The concept behind IKEA’s vision is fairly simple to understand for anyone who has visited the prestigious shop – quality things should be affordable. Affordability is given by the customer’s capability to put things together – basically, people save money on assembling things themselves, even if they have to waste a bit of time. While better known for its furniture products, IKEA has also drawn attention with its portable induction cooktop – Tillreda. In fact, the unit has received a few awards in 2016, mostly for its innovative design. As a matter of fact, this is the main thing that every Tillreda review talks about. The unit is easy to install or use, but also portable.
With all these, whenever you look for a portable cooktop for sale, you want to know more about it. You want to know its positives, as well as its negatives. More importantly, you want to ensure it can raise to your expectations and actually meet your needs. This Tillreda review will make everything crystal clear for you.
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Tillreda Review – Updated 2020
Small details make the difference when it comes to the IKEA portable induction cooktop. It is made with the consumers’ needs in mind. It has a smart style and it is easy to use and store, which is pretty much what people look for in a portable unit. Obviously, what works for some people will not work for everyone else, hence the necessity of a little research.
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While the size and weight are the main factors that can determine the portability of a unit, you have to look for more. IKEA has thought about every little detail that could make your life easier. The handle on the top is one of the simplest, yet most efficient features an induction cooktop could come with. Surprisingly enough, most of the competition has failed to consider this aspect.
The cooking area has a minimum requirement of 7.2 inches. You only have one cooking spot, but after all, this cooktop is built to be portable and compact. You can also spot an air inlet on the side of the cooktop, not to mention the air outlet on the base.
Buying Guide – IKEA induction range – What You need to know
There are a few things to pay attention to when interested in an induction cooktop. Some of them are pretty obvious – size, weight and number of cooking areas. What else?
Control panelYou could have knobs, buttons or touchscreen controls. Obviously, the latest version is the sleekest one. Induction cooktops look good anyway, so you do not want a traditional knob on a super modern unit, do you? IKEA has already thought about it. However, touch controls are a bit more expensive.
According to Induction Pros, controls should also be far from the element to ensure large cookware will not heat them up.
Power settingsTemperature settings are just as important. It is easier to cook if temperature intervals are low. Some units come with a low maximum power – around 1,500 watts. Some others go up to over 2,000 watts. The IKEA induction cooktop goes to 2,000 watts, which is more than enough for pretty much everything.
The more temperature levels you have, the more customized your experience will be. You should have anywhere around 10 different levels.
ExtrasA few features that would be good to have, include the timer and the presets. A timer will let you set the unit up and focus on something else. Presets are alright until you figure them out, but they vary widely from one cooktop to another, so they require lots of experimenting.
A voltage display would be handy to have too, as well as a power consumption display. Safety sensors, automatic shutdown features and an automatic pan detection feature would be quite useful too.
Some of these extras could be useful – especially those related to safety. However, you may find induction cooktops with plenty of bells and whistles that do not really do too much. Instead, they mostly add to the price, while you are less likely to use them too often.
Tillreda manual – Getting startedThe Tillreda induction cooktop is fairly simple to use, even if you have never dealt with induction cooking before. The unit should not be very close to the walls, only to ensure the inlet and outlet are not blocked. It should be placed on a stable top – not too close to magnetic sensitive items.
You will need to use ferromagnetic cookware if you want the unit to work. Get a magnet and stick it to the base of your pots and pans. If it sticks, they are good to go. Otherwise, you might need to buy something else.
The cookware should have flat bottoms. As for the utensils, it is recommended to stick to wooden options, rather than stainless steel alternatives. They are ferromagnetic and may influence the cooking experience.
Place the cookware on the cooktop before turning the unit on. The center of the cooking area should relatively match the center of your cookware. The child lock is activated by default when you plug the cooktop in. Hold it for three seconds and it will go. Press the on button them.
Go to the plus and minus buttons to adjust the power levels. If you want to set a timer, you will need to press the timer button before going through the plus and minus settings again. If you press the pause button and do not restart for a couple of hours, the unit will beep five times and go into a standby mode.
Based on the IKEA manual, Turn the cooktop off when done. Do not unplug it straight away. Wait until the residual heat indicator is gone. You can then clean it with a clean cloth – slightly wet. Keep in mind that sharp stuff could scratch it. Scratches will not affect the functionality though.
If somehow you spill something and it hardens, you can use a bit of soap. Do not use metallic scrappers or anything that could scratch the ceramic glass surface. Instead, you could get a specialized scrapper for induction cooktops. Or you can just place a wet cloth on top of the mess and let it moisten and soften a bit.
IKEA Tillreda warrantyJust like for anything else in life, you want a warranty to cover yourself should unexpected situations arise. Most things from IKEA come with a warranty and the Tillreda induction cooktop makes no exception either. In other words, you will get an exquisite after sale service as well.
IKEA provides a five year guarantee from the moment you purchase a cooktop, yet there are a few exceptions and Tillreda is one of them. If you get the Tillreda or the Lagan cooktop, you will only get two years. You will need to keep the original sales receipt, so make sure you look after it.
Other than that, it is worth noting that if your cooktop requires any work during the guarantee years, the period will not be extended whatsoever. All costs associated with such repairs are supported by IKEA, including the labor and travel expenses.
IKEA will repair or replace your product after analyzing it. Based on most Tillreda reviews, there are no common problems associated with this cooktop. However, a good warranty indicates the manufacturer’s confidence in its product, not to mention giving you a well deserved peace of mind. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Still not sure whether the IKEA induction cooktop is suitable for you? You are not the only one. There will always be a few question marks in the process.
Do chefs use induction cooktops or is it just a trend?
Some chefs will never leave the open flame. Many others love this new trend for a few reasons. First, induction cooking provides super fast heating. Moreover, the heat control is quite precise through the surface. It is much easier to cook with an induction cooktop. The temperature can go up and down with no issues whatsoever, so you can also save some energy and money. Plus, it is hard to get automatic timers on classic open flame cooktops.
Do you have to vent an induction cooktop?
Compared to electric or gas cooktops, induction cooktops require way less venting – but they still need it though. Ventilation is still mandatory in order to ensure a safe cooking experience. There are a few aspects that make ventilation a must – smoke, grease, steam and residual heat, which will inevitably come out of the cookware. Proper ventilation will also prevent your induction cooktop from overheating and burning out.
Do induction cooktops scratch easily?
Your induction cooktop is like your phone or your tablet. If you look after it, it will not scratch. The good news is you will not carry it around your house everyday, so it is not that exposed to such risks. Modern induction cooktops – such as IKEA’s Tillreda – are sturdy. The ceramic glass top will not scratch that easily. But then, just like anything with glass on top, it can be scratched.
The body is usually metallic or plastic. However, the body is less likely to scratch. We did an article about this knowing that many are concern about scratches on their induction cooktop. Find out how to prevent it from happening.
Will scratches affect my cooking experience?
Constant and irresponsible uses, as well as the lack of maintenance and care, can cause scratches or even black stains on an induction cooktop. Such issues are aesthetic only. They will not affect the cooking capability of your cooktop.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, this Tillreda review should be able to answer all of your questions. IKEA has done a pretty good job with this induction cooktop – compact, good looking, versatile and fully featured. There are no bells and whistles, while the price puts it in a middle category. Based on its performance, it is almost impossible to find a negative Tillreda review.
The cooktop is suitable for those with small kitchens, students, dorms, recreational vehicles, outdoor kitchens and those who would love to make the transition to induction cooking without spending a fortune.
