Induction hob advice/experience re low simmer

[BuildersTeaMaker]

Hi, I need to replace my induction hob that cake with house when I moved in 1 year ago- down to 3 working rings.
the issue is with what do I replace it?
I find all the reviews talk about how fast it heats up BUT my issue is low, slow simmers. I have burnt batched of pickle, spag Bol, chili etc etc by trying to reduce to a slow low simmer only to find it completely burnt on the bottom and when I go to stir bubbles break open and explode boiling hot slop like Mount Vesuvius- bloody dangerous and have been burnt more than once. It’s xtemrely difficult to use pressure cooker as can’t get it to do an even simmer

i think the issue with mine is that it seems to be one “heat”- if I turn the controls down all that happens is that the full heat pulses - just the space between the pulses gets longer. But it is same heat/energy going into pan . So leave on a low simmer very thing looks ok for,the top, but underneath it still heats to maximum fierce temperature between the on/ off pulses.

surely this can’t be right? 😱it’s driving me bats….I can’t reduce the actual heat in the pan at all at a constant temperature such as a low slow simmer, or even a gentle rolling simmer.

I’ve looked and looked on various brands on whether theirs won’t do this and will actually re us heat. Their sales blurb is full of 0 to 60 in 30 secs blurb around how fast it can boil…but I want the one that can be driven at a constant 4mph in a queue without kangaroo jumping 😉. I’ve seen a few stand alone single plug in rings that seem to have options for power vs temperature which may be the solution I need. But I just don’t know

i don’t want to pay out for the new one and just be hit with the exact same problems

so, experienced mumsnetters, with all your induction hobs- please let me know f yours can actually properly simmer at low constant, non burning temperatures and what make/model that is.

many thanks

Cake ! Came that is …nice to have had cake though 🤣🤣🤣

Mine pulses on very low settings too. And yes it will burn at the bottom if left for ages without stirring.

But, that was always the case with our gas hob too? Surely anything is going to burn at the bottom if it’s left for ages without stirring, no matter what kind of hob? It burns because of the build up of heat in the pan and in the same section of whatever’s cooking, rather than because of the pulsing… I thought anyway.

i've had 2 in the past and waiting for new one to be installed now (new kitchen 😁), afraid i cant remember the exact ones we have but would have been mid-range, (maybe indesit, new one is bosch). Dont think i've ever had that problem though - down on level 1or 2 it would be very gently warming (gentle enough to directly melt choc).

could it the type / range of pans you have? i.e. something with a heavier base might distribute the heat better?

what you really need is a really good, proper shop with staff who actually know the products! or even the chance to test them out!

Oh dear, that doesn't sounds great and I was thinking of switching to induction, too.
@minipie I can use my electric hob on low and leave things to simmer stirring very infrequently, maybe every five minutes, yes, e.g. to reduce a sauce.

Right, yes same here, I’m talking about stirring every 5-10 minutes. With my induction, I can turn down low (3 or 4) and stir every 5-10 min. But if I leave a pot on 3 or 4 for 20-30 minutes without any stirring, it will burn.

I could leave it for ages on the “keep warm” or “1” settings perhaps but those really are just keeping it warm, not simmering.

Never been so glad to move out of the house with an induction hob. I hated it with a passion. It had one speed (and it wasn't fast boil). That or off. Would take a long time to pursuade me to get rid of my current gas rings.

I’m not talking about leaving it for ages without stirring.
im talking about reducing the heat so a low simmer is low all the way to the bottom of the pan.
something with sugar in like pickle, like a tomato sauce ( I don’t put sugar in but it contains fruit sugar), etc. will continue to increase in heat way beyond 100 degrees that water boils at. If you continue to pump heat into the base at the same energy as it being on full those sugars will continue to rise in temperature to 300-400 degrees. The heat needs to be turned down to a very low setting so that the contents continue to simmer gently close to 100, and not be allowed to get to 300,400 etc where food like these burns.
I simply can’t do that with this stupid pulsing- it just continues to overheat meaning the contents are close to point where the sugars burn

so, for say a spag Bol I’d bring it the boil, reduce temperature to absolute min, whack a lid on and set timers for 15-20 min intervals to remind me to stir. That never resulted in burning unless it went dry. And it didn’t cos I knew how much liquid to use

i just can’t do that, I can only leave for 4-5 mins, then stir, then met with the volcanic irruptions of the mega heated food at bottom of pan coming into contact with cooler air. Again not a feature where you can turn the temp right down so food aisle pretty universal temperature throughout the depth of pan

I am a chemist by training- I have observed what’s happening and been cooking preserves for literally 4 decades . To me this is a major problem I’ve never ever had before induction, even with other electric stoves.

I've got a Falcon induction range and it's very good for simmering as I mainly use Le Creuset pans. There's an L1 setting for melting butter/chocolate and L2 is a simmer as well as controls 1 to 9 for heat. I get mine to the boil quickly, then click onto 1 or 2 and it can be left while I walk the dogs etc.

Our previous cooker was a Britannia (not induction) and you couldn't leave a pan on it at all even on 1 as it burned.

My pans are good quality stainless steel (think heavy based, 15 years guarentee types). I even had to replace my old aluminium pressure cooker with a new stainless steel one. Prestige. Suitable for induction it said. Same with my aluminium preserving pan- had to splash out on new one that cost a fortune in stainless steel . Said it was designed for induction.
Id also add it does it in small pans - I am on my own and cook with small pans too and same issue

if it can’t cope with pans I have of this quality it really isn’t fit for purpose 😱🤷🏼‍♀️

I agree- but where ! I’d happily take along my pressure cooker and some tomato sauce and test 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I should have said- my pickle burnt even though I was stirring every 5 mins and more as it got thicker…the pan was just way to hot even on a number 1-2 and by then there was such a heat in the pickle (being high levels of sugar) it was sticking to the bottom almost as soon as it contacted it, and catching in a few minutes.
I wouldn’t walk away form pickle for more than 4-5 mins at a time and by the end of reduction process I’m stirring about every minute.

I can’t go back to gas unfortunately- no gas supply in the kitchen that my buyers redeveloped 😭😭🤷🏼‍♀️

Ok, that sounds promising…are they available in uk?

Oh, right looked at falcon- in uk they’re only part of range cookers or massive professional kitchen ….I only have space for a 4 ring size stand alone hob….is yours part of the range style cooker

Before we blew the money on swapping our old halogen hob for induction, we tested if induction would suit up by buying a £30 Lidl portable single induction hob. It was superb, and on the strength of it we bought the current Neff hob. The Lidl one is still going strong, and gets used in the garden alongside the barbecue.
Both cook at a simmer just fine, never had any problems burning stuff, though admittedly I don't cook jams/preserves. Could it be the hob itself?

Sounds like yours doesn't work properly. I have never had a problem with low simmer with mine, just put it on 1 and walk away. Will happily simmer a sauce for ages, over half an hour.
I do burn things, recognise the hot bubble phenomenon but that is always when I've left it on too high.

Interestingly I borrowed an induction portable- as had building work and couldn’t use kitchen. That had a choice between power or temperature control. I think that’s what I need- but when I look at ones that go into hobs I can’t find this same feature- anyone have a 4 ring size one installed into worktop with a choice of switching between temperature or power ?