Great Inexpensive Gizmos

[Capn Morgan]

Originally Posted by keyspc

How much power do they need and dont you have to use a special pot?

You can change the power setting. Max 2000 W, min 120 W. To cook a steak I start at 1000 for a short time then reduce to 300. A coffee is made in 2 minutes at 1800 W.

The pots have to have magnetic properties to work but they are very common. I have a Boaties Frying pan that I got in the UK for 20 quid and a pressure cooker that makes it the most efficient way to cook I can think of.

M

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Capn Morgan

You can change the power setting. Max 2000 W, min 120 W. To cook a steak I start at 1000 for a short time then reduce to 300. A coffee is made in 2 minutes at 1800 W.

The pots have to have magnetic properties to work but they are very common. I have a Boaties Frying pan that I got in the UK for 20 quid and a pressure cooker that makes it the most efficient way to cook I can think of.

M

Mine is a "NuWave," and you can set the temperature in increments of 10ºF. I hadn't thought of combining it with my pressure cooker! I'll have to see if a magnet sticks to it.

[Andrew Troup]

Induction hobs are indeed, in my opinion, a game changer, ashore for sure, and afloat I can well believe.

It's a common misapprehension that special pots are essential: many 'standard' pots will work, as quite a lot of even stainless pots are of magnetic grades. (ie, can be attracted by a magnet)

I've got a stainless frothing jug which will work on induction, and a stainless coffee plunger.

However that reminds me of a drawback with induction hobs, possibly a factor in a distractible environment like a boat: if it's on full, it's the easiest thing in the world to raise an item of cookware to red heat or higher, and it can happen very quickly if there's no liquid in it. You may not actually melt the item, but you may ruin it in a few seconds.

Aluminium cookware of course will not work on induction, unless it has embedded pellets of a magnetic material, like the wonderfully functional Boaties Frying Pan mentioned by Capn Morgan.

[Capn Morgan]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Mine is a "NuWave," and you can set the temperature in increments of 10ºF. I hadn't thought of combining it with my pressure cooker! I'll have to see if a magnet sticks to it.

Just try it on the cooking top. Either it will work or not. European ones nowadays tend to work as induction is popular there.

Here they are at work.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

Induction hobs are indeed, in my opinion, a game changer, ashore for sure, and afloat I can well believe.

It's a common misapprehension that special pots are essential: many 'standard' pots will work, as quite a lot of even stainless pots are of magnetic grades. (ie, can be attracted by a magnet)

I've got a stainless frothing jug which will work on induction, and a stainless coffee plunger.

However that reminds me of a drawback with induction hobs, possibly a factor in a distractible environment like a boat: if it's on full, it's the easiest thing in the world to raise an item of cookware to red heat or higher, and it can happen very quickly if there's no liquid in it. You may not actually melt the item, but you may ruin it in a few seconds.

Aluminium cookware of course will not work on induction, unless it has embedded pellets of a magnetic material, like the wonderfully functional Boaties Frying Pan mentioned by Capn Morgan.

It's really fast to heat, but the ... hub, did you call it? -- doesn't get hot, which really holds the heat down in the boat in the summertime.

So what's a "frothing pot?"

[somedayy]

Great thread Kettlewell. Thanks for starting it.

[sailcruiser]

Originally Posted by Capn Morgan

I got several induction cookers as in the first picture. About 30 bucks each. I cut them into components. I got my old gas stove onto the pontoon and cut it into bits but keeping the top and the gimbals. I installed 2 induction heaters side by side and kept the rest for spares. The old stove had packed up and spares were not available so something had to be done. This way I got rid of gas inside the boat and now I can cook powered by the inverter.

$30?! Do you mind sharing the source? The best I've seen is closer o $80.
SC

[Capn Morgan]

Originally Posted by sailcruiser

$30?! Do you mind sharing the source? The best I've seen is closer o $80.
SC

Giant Supermarket in Singapore. SGD 36 a pop to be precise. You can pay more if you want to buy more fancy ones.

[sailcruiser]

Originally Posted by Capn Morgan

Giant Supermarket in Singapore. SGD 36 a pop to be precise. You can pay more if you want to buy more fancy ones.

Oh ok that explains the nice price ($29 USD). I keep looking at them here but can't quite justify it at $75+ USD for a basic unit.

Good to know though if I ever find a great deal.
SC

[Capn Morgan]

Originally Posted by sailcruiser

Oh ok that explains the nice price ($29 USD). I keep looking at them here but can't quite justify it at $75+ USD for a basic unit.

Good to know though if I ever find a great deal.
SC

I just didn't want to spend a lot of money on things that I was going to cut up into bits and hope they were going to work. The plastic is really cheap and soft. I didn't expect them to work for very long but it's been a few months now and they keep going.

The most expensive ones are Panasonic at about 90 SGD but they are larger and I couldn't fit two side by side in that space. Nicer though.

[Kettlewell]

We have found silicone baking pans are great for the boat. Nothing sticks to them making cleanup very easy, and they don't rattle or break. We just leave ours stored in the oven when not in use. They are naturally nonskid. You can get them at WM and Target.

[gettinthere]

Turkey baster
When you have to repair the toilet, how do you get the stuff out first? Any disassembly will dump liquids on the floor.

Just remember not to use it to actually baste the turkey after!

Butyl tape works better than museum putty for holding things in place. It also works fantastic as a temp seal for leaks. Put a small booger of butyl on the end of your screwdriver and it can hold a screw on while you try to get it started in the hole.

A 3' long part grabber. Has 4 small prongs, spring activated at the handle end for grabbing stuff in hard to reach places.

Clothespins, all plastic. But wood clothespins have good uses also. The soft wood makes good wedges or stir sticks like the popcicle sticks suggestion.

The dual suction cup grip works well underwater...but does sink! Put a piece of foam pipe insulation over the handle to provide flotation.

Extendable painters pole. Makes scrubbing the side of the boat easier. Can tape on other stuff for a long reach. And I attach my gopro camera for extended reach shots, cheap aerial photography.

Marriage Saver headsets. The name is exactly right.

[Kettlewell]

Clothespins, all plastic. But wood clothespins have good uses also. The soft wood makes good wedges or stir sticks like the popcicle sticks suggestion.

I like the wooden clothespins for actual hanging of clothes on the lifelines as the plastic ones disintegrate in the sun too quickly--wooden ones last for many years. Find good big ones with nice strong springs before you take off--they aren't always easy to locate. Carry spares for when the springs get rusty so you don't leave rust marks on your clothes.

Marriage Saver headsets. The name is exactly right.

Prefer hand signals--simple, and cost free.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Prefer hand signals--simple, and cost free.

We use the headsets when I am going up the mast. Really helps to be able to communicate with Ann on deck for hoisting instructions or parts/tool chasing without shouting my lungs out (and amusing/annoying all the other boats in the anchorage).

And we got our headsets at that great chandlery ToysRUs! 19.95$ for the pair, and they have lasted over 15 years on board.

Cheers,

Jim

[gettinthere]

Hand signals are simple but sometimes comms are complex. The headsets work great and there's no misunderstandings resulting in undesired hand signals!