Portable Induction Cooktop

[FlyingAvocado]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good portable induction cooktop?

I picked up an Duxtop 8500 from Amazon to run off my DIY 2450W/h 24v Solar Generator w/2kW inverter. It works well, but it seems to have a constant 100w parasitic load when it's turned "off." While this isn't a huge issue, I really would hate to find myself with a dead battery when inevitably I forget to either turn the inverter or battery off entirely, or unplug the cooktop.

I should also add that I intend to use this for car/tent camping so I can stop burning dinosaur farts and use solar instead. (This also has an added benefit of being able camp in areas where camp stoves and campfires are probibted due to fire restrictions.) So the unit will need to be portable.

 

[Q-Dog]

We have the Duxtop 9600. The owner's manual says to always unplug the unit when not being used, and since it is a portable that is what we do.

I haven't noticed any idle draw when it is off, but I have seen it draw 100 watts on the lowest (keep warm) power setting.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Our NuWave PIC Gold countertop induction has about a 60VA when left plugged in and not being used. When first energizing, there is a second or two when a clicking sound happens and the standby load begins. Simple solution is to always unplug portable cooking appliances. Same thing we do with our toaster oven when used in a portable manner.

Consider the gradations of temperature adjustment. Ours is in 10 degree increments. Some models might have a simmer temp that is not hot enough but the next setting is too hot for slow cooking something like rice.

 

[Mattb4]

Rather than unplug I like using a simple plug in On/Off switch. This way there is less mechanical wear on things.

 

[Crowz]

I need to check and see if ours has an idle consumption thats noticable when actually turned off.

We flat out love our Duxtop Gold 8100MC. I never noticed a draw when it was off but I will check it.

 

[zachj]

I'd agree with turning off/unplugging when not in use. Heard good things about the Nuwave Precision Induction Cooktop Flex which you can buy on amazon. https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07FXP2BSW ( Not affiliate link )

 

[rpdom]

Consider the gradations of temperature adjustment. Ours is in 10 degree increments. Some models might have a simmer temp that is not hot enough but the next setting is too hot for slow cooking something like rice.

A bit off topic, but I'd use a rice cooker for cooking rice*. Cheap and simple to use. Also low wattage resistive heater should work with pretty much any inverter.

*I would use one, but I don't have the space. I cheat and use microwave rice.

 

[FlyingAvocado]

I reached out to Secura (Manufacturer of Duxtop) Customer Service and asked them about the standby power draw on the 8500ST to make sure I didn't just have a faulty unit or that I was doing (or not doing) something to fix this. They said this:

When the cooktop is plugged in, it is in standby mode. We suggest keeping your unit unplugged from the electrical outlet when not in use to conserve energy.

From a customer service standpoint, I am happy with their response. However, I still would rather find an induction cooktop that either goes into a total shutdown after being in standby for a few minutes, or has a power draw which is insignificant. 100W seems like a lot of power to consume on standby for what is billed as energy efficient. This also makes me wonder how many built-in kitchen induction cooktops might be out there silently slurping power from the grid while not in use. ?

We flat out love our Duxtop Gold 8100MC. I never noticed a draw when it was off but I will check it.

@Crowz Thanks, I look forward to hearing your findings. I was originally going to order the 8100MC and ended up ordering the 8500ST instead thinking it's just a newer model of basically the same unit. If the 8100MC has little or no standby power draw, I can't help but wonder if there were some changes made in the design of the 8500ST to cut manufacturing costs leading to this behavior.

 

[Crowz]

I will try to get it hooked up with the p3 meter later today and see what it draws turned off.

One thing I noticed is the model I have doesn't have the child safety lock feature where you have to press power for 3 seconds and it doesn't have touch sense controls. Mine has push button controls. These two things would have to have an idle consumption to function.

Again mine may have some idle consumption but I imagine it will be less. Will know later today hopefully.

 

[Q-Dog]

I can now confirm, our Duxtop 9600 draws 6 watts when plugged in and not turned on. And 12 watts when the fan is running in cool down mode.

Still, ours lives in a cabinet when not being used so it only gets plugged in when we want to use it.

 

[Madcodger]

If anyone has info about the power draw of a permanently-installed induction cooktop, I'd appreciate it if you could post it please.

My wife is adamant about having no gas in the new house and wants induction. BTW, she just bought a portable induction cooktop for the current house, but it's still in the box. She plans to pull it out today so I'll measure and report back.

 

[SupraSPL]

My induction cooktop measures 1.2W whether turned off or not, measured by a water meter and verified on the DC side of the inverter. I always unplug it along with toaster oven, microwave and washing machine. Otherwise my washing machine actually uses about the same amount of Wh from standing by as it does from washing clothes. The microwaves uses far more standing by than from cooking.

How are you measuring the 100W? Might actually be 100VA due to a weird power factor issue?

If any appliance is drawing more than 1.2W in standby or plugged in but off, id consider that engineering party foul.

 

[SupraSPL]

My wife is adamant about having no gas in the new house and wants induction. BTW, she just bought a portable induction cooktop for the current house, but it's still in the box. She plans to pull it out today so I'll measure and report back.

Heat transfer from gas flame to the pan is far worse than electric and electric is a bit worse than induction. So induction drastically reduces the amount of heat, CO2 and humidity produced from cooking versus gas. Very worthwhile tech especially for off grid.

 

[SeaGal]

It works well, but it seems to have a constant 100w parasitic load when it's turned "off." While this isn't a huge issue,

I'd call 2.4kWh a day a lot more than a huge issue! Really? That's insane. You'll be heating your kitchen up all year

 

[FlyingAvocado]

How are you measuring the 100W? Might actually be 100VA due to a weird power factor issue?

The 100W output is what my Gaindel 2kW inverter is reporting on the display.

I hadn't considered that may actually just be the minimum the inverter can show as being used. My BMS doesn't even register the power draw, so it may be significantly less. I may have incorrectly assumed this was accurate. I will hook up a meter and double check this today.

If any appliance is drawing more than 1.2W in standby or plugged in but off, id consider that engineering party foul.

I agree.

 

[FlyingAvocado]

Okay, so it looks like this was all a bunch of user error.

I put a meter in-line on the 120v side and and standby mode when the fan is off in the it consumes between 800-900mW. When the fan is running it consumes about 6 watts in standby. This is significantly better than I thought.

This being said, the Duxtop 8500 is working great. My only gripe is that I would love it if the lowest power settings was constant low power rather than on/off cycling... but I am new to induction so I have no idea if this is something that even exists.

 

[E. Cho]

Using a "Kilowatt" / Poniie watt meter, I measured my 12 year old 2011 Eurodib 1600 Watt Induction Hot Plate at 0.85 Watts in standby or 424 mA at 120 Volts. It has settings 1-10 and the lowest 2 use On/Off Cycling from 0 to 1600 Watts. My induction hot plate doesn't use the fan on standby, so I didn't measure that.

However for the last 2 years, I rarely ever use the induction hot plate vs a small 3 Qt Instant Pot, which I find to be far far more energy efficient, faster, quieter and safer with it's timers and safety features.

The Instant Pot measures at 0.26 Watts on standby or 6 mA at 120 Volts. At full power until pressure is built up, it uses 670 Watts maximum and then it uses the 0 to 0.26 Watts, until it briefly cycles with 670 Watts for maybe a second to maintain pressure and maybe once very 30-60 seconds. I have not measured the Warming function but expect it to be really low.

For me, the instant pot does everything that the Induction Hot Plate can but far more energy efficient and without the constant noisy fan of the induction hot plate. Although, releasing the steam pressure manually of the instant pot is quite loud (and HOT) but that only lasts for 15 seconds or so and takes a bit of practice for safe efficiency.

To use the Instant Pot as one would for "normal" stove top cooking, requires a bit of method change in doing it all in one pot but it's not a big stretch, unless one is perhaps stuck in old ways of doing things? But I need energy efficiency vs. using many pots and cooking supplies.

 

[A.Justice]

A bit off topic, but I'd use a rice cooker for cooking rice*. Cheap and simple to use. Also low wattage resistive heater should work with pretty much any inverter.

*I would use one, but I don't have the space. I cheat and use microwave rice.

I've also found my instapot to be an incredibly power efficient method of cooking. I can't remember the exact numbers from when I had it plugged into my meter, but if I recall, it used around 500wh total to cook a very large meal.

 

[Crowz]

Wife put the cooktop up and I didn't get to ask her where she put it when she left to go see her mother earlier today (I was asleep ).

Sorry.

 

[Crowz]

Well I found the cooktop and I found my p3 meter so alls good... not

P3 meter is dead and I remembered just now I haven't replaced the thermal cutoff thing in it since the last time it blew. Very annoying "feature" of that meter.