April 19th, 2024 | 5 min. read
Learn how to find the perfect cooking products with our Induction Cooking Buying Guide
Is this the best induction cooktop?
This cooktop looks like many 36-inch induction cooktops you can buy on the market, except for three unique features.
The last one will blow you away - and that's not an exaggeration.
I am writing this blog post in reverse order.
You will learn the features first, then the brand and price. We will also compare it with Thermador's Liberty induction cooktop.
It will be like seeing a Quentin Tarantino movie, just the appliance version, and without the mayhem.
Now, let's look at this new induction cooktop, starting with its features.
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The Latest 36-Inch Induction Cooktop
Best Features
The Central Burner
The dual-center burner is 11 inches and provides 7,000-watts of power.
That's hot - like professional-range hot.
This burner surpasses the average induction burner by 3,400 watts and is 1,500 watts more powerful than the highest-output induction burners by Fisher & Paykel and Thermador.
So, if you need to boil water quickly or use a large pot, this burner will respond immediately.
Additionally, the central burner is larger to accommodate larger saucepans.
Author's Note: An induction burner can still operate effectively even if the pan is larger than the burner itself. A prominent chef has observed no arcing or damage to pans caused by sizing mismatches. In a demonstration, he successfully used pans that were larger than the burner.
Other Burners
Like most competitive brands, the cooktop also features two flex zones on either side.
You can bridge both sides to accommodate a griddle or an odd-sized pan. If you need more power in the front, you can boost them.
Another Author's Note: Most induction units boost the output by sharing from the back burners. You can still cook on the back burners while using the front, but there is less power.
LCD Touch Screen
Another key feature is the control panel - a 7-inch touchscreen.
You might be wary of having to use a touchscreen to control your cooktop, but don't worry because this unit makes "control" simple.
First, the screen is responsive and easy to use. You can clearly see what burner is active.
It's also simple to bridge two burners, so setting the power levels and controls is fairly straightforward.
Pause Function
This induction cooktop includes a pause button, which is handy for those times when you need to answer the door.
Hit pause and then resume to automatically return to the same settings. You will not have to reset the unit.
Now, prepare to be blown away by the next feature.
Induction Compatibility Sensor
This cooktop can do something unique and answer the internet's most popular induction cooking question:
Are my pans compatible with induction?
Not only can this cooktop answer this question, but it can also inform you about the suitability of your pans.
Hold down the top left side of the button of any burner, and put your pan on the burner. The burner will tell you if they are induction compatible and how much ferrous content is in the pan.
A higher percentage of ferrous metal means the pan will respond better to the magnetic induction burners and cook faster and more consistently.
And you'll find out how much Aunt Edna really spent on those allegedly top-of-the-line pans for your wedding or graduation.
Introducing the New SKS Flex Induction Cooktop
The manufacturer is SKS, the premium line of LG - one of the most reliable brands sold at Yale based on over 37,000 service calls.
You don't even need to buy an extended warranty because SKS features a complete three year warranty.
Product Details
Price
The price is $4,199.
You can buy an induction cooktop at almost any price, from $1,499 to $5,000.
It's in line with premium units like Thermador and Miele, but they don't have the same feature set as the SKS.
Let's compare.
SKS vs. Thermador: Comparing 36-inch Induction Cooktops
omparing the SKS 36-Inch Induction Cooktop to Other Leading Brands
First, both cooktops are excellent and have unique features.
The stovetop configuration is the same with both having power burners in the middle and bridge elements on either side.
Main Differences
Center Burner
The Thermador's center burner is larger, up to 11.25 inches, but the SKS cranks the output at 7000 watts versus 3300 watts for the Thermador.
Side Burner
Both SKS and Thermador have similar wattages.
However, Thermador also has "HeatShift," meaning you can set the bridge burner to three different temperatures by simply sliding the pan.
So you can boil your rice, warm it, and simmer it by moving the pan.
Controls
Thermador is good. The controls are organized in the front. However, the LCD screen on the SKS is the most intuitive you can buy.
Induction Compatibility Sensor
I don't know why I like this SKS feature so much. Maybe it will save time answering the pan question.
This feature definitively resolves the ongoing debate about whether your pans are compatible with this induction cooktop or not.
We will have these cooktops live in the showroom, so you can bring your pans into the store.
Warranty
Thermador's warranty is good for two years, but SKS is three years for parts and labor.
They also promise a 5-day repair guarantee - only time will tell if they truly deliver on that promise.
Reliability
Reliability is somewhat of an unknown with anything new. If we look at the reliability for induction cooktops, we see a pattern:
Induction Cooktop Reliability for 2024
The following service rates are based on at least 45 cooktops sold and a total sample of over 400 cooktops.
| Service Rates | |
| Bosch Benchmark | 1.1% |
| Thermador | 1.5% |
| Bosch | 3.4% |
| Miele | 4.4% |
| Gaggenau | 8.7% |
| Grand Total | 2.7% |
Thermador is a division of Bosch and are the most reliable induction cooktops you can buy. This SKS range is brand new, so it's hard to know.
Or is it?
Induction Range Reliability for 2024
The following service rates are based on a minimum of 60 products sold and a total sample of over 700 products within 12 months.
| Service Rate | |
| LG | 5.2% |
| Bosch | 8.8% |
| Café Appliances | 10.7% |
| GE Profile | 10.8% |
| Fisher & Paykel | 14.4% |
| Bosch Benchmark | 14.7% |
| Beko | 21% |
| Grand Total | 11.7% |
LG, the parent company of SKS, is number one, so it should be considered a generally more reliable cooktop.
Is the SKS Flex Induction Cooktop the Best Cooktop You Can Buy?
It certainly is in the conversation with Wolf, Thermador, and Monogram.
With its 7,000-watt burner, intuitive LCD, and innovative ferrous content sensor, SKS offers some distinctive features worth considering.
SKS is new and thus unproven, so reliability is always a concern.
Then again, SKS is backed by the best three-year warranty from the industry's most reliable company.
Additional Resources
Read our Induction Cooking Buying Guide for features, buying tips, and ratings of every available induction cooking product in the market. Well over 1 million people have read a Yale Guide. Induction is our most popular.
Related Articles:
Looking for answers about Induction Cooking?
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A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
