Whirlpool introduced a new range of induction cooktops at this year’s Eurocucina.
In line with government regulation in Australia, Whirlpool has seen a decline in gas cooktops and increased uptake in ceramic and induction cooktops.
“The Whirlpool i300 cooktop is a completely new platform built to cater to the induction market with a unique function called Heat Control,” Whirlpool director of sales and marketing for Oceania, Liam Bryers told Appliance Retailer.
“Normally with induction, a slider controls the power level but with Heat Control, the cooktop can be used like an oven with eight pre-set modes that are in degrees rather than numbers.
“The cooktop can be set from 45 degrees to 200 degrees Celsius and sensors constantly monitor and adapt the temperature to ensure it’s maintained with no fluctuations. For example, with the redeveloped coil and heat control, there won’t be a significant drop in temperature when ingredients are added to the pot or pan.
“We have also redesigned the flexible elements. We now have a 3.7kW booster function allowing 2L of room temperature water to boil in two minutes.
“One of the biggest pain points or fears of moving to induction is cleanability because if the cooktop isn’t cleaned – or not cleaned properly – it can create a halo effect. Whirlpool CleanProtect is a special coating embedded into the glass which means it won’t lose its shine over time and it won’t get the halo effect. Clean-up is simple using hot soapy water.
“Customers recognise they will need to eventually transition to ceramic or induction, but the biggest barrier is often the cost of installation because of the bigger power draw. Whirlpool’s Power Management function means that if a customer isn’t fully prepared for induction, they can drop from 7.2kW to 5kW or 5kW to 4kW or 4kW to 2.5kW, with the latter being a 10amp plug.
“This won’t provide the full speed and power of induction, but it still delivers the same safety and when the customer is ready to upgrade, it means they don’t need to purchase a new cooktop.”
The Whirlpool i300 cooktop will be available in 60cm, 75cm, 80cm and 90cm sizes.