[Mrs Bee]

Well my ceramic hob is giving up the ghost. Noticeably the 2 largest rings on which I do all the preserving.

I am considering getting an induction hob. If anyone out there has one I would be glad of some reviews and opinions on their pluses and minuses, especially on the ones with sliding controls.

[ARPoet]

I had a 4 ring NEFF induction hob when i had my new kitchen about 4 years ago. Best thing i have ever bought.
Easy to use and keep clean. In my opinion its better the gas and will auto switch off when you remove the pan. But, cheap and allloy pans dont work on it... stainless are the best, ot iron pans.

[Mrs Bee]

What sort of controls does it have, Roger?

I had a ceramic hob about 8 years ago which was a touch control. A Siemens I think. I had to press the control and hold it until it the ring got to desired temperature. And it was sooo slow.  It drove me nuts; it took so long to turn each hob up and down. I ended up giving it away and getting one with knobs.

It also had a life of it own if I brushed the control panel it would switch itself off or lock itself.
I am  a fast cook and need a hob where the controls work fast.

[Mrs Bee]

Also, can  you get a low simmer, suitable for crème Anglaise?

[snowdrops]

I've got a De Dietrich induction hob & it's fab, both children have Neff induction jobs. Mine is touch control, if you wipe it down it will switch off. I love that I can set a timer up to 99 minutes on each ring. Be warned not advisable for if you have a pacemaker. It simmers beautifully. I wouldn't have anything else.

[Mrs Bee]

I bought a single ring stand alone induction hob to try it out. It is a bit basic but so fast.  It doesn't do a simmer very well, but I imagine a proper 4 ring hob would be more sophisticated. I also wanted to use it to make preserves so I can monitor how much electricity each batch uses.  I sometimes think I don't charge enough to cover the fuel and after all the preserve making has knackered the ceramic hob, I thought I would knacker this small hob instead.

I have my eye on an AEG slider control and spent half an hour chatting to someone at AEG who assured me that the new hobs need  a definite strong slide and wiping the controls down would not turn them off.

my other option would be a Miele with knobs but of course that will be more expensive.

What I couldn't be having is a hob that thinks for itself and turns off if I wipe it with a cloth.

I did also strongly suggest to the lady at AEG that they actually got their designers to talk to people who really cook, rather than making their products for people who don't cook much and just want the items to look good. She agreed with me and took my details for testing the products. I am not holding my breath though.

I really want to have a little play with the model I am thinking of but of course they don't have that facility, that would be too useful.

[grinling]

Are you using an induction pan on the hob as your pan only might have some magnetic force.
Simmer easy, boil with a lid on is done on either 2. or 3.
Induction tends to plug in with a 13amp fuse.

[oldgrunge]

We have a Belling induction hob. Touch controls, fast and easy to control. Only small snag is that if you lift a pan off for a moment, it switches off. Safety feature, I know, but mildly irritating all the same. For induction jobs you pans have to be attractive to a magnet.

[snowdrops]

Mine simmers beautifully

[GrannieAnnie]

My induction hob is only a cheap one.  I do love mine for the reasons mentioned above, but because my maslin pan is aluminium, I have to use a stainless steel thing under it so that the connection can be made.  I think this reduces the heat a little, because my jam never seems to get just high enough in temperature.

I can take my other pans off the hob for a minute, then when I put it back on, it comes on again, but leave it too long and it does switch off.

Also, if you drop a teatowel on the hob, it won't catch fire! 

[Mrs Bee]

Are you using an induction pan on the hob as your pan only might have some magnetic force.
Simmer easy, boil with a lid on is done on either 2. or 3.
Induction tends to plug in with a 13amp fuse.

Most of my pans are induction pans including my jam pans. not sure about the pressure cookers.

The little induction ring I bought to play with is a bit basic and I cannot get it to simmer but I love the speed of it.

I am waiting for a friend to have her kitchen redone and then I am going to have a little play with the induction hob she is going to get.

I am leaning towards an AEG with sliding controls but my biggest worry is that it will have a mind of its own and I might switch a ring off accidentally. The I would get really narky and end up giving it away as I did the ceramic hob I had with touch controls. You would not believe the level of obscenities I used on that particular hob. 

I also want to make sure it will simmer, I don't want scrambled eggs instead of custard.

[Diddy Gardener]

I have a four ring Neff one with a magnetic 'dial' control...so easy to use - I wouldn't use anything else now. Simmering not a problem