How do I maintain a portable induction cooker?

Question

Most portable induction cooker have a cooling system (a fan below it). Do you open up the induction cooker to clean the fan? As for the rest of the parts, do you just use a cloth to wipe clean? or do you apply some cleaning agent to wash the outer surface?

Answer

The upper surface is glass, so I clean it like a normal Ceran stove: A special ceran cleaner when a cloth isn't enough, a sharp blade for specks, a gentle abrasive (like Cif) for stubborn spots which won't get away. The sides of mine are alu, but I don't bother getting out a different cleaning agent for that, just continue wiping with whatever I used on the glass.

I have never opened mine to clean the fan, and suspect that it will void the warranty. But if needed, I would handle it like a PC fan: open the case, use compressed air to blow it clean. Trying to wipe the fan could decenter it. It won't make the blades perfectly smooth, as the humid kitchen air tends to turn dust to clingy grime, but it should remove the bulk if the fan is too full to work efficiently.

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Precise temperature reading on induction cooker

Question

I have an electronic thermometer that I've used on an induction cooker and it is getting crazy. The thermometer starts buzzing and the temperature displayed is highly volatile. It's just unusable.

What would be a good solution for precise reading on an induction stovetop. An analog thermometer is a nice workaround, but it is not a real solution as the precision is generally too low. I'd like a precision of 1 to 3°C (0.5 to 1.5°F). Maybe there are digital thermometers that can handle the magnetic field ? So please, be specific about the maker if yours is working on induction.

Answer

I use a Sunartis E514 digital household thermometer on an induction stove, and I get normal readings.

I can't say it is the best thermometer out there, as it is a bit slow. The specification is 4 to 10 seconds measuring time. From experience, it doesn't need 4 seconds to change the display when immersed in hot liquid, but while it gives you the temperature with 0.1°C precision, I guess this temp is slightly lagging. That can ruin a batch of candy or dark chocolate, but these are still doable if you are mentally accounting for the lag. It is great for everything else. The low price is another advantage.

I can't promise 100% that it will work with any induction stove. Mine is a small portable one, and maybe its magnetic field is weaker than that of a full-sized stove. For temperature-sensitive applications, I usually cook on 500 Watt, but I've had the thermometer inside (also very close to the bottom of the pot) at higher settings, so I hope it will work. Nevertheless, it is probably a good idea to get it from a place with good return policy.

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What are the differences between an induction stove and a regular electric stove?

Question

Question pretty much says it all. They are both electric powered, and don't look all that different, but the induction cooktops I have seen are a lot more expensive.
What difference does the type of stove, induction vs electric, make to the actual cooking process?

Answer

A regular electric oven uses a large coiled resistor as a heating element. A large electric current is passed through this element which generates heat, similar to the tungsten filament of an incandescent light bulb.

An induction stove doesn't actually generate heat itself, but rather induces it the pot or pan. It does this using a rapidly oscillating magnetic field. This field induces an electric current in a ferromagnetic pan which generates heat, thus heating the food.

Induction stoves are faster, safer, and more energy efficient than traditional electric stoves. It requires significantly less electricity to create the magnetic field than it does to drive enough current through a resistor to make it heat up. They are safer because they don't actually generate heat themselves. After taking a pot off the "burner" (glass surface) it quickly begins to cool.

With regards to differences in the cooking process, there's not much. You just need to be aware that it heats up much more quickly and cools down much more quickly than a traditional electric stove. It does affect your choice of pans however. All aluminum pans will not work, nor will some lower quality stainless steel ones. If a magnet sticks to the pan then it will work just fine. The pan must also have a flat bottom to make full contact with the surface.

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