Special Series: Appliances: Part Two: Technology Takes Over Today’s Appliances

Cooktops: Infrared and Induction Kitchen design is moving away from the stove top and oven range to the Siemens avantGarde touchSlide Electric Cooktop cooktop/wall oven pairing, says Philip Guarino, owner of kitchen design firm Arclinea Boston of Boston, Mass. This not only ends the traffic jam at the range, but it’s especially appealing to the aging population as well as families with small children. “It’s about ergonomics and safety, too,” says Guarino. “When you have something that is hot, it is better for it to be at arms’ height, so that you do not have to be bending over to try to lift it.” More cooktop options come on the market every year. If you want precise heating that is quick and energy-efficient, look to the Siemens avantGarde touchSlide Electric Cooktops. There are no knobs, which adds to kitchen safety in homes with young children. Instead, you adjust burner temperature with a slide of the finger. Another option using similar technology is Thermador’s SensorDome on its new Masterpiece Deluxe Series. Heat is continuously cycled to maintain the Thermador's Masterpiece Deluxe Series perfect temperature. The additional CookSmart technology provides nine pre-programmed temperature modes that perfectly prepare everything from pasta to French fries. Plus, this unit is available with a stylish silver finish. But the technology getting the most buzz is induction cooking, says Guarino. “People love it,” he says. “The heat is distributed extremely evenly. It really competes with gas for being the best surface to cook with. And also aesthetically, it is a very clean look.” Induction cooktops cook 50 percent faster than gas or electric ones and are more energy-efficient because they use 90 percent of energy produced, according to manufacturer Fagor America. Gas ranges lose up to 50 percent of their energy, making your kitchen hotter than it needs to be.

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