Induction cooktops are awesome. Hands-down, end of story. It’s a great technology that’s been in use in professional kitchens for years. Induction has been slow to catch on in the U.S., with price being a major factor. The Frigidaire FFIF3054TS range (available at Appliances Connection for $793.00), which smashes the $1,000 price barrier, may be the oven that induction enthusiasts have been waiting for.
Features
Auto-Sizing Pan Detection – When you place a pan on the cooktop surface, the oven automatically detects the size and send heat only to where it’s making contact.
Self-clean – A standard self-clean mode for the oven.
Storage drawer – Underneath the oven is a storage drawer for stashing pots and pans.
What we found
We loved our time with the Frigidaire FFIF3054TS. It’s not the fanciest range you can buy by any means, but the induction cooktop is simply too good to ignore, especially since the price has dropped below $1,000.
With that price barrier breached, it may convince some people who’ve been on the fence to finally give induction a try. That said, there are some things to consider. First is that induction cooking has a little bit of a learning curve. The instruction manual has some suggestions as to what number setting you should use (Low, 1-9, High, and Power; 12 settings in total), but expect that you’ll need to budget some time for trial and error. Likely, you’ll end up as happy—or even happier—than you were with your old gas or electric cooktop.
The FFIF3054TSW is a great value, but it’s not hard to find where some corners were cut when you compare it to a more premium range. For example, the oven door opens smoothly but slams shut. There’s no convection bake mode. We also found the control panel to be cluttered. None of these should be enough to dissuade you if you’re thinking about buying (though some bakers may insist on convection), but you should know what you’re getting.
What user reviews say
People love the fast boil time on the cooktop and have had positive baking and cooking experiences. A noticeable number of reviewers, however, had an error pop up within days of its first installation. It’s covered by the one-year parts and labor warranty, but it’s still annoying.
Oven Results
TIME TO PREHEAT TO 350ºF
The FFIF3054TSW clocked in at 8:13 to get to 350ºF, which is faster than average.
COOKIES
The cookies came out evenly on both the top and the bottom. No complaints here.
CAKE
The cakes cooked in the FFIF3054TD came out fine, but we’ve seen better.
PORK
The Frigidaire FFIF3054TD cooked pork to perfection.
TOAST
The toast test revealed that there’s a definite hotspot in the center of the broiler. Not enough to ruin toast, but something to be aware of.
Should you buy it?
We loved the Frigidaire FFIF3054TD, both for what it is (a great range) and for what it represents (the first eminently affordable induction range).
If you’re in the market for a new, inexpensive electric range, you should strongly consider making the switch to induction, and specifically the Frigidaire FFIF3054TD. You’re going to see a huge performance improvement.
Switching from gas to induction is trickier. You need a 240V outlet, which many gas households may not have. So you should also consider the Frigidaire FFIF3054TD, but make sure to get an electrician’s estimate first and add that to the total budget.
