Are You New to (Induction) Cooking? Check This Out!
I’m proud to say I learned to cook at a pretty early age and I had the best teacher in the whole world – my mom! One of the reasons I decided to bring this little creation to the internet is because I realize I’m actually quite lucky to have a mentor in the kitchen. Not everyone is blessed with having someone help them when learning how to use a cooker, and during my research I came across the DUXTOP 1800-Watt Portable Induction Cooktop and just had to add it to my website.
The reason why I have decided to add this review is because I think this is a great starting point for anyone who is new to cooking, and wants to skip all the hassle that can come along with owning a gas or standard electric hob. Of course, this model is also perfect for those of you that live in small apartments where kitchen space appears to have been forgotten. It’s also great for those of you that like to have the ability to cook somewhere other than your kitchen.
As you might have guessed this cooktop is suitable for just one pan at a time and the largest size it will take is about 10 inches. Before I get going with the good stuff, I would like to let you know that you have to think about the type of cookware you use. Because this cooktop uses induction heating, the cookware needs to be compatible with it. You can buy DUXTOP Whole-Clad premium cookware if you want to. However, induction ready, enamelled iron or steel, cast aluminium or magnetic stainless steel will do just fine.
Convenient, Easy to Use and Safe
Because this cooktop uses induction heating, there is very little waste in terms of energy. This is because it will detect the size of the pan you’re using and only heat the space that’s needed. It’s also very safe. If you take the pan away from the burner and forget to switch the power off, it will automatically complete the job for you within 60 seconds. This also helps to save energy as well as burnt fingers!
There are 10 temperature ranges which go from 140 to 460 Fahrenheit so you can cook pretty much anything you like, and controlling this is very simple by using the push button controls. If you’re going to cook something that needs timing, forget about those little gadgets we’ve all invested in before and make use of the built-in timer which can be set for up to 170 minutes. Incidentally, this goes up in 5 minute intervals and the time is digitally displayed for you.
Other Points to Consider
Here a few other points to consider
- You have the benefit of a low and high voltage warning.
- It has a comprehensive diagnostic error system.
- It’s ETL approved.
- Best of all, you won’t need to worry about having to scrub this cooktop down. For the most part it will only need a wipe with a damp cloth.
If You Have More in Your Budget
If you have a few more dollars to spend, then you might want to consider the 8300ST in this range (actually, this is the one on the image above). It is exactly the same except you will also get the following:
- A Digital sensor control panel rather than push button.
- An all important child safety locking system.
I happen to think the last point is really important if you intend to use your cooktop at the table, or when you’re having a party. After all, everyone knows what can happen with children and curiosity!
What might surprise you (as it did me), is the price on both of these cooktops. Considering the amount of effort that has gone into the aesthetics, ease of use and up to the minute technology I think you get a lot for your money. In fact, just recently I caught some really good deals being offered on Amazon so feel free to take a look.
You can find the regular model here and the slightly more expensive 8300ST (with digital sensor and safety-lock) here. I wouldn’t hang around though, these offers are not likely to last forever.