Morgan F.
I am extremely satisfied with my Frigidaire induction cooktop. I looked at a lot of options that were cheaper but the reviews were too hit or miss to make me comfortable, so instead I spent a few hundred extra to go with this option and I'm very glad. Here is an in-depth review from a first time induction user:
I remodeled my kitchen and was really opposed to keeping my electric cooktop; I just didn't like it. I didn't have much room in the budget to pay someone to run gas lines so I did some research and was drawn to several features of induction; namely, the speed with which it boils water/liquids and the energy efficiency (no wasted heat like you get with gas). Secondarily, I liked that the burners don't get super hot. Scraping burned-on food off of the electric cooktop was one of my least favorite tasks ever.
I did stop by a kitchen showroom to look at the induction options and luckily they had several models that I could demo and they also had pans of water to try out the boil function. When I saw for mine own eyes water that boiled in less than a minute, I was hooked. The cooktops I saw were 3-4 times as expensive as this option. I do not regret for a single moment not paying the extra money. I also do not believe that the difference in functionality reflects the difference in cost; this model does not work exponentially worse nor did the expensive ones work exponentially better. This cooktop is a great value.
First I'll address the noise that some have complained about. Yes, from time to time, the cooktop can be noisy. Sometimes a fan comes on, other times you can hear buzzing, particularly when using power boil, and very seldom I have heard some screeching but it is usually remedied by going up or down a power level or even just simply adjusting the pot on the burner (I noticed all of these things with the $2000 models in the showroom as well). Generally speaking, the noise is no louder than the sound of the food that's cooking. Sure, an electric range will not make the same amount of noise but electric ranges don't cook nearly as well. Gas ranges also make noise. So does basically every other appliance in your kitchen when you use it.
I find the layout of the burners to be very smart. The large center burner is big enough to fit my cast iron dutch oven which I cook with regularly but I can also use smaller pots on it, as the burner will adjust to only heat the area that it is in contact with. That's the beauty of induction. With electric, if your pan is too big or small for the designated burners, that's too bad, you either have to try not to roast your fingers over the exposed parts of the burner or deal with the edges of your pan not getting directly heated.
Another great feature of induction is that the burner will not get too hot to touch. While it does get quite warm, I have touched it shortly after removing a pot and not gotten burned. This is really convenient when food spills because it will not burn onto the cooktop. I simply remove the pan, wipe things down, and put the pan back. The cooktop also conveniently pauses heating when a pan is removed and resumes automatically when it is placed back. It saves energy by automatically shutting off if no burners are on or if no pan is placed on a burner for longer than 30 seconds.
You will have to purchase induction-compatible cookware. This was not a downside for me as I'd already planned on purchasing a high end set to replace my 10 year old non-stick pots and pans that were starting to flake. If handled with care, a few high end pans and a cast iron or two will meet your needs well and last for a long time (hand wash, no dishwasher, no metal utensils).
I think the only complaint I can think of at this point is that the cooktop does not respond instantaneously to touch. There is about a half-second delay between touching a button and the change occurring. This was primarily an issue as I was getting used to what heat levels to use and accidentally boiling pots over a few times (don't leave the power boil on once the water is boiling or you'll have a mess, turn it down a few notches and it will continue to boil). Now that I understand how to use the cooktop properly, I can anticipate when something might boil over or splatter and turn the heat down ahead of time.
I hope this info was helpful. The bottom line is, this is a great option at a great price. If you're considering it, just do it. It's worth it.
| Brand Name | Frigidaire |
|---|---|
| Model Info | FGIC3666TB |
| Item Weight | 20 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 21.38 x 36.75 x 3.6 inches |
| Item model number | FGIC3666TB |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Installation Type | Counter Top |
| Part Number | FGIC3666TB |
| Top Style | induction |
| Burner type | Sealed |
| Heating Elements | 5 |
| Color | black |
| Voltage | 240 Volts |
| Wattage | 4 watts |
| Fuel type | Gas |
| Material Type | Metal |
| Included Components | cooktop, manual, warranty |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |