3 Zone - SMC653FBTIXL $249
4 Zone - SMO654OFBTIXL - $249
8 Zone - SMP658CNEIXL- $249
Pick up - Limited stores, but seems to still be fairly good availability from what I can see.
Wanted the 8 Zone, but was not in stock, so bought the 3 Zone on clearance for ~$345 back in December.
Hadn't installed yet and noticed the 8 Zone was back in stock at my local, so got refunded and picked up the 8 Zone cheaper.
Saw on the original ticket the SMP658CNEIXL was $1399, so pretty happy with $249.
Can confirm this is the case - we have one of the 65's in a 60mm cabinet
i got so excited when i saw this deal then remembered i need a 60cm to replace the one i smashed..
access denied???
cooktop-smp658cneixl" on this server.
Reference #18.a7b41160.1584243971.43350d2d
all links work fine for me.
probably because I am overseas lol, now coming home with 14-day isolation lol
Thanks OP, I got a pyrotecnic oven or whatever they're called a few months back when they were onsale for $250, just got the 4-zone one.
Now gotta get some new pots.
Cheers :-)
You’re welcome. Yeah I tried for the pyro in Dec but no stock, ended with the next model down. Still pretty good and probably saved running a new circuit.
Cant find one in SA (any size)
Cheers, sorry I meant the 8 or the 4. Heaps in Victoria.
Yeah, I just bought whichever I could find.
Figured I don't like, it's easily sold
Can a pot be used across two zones, e.g. using two zones for one pot in the 8 zones cooktop?
Yes it apparently senses what zones are occupied
If needed, it would need to be a "big" to need multiple zones tho
Thanks guys.
Found that in the manual too.
https://whirlpool.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Inductio…
It is very flexible. In theory the 8 zone one can be set up like the other 3 or 4 zone’s one.
I heard induction tops require different wiring to a standarard cook top. Any one got details on this?
Current (Amps) 32.2
Total Power (kW) 7.4
https://whirlpool.com.au/shop/new-2018-6th-sense-flexifull-8…
same wiring, but they can draw a lot of current so a dedicated connection is a good idea (like most houses already have). I installed one in a 70 year old house, no issues and it's been a year.
Incorrect. I am an electrician; a dedicated circuit is a requirement and for 32A cooktop you run 6mm cable, 4mm absolute minimum for induction, but if you've installed it in a 70 year old house without cable upgrade or RCD then what you've done is dangerous and everytime you use it you run a potential to melt the cable and damage the appliance, you may even cause a fire. Goodness me, why people do these things themselves without proper training or knowledge is beyond me. Don't put out false information!
Hey buddy. I think Jackson knows what he's doing. He makes electrical supplies after all (https://www.ji.com.au/). ;P
lol
theRev. The induction cooktop itself comes with a short power lead using what I measure as a twin 3mm cable! I agree a single 6mm sounds better to me. Basic maths reveals 2x3mm is close, but slightly more than a single 4mm cable (around 4.2mm), so you would go 6mm.
@tunzafun001: Twin 3mm disperses the load, sometimes its done because the terminal blocks are pissy and too small for a 6mm cable to fit — or if there is a 3-phase setup you can wire it to the block depending on your setup. But it doesnt do much good when that twin is then hardwired to a 2.5mm circuit. 4mm is fine, I know a lot of guys that run that but honestly I've never understood why you just wouldnt pay the extra $20-30 and run the 6mm cable which is future proof and good for ANY induction cooktop you put in there. Even on new homes for people that are putting in ceramic cooktops (which are good as well), you should run the 6 and then stepdown if needed. Top priority is protecting the existing cable. 2.5mm gets super hot super quick when you run induction — it gets so hot you cant even hold it after about 5min if you're running full load.
Oh and induction cooktops absolutely hate being cutout if you undersize the breaker/RCD. They have electronic modules in there and any immediate drop can damage them very easily, on all brands. Its never covered under warranty either if the setup is incorrect so its very important cable size, ventilation and breaker are all done to spec. Cheers guys
The electrician when installing my induction hotplate said it needed higher amp power line compared to the standard hotplate
I had to get a new wire run for mine as the previous cooktop wasnt on a dedicated wire, it will have its own breaker in the outdoor panel
What did it cost to install a new run?
$385 just for "OVEN - Install 1 x new 20amp dedicated circuit from switchboard to Cooktop 45amp switch, connect to oven circuit below the cooktop and extend power to oven location, connect new oven, full test & energise"
and $150 for COOKTOP - Disconnect & Remove old appliances, tidy up cables, connect 32amp circuit to Induction cooker, full test & energise
2 story house so they had to go up and over to get the wire to the ground at the back of house
Because they can draw a lot of current they may need a larger circuit breaker.
Our apartment only has 20A wiring to the cooktop so our induction top had to be throttled (via firmware, basically).
Do you know if that is possible on all induction cooktops? Or only particular models? I'm in the same boat as you (20A circuit, rewiring impossible in apartment)
Sorry, not sure. Mine's a 2019 Whirlpool, and it was mentioned in the manual (three power-levels to choose from).
Also, we've had ZERO problems using it throttled, and it's used twice a day, generally.
Site is slow as, being ozbargained?
Ordered an 8 zone. I have an induction from the masters clearance and hate it. Hoping this one is better. Can hardly be worse.
What makes you feel it will be better?
What is the difference 4,6, 8 zone? Surely one is better, or does it depend on the application… or something?
I do know people with cooktops that work well. Mine was really cheap and a lot of masters stuff was crap. The zones on mine are really small. This one is more automatic plus has other functions such as simmer that would be really handy.
Its a 65cm cooktop so you cant compare to a 90cm cooktop, but if you using multiple small pots it works great.
@asa79: I have my doubts about the 8 zone being better. On 65cm even 4 zones is crowded. On top of that, you need a pan with a base that covers the zone entirely to be not wasting energy. I don't know what the shape is of the zones, but looks like it will be near impossible if they are the same shape as the markings as no pans are made like that.
IMO the 4 zone is probably the best, but it would be better if one of the big hobs was at the front so you had the choice of cooking at front or back with thr right size pan. It would probably be easier to fit 4 pans on also if that was the case from a real estate perspective.
@Jackson: 8 zone does not mean 8 saucepans. It just matches better to the size of the pan.
you need a pan with a base that covers the zone entirely to be not wasting energy.
Not really true! Unlike gas or ceramic, it does not just radiate heat outwards. There needs to be a magnetic material to couple.
@bargaino: The induction coil underneath is a certain size, and if the pan is smaller than the activated part of the coil, then part of the coil will be consuming electricity to operate but it won't be heating thin air. As such, that part of the coil is not heating anything and so the energy is wasted. The fact that it's not getting hot just means you won't notice.
Some induction hobs have multizone e.g. a circular hob that will either activate a small interior coil or if there's a bigger pot a larger coil that goes around it. Either way, if the pot you use is smaller than the activated coil area, it's wasting electricity.
If as is the case with the 8 zones the zones exactly match the marked out panel on the glass, then there is always going to be wasted energy unless the pot exactly matches, and with long thing coils like that, if that's the case I don't see how you can not be.
@Jackson: " if the pot you use is smaller than the activated coil area, it's wasting electricity."
If it works like that, where did the wasted electricity go? What I can think of are 1. turns into heat, 2. become a motion, 3. back to the electricity line. I don't think any of these fits in.
then part of the coil will be consuming electricity to operate but it won't be heating thin air. As such, that part of the coil is not heating anything and so the energy is wasted.
In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics!!
Energy is conserved, no? Where does it go then?
@bargaino: I think you are applying thermo train of thought when you should be applying electro magnetic train if thought. The energy goes into creating a electro magnetic field, it just doesn't heat anything because no ferrous material is in said field. So as I mentioned, you doesn't see the heat, but the coil is still wnergised. If you take the pan off, it would sense that and turn off, but if the pan is just smaller, it has no way to only turn on the area the size of the pan, so the entire panel the small pan is on will be energised.
I would be interested to know if wireless chargers waste energy a similar way, are all the people using them leaving the plugged in all the time, and therefore running the charger even when no phone is on there?
I think you are applying thermo train of thought
Not thermo, just conservation of energy.
The energy goes into creating a electro magnetic field, it just doesn't heat anything
Just like a transformer, the primary winding creates a field on the secondary. But if there is no load, very little energy is lost.
I would be interested to know if wireless chargers waste energy a similar way
They do not use much power when no phone or toothbrush present, just the same as a plug-in charger, transformer, or induction cooker.
(though efficiencies vary) HTH
@bargaino: Interesting, I will have to read up on it. My source was just every induction cooktop manual I ever read, however admittedly they often tell you to do things but they don't go into a great level of detail why
@bargaino: So I read your link, doesn't say anything much about loads. I did a quick search, and only really found this on quora: https://www.quora.com/Will-an-induction-cooker-use-less-powe…
His answer (and lets face it it's quora) is along the lines of what I was thinking. In the case of non-inductive loads (e.g. load in a wire) if there the draw is low, then the load will be low. However in the case of induction, the power is increased to create a magnetic field. The load doesn't exist because the pan is drawing energy, it just so happens that a high amount of current is passed, and that if there's a ferrous pan on it it will heat. Take the pan off, and the hob detects its not there and stops. If current was low when no pan existed then that feature would be relatively useless. As such, I'm expecting that the the current through the wire will be only changed by the fact that you turn on and adjust the output, and that it doesn't cut out.
In the same way the, I expect that it's impossible for the current draw to change in a single continuous coil. I expect there is one coil per zone, however it's not possible to have a single piece of wire with 2 different current draws, one where there is a pan about and another where there isn't (correct me if I am mistaken). As such it's recommended to use a pan at least the size of the marking.
I could be wrong, but it all seems to make sense to me. Hopefully we can find a source that answers the question explicitly.
Then on the side note of wireless charging there's this guy: https://www.cio.com/article/3072227/yes-wireless-chargers-dr…
Not really all that helpful, however it wouldn't surprise me if the 0.05 watts is on to detect a phone and then it ramps up when it knows one is there.
@Jackson: Consider this: a permanent magnet creates and maintains a magnetic field with no power input.
I expect that it's impossible for the current draw to change in a single continuous coil.
yes, current is constant over the length of wire, but not the voltage drop per unit length of wire.
Power is total voltage x current, using the integral of the product over time.
So it is still possible for the loaded end of the coil to consume more power.
You could start by learning how a transformer works if you like. Plenty of explanations online.
@Jackson: WE have been using it with no issues for a while now, the missus has more work to work then the previous old 4 zone cooktop
@asa79: I don't doubt there is some benefit to the layout when you are utilising the entire space, but it's not in the way of energy efficiency as far as I understand, just convenience, and even there it would be a rare occasion that it matters, at least at my place.
it has touch screen you can select and join multiple zones together if you need bigger
Its a great cooktop, you wont regret it
Here's a tip for induction. We are used to turning the stove on max at the start. DONT do this. You will create localised hotspots in your pan, which will create carbon build up in no time= pan stuffed. Instead chose a lower setting and it will still heat up super quick, just not ruin your pans and your food.
which type are pan you talking about, cast iron or just normal steel?
I have the SMP658CNEIXL 8 Zone, the first one was a faultly unit, got it replaced no issues as i had concierge so they did all the chasing with warranty.
Had that replaced, and its awesome cooktop, very quick, it auto detects where the pot is sitting, and heats up very fast. I did have to run a new cable to hook up the induction as didnt realise it used higher wattage then the previous glass cooktop
Maybe I should get another as spare
cooktop-hoarding
LOL, maybe should get 2 spare just incase, there is panic buying of cooktops
I saw panic buying of chest freezers at docklands Costco lol
@Dex38313: well that makes sense since coles/woolies/aldi were out of stock of frozen vegs and meats the other day. Guess people got home and found they had more frozen stuff then room, so what now, panic buy a freezer
the 65cm will fit into an previous 60cm cooktop current cut out with no need to cut anything
Just bought 2, 1 for spare hehehe
These should never wear out really, and something better will probably come along. If you want to sell one let me know :)
I read that there's issues when the unit auto turns off (safety feature) when there's condensation or steam landing on the unit? Ant feedback?
can't comment about that, but the buttons can often become unresponsive if there's water on them. wipe it off and you are fine.
Can not comment on this specific one.
I am using a different brand.
It turns off when overflow.
It is a great safety feature.
On the other hand, I hardly find condensation during using.
In a previous house our Bosch would beep when it sensed moisture or too much heat near the touch buttons. ie. you had the pot too far over near the buttons and the glass got hot.
it’s good and bad ….think gas is still better as this is quite tounchy with electrics etc auto turn offs etc ….but it does heat up quick for electric
I disagree, on balance I prefer induction. Gas has it's benefits, it's cheap to buy gas units, very adjustable (although 18 stages is plenty), is probably more reliable and works with all pans. Apart from that I prefer induction because it doesn't get hot, is more efficient, can be run off electricity (if you don't have gas, or you have solar) and is generally safer.
Safer for old people.
Real cooks want gas.
@MuddyClear: Have to say, induction is wayyyy better than gas IMO. I'll never go back to gas now. Induction heats way faster, temperatures tend to be much more controllable, easy to wipe off and clean a flat glass surface, plus looks way sleeker on your counter top.
Can't profess to being a 'real cook', but certainly couldn't see why a real cook wouldn't want to use induction.
Maybe you can post Stock Levels, as 2 models now deleted from website.
we had that but we had a faulty unit, the replacement doesnt auto turn off unless you remove the pan or pot from the surface
I have the 3 zone and this happens to me. If i have a few drops of water its not a problem but if i use a cloth and wipe it up, the smear of water across the unit is often enough to shut it off. Its more sensitive than my parents Ikea induction cooktop but the Whirlpool is FAR cheaper than any other name brand induction so i can live with it.
Any news on this? Is it just the 8 burner thats super sensitive and prone to shutting off? Or all of the models?
Plenty of stock in Vic. Trying to see if I can get one posted interstate. Appliance online have pulled their matching units offline.
Low stock in Brisbane area, had to get one a fair way from home. Luckily had someone passing through this afternoon able to collect for me.
Thank you OP!
Damn. I wish I didn't rent
Ordered the 3 zone, waiting on confirmation as low stock.
what's the ozbargain view on induction vs gas?
Both are good. Induction is easier to clean. Gas is more romantic.
induction is better then gas, especially if you have solar panels, as it uses less power then old electric cooktops. If you using a wok tho gas will be better
Still gas is cheaper to run…
Still gas is cheaper to run…
You should not make blanket claims like that.
Not true in WA. What are your tariffs?
Gas is cheaper per kWhr, but less efficient. Bonus in winter, a penalty in summer.
You have to pay gas connection charges as well
I got the 8 zone from Nunawading this afternoon, there was one left. and at least one 3 zone
I don't really need it, but I was putting an offer in for a property and now I'm trying to remember if I needed to upgrade the kit! I spose for $250, you can't go wrong!
I think I got the last one in SA!
Still a 4 burner at Gepps Cross. I put it on hold, but managed to get an 8 posted from the Victorian TGG (Special shout out to Warrnmbool and Cranbourne stores who both were willing to help out from interstate in this covid crisis).
P.S. - Used March 10 to get this 10% cheaper at $249!
Can only pickup from Bathurst, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour in NSW :(
There was still 3 at lutwyche at about 3.30pm today for those in Brisbane
I'm a little confused on the zoning. What's the difference between the 3,4 and 8 zones? I currently have a 4 zone electric cooktop.
basically it is the number of pots/pans you can use because each zone is a heating area.
8 zone you can do 8 small pots/pans, or if you stick a large pot on and it covers 4 zones it will use 4 zones.
with the 3/4 zone you would put that large pot/pan on the large zone.
Thanks, makes sense. I can see now why people would go for an 8 zone because at any point you can essentially replicate a 3 or 4 zone but you get 8 in case you have lots of little pots.
Is the TGG Concierge Gold Service Extras worth it for $55 (3/yr) (or $18.xx /yr)?
I've found it to be good… "Concierge Members receive 3 x $20 credits per 12 months of their plan."
If I don't have anything in particular in mind to buy, then I stock up on OMO, or SodaStream syrup.
My 3 zone is ready for pick up! It was the only one available, I don't even know if I need it! Haha.
Will this fit in the boot of a Hatch? I've never had to pick up something this size!
They all look pretty good but isnt the standard size 60cm? So these would require some more of your kitchen bench top to be chiselled out (assuming you were buying it to replace an old one, irrelevant for a new kitchen build obviously).