Just to say that I'm helping a neighbor who's tending towards the same thinking on the Fagor 3 zone radiant cooktop that has a very similar design (Diva's out of her price range).

Like you she has a portable induction for any crisis cooking and the Fagor layout, like Diva's, is so much better than the smaller 4 zone cooktops where it looks like it would be hard to use them all simultaneously.

I really don't see this as a problem, even in resale.

We rented a house in Provence 3 years ago for four weeks. It had 3 zone induction and I never felt the need for four. I have since installed the De Detrich 4 zone in my house and I think only one or two times in two years have I had all four zones going at the same time. If I had limited space, I'd spring for 3 zones. Having the extra burner will insure you have enough for those rare times when you might have four things going at once.

with the spare burner i'd go with the 3zone one. it'll save you space. in that size of a kitchen you need every inch. it's the same size as mine. I've been fine with 1 burner for the past 11 yrs (just cooking for me) and i'm dreading the idea of using up space for a 30" stove. ugh... i'd rather have the space in drawers!

It makes sense to me. I figured I'd be almost the only one. I'm stunned that so many have already posted agreement, in just a few hours. I had no idea how much support this would generate.

hth !
-david

I have thought of getting the DDP-3 because I hardly ever use more than 2 elements at a time and it has 2 large and powerful elements plus the small third element. I think it is a great design for small kitchens but wish it had more selectable settings.

I have only had three burners on my old electric coil range for about 4-5 years now. And it is three small burners (6 inch?) Although I keenly miss a larger burner, I rarely have more than two burners going at any one time. You can get by fine with three burners, especially if they are larger!

I have a 30" 4 burner cooktop. Here is my utilization of it (approx)
1 burner usage - 95%
2 burner usage - 4%
3 burner usage - 1%
4 burner - NEVER

And i cook A LOT. just not all at once.

If bluestar sold a two burner model, i would have bought that.
I prefer to have more counter space than more burners (more grates to keep clean).

> i'm dreading the idea of using up space for a 30" stove. ugh... i'd rather have the space in drawers!

Why don't you do that, desertsteph?

This is really exciting and interesting! How lovely to have so much confirmation for my idea.

Here are all the 3-zone induction cooktops that's I've been able to find:

The sexy AEG (which I can't find available in the US):
http://www.appliancist.com/cooktops/induction-cooktop-aeg-electrolux-98001kfsn.html

The Diva:
http://theinductionsite.com/buy-induction/buy-ddp3.php

The SMEG (sorry, still can't stand that name, and it's not available in the US yet):
http://www.tradingpost-appliances.co.uk/store/customer/product.php?productid=7250&cat=40&page=5

the St. George in Australia:
http://www.sga.com.au/60cm-3-zone-Induction-Cooktop/default.aspx

Austalia's Omega:
http://www.infolink.com.au/c/Omega-Appliances/Three-zone-induction-cooktop-n764168

Australia's Blanco:
http://www.blanco-australia.com/Product.aspx?Range=platinum&PageID=107&id=17

and IKEA has the 3-zone NUTID, but it's not available in North America. I'm three hours from Canada but are the Canadian and American amperages the same?

That leaves one choice, the DDP-3, right?

(pharaoh and dockside, thanks for the breakdown of your burner use. We're in synch.)

rc
in
VT

One other small one, not a three zone, but four in a 24" space, is the Summit, although it's darned hard to get any useful information about it. My friend considered it (it's available quite inexpensively if you shop around) but the lack of response from Summit made her decide to nix it:

Here is a link that might be useful: summit 24 inch induction

Oh, I read somewhere that Electrolux/AEG is supposed to become available in the US next month, but I don't know if that pertains to that particular model.

Now I get it: You're three hours from Canada but you are wondering whether the Canadian and American electrical requirements are the same, because you want the sexy AEG available in Canada.

Yes, Canadian and American electricity is the same. Exactly.

I agree with your assessment. The AEG was tempting to me too. Also, I wouldn't get anything that still calls itself SMEG after being imported, and I wouldn't go to Australia. Canada is closer and the AEG is sexier.

If I could get that zoneless AEG, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Go for it.

I would have loved zoneless. :) The AEG with the four sections, 2 back, 2 front, (I think it's the smallest one) is 28 inches, however. It does have all the nice controls, and if there's a repair place within 3 hours (or close to it) rather than just the border, I'd say go for it!!

I self imported the Gaggenau 24" three zone from England. It's not installed yet, but I've seen it. :) It looks just like the pictures, just like the Diva. The Gaggenau serviceman and the electrician had a confab and agreed it would work fine, except that the timers wouldn't run on the same time as the clock because of the difference in cycles. The Gagg guy told me to just make a chart of the correspondences.

Diva has a great reputation, and is a good choice, but only has 9 power levels and no true timers. Those features might not be important to you.

I'm also putting in two burners of gas, so it's a slightly different situation, but I don't think I need five burners at once. I'm much more likely to use either induction or gas, or to have a stock pot on the big induction element, and be roasting eggplants on the gas, or maybe boiling the kettle so it won't be in my way.

Anyway, the thing about the three element induction is that the rings are a little closer together than on the 30" ones. The pots are therefore closer together and you have to manage your handles. If you like to spread out, it's not for you. But in a 10'x10' kitchen, those extra 7" of countertop might well be worth it. I have a bigger kitchen and it was worth it to me!

pillog, what was involved in doing the import? Did you just order it or was there more to it than that?

writersblock, I just saw that the zoneless AEG is available at The Induction Site. That site is packed with information and many GWers have had good dealings with them.

DeDietrich induction has a new unit with a zoneless "hob" and two regular hobs.

My eyes are falling out of their sockets from gathering data on the positive and negative aspects of features of units that I've never even seen in person! Perhaps some day American manufacturers will realize that lots of people are downsizing or building smaller and want efficient appliances that don't hog space. Then we might be able to shop locally.

Thank you all for the many ideas and suggestions.

rc
in
VT

Yes, they have it but it doesn't appear to be available in the US, only in the UK.

And they don't deal with the lower end of induction at all: not even a review for Summit, Kenyon, etc. It's a great site for those with deep pockets who can afford only the very best, but only for those folks. Even an "it's awful; here's why" would be useful for the brands they snub.

To answer Writersblock's question about self-importing. It was relatively easy...after I found a place to buy from. No matter what I got, it was going to require a dedicated 240 circuit. I got a letter from my insurance company which said that the European unit was fine even though it wasn't UL approved. And the electrician and Gaggenau guy had their confab.

There are some bargain websites in France and Spain that have the same unit for less, but they have very restrictive sales territories, and wouldn't even answer inquiries about shipping abroad. Gaggenau in England only sells though kitchen design stores, not appliance shops. I just sent e-mails to various vendors on the Gaggenau list until I found a designer who said he'd be happy to help.

The designer ordered the unit, and as soon it was in I did a bank transfer to his U.S. account and he FedEx'd the unit to me. I had it the next morning. The box did get thrashed in shipping, but as far as I can tell all the parts are there, and I do have local Gaggneau service/installers. The very tip of the corner of the stainless steel frame also got just a little squished. A teeny bit. Not enough to get excited over in this case, though if it were a local delivery I might.

Anyway, that's all there was to it. FedEx handles the customs and everything (I think the fee is something like $5), and sends a bill for the duty. I think it was $75 or so.

This all works because a little induction cooktop is FedExable.

I wanted the knob on the Gaggenau, and the number of power levels. Those are both very important features to me. And saved 6" and at least a thousand dollars.

Thank you very much, pillog. That was very helpful.

RC in Vermont:
... you'd like to see it in person?
How about calling a store and telling them you want to see it plugged in and operating!

If the zoneless AEG you have been writing about is the AEG 98001 KF-SN then I'm sure you can get it in one drive to Montreal this summer.

The AEG 98001 KF-SN is stretched out, three rectangles in a row. E.g. http://theinductionsite.com/buy-induction/buy-98001kfsn.php

I've seen it twice at two different showrooms: (Bachand on Decarie, and at JC Perreault on Highway 30 near Chambly Road; a bit closer to you).
I always email and call beforehand.
I call stores, distributors, master distributors, competitors, you name it.
No way I'd drive over to see what they have, without knowing I've got their attention first.
And a few answers before even showing up.
The guy who I came across was good.
Paul Simpson electrosth AT jcperreault.com; 450-462-7211 ext. 4425 .

According to www.signaturebachand.com/service/service.html it's imported or serviced by Impora (not EuroLine).
I've called the Impora guys too. Frank and Marc.

As for the Ikea, their web site tells you if the articles you want are in stock that day.
I once spent an entire day in that Ikea and I think it caught the attention of their security manager; mid or late afternoon someone who didn't identify himself came charing up to me asking if he could help me. No uniform. That was a fun conversation.

On another thread I can tell you what I was able to find out about side opening ovens; I've even seen the Fagor. And I have exchanged lots of email with several Fagor people in Florida.

Call before showing up.
Bachand has one AEG induction cooktop plugged in.
Why not have it be THAT one on the day you are coming to see it?
It's numskull simple to twist wires on, twist wires off.

Warehousing may be off site.
Make sure they know you will take a new boxed one away if you are satisfied.

I'd use a Canadian address to activate the warrantee and then move to the US.
Nobody can prevent anyone from moving.
All my family has stuff either from Canada in the US or from the US in Canada.
It all works on the same electricity and/or phone system.