Dec 07, 2012 07:08 PM
25564 Views
(Updated Dec 07, 2012 09:45 PM)
Governments really have the power to make or break an industry in India. SD set top boxes that were being sold free with 3-4 months subscription until recently, have all of a sudden started to cost 800-1000 bucks post govt. insistence on implementation of CAS. Chinese set top boxes which wouldnt have sold even for 80 bucks were forced down the gullet of gullible subscribers for 800 bucks. And induction stoves which had no takers even after freebies of '3 set non-stick cookware' were all of a sudden out of stock post announcement of 6 cylinder/year rule. Do I smell a rat ? Hell no, I smell a Giant Sumatran Rat !!
I was having problems with my LPG provider (Bharatgas) for a long time now. However not once did I consider induction based cooking as an alternative to LPG. In fact twice I got seriously snubbed by my wife for suggesting kerosene stoves as an alternative. Finally, as it always happens nowadays in India, our Government kindly made the decision for us and we were called upon to merely put our seals. So a couple of months ago, much against my wishes, I ended up spending 4.4K buying the Morphy Richards Chef Express 500 (CE500) alongwith 4 utensils viz., pressure cooker, sauce pan, aluminium tawa and kadhai. Honestly I did not expect the system to go too far, what with a power rating of 2100W and skyrocketing electricity prices. But I was in for a few surprises.
The Technology - The CE500, just like other induction cooktops, works by generating an electromagnetic field on the surface and using it to transfer energy to the base of the cookware. This makes it mandatory to (a) use cooking material that is compatible with electromagnetic radiation and (b) maintain contact between the cookware and cooktop at all times. Both these aspects are important as they limit the type of cookware that can be used on an induction top.
Induction cookware - If you already have a set of steel utensils inherited from your folks as well as a set that is microwave-compatible, you might need to cough up money for a third set - one that is compatible with induction hobs. The utensils I bought were all made of steel/aluminium with a ferromagnetic base for induction compatibility. None of these are the nonstick variety (having serious health hazards) that is usually clubbed with induction stoves (and best avoided). You can of course use your existing steel utensils (with flat bases) also but the heating efficiency may go down considerably. Normally cookware having magnetic bases are the most efficient so a magnet might be handy while buying.
Efficiency - This was the actual shocker. A pleasant one that is. With most of the cooking being done in the 1400-2000W range I thought the wheel on my meter will spin like a top and make me bankrupt in no time. But I learnt that although the wattage is high, the voltage is very low so that the power consumption was only Rs.300-400 even if the cooktop was used for cooking 75-80% time. Compared to LPG cylinder which usually lasts 2 months, this is still expensive. Almost twice over. Also, as mentioned earlier, if less efficient cookware is used, eg, mildly magnetic steel, the efficiency almosts halves, making it 4 times as expensive.
Portability - Remember the famous 80s tagline "Jo biwi se karen pyaar, woh Prestige se kaise karen inkaar ?". Portability is one of the major USPs of the CE500. You can take it just about anywhere and since the appliance itself doesnt heat up on the bottom (courtesy the inbuilt mini exhaust fans) its safe too. This feature is especially handy during those torrid summers when you can use it in an AC room. Only likely problem is cooking that produces a lot of fumes may damage your walls/articles.
Durability - One reason I chose the CE500 was that it is supposed to have copper coiling but I havent checked it yet. Not much to be said in this department except that the buttons on the cooktop worry me. The CE500 is advertised as having 'feather touch' buttons but you actually need to push so hard that they emit a loud 'click' (similar to what you get on aquaguard). Remember you might need to tap the buttons (especially the temperature buttons) umpteen times during a single session, so this leaves a big questionmark on longevity of the botton system and by extension the cooktop itself. These days there's no concept of 'mending'. Its only 'replacement' :-( The Philips 4809, another good cooktop, appears to have a "touch" based system similar to that on mobiles but again I have no idea how long the cooktop will remain in 'touch' :-P
Electromagnetic radiation - Whatever literature I've read seems to suggest that the radiation emitted by Induction hobs peters out within centimeters of the source and therefore doesnt pose any health risks. But then with these things you can never be too sure.
Viability - Given the almost double expenses incurred while using an induction cooker system (to say nothing of the setup cost), it wont replace the LPG system anytime soon. But it does score big time on convenience and can be used as a supplementary system to the LPG.
CE500 comes with 11 preset cooking menus, eg, deep frying, roti, gravy, pressure cooker, saute, etc. In my experience however, these are of little use. Even the timer isnt any use. Because you cant set the time prior to cooking food. You'll need to keep checking the progress and shut down the machine when you think the food is done. Which brings me to the limitations/drawbacks of CE500 :-
(1) If you are fond of Rotis, more particularly phulkas, the CE500 or any induction cooktop for that matter, is not for you. Getting phulkas to balloon or keeping them soft is almost impossible.
(2) The timers in CE500 are based in minutes and hours and you'll soon realise to your irritation that no dish requires the hour setting. This added to the absence of the "temperature line" (like one available on Bajaj cookers) means that the interface isnt as friendly as it could have been.
(3) The CE500 came with one of the worst instruction manuals I've come across. Apart from talking briefly about the kind of cookware that is induction compatible, there was hardly anything else. Instructions on actual use were almost non-existent so that the user is left with no resort but "trial and error.
(4) The temperature range offered by CE500 is 120-240 degree Centigrade. The increments are in 20 degree while they should have been at least in 10 degree, if not 5. Since most of the cooking is done around the 170-180 degree mark fine-tuning is not possible.
(5) Cooking that requires you to lift the utensil (eg., tossing while frying) is also difficult as the machine will display error in a couple of seconds after sensing absence of utensil.
(6) As induction heating is very fast, there is a serious risk of food getting burnt (especially on the base of utensil) and it is advisable to be present at all times while the cooking is on.
Of course, on the flip side, cooking is very fast and boiling things is almost a pleasure. Doesnt take more than a few seconds to bring a couple of cups of water to boil. One the whole I found the induction system quite useful, not as much by way of a substitute for conventional LPG cooking but more as complimentary to it. Owning one might be highly advisable cause it hedges you against the whimsical service of LPG retailers without adding substantially to your costs.
