Induction cook tops and Air Fryer OVENS

I am selling my Gas Stove, (I don’t like gas) and I would like to get an Induction Cook top and then in the space below add an Air Fryer Oven. Does anyone have any good/bad experiences with either of these. Would like to hear you experiences and maybe the difference between one with a rotisserie or one without. Apparently some of them dry the food out.

Choice reviewed induction cooktops, linked in this topic. The review (Aug 2020) is member content.

Countertop air fryers were reviewed and discussed in this topic. The review (Aug 2021) is member content.

Or were you looking for a built-in oven that has air fryer functions like this one?

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We had a Belling stove with induction cooktop for about 10 years. Our first experience after years of putting up with straight old fashioned electric. Summary it was GREAT. We had to replace 30 years old aluminium cookware with inductions ie iron containing set but that was ok for us.
Recently we moved to a new home with AEG ceramic hotplate ie modern but not induction. Its frustrating to cook with, slow, slow to heat, slow to cool. eg Our old Belling used to take a frew minutes to boild 4-5 L water in a pasta pot. This one we have to boil water in electric kettle meaning two or more fills. We are on the lookout to replace with an induction cooktop. One reservation never had success with wok cooking on induction. Maybe it was the new wok! But sides of pan never got really hot as a wok especially on gas does.
Cant help with airfryer.

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A round-bottomed wok does not come close enough to a flat induction surface except for a little circle in the centre. This is important because the range of the magnetic field that delivers the energy is only a few millimetres. It was not the fault of the wok, the problem is geometry.

If you use a flat-bottomed pan you cannot stir and flip quickly as in a round-bottomed wok and most induction stoves do not have the power of a large gas-ring wok burner. So unless you get a special induction wok burner (which are very expensive) your stir frying on induction is not going to match a good gas burner.

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If you have a cast iron wok you should be ok - https://cookeryspace.com/will-a-wok-work-on-an-induction-cooktop/
If you don’t need to cook for many people - maybe a high sided pan instead??

Alternatively - have you considered an adapter plate? Lots around eg Bialetti (introduced to support their aluminium coffee pots), plus plenty of others. eg Induction Hob Converter Heat Diffuser Disc S/Steel Adapter Plate - FREE POSTAGE | eBay

This option is (currently out of stock): as @syncretic said - VERY expensive… >$400
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AEG-Fusion-MaxiSense®-Induction-9441893204/dp/B007PR4IOA/

That $400 job is a support ring and wok not a burner. I suspect for reasons outlined above it is a complete waste of time. I was thinking of this little number, a snip for $5400 including the wok.

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Yep, I realised that may be the problem and have seen some induction cooktops, beyond my price range that have a depression to accept the wok. I resorted to the big pasta pot with the hotplate on boost which put extra power into the cooking area maybe it was 3200W I cannot remember, but not as good as gas!
Replying to evanstrish3, we found a round sided wok not better I assume the magnetic field does has insufficient energy to reach the sides as gas burners can.
There are some other benefits to induction cooktops apart from energy saving, The cooktop does not get so hot in fact can spills be wiped with wet cloth, probably good for safety as well and there are automatic cutouts against overheating boiling dry etc. So if you can afford the upstep in cost I would choose an induction over gas or standard electric.

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WOW!! More $$$ than sense…

I bought one of these for a newly wed couple. If I did not have a well seasoned wok I would have jumped on another. Being iron it should work on induction? They are heavy and awesome in one’s hand. Comparison prices ‘on the street’ are upwards of $209 just now. The Costco online prices all include delivery.

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It depends on how keen one is to reproduce the authentic and rapid wok cooking technique. I tend to steam or stew a stir fry more than sizzle, unless I use the wok burner on the BBQ.

A very basic gas wok burner will be rated at approx 20MJ or nominally 5.5kW electric. The larger burners found in commercial (Local Chinese) will have greater capacity up to approx 60MJ or 16.7kW electric.

I can’t explain the cooking science.

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The adapter plate is no more than a flat iron plate. Makes and induction cooktop work as badly as the ‘ceramic cooktops’. It works but only use if you’re desperate.
We use a wok with a flat portion in the bottom. Works well

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Yes, those plates are not a good solution to any problem to do with non-magnetic pans unless the heat is kept low. If the heat is high the plate will heat the surface of the stove too much and it is likely to shut down. Wok cooking of course requires very high heat.

Even if you don’t have that problem with overheating with a round-bottom wok the plate will be like any flat plate electric stove, only the centre of the wok that is touching or very near the hot plate will be heated much.

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Hi. I am always reluctant to use cast iron on my induction cooktop. I feel The extra weight increases the risk of dropping the pan and subsequent damaged cook top which I couldn’t bear to be without.
We have a Miele induction cooktop and I would never go back to another heat source. If the correct flat bottomed wok is selected I can guarantee you will get more heat than you ever imagined through the bottom of that wok.
Yes the sides don’t heat and you can’t toss the contents like and old street vendor, but you will be able to stir like crazy and get a similar taste. The bonus is an easy cleanup with paper towel- nothing down the drain.

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That may or may not be true depending on the state of your imagination and mine.

I have used a 23 MJ (5.8 kW) Gas burner, a 5kW induction element and a 3.2 kW induction element. The most powerful induction element is usually around 3 to 3.7 kW. The 5 kW came close to the gas burner the 3.2 does not.

Power ratings between gas and induction are not directly comparable in effect. Induction is potentially more efficient as much more heat from gas goes up the exhaust fan. Induction may not be so in practice depending on the geometry of the pan as mentioned above.

Yes you can stir quickly but the movement you can get, especially in turning the food over, is not as fast a traditional steel wok and wok chan. As well as not being able to toss the pan easily (as well as losing heating as soon as it is lifted) you cannot spin it like a steel wok on a hob.

This may all seem like nit picking but wok cooking is an area of food prep where technique matters much.

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@syncretic Hi. Sorry. First and now last post here. I didn’t realise there were so many ‘ nit pickers’ here. I will not use my imaginative views any more. Just trying to give another POV without having a degree in wok cooking.
Your tag ‘BS buster’ is intimidating and insulting to newbies. Bye

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Neither was intended I just stick to the facts as I know them. I am sorry you are upset that my experience was not the same as yours.

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Hi @leec, nice to see you again!
I’ve enjoyed reading your post about induction cooking, especially your lively turn of phrase! I only have a gas cooktop but if renovating I think I’ll get an induction one.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon in threads of interest to you too. :slightly_smiling_face::slightly_smiling_face:

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A great many of us are probably happy with a stir fry from a mix of vegetables, and or meats and or noodles thrown into a pan and a packet or bottle of stir fry sauce added at some stage. The product is variously lightly braised, or steamed or stewed or simmered or….

EG

Looking to those celebrity chefs/cooks on TV when they are cooking a stir fry the Wok is deftly handled, on a gas cooktop or freestanding Wok cooker. I must admit to using both techniques with varying degrees of clumsiness.

Would I use a pre made sauce to short cut the cook? Not that I would want to admit to it, but - the bottled all in one sauces tried have been disappointing. Made to a MacDonalds taste test of being the least objectionable to the greatest number of likely customers.

It would be an interesting Choice kitchen challenge to taste test a number of identical dishes cooked in a pan, flat bottom induction wok, and true wok on gas or flame. Can anyone spot the difference in a blind taste test and which ones taste the best? @BrendanMays

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Great idea @mark_m. I’ll be happy to make the suggestion :man_cook: :shallow_pan_of_food:

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I’m with you Leec re iron woks.

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