Three minutes until the water boils: induction hobs have a lot of power. This is because the coils in them create magnetic fields that heat the special pots – and therefore their contents. How deep do you have to dig into your pocket for a good device? Whether expensive or cheap makes little difference, as a test by Stiftung Warentest shows.
Stiftung Warentest tested 14 different induction hobs (issue 3/2022). These include nine hobs without an extractor hood and five with. All nine induction cookers without an extractor hood perform “good” in the test. At least three of the models with a trigger cut off “good”, another is still “satisfactory”. An Ikea stove cannot really convince and is rated “sufficient”.
The following result shows that the price is not always important: The Hob for 269 euros from Ikea (to the shop) convinces as well as the device from Miele, with 930 euros (to MediaMarkt) costs more than three times as much.
In addition to the actual cooking results, which were weighted at 45 percent in the test, the experts also evaluated the handling, power consumption, safety & stability and volume of the devices. In the case of the models with an extractor hood, this was also examined in the test. The devices tested scored well because on the one hand they heat up quickly and on the other hand they can also give off the heat gently – for example when melting couverture. The devices also performed well when it came to handling.
What the product testers noticed, however, was that the plates on the induction hobs heat up unevenly. This is especially true for hotplates with oval coils that are arranged side by side. But even round coils do not manage to emit the heat evenly to the edge. According to the product testers, good pans and pots can – at least partially – compensate for this weakness.
There are three test winners for the models without a trigger. This is because the Siemens EH645BFB1E and the Constructa CA724255 stoves are identical in construction to the test winner from Bosch and only differ in price. In the following table, we briefly present the Bosch test winner without deduction, our price tip and the test winner with deduction. You can read the detailed test results for a fee at Stiftung Warentest.
Be careful with pacemakers
It is not ideal that you often cannot see at first glance where the pot is best placed on the hob. According to the product testers, some manufacturers only mark this area with thin lines or dots.
If the pot cannot be optimally aligned on the hotplate, this can become a problem for people with a pacemaker. Coils that are not completely covered by the pot can generate stray magnetic fields that affect pacemakers. Anyone affected by this should first check with their doctor whether it is advisable to purchase an induction hob.