons:

• The surface is made of glass-ceramics: the tiles must be transported and used carefully, since if the coating is damaged, it will have to be completely changed. Although this is a conditional minus, it is thanks to glass ceramics that the main advantages of the IR oven are realized.
• Avoid flooding with water: this is an electrical appliance, moisture can damage it. When water gets on the working stove, an unpleasant crack is heard.

As you can see, the drawbacks are insignificant, they do not spoil the pleasant impression of using the device at all.

You should give preference a well-known manufacturer, and choose a model according to your needs. The main selection criteria are parameters such as the number of hotplates, the maximum heating temperature, the presence of a timer and additional functions.

Budget model with infrared heating

On the pages of the "Comfortable Home" section, we have repeatedly considered various tiles - both traditional, with a heating element in the form of a spiral, and modern - with induction heating. The hero of our today's review - Ricci RIC-3106 - uses an infrared method of heating dishes. The main questions that we face remain the same: will this heating method turn out to be faster and more efficient? Is it convenient to control the temperature while preparing various dishes? And in general - how comfortable will it be to use tiles in everyday use?

Specifications

Manufacturer
Model
A type	tabletop infrared single-burner cooker
Country of Origin	China
Warranty	1 year
Declared power	1200 watts
Body materials	metal, glass ceramics
Control	mechanical
Burner diameter	180 mm
Hotplate cover	strained glass
Indicators	inclusion (heating)
overheat protection	there is
Packing dimensions	27.5 x 30 x 10.5 cm
Weight	2 Kg
Cord length	1m
average price	T-12518135
Retail offers	L-12518135-10

Equipment

The tile is delivered in a cardboard box, decorated in a contrasting, somewhat clumsy style: the designer obviously does not disdain the standard filters built into Photoshop, due to which the design looks a bit "collective farm". However, what else can you expect from a device with such a price? In addition to the photograph of the tile itself, on the box you can find basic technical information about the device: power, diameter of the heating element, the presence of an on indicator and protection against overheating.

Opening the box, inside you can find the tile itself (protected from impacts using foam inserts) and instructions.

At first sight

Visually, the tiles make a positive impression. Despite the use of obviously inexpensive materials, the manufacturer clearly thought about the design of the device. The “control panel”, consisting of a rheostat knob and a heating sensor, is painted bright red and thus stands out against the background of the matte black paint of the metal body, and you can even look like a mirror into the tempered glass burner.

On the underside of the case you can see ventilation holes and feet with anti-slip rubber pads. On top, in addition to the hotplate, control knob and heating indicator, there is the Ricci logo (with a link to the website), as well as a warning that the surface may be hot.

Despite such minimalism, we would say that the tile looks more expensive than it actually costs. At least this is true for a new device out of the box.

The build quality, at first glance, raises no complaints. The tiles are assembled simply (with the help of bolts and nuts that the manufacturer does not consider necessary to hide), but reliably.

Instructions

The tile instruction is a 9-page A5 brochure printed on quality glossy paper. The manufacturer did not even save on color printing, which is very rare for products from this price category.

The content of the instructions is quite standard - safety instructions, the device of the tile and features of use, the principle of operation protection against overheating, operation, care and storage, warranty obligations.

Interesting and really useful information there is not much, but there is: we were curious to know that the tile is equipped with two types of protection and will turn off either when the panel temperature reaches 580 degrees, or when heated inside the case to 100 degrees.

Control

Tile controls are pretty straightforward. It is carried out with the help of one single knob that regulates the power of the device (and therefore the power of heating). When turning from the minimum position, the rheostat knob clicks softly - most likely, it is aligned with the switch.

During operation, the indicator light periodically turns off. This means that the thermostat has worked and the hob temporarily stops heating. When operation resumes, the indicator will light up again.

Using

Training

Before the first use, the user does not need to perform any special actions: it is enough to unpack the tile, connect it to the socket and turn the control knob from position 0 to the “Min” position. The indicator comes on, heating starts.

As stated in the instructions, when you turn it on for the first time, smoke may appear - this burns out the protective grease applied at the factory. If you are afraid that this may affect the smell of the dish, it is better to let the stove work for 10 minutes, and only then proceed to cooking.

Ergonomics

After the end of the work, the cooker remains hot for some time, therefore, before removing it from the table, you need to let the appliance cool down.

Any dish is suitable for working with tiles. The only condition is that the bottom of the frying pan or pot should be flat and not exceed 20 centimeters in diameter.

Care

Tile maintenance is also easy: it is enough to promptly remove dirt on the glass-ceramic panel and clean the case soft cloth without the use of abrasives. To care for the tiles, a dishwashing detergent or special glass-ceramic cleaning agents should be suitable.

Testing

Objective tests

During testing, we cooked several dishes on the hotplate, measured the energy consumption and evaluated the convenience when working with the device. We started with the simplest thing - measuring the level of electricity consumption. To do this, we have sequentially switched on the tiles at different power levels. The wattmeter showed that the tile is constantly heating at a power of 1120-1140 W. There is no possibility to reduce this value (the tile either heats up or is temporarily turned off).

Boiling 1 liter of water at maximum power

We took an ordinary metal saucepan with a lid (bottom diameter 15 cm), poured a liter of water into it with a temperature of 20 ° C and set the maximum heating power.

The water boiled after 10 minutes and 6 seconds.

The power consumption of the tile, according to the wattmeter readings, was 1100 W, and the power consumption was 0.187 kWh.

Quite a lot of time was taken by "preliminary" heating: at first, the temperature increased slowly: from 20 to 50 degrees 1 liter of water heated up in 5 minutes. Later, when the tile warmed up, the process went faster.

What do these results tell us? Is it a lot or a little, fast or slow? Let's compare the effectiveness infrared tiles with tiles using other heating methods.

For example, the previously tested conventional Home Element HE-HP702 electric cooker with an open spiral and an operating power of 915 watts coped with boiling a liter of water in 10 minutes and 30 seconds, spending 0.17 kWh on it. Thus, obviously, we cannot talk about the absolute advantage of infrared tiles over "traditional" ones. Our experimental sample (even taking into account the fact that the power of the device is 1100 watts) coped with boiling water in about the same time, and spent a little more electricity.

What about induction hotplates? The Kitfort KT-106 tile, operating at a power of 1680 W, boiled the same volume of water in 4 minutes and 40 seconds, spending only 0.1 kWh on it - almost half as much as Ricci RIC-3106! So also in terms of heating rate, our infrared cooker showed average results.

Result: average .

Omelette

The first dish we decided to cook on our stove was, of course, scrambled eggs. We took a small, thin-walled pan (to minimize the time it takes to heat the dishes), turned on the hotplate to maximum power and broke two eggs.

The fried eggs were cooked within five minutes after switching on the hotplate. Electricity consumption during this time was 0.1 kWh.

Scrambled eggs allow you to fairly accurately control the uniformity of heating (it's no secret that some plates heat one half of the pan more than the other). Ricci RIC-3106 had no problems with this: the eggs were fried evenly.

Result: excellent .

Cheesecakes

The second standard test is cottage cheese pancakes. For their preparation, we took 500 g of cottage cheese, 3 tbsp. l. sugar, 3 tbsp. l. flour, 2 eggs, as well as flour for breading and vegetable oil for frying. We fried cheesecakes in a large, thick-walled pan, which took about 5 minutes to heat up.

The power of the tile turned out to be quite enough to maintain the desired temperature. The cheesecakes were prepared without any problems.

Result: excellent .

Chicken liver "pie" with sour cream

In this test, we pre-fried the onions, then added grated carrots to it, after which we added a kilogram of chopped chicken liver and cooked everything together until tender. Then we chopped all the products with a blender and fried “pancakes”, which became the basis of our “puff pie”.

How long did all these procedures take us? A total of 32 minutes. It took 10 minutes and 0.18 kWh to fry the onions, another 4 minutes and 0.065 kWh to fry the carrots. The chicken liver was fried for 6 minutes, and another 12 was spent on making "pancakes". The total power consumption was 0.375 kWh.

Result: excellent .

Roasted Chicken Hearts (Rapid Heat and Heat Maintenance Test)

All previous tasks did not require increased load from the tile. We decided to test how our subject handles cooking foods that require high temperatures. To do this, we took a wok pan, heated it to a high temperature and put about 500-600 grams of chicken hearts in it.

The tile coped with this task poorly: the power of the device was not enough to evaporate the liquid that began to be released during the roasting process in a reasonable time. As a result, instead of “roasting”, we got “stewing”. The products, of course, were not spoiled, but we came to the conclusion that for the preparation of dishes that require fast processing of products with high temperatures, Ricci RIC-3106 is not suitable.

Result: bad .

Chicken cutlets

After an unsuccessful quick fry test, we decided to test what happens when we fry small amounts of food. To do this, we made small minced chicken cutlets and fried them in a small frying pan, four pieces at a time.

This time we were pleased with the result: no complaints about the tile work were found.

Result: good .

conclusions

Our impressions of using Ricci RIC-3106 tiles on the whole were predictable: the tiles withstood all tests with dignity, in which an even and not too much heating was required. But for cases when you need to quickly heat food to a high temperature (for example, fry in a wok), this device will not work: the speed of temperature rise turned out to be too low, and “frying” turned into “stewing”. However, given the declared power of 1200 W, this result is not surprising.

pros

• adequate price
• nice design
• glass ceramic panel is easier to maintain

The tabletop is a lightweight and compact device, it is an excellent helper in small kitchens, dachas and other houses in the countryside.

Not so long ago, only electric stoves were the main assistant of housewives in areas not provided with gas. Nowadays, infrared table stoves (IR).

Heating in it takes place with the help of heating elements, which generate infrared radiation, and heating is based on the fact that water in products absorbs this radiation. This produces large amounts of heat. This principle of operation is the key to fast food preparation. And it turns out with excellent taste characteristics and does not lose useful qualities.

Many modifications of IR cookers for household purposes are equipped with a glass-ceramic surface. They are formed by: a housing, a heating component, a hob and a control unit.

The heating component heats up and then heats up the cookware. These actions provide electric current.

The glass ceramic surface is resistant to pressure and temperature shocks. You can easily place massive dishes on it and set the maximum heating parameters.

However, point impacts are dangerous for such a surface. Heavy objects are not allowed to fall on it. It can be seriously damaged, for example by a metal corkscrew or the edge of a saucepan lid.

This surface has excellent thermal conductivity. Therefore, the plate heats up to high values \u200b\u200bvery quickly. In the household versions, the temperature limit is usually 300 ° C. In professional - twice as much.

Thanks to the glass-ceramic panel, you can:

1. Reduce the absorbed power of the stove and the duration of its heating.
2. Develop efficiency.
3. Change temperatures quickly.

IR models allow you to prepare a variety of dishes, from soups to pancakes. Desktop and floor-standing versions are available. The second can have ovens. Models are usually equipped with at least one hotplate, maximum four.

Also today, infrared grills have become more preferred. There are modifications of small dimensions. They are often used on loggias, verandas and for summer cottages. There are professional variations that are commonly found in food service establishments.

They significantly speed up and develop the quality of service.

Weaknesses and strengths of IR tiles

Its advantages are as follows:

1. Profitability. Thanks to the use of this unit, electricity costs are significantly reduced. The duration of the culinary process is also drastically reduced.
2. There is an option for a sharp drop in temperature.
3. The work panel is easy to clean.
4. In many modifications there are several power levels (maximum - 10). When food is heated under conditions of no more than 60 degrees, there is almost no electricity consumption.
5. The equipment includes timers and convenient monitors for control. Another often found option is a block from children.
6. For such models, you can use any utensil (exceptions: paper, plastic and plastic). No need to purchase special dishes.
7. There is a glowing sensor "Hot". This protects against accidental burns while the apparatus cools down after use.
8. Arranged defense against voltage surges and surges.
9. No open flames, no soot and no carbon monoxide.

1. Considering that the glass-ceramic surface is quite vulnerable, it is required to transport and operate the tiles extremely carefully. If the coating is damaged, it will need to be completely replaced.
2. Do not fill the device with water. Of course, no one will do this on purpose. But it happens that water can flow from the pan. And water can interfere with the functionality of the apparatus. And when the water is on the working equipment, a nasty crackling sound is heard.

These disadvantages are rather arbitrary. And they in no way negatively affect the impression of the use of such tiles.

Dilemma: Induction or IR?

Today, the question of the advantages of an induction or infrared cooker is very relevant. Better briefly: the first heats only the dishes placed on it. And the dishes are required here. Such models work more economically. The second is everything that is placed on it. And if it costs nothing, it can warm up the air.

Therefore, if you need a good economical option and you are ready to deal with the availability certain types cookware, then you need an induction unit.

If the dynamics of heating and cooking is important to you, purchase tabletop IR cookers. It is important to follow certain criteria when purchasing.

Criterias of choice

The primary criterion is the selection based on the brand. Better to focus on a famous manufacturer. And choose one or another modification based on your needs.

Other key criteria:

1. Number of cooking zones.
2. Maximum heating rate.
3. Is there a timer and additional options.

The price indicators of IR tiles are due to the following factors:

1. The material for the manufacture of the case.
2. The quality of the heating component.
3. Available options and functionality.

The most impressive price tags are observed for devices made of stainless steel. The cost of this technique can develop when it contains additional options, for example:

• electronic timer;
• a sensor that reflects residual heat;
• category A energy absorption programmers;
• self-cleaning technology.

The serious cost of infrared tiles pays off afterwards, since electrical resources are significantly saved.

How to care for this technique

When operating an IR tile, do not forget that this is still an electrical unit. And it is subject to certain safety rules.

Before cleaning the hob, be sure to disconnect it from the electrical system. Use only a soft sponge or cloth for this procedure. You should also use liquid dishwasher or special cleaning agent here. of this material - glass ceramics. The use of abrasive methods is prohibited. They are detrimental to the appearance and quality of the surface.

Do not forget to periodically eliminate dust accumulating in the ventilation grilles of the device. You can act manually, or you can use a vacuum cleaner. Under no circumstances should the tile be cleaned by completely immersing it in water.

When the IR model is used carefully and all the recommendations for its use and care are followed, it will work for a very long time.

Examples of top models

Today in the range you can find many different infrared tabletop cookers. To make the right choice, you need to know which brands are leading and which models enjoy a good reputation among users. The following is a list of five popular modifications.

• Protection against overheating of internal components (when the case heats up over 1000C, the device turns off)
• Panel overheating protection (triggered when the surface of the disks exceeds 5800C)
• Simple mechanical control
• The surface is easy to clean and clean
• Infrared hotplates provide fast heating
• Any utensil can be used (except plastic and paper)
• Original design

• If the device fails, it is difficult to find replacement parts

The compact tabletop cooker consists of a metal body, infrared heating elements and a control board. The model is produced in two colors - black (RIC-3206) and silver (RIC-3206i). The control is very simple - two mechanical controls for heating power, each for its own burner. The glass ceramic surface is durable, withstands heavy weighthowever, is afraid of pinpoint strikes. The diameters of the burners are 18 and 15 cm, respectively. The plate is equipped with 4 support legs. The control panel has 2 operation indicators that light up when the corresponding cooking zone is switched on.

• Thanks to the high power of 1200 W, the hotplate heats up quickly
• Economical energy consumption
• Several types of protection (against overheating of the internal structure and overheating of surfaces)
• Non-slip rubber feet for increased stability
• Simple and straightforward mechanical control
• The glass ceramic surface is easy to clean and clean

• High price

An infrared stove in a stainless steel case is equipped with one burner with a diameter of 18 cm. The manufacturer produces two types of models that differ in appearance. The RICCI RIC-3106i comes in silver, the control panel is black, the RICCI RIC-3106 is in black with a contrasting red insert and a shiny silver handle. The model is quite light, weighs 2 kg, it can be easily moved from place to place. The control panel consists of an indicator that lights up when the hotplate is turned on and a heating knob.

• The control panel displays error codes to help diagnose the problem
• Three types of protective shutdown
• Heating temperature is adjustable in the range 60-2400C
• The control panel is locked
• Auto shutdown timer for 180 minutes
• Residual heat indicator tells when surface is cold
• Maximum power of the hotplate 2 kW

Material catalog

With all the variety of models of electric stoves and built-in hobs that the market offers today, they use only two types of heating. One of them is based on the so-called Joule effect, which is the heating of a conductor by an electric current flowing through it. A striking (literally) example of such heating is the filament of an electric light bulb. Once in the stoves, tubular heating elements (heating elements) were used, then cast-iron "pancakes" came to replace them, but now models with such devices are rare. The burners of most modern electric stoves are a ceramic base, in the meandering grooves of which a thin wire spiral or corrugated ribbon of metal with high electrical resistance is laid. The fact that this conductor "resists" the flowing current leads to its strong heating. But since the task of the stove is to heat, not to shine, the burner does not shine like a light bulb, but radiates in the thermal (infrared) range.

HotplateHi-Light with band heating element

Burners with a tape heating element bear a special name - Hi-Light (it was invented for its products by the German company EGO, which produces this equipment). The wire heats up in 6 - 10 seconds after turning on the hotplate, the tape faster - in just 3 - 5 seconds. In order for the burner to heat up even faster, in just one second, a halogen lamp is sometimes built into it: it works immediately after the burner is turned on, and then turns off.

James Prescott Joule (1818 - 1889) is an English physicist who made a significant contribution to the development of thermodynamics. He substantiated the energy conservation law on experiments. Established a law that determines the thermal effect of an electric current.

Induction hob

The second type of electric cooker uses the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday. The burners of these stoves are called induction. Under the glass surface of the slab there is a copper coil, through which a high-frequency electric current (20-60 kHz) flows. In full accordance with Faraday's law, the magnetic field of this current, penetrating the bottom of the dish, induces electric currents in it. These eddy electric currents heat the bottom, and with it the food in the dishes. As for glass (more precisely, glass-ceramics), if it heats up, then only from the bottom of the pan (which, for the burner to work effectively, must have ferromagnetic properties). Perhaps many readers are familiar with the spectacular experience when the demonstrator puts a sheet of paper between the glass and the dishes: the water in the pan boils, but the paper does not ignite.

Michael Faraday (1791 - 1867) - English experimental physicist. Discovered electromagnetic induction, which is at the heart of modern industrial electricity production and many of its applications.

So, Faraday or Joule? Induction or ... non-induction? We need to somehow define the terminology. The fact is that the compilers of catalogs (both paper and electronic) are rather tongue-tied in describing this alternative. Sometimes we read: "Induction and electric" - which is not true, because induction cookers are also electric. "Induction and glass-ceramic" - this is quite common, but no better, since in both cases glass-ceramic is used as a covering of the working table of the stove. When there were no induction hobs yet, electric stoves were really subdivided into "ordinary" (with an enameled tabletop) and "glass-ceramic", but in in this case glass ceramics is not a distinction criterion. “Induction versus traditional electrical” is good, but a little cumbersome. “Induction and Hi-Light” is short and clear, but keep in mind that not all burners on traditional hobs are of the Hi-Light type. Perhaps the most correct way would be: "induction and infrared". We will decide on that.

Electric stove. Drawing from Australian patent No. 4699/05, 1905

Hotplates with resistive heating elements appeared earlier than induction. Back in September 1859, American George Simpson received a patent No. 255532 for a surface heated by a platinum wire spiral through which a current was passed from a storage battery.

Quite close in design to modern models was the stove, which was developed by Australian David Curl Smith (Australian patent No. 4699/05, 1905): on top of the oven there was an electric worktop burner, and between them - an electric grill. But there was not yet a regulating thermostat in this stove - to achieve the desired degree of heating, it was necessary to turn on nine sections of the heating element one after the other. The Smith cooker was one of the first to go into mass production. Interestingly, to promote the new household appliance, the inventor's wife, Norah Curl Smith, published a book in 1907 entitled "Cooking with thermoelectricity is easy." This collection of 161 dishes became the world's first cookbook for an electric cooker.

Electric induction cooker (drawing from US patent, 1909). InductorS induces a field in the magnetic core M, and this field generates eddy currents in the bottom of the vessel A.

Curiously, the idea of \u200b\u200ban induction cooker was proposed in the same years (see drawing from US patent 1909). However, the practical application of this idea of \u200b\u200baffairs did not come quickly: it was not until the mid-1950s that General Motors' Frigidaire division created the first demonstration model. It was during its demonstration during the trips of GM representatives across America that a spectacular trick with a newspaper placed under the pan was invented in order to demonstrate the complete safety of the new device.

In April 1961, the Soviet magazine Tekhnika Molodoi, in a small note entitled “Cooking on a Cold Stove,” said: “Neff factories have developed a new induction cooker covered with beautiful plastic, in the center of which an ordinary frying pan with meat is placed on three legs. A few minutes after turning on the stove, the schnitzel is already ready. You can stick your hand between the pan and the stove without getting burned. The magnetic field created by the high-frequency current generator induces eddy currents in the metal dish, which quickly heat it up. This does not heat up wood, plastic or organic matter. The feet of the frying pan prevent heat transfer to the stove. "

Induction hobWestinghouseElectricCT2 (1973)

However, the time has not yet come for mass production of induction cookers. The design was "brought to mind" by Westinghouse Electric, demonstrating in 1971 a prototype with a burner, into the winding of which a current with a frequency of 25 kHz was applied. The first serial model, called CT2, was produced from 1973 to 1975 and was discontinued due to the sale of the manufacturer itself to White Consolidated Industries Inc. The century of the model was short-lived, but the main thing - it already used Pyroceram glass from Corning Glass as a coating for the desktop. The stove did not have the usual power control knobs - instead of them, magnetic sliders were used. Therefore, there were no holes on the glass where liquid spilled from the dishes could get. In addition, the model could detect the presence of dishes on the burner using a magnetic detector. This was necessary in order not to damage the high-frequency generator, but the function turned out to be so convenient that it is still used in all induction cookers to this day.

It is curious that, while demonstrating the work of the stove on the air of the BBC television channel, the popular showman Raymond Baxter placed not paper between the glass and dishes, but ... a piece of ice!

The undoubted advantages of induction burners are quick heating (according to this indicator they are close to gas ones), high, about 90% efficiency (against 60-70% for stoves with resistive heating elements and 30-60% for gas ones). The induction hotplates do not turn on until there is cookware on top of them, and will turn off automatically as soon as you remove the cookware from the stove. The glass-ceramic surface of induction cookers only slightly heats up from the dishes, and after switching off it cools down quickly - as a result, nothing burns to it. At the same time, the temperature next to the burner remains practically unchanged, which is explained by the "directed thermal conductivity" of glass ceramics: it conducts heat well vertically and poorly - along the surface.

What if induction has disadvantages? There are few of them: firstly, the special requirements for dishes (the presence of ferromagnetic properties). And, secondly, the price. Our pivot table contains seven induction and seven infrared models, as usual, ranked by price. If you mentally divide this table in half, then in the upper part there will be only two induction models, and in the lower, more "expensive" - \u200b\u200bon the contrary, only two infrared models.

BEKO HIC 64101 X

The glass-ceramic worktop of the BEKO HIC 64101 X hob is edged with a stainless steel frame. Mirror smooth surface the glass makes cleaning easier and it is not easy to scratch it.

The front left burner is double-circuit: the diameter of the heating zone here can increase from 120 mm to 180 mm, and the power - from 700 W to 1700 W. When the hotplate is switched on, the internal cooking zone is activated, and then the heating zone can be expanded by turning the power control. By the way, this interesting feature this model: it uses classic rotary power controllers. As for the indication of the residual heat of the burners, today it is difficult to imagine a hob with zones without this function. infrared heating.

Electronicsdeluxe 595204.01 evs

The Electronicsdeluxe 595204.01 eus hob is also equipped with a round expandable burner. But in this model, it is located on the rear right, and its power increases from 700 to 2100 W. The hob is covered with Neoceram glass ceramics, which has high temperature resistance and exceptional mechanical strength. There is a timer off and a lock of the touch control panel - this safety system prevents children from turning on the hotplates.

Hotpoint-Ariston KIO 632 CP C

And here is the first induction model in our review - the Hotpoint-Ariston KIO 632 CP C hob of the LUCE series. A feature of this collection is the use of the innovative Flexy Zone technology, which makes "flexible" working area hob. Added to the two regular round cooking zones is a rectangular area, on which, thanks to the absence of borders, you can place pots of any shape and size. Flexy Zone technology allows you to place two pans or pots on the same cooking zone at two different temperatures, or set the same power and temperature across the entire surface under large-diameter pans, such as a roasting pan or baking sheet. Flexy Zone "adjusts" itself to the dishes, automatically detecting the size and position of each individual pan and activating only the heating zone that is needed.

In this regard, there is a little confusion about technical characteristics this model - if you "google" it, then on some sites it will be indicated that the surface has three burners, and on others that four. The fact is that the Flexipower heating zone can work as two separate burners or as one large one. Most of all we liked the wording on the manufacturer's website - "Number of induction zones: yes". As the saying goes, "I have them."

It's time to get acquainted with such a function as fast heating (BOOSTER) - it will be found in almost every induction model included in our review. With the BOOSTER fast heating function, you can quickly, in just four minutes, heat up a hotplate to the maximum, temporarily "taking away" the power from the neighboring one.

And of course, one cannot ignore the convenient Touch Control, which is characteristic of most modern hobs, which provides precise and independent control of each cooking zone, allowing you to set the temperature and functions with a simple touch.

Gorenje ECS620BC

And again infrared burners, and all four are Hi-Light. We are talking about the Gorenje ECS620BC model with SliderTouch touch controls that allow you to smoothly set the power of the heating zones. Two burners are expandable: the front left burner with round heating zones (120 mm / 210 mm) and the rear right, where a circle with a diameter of 170 mm expands to an oval 265 mm long. Each of the hotplates has its own timer and residual heat indicator. In addition to automatic shutdown at a time set using the timer, there is also an automatic cooking system - it will come in handy for such dishes that first need to be heated on the very high level power, and then leave to cook long time, while not constantly monitoring the cooking process (for example, boiled meat). But for frying or stewing, when the dish needs to be frequently turned over, stirred or added to it with water, the "Automatic cooking" mode will not work.

Hansa BHC63503

The Hansa BHC63503 hob is also equipped with touch control, an individual timer for each Hi-Light burner and automatic boiling. The model has two round expandable heating zones - front left (120/210 mm) and right rear (120/180 mm). It also includes elements such as a four-segment residual heat indicator, child lock and a keep warm function, which, in general, are often found in models of this price category. But the design of the model is completely unique: this model with the Antique pattern belongs to an exclusive series, which also includes Hansa Vintage BHC63500, Hansa Wood BHC63501 and Hansa Orient BHC63502 hobs. It is not often that these kitchen appliances allow for a departure from the stereotypical black glass, and the Hansa models are just such a pleasant exception, pleasing to the eye.

Candy CIE 4630 B3

Buyers will be pleased to look at the Candy CIE 4630 B3 model, more precisely, at its price tag, since this is one of the few induction models in the budget category (we will see induction further in the second half of our review and summary table). And meanwhile, despite the affordable price, this hob has all the necessary attributes: touch control of power (nine heating steps), Booster function on all burners, a timer for switching off the burners for up to 99 minutes, control lock, residual heat indicators, automatic switching off of burners with a sound signal (buzzer).

WhirlpoolAKT 8700 /IX

Whirlpool AKT 8700 / IX with four Hi-Light burners - perfect solution for kitchen. The manufacturer calls the system of expanding heating zones for the back row Combi Cook: it includes a ring burner on the right and an oval one on the left. Heating control - touch (nine power levels), there is a timer with an acoustic signal (from 1 minute to 99 minutes), child lock and residual heat indication. Special functions include Melting (a low temperature setting for melting butter, chocolate or cheese) and Pause, which allows you to immediately pause the current cooking to prevent it from burning or spilling liquids from pots as a result of prolonged or excessive boiling. When the Pause function is turned on, the temperature of all working heating zones is reduced and the hotplates simply keep warm, and after turning it off, the power levels set before this function was turned on are restored.

Körting HK6205RI

Körting has made a nice present for fans of noble classics by complementing its range of built-in appliances with a retro-style HK 6205 R hob - a perfect match for retro ovens. The model, which is offered in two color options (classic black and ivory), features an elegant bronze-colored metal frame that not only protects the panel edge from chipping, but also spectacular decoration... The heating zones are equipped with modern Hi-Light heating elements, which are distinguished by high heating speed (5-7 seconds), energy efficiency and reliability.

The model has two expanding heating zones - a round one at the front on the left and an oval one at the back on the right. Maximum ease of operation is provided by the Touch Control system: one touch is enough to activate the panel, select the power level or heating zone. The Child Protection function will lock the entire panel and ensure that the little fidget cannot turn on the stove on his own. The automatic shutdown function will also help to avoid unwanted accidents: it deactivates the hotplates or the entire hob after a certain time, if no other commands come from your side.

AEG HK563402XB

It seems that the AEG HK563402XB hob has concentrated in itself all the "bells and whistles" that a model with Hi-Light burners can have. Electronic touch controls provide quick and accurate response, giving you full control over all heat zones - including two circular dual zones (near left 120/210 mm and far right 120/180 mm). An adjustable timer for 99 minutes with an acoustic signal reminds you of the cooking time, and can also be used as a regular timer when the hob is not in use.

The Automax function helps you make better use of your time: it quickly heats up the hob so you can start cooking right away. The Child Lock function ensures that the hob is not turned on, be it by accident or someone's mischief. Another function - Stop & Go - provides even more control over cooking. When activated, all hotplates are switched to keep warm until you are ready to continue cooking.

Finally, the versatile XL OptiFit Frame ™ allows the hob to fit into a variety of built-in niches, and OptiFix ™ technology does it in just one click. The special accessory ProBox ™ makes it possible to install a hob directly above a drawer in kitchen furniture.

Electrolux EHL96740FK

Parting (but not forever) with infrared heating burners, we move on to induction models of the upper price segment. An example of such appliances is Electrolux Platinum induction hobs, in which purity and laconic design are complemented by wide functionality. First of all, it is instant and precise heating control. In Infinite models, this is done with one touch: each cooking zone is controlled by an individual circular slider, the heating levels are clearly marked around the control element - everything is clear at a glance, and the adjustment is simple and convenient. Professional chefs often use the instant heat function, which is essential for making sauces and gravies. The Infinite hob booster function gives you an extra power boost that instantly heats up to high temperatures.

But perhaps the main advantage of this induction surface is that it allows you to freely choose the place for cooking. You just need to put the dishes on the cross of any of the burners: the surface automatically adapts to the shape of pans and pots and heats up quickly without wasting energy on heating empty areas. You can also combine two cooking zones into one large zone using the Bridge function to use any shape of pans. For example, an elongated fish dish will fit perfectly on two cooking zones at once.

It happens that you need to leave the kitchen while cooking. The Stop + Go function allows you to pause cooking at the touch of a button and resume later with the same settings.

Like all appliances in the new Electrolux Platinum range, the Infinite hob has an attractive classic designthat meets modern trends. Available in black or white, it blends harmoniously with any kitchen interior. The cooking zones and controls remain invisible until you decide to use them.

Gorenje IQ641AC

The Gorenje IQ641AC induction hob is interesting not only for its smooth SliderTouch touch control, Stop & Go and PowerBoost functions on each burner, BoilControl automatic cooking and SmartSense anti-boil protection. In addition, there is a function for thawing frozen products SoftMelt: it maintains a constant temperature of 42 ° C, and thanks to the even distribution of heat, it is suitable for melting honey, butter and chocolate, as well as for thawing small amounts of frozen vegetables.

The most interesting thing about this model is innovation system IQcook developed by Gorenje. Smart sensors IQ Sensors automatically adjust the hob, eliminating the need to manually control cooking. The IQcook system offers several automatic programs (cooking with plenty of water, steaming, slow cooking, deep frying, grilling), while still allowing traditional cooking. In this case, you do not need any special dishes: hob compatible with any induction cookware, and the special IQ cook sensors included in the kit easily attach to any cookware lid.

SMEG SI644DO

The SMEG SI644DO model of the Newson series attracts attention with its design: golden seriography, straight glass edge, Touch control. However, the functionality is at its best: all four induction burners - with 15 power levels, the Booster function, and at the same time all are expandable! Each hotplate has its own independent timer with automatic shutdown and an acoustic signal of the end of cooking.

The ECO-logic function uses an electronic device to limit the energy consumption to 3 kW, which allows you to safely use several devices in the house at the same time. Safety features also include automatic device shutdown, overheating protection, child safety lock and a cooling fan.

SiemensEH975SZ17E

In the new Siemens flexInduction models, the width of the heating zones has been increased to 24 cm, which allows you to freely choose the size of the dishes for cooking. The zones are expanded due to the shift of the oval inductors by 2 cm to the left and to the right, so the heating is uniform even when cooking on a baking sheet. Cookware sensors selectively activate the required inductors, providing equally efficient and fast heating of both a miniature coffee turk and a spacious teppanyaki roaster. The frying sensor selects the optimal heating intensity and completely controls the cooking process in automatic mode, ensuring uniform frying and a rich taste of dishes. The heating power for each zone is set using Touchslider touch controls with 17 possible power levels. In combination with the high thermal efficiency and fast response of the inductors, this makes it possible to regulate the temperature as accurately as possible and easily cope with the preparation of the most difficult dishes.

For example, the Siemens EH975SZ17E hob with a width of 90 cm consists of five independent hotplates: four induction zones combined into two flexinduction zones 24 x 40 cm, and a circular hotplate in the center with a diameter of 32 cm.

Siemens flexInduction hobs have a range of safety and comfort features, including an off timer, a momentary lock for surface cleaning, a child lock, a main switch and residual heat indicators. PowerBoost boosts individual zone power to 3.7 kW, while new Quick Start and Restart functions let you start cooking instantly.

For additional control and overload protection of the home electrical network, new induction panels Equipped with a power consumption display to help optimize energy consumption, and a PowerManagement function that limits the total power consumption of the panel, if necessary.

MieleKM 6347

The Miele KM 6347 induction hob with LightPrint decor has four separate induction cooking zones with variable diameter and a PowerFlex zone consisting of two combined PowerFlex cooking zones. All cooking zones have a Booster function, automatic boiling and pot and pot size recognition, and some also have TwinBooster and keep warm. If the Booster function increases the power of the hotplate by 50%, the TwinBooster doubles it briefly.

The touch control panel with digital indication of the power of the hotplates allows you to enter individual settings (for example, sound confirmation of key presses). There are four simultaneously used timers for 99 minutes for setting the cooking time with automatic shutdown and a separate button for the Stop & Go function. Made in Germany quality speaks for itself: the service life of the device is at least 4000 hours.

BoschPIC645F17E

So, we got acquainted with the most interesting models of hobs with infrared heating and induction hobs. And our review ends with a model in which two burners of both types are installed: this is the Bosch PIC645F17E electric hob. And, of course, there is also a touch control panel with the ability to lock, and a timer, and a protective shutdown.

As the readers have already understood, infrared and induction burners do not conflict with each other at all. However, there were no conflicts in the relationship between Joule and Faraday. Joule's work in relation to heat, electricity and mechanical work was not given of great importance until 1847, when it was enthusiastically approved by Michael Faraday. This opened the door for Joule to the Royal Scientific Society, where in 1849, at the initiative of Faraday, he read his work "On the mechanical equivalent of heat."

So we should consider with equal attention both types of hobs for our kitchen.

Glass ceramic surface care

Clean the glass-ceramic surface every time after use (wait until it cools down!), Otherwise even the slightest dirt will stick to the heated surface the next time you use it. Each time before use, wipe off dust and dirt from the glass ceramics and the bottom of the dishes, which can scratch the surface.

Small dirt can be removed by soft damp cloth... Then wipe the clean surface dry. Stubborn dirt is removed with special means for the maintenance of glass-ceramic surfaces.

Make sure that there are no traces of cleaning agent on the glass-ceramic surface, as it can become aggressive when heated and lead to changes in the structure of the glass-ceramic surface.

After any cleaning, wipe the glass ceramic surface dry with a soft cloth. Do not use metal sponges or abrasive cleaning agents to clean the hob, as they can scratch the glass-ceramic surface. The decorative pattern on the hob can be erased by the use of harsh and harsh cleaning agents, or by dishes with a damaged or rough bottom.

Water stains can be removed with a mild vinegar solution. Do not use this solution to wipe the frame of the device (in some models), as it will lose its shine.