Newhouse Farm

solar bud · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:56 am Post subject: Freestanding induction hob

Hi,

I've been looking at this free-standing induction single hob in Ikea:-

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20123769

I like the idea of fast, low-energy boil-up. I suppose I could even get a pair of them.

My hob and oven are both electric and make up a good chunk of our electricity bill I'm sure. Just trying to think up ways to reduce the energy we use in cooking.

Does anyone have any experience with this product, or any other ideas that would help us reduce our cooking electricity consumption?
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Solar Bud
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://www.solarbud.co.uk

Wine, women and song are so expensive now that I never have any money left over for luxuries . . .

Billy Rhomboid · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:31 pm Post subject:

could you not switch to gas? I paid the same as that for my huge range cooker secondhand plus two 48kg cylinders of propane.
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Carpe Cerevisi

karena · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject:

If you dont have mains gas for a quick boil/fry how about a cannister type camping stove (around £15.00 or less we keep one in the kitchen for power cuts the sticky issue here though is what happens to the empty cannisters) If you arnt cooking for a large familly perhaps consider one of these http://www.lakeland.co.uk/standard-remoska!REG-electric-cooker/F/keyword/oven/product/2511 slightly cheaper and offers more variety.
For the standard sized electric oven itself, much depends on the type of cooking you do - you could try batch cooking stuff e.g make double sized casseroles and freeze half for reheating on the top later. If you are putting the oven on for something think about what else could go in at the same time - if doing a roast have jackets with it and bake a crumble for afters. do any baking whilst its still on so you have to heat it from cold less often.If the oven's been on switch off any other heating you may have in the kitchen and leave the oven door open so you get some use out of the heat you,ve already generated or perhaps air a rack of washing in front of it I read somewhere if you dont have a fitted kitchen move the fridge away from the oven as the heat generated by the oven means the fridge has to work harder - dont know if thats actually the case.

happymama · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:09 pm Post subject:

It is - fridges have the minimum of insulation and to put one next to a cooker is wholly silly. Mine's in the coldest bit of the house, and I plan a freezer outside where the sun never shines at ALL. (on a timer so it's only on during the day, and then only for six months of the year or thereabouts)

I like the idea - no mains gas and I'd love fast heat under my pots. Am off to Ikea soon so will scope them.

Not that I have space in my unfeasibly small kitchen but if I take the knobs off the cooker for two rings I might get away with putting it on the cooker itself for use, and put it away after.

I have a friend with a Remoska and he swears by it, does all sorts of things in it for him and his three kids. There's a Remoska query thread somewhere.

To cut the cooking lekky bill you could also consider a combination microwave - mine is a Whirlpool and does microwave stuff plus fan oven or oven and grill, as well as grill and microwave fast crisping, and fast heat up with the grill and fan so cold to 200 Deg C takes about four minutes. It's basically as efficient as an oven can get, I think, and takes a BIG casserole good for six people.

Gets a lot of use but I'm glad of the pyrex I have - since I invariably forget to defrost something before hand and end up having to do it in the microwave when it's just cooked yorkshires at 230 Deg!
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People will continue to commit atrocities, as long as they believe in absurbities. (Voltaire)

biffvernon · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject:

My daughter runs a deli and catering business. They do all their cooking on induction hobs. I'm quite impressed with the technology.

solar bud · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks all, lots of useful ideas here!! I am thinking that a combination of changing my cooking practices, using my microwave more and maybe the induction hob might do the trick.

I can't switch to gas as we had it disconnected when we moved over to wood- and solar- water heating and central heating, I didn't want to retain a gas connection simply for the hob so replaced the hob with an electric one (not the best decision carbon-wise I admit, and it's a shame I didn't know about induction hobs at the time).

I am wondering if I could replace my electric kettle with a metal one on the induction hob - kettles use a notoriously large amount of electricity. That would give even more value to getting the induction hob.

I have an aluminium kettle - is aluminium magnetic or is it just ferrous alloys which are suitable for an induction hob?
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Solar Bud
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://www.solarbud.co.uk

Wine, women and song are so expensive now that I never have any money left over for luxuries . . .

Greenbeast · Elm Sapling Joined: 12 Dec 2008 Posts: 61 Location: Kent

Aluminium won't work, it'll have to be iron or steel

we just got an cooker with induction hob, i absolutely love it!
I'm hoping for a reduction in electricity but its also for a better (more gas like) cooking experience compared to my old halogen-ceramic

biffvernon · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:32 am Post subject:

I'm not sure that kettles use a notoriously large amount of electricity. Not if you just put the amount of water that you need in, anyway.

You could always get a storm kettle:

Three sticks and a leaf and your cuppa is boiled.

solar bud · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:55 am Post subject:

Might make our kitchen a bit smoky though Biff.

Hmm maybe you are right about the kettle. It's just that the ideal location for the new hob if I get it is where the kettle currently sits!
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Solar Bud
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://www.solarbud.co.uk

Wine, women and song are so expensive now that I never have any money left over for luxuries . . .

karena · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:04 am Post subject:

ahh forgot to mention we also use a camping kettle with the portable stove - ours is very battered and was cheap but i think you can get some
good looking ones too try here http://www.completeoutdoors.co.uk/Camping-Kitchen/Kettles/

Billy Rhomboid · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject:

solar bud · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject:

Billy Rhomboid · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject:

Ours sit outside on the patio with a pipe bringing the gas in.
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solar bud · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject:

The back garden and small patio is absolutely crammed with stuff as it is unfortunately.

Then there would be the matter of getting a new gas hob and finding a supplier for the cylinders.

If our place was bigger it would probably be a good solution, but space really is at a premium here and I'm really after less complexity rather than more.

Thanks for the suggestion though.
_________________
Solar Bud
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://www.solarbud.co.uk

Wine, women and song are so expensive now that I never have any money left over for luxuries . . .

happymama · Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:35 am Post subject:

Billy, do your Propane cylinders freeze in the winter? My supplier heats his workshop for free on cylinders that factories leave outside, half full, they freeze solid, they bring them back and insist (he's told them what's going on but they won't listen) on a full one, and they defrost and he uses them!

It would seem that lagging (the larger cylinders) has to be the way to go!

I miss instantly controllable heat under my pans, I do. But I've got very good at calculating half-on a ring, half-off a ring to keep a simmer/pressure in the pressure cooker etc by sliding the pan sideways a bit while the ring cools down. You just adapt!
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People will continue to commit atrocities, as long as they believe in absurbities. (Voltaire)