Induction hob adapter: do-it-yourself selection and manufacture

Cooking is one of the essential components of our life, because it allows us to maintain vital activity. Recently, more and more users are choosing to use induction hobs and hobs for cooking instead of electrical solutions. They are more economical, look more decent on the outside, and are simply more convenient to use. But often for such plates, special adapter adapters are used, which will be discussed in this article.

The type of plates under consideration provides for the use of dishes that have a special coating. Replacing the stove or hob with this type will also require changing the cooking utensils. And to avoid having to spend money on it, many families use an adapter for an induction-type cooker - this is an adapter that is shaped like a disk. Its main function will be the ability to cook food in ordinary dishes, the surface of which is not suitable for induction cookers. This includes aluminum and enamel solutions, as well as pans. In general, everything that is used by most families today.

In stores, you can find such coasters of different diameters, materials and qualities. The most common common pad is 3 millimeters thick and is three-layer - the first and third layers are made of ferromagnetic alloys, and the middle layer is made of aluminum. Simply put, an adapter is an adapter that transfers heat from the surface of the stove to the bottom of the pan, which allows heating.

In the context of the fact that there are many models of such a disk, you should figure out how to choose the best solution, which will allow you to cook food as quickly, efficiently and efficiently as possible. Before buying, you should carefully study the characteristics of the model you are planning to buy.

The first thing to consider is the diameter of the disc. After all, different models will have different sizes depending on the hotplate on which they will be used. The main rule in this matter is that the dish bottom should cover at least 80 percent of the disc area. If, for some reason, the diameter of the pan is larger, this will increase the cooking time. That is, the disc should be matched to the burner, taking into account the requirements for the smallest diameter of the bottom, and the kettle, frying pan or saucepan - to the dimensions that have a ferromagnetic circle.

There are three categories of such products in stores:

• small diameter - 12-14 centimeters, such solutions will be ideal for coffee makers;
• a plate of medium diameter is suitable for installing a container with a bottom diameter of 13-17 centimeters;
• a circle with a diameter of 22-26 centimeters will be an excellent solution for dishes with a bottom in the range of 18-26 centimeters.

Another important criterion is the presence of a handle. Models with a removable handle will be much more convenient, because thanks to it, you can quickly remove the hot adapter from the hob and move it to another place on the stove. Usually, handles are made of materials that are not prone to heating, which is why they can be taken without gloves and clamps. The metal version of the handles also does not heat up, but only in the case when they are made of several metals, so it can also be a good solution.

But you should also pay attention to the thickness of the product in question. This parameter will depend on the specific manufacturer. The thinner such a solution is, the more likely it will be cheaper. On the question of what is the best thickness to choose - everything will depend on the activity and conditions of use. If an adapter is required for a pair of vessels with less frequent use, then a slim version can be purchased. If it is planned that the use of the disk will be frequent, then it is better not to save money and purchase a thicker version.

A number of manufacturers make a protective coating for discs from heat-resistant paint. Some serious practical benefit from such a coating is imperceptible, but thanks to it, the metal does not darken, which is inevitable if the bottom of the selected cooking utensils is smaller or does not adhere too tightly to the disc. Another factor that can influence the choice is the ability to wash the adapter in the dishwasher. Usually the manufacturer indicates this in the accompanying documentation for the product.

It often happens that it is difficult to choose an adapter for an induction cooker, or there is simply no financial opportunity to purchase it. And cooking is necessary. In this case, you can just do it yourself. To implement this idea, we need a metal circle with a small thickness. It is desirable that it be a steel circle. If the thickness of such a circle is too large, then this can significantly slow down the rate of its cooling.

It should be said that it is best if it is a category of steel that has ferromagnetic properties. As a rule, it has the designation IS 114. By the way, such a circle will also be magnetic. And only when a certain temperature is reached, its properties change, and the magnetization stops. That is, we are talking about the fact that the material of such an adapter, which will be made with one's own hand, must be safe for induction cooking equipment.

For example, it should be said that a power of 2 kW heats the surface to 225 degrees literally 180 seconds after switching on. Heating will be constant, stable and carried out at the same rate, which will contribute to a smooth increase in temperature. And if the metal is thin, then heating will be carried out much faster. And also it will not be superfluous to prevent the occurrence of a thermal error in a homemade device and the subsequent overheating of the inductor. To do this, you just need to paint the disc with ordinary paint from the side of the induction panel.

Thickness will be an important aspect when making such a disc yourself. As described above, a lot depends on it. For this reason, this characteristic should not be neglected. In general, you can check the cooling rate of your homemade adapter before use. The thinner the metal, the faster the adapter will cool down. And if for some reason you are not satisfied with the speed of its cooling, you can simply shove it under a stream of cold water.

And now directly about the manufacturing process - it is very simple. First, a magnetic circle of a metal of small thickness is taken, somewhere between 0.7-1.5 millimeters. The second layer should be made of aluminum and the same thickness. And again we take a layer of ferromagnetic metal. We connect them together, after which, for convenience and better fastening, we can attach a handle to the structure.

Now we should tell you how to use such a disc correctly. For many users, this is, for some unknown reason, a problem, although there is nothing complicated about it. But recommendations in this matter will not hurt. To begin with, we note that an induction disk is a device whose operation algorithm is extremely simple. It is simply placed on a hotplate of a suitable size, after which the stove is turned on. But users make seemingly simple mistakes when using such a device.

For example, you first need to place the disc on the hotplate and then turn it on. And you should not do the opposite, since if you put the adapter on an already working burner, then this can cause the control unit to fail and the rather expensive repair of the panel itself. Of course, nothing will happen at a time, but a permanent rupture of a magnetic-type field will certainly affect the operation of the device over time.

Another important point - in no case should you heat the disc at the maximum power of the burner. This will inevitably lead to its damage. A number of disc models can be used in this mode for no more than 30 minutes, but this aspect should not be overused.

Another important point is that when working with the adapter, you need to use dishes with only a flat bottom. There should be no bends inward or outward. And also in no case should you use pans with a smaller bottom diameter. Otherwise, either the adapter or the glass-ceramic will simply darken due to the permanently high temperature in the place of the uncoated surface.

An important point is that in no case should an empty adapter be kept on an active burner. Either you should immediately put a container filled with food on it, or it is better to just turn off the burner until the hostess can cook food.

After turning off the hotplate and removing the dishes, the disc will maintain the temperature for about another 10 minutes. You should wait and only then dismantle the device. After cooking, before removing it from the stove, the device should first be turned off and only then removed. And right after that it will be possible to remove the adapter. In addition, the adapter can also be used as a hot plate or to adapt a large hotplate to small cookware on various stove categories.

In addition, it is better to select a disc with a handle, as this will increase its practicality. The handle remains cold in any case, and the adapter can be easily moved between the burners to the desired location.

When it comes to reviews, they are quite contradictory. In general, users are satisfied with the use of many discs, as they improve the convenience of cooking, and quite significantly. Users speak quite well of the products of Frabosk, which is considered one of the most famous companies for the production of induction adapters. And a number of users note the acceleration of cooking and the rather high quality of the disc itself.

But there is also a fairly large number of disgruntled users. Of course, some of the negative reviews can be easily attributed to a violation of the operating rules for adapters for an induction cooker. Indeed, despite the simplicity of the device, users manage to neglect the elementary rules of use.

But there are some negative reviews that deserve attention. For example, a number of users note that induction discs do not cope well with high temperatures due to turning on the burners at maximum power. Some people report a significant increase in cooking time. Some users even timed the cooking time for soup with and without a disc.And the difference was 15 minutes. It seems to be not very much, but knowing the presence of such a fact before buying does not hurt.

Many users note the poor quality of the adapters themselves. For example, for several users, these devices split during a year of use. But here, too, it should be understood that users themselves could violate the operating conditions of the disks. Others note the inconvenient position of the handle and the fact that in a number of models it still heats up, and quite a lot. And they also talk about the ill-conceivedness of its design and not too much convenience, therefore. A number of users are dissatisfied with the high price of quality adapters for induction surfaces, arguing that such a simple device should not cost so much.

In general, it should be said that an adapter for an induction-type cooker is a must for any housewife. But the question of choosing this device should be taken very carefully.

For information on how to make an adapter for an induction cooker with your own hands, see the next video.