Induction hob, pan sizes compared to ring size

[Potterer]

We are totally sold on the whole induction hob thing and have read lots of reviews on MN.

The hob we are looking to buy has a large ring of 21cm, my current frying pans are larger than this, they won't work on induction so I have to buy new pans.

The 21cm pan seems small, can I use a bigger pan and just move the food around more or am I limited to 21cm.

Thanks.

On ours you can use a pan that's is bigger than the circle but not one that is smaller, even if only slightly smaller. It doesn't work that well though, in terms of cooking, to use one that is much bigger than the circle, IMO.

Another thing to consider is that if you are using multiple pans then there may not be room to fit a 'bigger than it should be' pan alongside other pans you're using on the hob.

you can relax a lot on pan size - the magnets will only work under the pan .... I mix and match depending on what I'm cooking

You may want to consider a zoneless induction hob.

www.dedietrich.co.uk/65cm-zoneless-dual-continuum-induction-hob-p-10001093.html

Thanks, I did look at the zoneless ones but we are doing a kitchen extension so I was trying to save money wherever we could

I tend to batch cook hence the big pans and I rarely have more than 2 pans on the go at once, I am possibly looking to replace the hob top steamer with an electric one, purely to free up space.

I did intend to take my usual pans to the shop to try them side by side as we have gas at the moment and are forced to use certain burners. I like the fact that induction seems just as good and easier to clean.

Ours is a Neff, graded stock from Southern Domestics of Woolston
it has a dent underneath so was £150 off list price but full warranty .....

Thanks Talkin I always try to look for a bargain

we got all our new kitchen kit from them ....
they were great
the fridge has a dent in the top, the dishwasher a big scratch on the side, the oven a dent in the back and the hood a scratch on the side (as they are all fitted ....)
SDES were willing for us to choose, pay 25% and then they delivered a month later on the day the kitchen was ready.

the reductions covered the cost of the dishwasher!!

We have the De Dietrich 65 Continuum
Really, we have not used this much as the hob is quartered rather than rings.
The quarters are rather big, approx 28 x 21 cm's each so covers every pan we have.
its a nice hob and will be using De Dietrich in our new house

OP, you can certainly use pans bigger than the rings.

Just like gas or electric, you'll find that the bit over the ring will be a little bit hotter, but the metal base of the pan will conduct the heat all over. So if I'm frying something, the centre of the pan will be a little hotter than the outside, but I just move the food/pan around a bit and it's all fine.

A pan smaller than the rings works fine too.

I love my induction hob, you won't regret getting one. Just watch out for burning stuff in the early days - they are a lot faster to heat up than you might be used to. Also, some pans are more efficient than others, so if I'm boiling water in Pan A it might take twice as long as Pan B. You want a good solid pan base!

Thank you all, yes the De Dietrich is beautiful but at a full £500 more than the one we are looking at it is a bit too hard to swallow.

We will be getting new pans, and I want ones you can put int the oven too so metal handles too. And I shall watch out for burning stuff We are beyond excited about the induction hob, a bit sad really

TalkinPeace I am a wee bit too far North for SEDS as I am in West Yorkshire! But we are looking at cutting costs wherever we can, the new kitchen is Ikea.

We have spent a whole year researching everything kitchen related and I have a Pinterest Board with it all on from sockets to flooring, lighting to appliances. It is finally all coming together and we are just nailing down final decisions on stuff. So thank you all for your help

Which pans would you recommend? I'm on the search for a reasonable priced one that I can deep fry chips in. Any recommendations?

Re pans. I splashed out last year and got 4 all clad pans. They are fabulous and I expect they'll outlive me. So in the end the price will have been worth it. The nonstick frying pan is dishwasher proof and I love it more than is decent

Potterer
Call them and see who does their job (handling graded stock for the big companies) up your way
My kitchen unis are IKEA too - not sure if you can still see the picture on my old account Talkinpeace2 ...

Buttery
I have these : www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-classic-ii-cookware/p63867 and love them.

If you're buying more than one appliance it's worth ringing places and asking if they'll do a deal if you buy more than one appliance at the same time.

I rang a local Neff dealer and said I want x, y and z do you give a discount for buying multiple appliances. They quoted a price that was 200 pounds cheaper than I'd priced up individually locating best prices on various websites and about 500 pounds cheaper than rrp prices

It is looking likely that I am buying the oven, combi microwave, fridge freezer and hob from one place so I have talked about discount but am just getting all my ducks in a row before placing the order and haggling hard.

I still have a couple of weeks to dither over this as it is an extension so the builder hasn't started yet.

Re pans, I need to know I can lift it off the hob full of food my friend has Le Creuset and I struggle to lift the casserole dish empty never mind full.

slhilly loved your comment about more than is decent. Made me laugh out loud.

Why thank you

For pans, try Ikea.

I have a set with nice thick bottoms, metal handles (but they don't seem to get hot), and they were not expensive.

I found non-stick induction pans were harder to come by.

Thanks, I shall have a look at the Ikea pans, we already have a stainless steel big pot one from there but sadly it won't work on induction so it will have to be replaced.

Lots of non-stick indication pans at John Lewis and some Waitrose stores.

Induction

Our stainless steel ikea pans pass the magnet test so would be fine on an induction. Have you tested yours?

ILikeBirds, thanks I shall try that! :)

Hi all - coming to this late, but I wondered if you can put more than one pan on an individual zone? We are restricted in space and electricity and we’re looking at 2 zone induction hobs with one large zone (32 cm). Thanks in advance!