Induction hob help

Idioteque

Recently bought a new range cooker which has an induction hob (previously had gas). It's taking a bit of getting used to coming from gas.

I can't figure out what the max pan size I can use on it is. It's not in the user guide or on the website anywhere and the markings on the hob don't make it obvious to me. I don't think it's a case of plonk a pan anywhere within the markings as I can just about make out a ring shape under the glass but it's very hard to see it and measure the ring size.

We had a ~20cm pan centered on one of the crosses and the food was simmering just in the middle of the pan and not on the outer edges - which leads me to believe there's a max size as the pan was within the outer markings.

Here's a pic of the hob in questions and the markings



Any idea?

Muahahaha

Cant fully answer your question but a 20cm pan is pretty small. If it cant heat a 20cm pan evenly when put on the crosses then I would say there is a problem. 28cm-30cm pans would be more of a 'normal' size for pans. The cross on the right hand side of it looks to me to be for a rectangular size pan like one of those BBQ griddle plates.

Is this one of the table top induction units or is it built into the counter top? Do you have a link to its website? Might be best to email the manufacturer or retailer and ask what is the max size pan it fits. But Id be very surprised if it cannot do a 28cm one dont mind a 20cm one.

Alun

Is this it? https://www.belling.co.uk/products/cooking/range-cookers/farmhouse-90ei/444444130/

I can't see any reference in the manual to min/max pan sizes so I assume all 4 zones are the same size.

Are you 100% sure the pans you're using are fully induction compatible? Another possibility might be that if they're pans you've used for a while on gas, that the bottoms have become convex, so the pan isn't making contact with hob over it's whole surface, but that shouldn't really make too much difference with an induction hob as the induction field extends for quite a distance above the surface.

Idioteque

Muahahaha wrote: »

Cant fully answer your question but a 20cm pan is pretty small. If it cant heat a 20cm pan evenly when put on the crosses then I would say there is a problem. 28cm-30cm pans would be more of a 'normal' size for pans. The cross on the right hand side of it looks to me to be for a rectangular size pan like one of those BBQ griddle plates.

Is this one of the table top induction units or is it built into the counter top? Do you have a link to its website? Might be best to email the manufacturer or retailer and ask what is the max size pan it fits. But Id be very surprised if it cannot do a 28cm one dont mind a 20cm one.

So the pan is a 26cm pan but the flat part of the base that sits on the induction hob is only 19.5cm.

The right hand side rectangluar part is just a warming section not normal induction cooking

It's built into a range cooker - this one. I've emailed the manufacturer, awaiting a response so thought I'd try here in the meantime in case someone has seen this type of hob top before. I rang them too but the customer support didn't have a clue, guy said you could plop the pan down anywhere but I know this is defo not the case as I can faintly make out rings and also it has 4 crosses and the type he was talking about typically doesn't.

Alun wrote: »

Is this it? https://www.belling.co.uk/products/cooking/range-cookers/farmhouse-90ei/444444130/

I can't see any reference in the manual to min/max pan sizes so I assume all 4 zones are the same size.

Are you 100% sure the pans you're using are fully induction compatible? Another possibility might be that if they're pans you've used for a while on gas, that the bottoms have become convex, so the pan isn't making contact with hob over it's whole surface, but that shouldn't really make too much difference with an induction hob as the induction field extends for quite a distance above the surface.

Yeah the user manual is pretty poor. I've linked the actual range above.

Yes the pans have 'induction' written on them and the symbol. The pan works it just the larger pans are not cooking on the outer edges va smaller pans that fully work so there must be a size limitation (and I don't have every pan size to work it out exactly before buying the max size pan).

You might be right on the gas bit. Hopefully the manufacturer (Belling) come back with an answer and what I'll probably do is buy some higher end induction pans to see if it helps. We're used to cooking large cassaroles, curries etc. and it'd be a shame if we're limited to small pans considering this is one of the more expensive range cookers and what I though was meant to be a good make.

Muahahaha

Idioteque wrote: »

So the pan is a 26cm pan but the flat part of the base that sits on the induction hob is only 19.5cm.

19.5cm is very small and you really couldnt tolerate only being able to cook with pans that size. My own induction has 3 hobs, the largest being 30cm of heating space which I would presume would be the norm really. I only use 20cm pans for smaller things like omelettes.

It all sounds very strange to me, especially as you have confirmed that the pans you are using are designed for induction. With the picture you linked there are four hobs and your warming hob. I would have expected two of them to do large pans up to at least 28cm if not 30cm and then the other two do smaller sizes 20-22cms.

If its the case that the limit is only 20cm or so apart from being shocked Id be wanting to send it back because you just couldnt spend years cooking with tiny pans. I know thats not easy with such a bulky product but better that than your head being wrecked for the next decade or more. But see what the manufacturer says first.

bobbyy gee

Bigger pan is better

I saw this I don't know if it works

https://www.vonhaus.com/vh_en/19cm-induction-hob-diffuser

dee_mc

bobbyy gee wrote: »

Bigger pan is better

I saw this I don't know if it works

https://www.vonhaus.com/vh_en/19cm-induction-hob-diffuser

Those things are only intended for simmering or cooking things "low and slow" - won't work for bringing anything quickly to the boil etc

silverwood

I’ve had awful problems with my induction hob too. Give me gas any day of the week!

However it’s been explained to me that the most critical part of using induction is the actual pans themselves. Many of them will say that there are suitable for induction but in reality don’t work very well at all. Particularly the cheaper ones.

As a previous poster said, I believe that it’s to do with the amount of contact the pan base makes with the hob. You might think the base of the pan is flat but if you run a straight edge like a ruler along the base you will see that poor quality pans are most likely not flat at all and it is actually only the edges of the pan that make contact with the hob.

We bought a expensive top quality, cast iron pan and the difference was absolutely incredible! Induction as it’s meant to be.

It’s all in the pans!!