Tillreda Review – UPDATED 2021 – IKEA Portable Induction Cooktops

IKEA Portable Induction Cooktop

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So, what should you know before making a final decision? Here are some of Tillreda’s main features explained.

Sizing standards

IKEA’s cooktop is designed to be portable. In other words, it comes with a compact design that makes storage and transportation piece of cake. It measures 18x14x3.7 inches. In other words, it can go anywhere – suitable for recreational vehicles as well, not to mention outdoor or small kitchens without a lot of space.

The cooktop weighs about 6.1 pounds. When it comes to portability, even your kid could bring it over. Just be careful not to drop it. As for the running requirements, it relies on a classic voltage of 120V, so it can go anywhere.

Portability features

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 handle makes moving of the unit easy. The handle is also suitable to wrap the cord around it – no more messy wires everywhere. You can hang it from the holes on the back, but you can also use the handle for it.

Controls and settings

Controls are not just smartly located for convenience, but they are also digital. You will run this cooktop with touch control sensors. Whenever you choose a program, it will beep, so you know precisely it is working. The control panel is intuitive and straightforward – hard to mess it up.

In terms of power, you have nine different settings. It all starts at 100 watts. It goes up to 300 watts, then 600 watts and so on until you reach 2,000 watts. This is the maximum power – a bit above average for this price range, so you have good value for money.

Time settings

Going through power levels and settings is not everything. When cooking, you will also need to keep an eye on your food. Even better, based on every Tillreda review out there, you can set the timer to go and focus on other things meanwhile, especially if you are familiar with the required cooking time.

The timer settings can go anywhere between a minute and 99 minutes. Once the cooktop has finished cooking, it will turn off by itself. Make sure you know how much time your food needs to cook, especially if you are new to induction cooktops. While smart, the cooktop is not smart enough to determine when the food is burnt, yet IKEA has implemented a setting like this.

Heating area

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.

The heating area is conveniently located in the middle of the cooktop. You have the control panel right under it. Given the size, it can take a normal sized pan or a pot. It covers a wide area of the cooktop surface – just because the unit is compact, IKEA has not wasted too much space on its surface.

Operation

The control panel has six buttons only, so it is fairly simple to operate. You do not have to be a genius to figure it out, so you can ditch the manual. The first button is a child lock button. The second one is the timer button. You then have plus and minus buttons to increase the timer, as well as pause button and a classic on and off button.

The pause button will probably be the button you will never use. After all, who pauses their cooking session in the middle, only to restart it later? IKEA must have thought of everything though, including emergencies.

Safety features

Every induction cooktop comes with some safety features. Although there is no flame involved, you still want to make sure you are safe and less likely to mess things up. Based on every Tillreda review out there, the cooktop comes with a temperature sensor.

This sensor has the primary role to detect overheating. The cooktop will turn off by itself if it detects a high temperature. However, this is less likely to happen because it features an embedded fan. Moreover, there is a residual heat indicator to let you know if there is a problem. The child lock is also helpful.

Design and style

The cooktop looks sleek. There are no crevices, so maintenance should be a matter of minutes. Given the smooth design, this cooktop looks like an oversized iPad, which is pretty nice. It has rubber feet, which add to its stability.

Controls are digital, so there are no ugly plastic or metallic buttons coming out here and there. The wide cooking area makes it suitable for large pots and pans too, without worrying about covering the control panel.

Running capabilities

Almost every Tillreda review out there can agree that the cooktop heats up faster than other similar options. The whole surface is heated evenly, so your food will be cooked by the book. Heat sticks to the cookware only, as well as the heating element under it. The rest of the surface is cool and safe to touch.

The unit turns off by itself if no buttons are set within a minute from switching it on. At the same time, it will stop working if the cookware is empty. The residual heat is indicated, so you know the cooking area is still hot. You can use it to warm foods.

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 panel

You 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 settings

Temperature 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.

Extras

A 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 started

The 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 warranty

Just 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.