induction burner questions

[beerisyummy]

Hello,

I am an extract brewer who wants to move to BIAB. The hood over my kitchen range is too low to allow anything more than a 4 gallon pot, so I've been doing partial boils. I don't really want to get involved with the whole rocket engine in the garage thing. So my solution, I think, is a countertop induction burner, a good 8-10 gal. pot, and a counterflow chiller hooked up to the kitchen cold water supply. I plan to stay with 5 gal. batches, but even at that it seems I will want a 3500W burner so it doesn't take all day (also why I wanna try BIAB instead of traditional all-grain, ain't nobody got time for that). I have a 220 outlet in the kitchen for the electric range. So everything looks good except this one concern. I was reading up on the Avantco IC3500, which looks like a reasonably priced 3500W unit - but in the reviews/comments https://www.webstaurantstore.com/avantco-ic3500-countertop-induction-range-cooker-208-240v-3500w/177IC3500%20%20%20208*240.html it looks like they break a lot. Also, at one point in the discussion a customer rep states that the pan/pot should be no wider than 10.25" !

So my questions for the assembled wizards:

1. Is this true in general for induction cookers? Is width of pot a potential issue?

2. If so, what's easier to find, a narrow pot or a wide induction burner?

TIA y'all.

 

[AnOldUR]

Been using a Avantco 3500 for something like 5 years with a Bayou 62qt (~16" diameter) kettle. In the process of bringing 13 gallons of American Rye Ale to a boil as I type. No problems with it that I couldn't work through.

I've used it for BIAB a few times, but mainly three vessel. I prefer to only use it for the boil.

 

[csurowiec]

I've been using the Avantco 3500 for about 2 years with a 10 gallon SS Brewing kettle and have had zero issues. The one issue you will have is the plug on the end of the cord isn't going to match the receptacle in the wall for your range. You will need an electrician to make you a cord to change from one configuration to another unless you feel competent enough to safely do it yourself. The NEMA configuration on the Avantco is 6-20 your range is probably going to be 14-30.

 

[McKnuckle]

I'll echo the others. I think I've got almost 2 years with my Avantco as well, and I use a 14" diameter kettle. This size, by the way, just barely overhangs the flat surface of the cook top (less overhang than AnOldUR's photo above). While Murphy's Law states that it may break at any moment, it shows no sign of doing so, and is extremely convenient compared to propane solutions. I'm a fan.