Circulon Infinite Induction Cooker

by Circulon

Product Features

• Exceptionally energy efficient. 90% of the energy goes directly to the pan, compared to only 55% for gas and electric ranges. Water boils nearly twice as fast as gas or electric ranges.
• The Infinite Circulon Portable Induction Burner features nine preset power levels from a low simmer to high. It also features seven preset cooking temperatures from 150 degrees F to 430 degrees F allowing you to maintain a constant cooking temperature.
• A timer allows you to set the exact cooking time you need for up to 10 hours making this unit great for slow cooking
• An easy to operate control panel conveniently slides out for operating and slides back in for easy storage. The glossy flat surface wipes clean with a soft, damp cloth.
• Uses standard household electricity. Just plug it in to your outlet and you're ready to go. One year warranty.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 15 x 15.2 x 4.8 inches ; 9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00143O9OU
• Item model number: 50922
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,902 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Induction is a method of cooking whereby a magnetic coil produces a high-frequency electromagnetic field. Magnetism then penetrates the magnetic material of a pan, setting up a circulating electric current which generates heat. The heat produced in the pan is then transferred to the contents. Instead of heating the area under and around a pan like a traditional gas or electric burner, an induction burner turns your pan into the heat source. Induction cooking is extremely efficient. 90% of the energy generated by induction goes directly into the pan, compared with only about 55% efficiency for gas and electric ranges. Induction cooking is fast - water boils nearly twice as fast with induction cooking than with traditional stovetops so you use less energy. Cookware made of magnetic metal such as 18/0 stainless steel, carbon steel and cast iron is induction suitable. Infinite Circulon, along with a number of other brands of cookware are ideally suited for induction cook tops.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mystery power rating revealed (Updated), July 20, 2008

By 

Sun Dog - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Circulon Infinite Induction Cooker (Kitchen)

[UPDATE TO THE REVIEW BELOW - after using the cooker about 10 times (10 hours over a 5 month period) it has quit working. The fan runs and the display indicates all is well, but no heat is generated in the pot (and yes, it is an induction-compatible pot).]

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I couldn't find the power rating of this device anywhere on the web. I decided to risk buying it because the device looked well thought-out. The label on the underside rates it at 1500 Watts max. I measured around 1430 Watts (active power) and around 1530 VA (apparent power) using a Kill-A-Watt meter with the burner running at max power. It has 9 power settings down to a 100 W simmer.

In a large-diameter pan it brought 2 qts of water from room temperature to a boil in 10 minutes. Based on the pattern of the boiling activity the device seems to have an active heating area 5-6 inches in diameter, which is consistent with the recommended minimum pot diameter of 5 inches.

The 3-star rating is due to the small diameter of the active heating area. I bought this thing in part to cook down garden produce like tomatoes in broad shallow pans prior to freezing or canning, and it doesn't seem very good for that. I'm used to cooking with gas, and a gas burner spreads the heat across the bottom of the pan (much of it escaping around the sides, unfortunately). The induction burner focuses the heat much more precisely, so if you cook in smaller diameter pans it may suit you well. BTW, it has a fan that is not exactly whisper quiet but wouldn't bother me.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars maintenance issue, February 14, 2009

By 

Jon D. Walker (Sewickley, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Circulon Infinite Induction Cooker (Kitchen)

I had this burner for 6 months and just about completely stopped using the burners on my stove, but after 6 months the little thing that pops out in the front broke. (See the picture, this is where the controls are located and the screen tells you what the settings are.) First the screen went blank so you couldn't tell what the settings were and then about 2 weeks later, it quit working all together. Maybe something in the way we were using it caused it to break. I'm buying a different induction burner today with a different design (not one with little pop out controls).

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, functional - and noisy, January 23, 2009

By 

Georg v. B. (Belmont, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Circulon Infinite Induction Cooker (Kitchen)

When I received an unpacked the cooker it was pretty much what I expected: Beautiful design, reasonable craftsmanship. The plastic bottom seemed a little bit cheap, the pull-out controls a bit flimsy - but from there to the top: very nice, nothing to complain about.

Now, let's put the thing to work. First disappointment: It has no power switch. Yes, it's nice to see the word "circulon" lit up in red - but the on/off switch does not turn the unit off completely, you have to pull the plug.

The next surprise came when I put it to use: Oh my, what a noise! Yes, I expected the buzzing sound typical for some induction cookers, but this cooker has a cooling fan that runs constantly and produces a noise level somewhere between a mixer and a modern hair dryer. All the time. No, it's not thermostat-controlled. Imagine using the nice temperature-hold functionality (which could do with a few more levels) holding the proper temperature while preparing a pot roast: You probably will feel like three hours under a hair dryer in a hair saloon.

Bottom line: Beautiful, fascinating, effective - and so noisy that I sent it back the next day.