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Regards,
Old3eyes
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networkn:
With the demise of our 90cm 5 burner Smeg Gas Cooktop we are considering a switch to induction or induction + gas combination.
I am told we will need 30amp power to cover it's electricity draw, and would require us to replace 6 of our 9 items of cookware, which is super annoying.
Getting a combination gives us two advantages, one being we have heat when the power is out, and the second being that we wouldn't need to replace our fry pans and Wok.
I'm keen to hear from anyone who has made the switch, if you have combination in particular, and what things you wish you knew, or gotchas you underestimated.
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If I get a combination Gas and Induction, do I require a gasfitter and sparky to install it?
Is there a reliable and simple way to determine what circuits of what amperage and cabling I have at the moment or do I need a sparky for that as well?
Are Ilve and Asko OK brands these days?
The F&P we have been quoted seems OK, though I don't love F&P as a brand, our Oven has been really good. Our previous washer and dryer sucked but that was many years ago.
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There are multiple reasons to keep Gas. We have a Wok that we use a lot, not to mention some other cookware that isn't induction friendly we would avoid needing to replace. The cost of replacing that, is probably 2/3 the cost difference not to mention the power outage thing. The F&P we are looking at has everything we want/need and is relatively inexpensive relative to other models with the same functionality, the major downside being it only has 9 power settings, but, well, that's life I guess.
We will go and see what's up over the weekend, but fairly extensive online research indicates options are limited.
On pan compatibility, if a magnet sticks to the bottom it will work with induction. That said, for cast iron, while all cast iron pans will work, you want ones that have an enamel external coating to avoid scratching the glass. I would want to replace non induction companiable cookware, even if you are keeping a gas burner so you have the ability to place cookware on any element.
Personally prefer physical knobs than the touch controls induction cooktops seem to come with, but I feel dealing with the touch controls is worthwhile for the benefits of induction cooking.
While I WOK ok on our induction cooktop, my dream kitchen would have a a gas Asko Fusion Volcano WOK Burner domino next to a induction cooktop. Seems to be the best residential wok burner on the market (but note it sill lags well behind commercial units, so don't expect restaurant results).
While combination units do exist, having the gas on a separate domino seems to be an attractive solution.
Seems to be some deals on both the ASKO domino and combination unit on trademe at the moment, but pay attention to if you need a natural gas or LPG unit.
Couple of things to be aware with a induction retrofit:
In terms of the wiring, easiest way to check is to look at the rating on the breaker at your circuit box. Generally sparkies only run wire big enough to support the rating on the breaker.
In our case, we had a 32A circuit which previously fed both the oven and cooktop. We changed this to a dedicated circuit for the induction and ran a new 20A circuit for the oven.
Note that current requirements vairy by unit. If you went for a 92cm full induction unit, 48A (or 16A 3 phase) would not be unusual.
Yes, you will need both an gas fitter and a sparky if you want both gas.
On power cut backup, unless you are in an area with very frequent power cuts, it may be a better outcome to rely on a BBQ, or have a butane camp stove in your emergency kit, than to integrate something flash into your kitchen. (especially if your gas is natural gas where the network could be broken by an earthquake).
On the number of power settings, our F+P has 0 - 9 Plus a simmer setting and "Power Boost" which is a extremely high power mode that can only be run for a few minutes. I find that is plentiful number, and never have wanted smaller steps.
Pay attention to element layout, We feel ours is too tight front to rear, which is further hindered by the installer putting it a long way towards the rear of the bench, limiting how much pans can overhang the rear.
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Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21
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