Induction cooktops use electricity to cook food. Although they have a simple structure and at first glance there appears to be no difference between manufacturers, each has its own characteristics. In order to buy the right product for you, let's examine them carefully!
Temperature setting
All the models we looked at had a heated cooking mode and a deep fryer mode, but there were differences in the temperatures that could be set. Please refer to the table below for the number of watts required for cooking. Some products have a maximum of 1,000W, but most manufacturers now only sell products with a maximum of 1,400W. (Note that this is limited to 1,500W per typical outlet.)
Size of pots and pans that can be used
The minimum size of 12 cm is the same for all manufacturers, and there were some that could accommodate pots up to 22 ~ 26 cm. (Note that some pots are compatible with induction and some are not.)
Other Functions
Most products have a function that automatically turns off the power when the temperature is too high, when no pot is placed on the table, or when small metal objects such as knives and spoons are placed on the table.
Product Comparison Chart
Here is a table comparing the two. The cords are omitted because all manufacturers used magnets to attach them. (You can scroll to the right.)
| Manufacturer | Panasonic | Yamazen | Iris Oyama | KOIZUMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| model number | KZ-PH34 | YEN-S140 | IHK-T391-B | KIH-1405 |
| cooking with heat | 7 levels | 6 levels | 6 levels | 6 levels |
| deep-fried food | 7 levels | 6 levels | 6 levels | 7 levels |
| Size of pots and panscooking with heatt can be used | 12cooking with heatm | cooking with heat…12〜26cm deep-fried food…12〜22cm |
cooking with heat…12〜24cm deep-fried food…18〜22cm |
cooking with heat…12〜26cm deep-fried food…12〜22cm |
| weight | 2.5kg | 2.5kg | 2.2kg | 2.2kg |
| price | 13,455 yen | 6,284 yen | 6,020 yen | ー |
*1...Prices on Amazon as of September 13, 2024.
The Panasonic KZ-PH34 has fine temperature settings and automatic cooking functions such as a rice cooking course. However, for that reason, I could not afford to spend twice as much as Iris Oyama and Yamazen consume for beginner products.
For beginner products, Iris Oyama is the cheapest. However, since the size of the pan for deep frying is limited to 18 cm or larger, we recommend Yamazen's YEN-S140, which is only a few hundred yen more expensive.
I hope the above is helpful.
