NuWave Induction Cooktop |
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Consumer reviews about NuWave Induction Cooktop |
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Mary Mort
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Jul 12, 2012
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fake tv ad
This company gives fake TV ads. I tried to purchase their product and I just lost my money with them. They never send me item I paid for and they don't have return policy. Buyer, beware!
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dwoodsie
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Jul 23, 2012
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didnt not recived free cooktop
Brought one get one free nuwave protable cooktop in April never received the free one I call in May an was assuer it was on it way never came. This company is Nothing But a big scam
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EPbp
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Oct 25, 2012
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NUWAVE SCAM
I PURCHASED PRODUCT FROM NUWAVE THEY PROMISE TO GIVE YOU THERE ADVERTISEMENT OFFER BUY 1 GET 1 FREE WITH ACCESSORIES THEY SENT ONLY 1 AND THE ONE THEY SENT ISN'T WORKING I TRIED MANY OCCASIONS TO CONTACT THEM AND ITS NO RESPONES PLEASE HELP!!!! THE COMPANY IS A FRAUD I BOUGHT THE PRODUCT IN AUGUST AND HAD NO SUCCESS WITH THE PRODUCT {PIC COOKTOP} OR THE COMPANY LEFT MANY OF MESSAGES....
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Earle
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Nov 27, 2012
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Modern con artists
I was about to order the Nu Wave induction cook top by phone, but decided to take a more leisure look on the web site. The $99 cook top (+ s+h) and the 2nd free cook top (+ s+h) plus the two free cooking packages (+ s+h) came to a total of $284. Excluding s+h of $29.95 for the first unit means that the free packages cost $254.64 for s+h. HOW ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
In my opinion Nu Wave is taking advantage primarily of telephone customers who may be unwitting to make informed decisions under pressure of the phone order specialists.
This is a con exemplified. $254.64 for shipping and handling 3 items, bull c***.
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Earle
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Nov 28, 2012
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Modern con artists correction
$254.64 is incorrect. It should be $169.85. I forgot to factor the price of the first unit and a $15 discount for ordering the second. My apology for the error. Nonetheless the amount for s+ h does not excuse Nu Wave's snake oil tactics.
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Thumper
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Dec 2, 2012
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NuWave is a SCAM
Earle above was wise and didn't order from the TV ad over the phone. I did and was scamed. I verified with the operator what I purchased and how much was to be billed to my credit card. I did at least receive the cooktops, but not the cookware. When the company was contacted, the said I never order it and it would now cost me an additional $70. To me that is FRAUD. If you need more information, just GOOGLE "Nuwave" and "SCAM" and see what shows up. This story is posted over and over again.
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Eileen
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Dec 7, 2012
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NuWave Induction Cooktop
NUWAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A JOKE! NEVER RECEIVED MY EXTRA CARRYING CASE THAT I'VE PAID FOR!! I've called them twice now looking for answers for my extra carrying case that I've paid for. Both time I was told that they have to open an "investigation" with FEDEX. I asked why FEDEX should be involved since my box arrived in a perfect condition and FEDEX does not PACK the items. The agent then tried to tell me just how busy they are and they will get to my compliant when they have time. Wow, I told him that I would not accept his explanation and asked to speak with a supervisor. OF COURSE, NONE OF THE SUPERVISORS IS AVAILABLE! WHAT A SCAM! Just look at their direct quote from their web: Customer service is a top priority, and we are absolutely dedicated to ensuring that everyone who comes to Hearthware enjoys a positive experience. WHAT A JOKE!
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scammed again
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Dec 24, 2012
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didn't receive items as pictures on TV and didn't receive all items I paid for
Ordered off tv...........items received weren't as pictured on TV.........I paid for buy one get one just paid S/H (which is outragous) ........I received 2 cooktops and 1 set of cookware..........was giving as gifts for Christmas .....one set for each of my boys' families........guess what........someone isn't getting the cookware set with their cooktop. I called the company..........they want more money to complete order.............not going to happen...........buyers beware......horrible experience......don't get scammed.
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loulouzgirl
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Feb 9, 2013
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NuWave Induction Cooktop
My mom ordered this for $99.99. She knew there would be S&H charges. She didn't know how much. My mom is elderly and VERY hard of hearing, legally deaf. So, now she's stuck making payments on her credit card that she can't afford.
If she wants to return it, it's another $129.
This is nothing short of robbery.
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JCayer
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May 1, 2013
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NuWave Induction Cooktop
I agree with all other complaints it is false advertising. They say you purchase one cooktop and get one free plus 6 gifts of cookware, pans, fondue set and steamer but yet they only sent the two cooktops. When I called in regards to find out about the gift set I was told that I should have told them on the phone that I wanted the gifts and I was going to be charged extra shipping and handling. They already charged me $119.90 U.S. funds for shipping, why couldn`t they ship the gifts at the same time in the same box. Now I am stuck with this product because it will cost me more to ship it back than it`s worth because according to them the shipping I paid is non refundable.
Buyer be ware they are false advertising. Joanne
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lazerpete
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Jul 7, 2013
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cook top
I went to bed bath and beyond and simply purchased the cook top and got 1 free pan. Paid 99.00 bucks for it, I can always bring it back to store for refund and no shipping costs, no bull-simple.works for me...
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cszumowski
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Aug 30, 2013
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nuwave
Purchased item and was not as advertised on tv. The item got hot to surface, and will not work with any other pots, only theirs, I want to return and have to pay for shipping back to them. $30.00 for each item free, it is not free when you have to pay this amount. I am a cook and this is the worst piece of product I have ever bought, will not recommend. What a scam, but they try telling me different, I have put my customers first, and not to buy this.
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Duhduh
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Nov 16, 2013
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ALL our pots/pans are worthless now !
Received the advertised items + the unit functions - The "scam" part in this case is the kitchen ware - Now I understand the reasoning behind Nuwave's pressure from the tel. sales lady REPEATEDLY to buy hundreds + hundreds + hundreds of dollars of pots, lids, pans, etc... w/separate S+H costs - NOTHING - I repeat - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING under our cupboards is compatible w/the machines. This part of their advertising marketing "scam" is not clearly or otherwise noted. Hope this helps others make a better INFORMED decision. Tried to keep the cost down to a reasonable amount but it still totaled about $250.00 ($249.82). Am considering returning everything (Yay for AMEX). Gave the so called free one to my daughter + checked her pots/pans - NONE of her cookware is compatible either. If a magnet doesn't work - your screwed (I.e. Error 1 message on the machine display). Sure takes the enjoyment away from even turning the damn things on. Tony F. [email protected]
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E J
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Nov 22, 2013
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NuWave PIC Pro Review
I phoned NuWave for clarifications BEFORE I ordered via their website 11-14-2013. Sales rep also confirmed I can simply pay all at once. The online process was overly treacherous, but I read each succeeding question/offer carefully. I went for the “BOGO” 2-for-1 offer, and I upgraded to the “PIC Pro” model. PIC PRO unit #1 base price was $129.94 ($24.99 more than the PIC2’s price of $99.99). S&H on that unit was another $29.95, for a total of $154.93. For PIC Pro unit #2, I paid the $24.99 ‘premium’ for getting the ‘pro’ version, and paid another $29.95 for S&H. Total cost of the 2nd unit was $54.94. So both Pro units cost a total of $209.87, or $104.94 apiece, including the S&H. I also went for the free “Complete NuWave PIC Cooking Package”. This introduced another $29.95 for S&H. The final total cost I paid was $239.82 on my credit card. NuWave sent me prompt e-mail confirmation of my order, but I had to email them on Nov. 18 to request a UPS tracking number. They sent me the tracking number, and the shipment arrived intact on the morning of Nov. 20th.
In one big, heavy box I rec’d the two PIC Pro units, and the cookware set (consisting of: a 9" frying pan; a 10.5" frying pan; a 10.5” dia. x 3” deep stainless steel pot; a 10.5” dia. glass lid; a stainless steel steamer insert that can be used with the pot; a fondu-ring insert that can be used with the pot, and; eight fondue forks. The frying pans are stainless on the outside, with a copper-colored, “Duralon” nano-ceramic non-stick coating inside. Their bottoms are almost ½” thick. The stainless steel pot also has the thick bottom (but has no non-stick coating inside). The glass lid fits either the 10.5” pan or the 3”-deep pot and has a little steam-vent hole in it.
Each PIC PRO unit is about 12” dia. x 2.5” high, except it’s 14” across in the front area where the push-button controls are. The actual induction heating area (within the red circle) is 6.5 inches in diameter. The outer white ring (cosmetic only) is 9” in diameter. All controls except ‘program’ (staged cooking) are EZ to figure out without the manual. A big, red LED displays your settings. Panel has six temperature presets: Low (100F); Med. Low (175); Med. (275); Med. High (375); High (425), and; Max. Sear (560F or above). You select a preset, then adjust the temperature up-or-down in 5F degree increments to your desired setting.
I did some quick tests on both the units I rec’d, and I must agree with everyone that the displayed temperature readings are inaccurate, even when using NuWave’s own induction cookware. Here’s how I performed my little tests… I put the 10.5” frying pan (at room temperature, 72F) onto the first PIC Pro unit (#1), added 10 cups of 72F water, and turned ON the unit to its highest “Max Sear” setting. It took 7 minutes to bring the water to a full, rolling boil. My home’s line voltage was 122.5V.
I then set the LED display to 215F: the boiling quickly stopped and the water temperature dropped to 190F before stabilizing, as measured using an ASCI-certified Kessler lab thermometer at proper immersion. To maintain full boil, I had to set the temperature to 275F. Water boils at 212F (at sea level). When set for 215F and given time to stabilize, that particular PIC Pro unit (#1) produced actual water temperatures that were 12% lower than the LED setting indicated. When set for 275F, it got the water gently boiling at 212F, which is 23% lower than the unit’s LED readout was showing.
I performed the exact same test on the 2nd PIC Pro unit I rec’d, and it performed EXACTLY the same as the first unit I tested. They were both “off” by the EXACT same amount. I was surprised by how consistent they were with each other.
And, I noticed that once each unit stabilized itself at a certain temperature (such as when my 215F LED reading produced an actual water temperature of 190F), I could hear its electronics rapidly cycling off-and-on to maintain whatever target temperature it thought it had achieved. I allowed each unit to do this for 10 minutes, while continuously checking the lab thermometer readings. When the LED was set at 215F, both units maintained the water within a narrow temperature range of 188-191F degrees. These things really are able to maintain a precise temperature. The only problem is that the LED readout did not match the actual water temperatures I was seeing.
In all fairness, let me point out this was an amateurish testing setup. Water heats up differently than cooking oil. If I’d heated up 10 cups of oil instead of water, or maybe only 5 cups, perhaps the LED readings would’ve been closer to being accurate. Some of you readers may want to do your own little tests and report them.
My results also could have been skewed by the fact I had the water in the 9” dia. shallow pan, which has a large surface area to “lose” (dissipate) heat, as compared to a narrower, deeper pot. And, I don’t even own the optional grill, griddle or oven: perhaps the readings would be more accurate when used that way, instead of when heating oil, or water.
I have a science background, and know that highly accurate, laboratory-grade “oil bath” heating equipment can cost way over a thousand dollars, so I don’t think it’s realistic for consumers to expect a $100 kitchen-based unit to achieve that level of accuracy. But I do think NuWave should make an effort to get its readout temperatures to better reflect reality. Or, perhaps NuWave should provide more-detailed information about the various ways the LED temperature setting can vary from the actual temperature produced, and how we users can compensate for the difference(s). I have to give NuWave credit for the fact that BOTH my units performed identically, and BOTH of them are able to maintain a stable temperature that varies by only a few degrees (F). That’s not easy to do. These things aren’t toys. But if NuWave is unwilling to acknowledge and/or explain these temperature differences we all are seeing, they deserve all the negative comments their PIC products are generating.
Since NuWave apparently won’t do it, I will humbly suggest a simple way you can get your own PIC units to become a little more ‘predictable’ temperature-wise…
OK. Regardless of manufacturer, I believe there is always going to be a temperature difference between the setting you enter into these induction-type units and what you actually get. Variations in your own cookware’s dimensions and induction properties, and the purpose to which it is being used (as griddle? as oven? as oil fryer? as water steamer?), can produce widely varying results. The only way any of these induction-type heaters could be truly accurate is if they came with an external probe you could stick right into the water, oil, or oven. Otherwise, the best they can do is measure the temperature of the bottom of the object being heated (bottom of the pan, pot, oven, griddle, etc. you are using) where it contacts the ‘glass’ heating surface of the unit.
Since you don’t have the external probe (‘thermometer’), you have to come up with your own thermometer as a means to independently check the true temperatures being produced. So go out and buy a cheapo (but accurate) candy thermometer for maybe $5, and buy one of those cheapo (but accurate) in-the-oven thermometers for maybe another $5. Using these inexpensive items, you can easily determine what setting you need to enter into your NuWave PIC unit (or any other similar induction heater) to produce your target temperature. For example, if you enter 350F into the PIC unit, but your oil only gets to 280F, you know you need to enter a higher PIC setting, -maybe try 440F. If you enter 350F into your unit and your oil is getting way too hot, you know you have to enter a lower setting. Once you’re successful, write down the ‘good’ setting you’ve figured out, and note which pot or pan you used. Some pots/pans are “hot” induction-wise, some are “cooler”. I’m only being realistic. I’m not making excuses for NuWave or any other manufacturer. I’m just another guy who bought these things and is now trying to make sense of them and figure out the best way to use them. I’m sure there were plenty of complaints about microwave ovens in the 1960’s and 70’s when they were the ‘latest thing’.
On the NuWave website, they play this video showing how you can even place sheets of paper between the PIC unit and the cooking pan. I haven’t tried it, but I’m quite certain that would cause the pan to heat a little more slowly because the pan is now a little farther separated from the ‘glass’ induction surface. Seems to me this would produce yet another difference between the LED setting and the actual temperature you get.
On a positive note, --the cookware they sent me is the bomb! No complaints at all about the quality of their cookware. Time will tell whether that Duralon non-stick coating holds up on the frying pans, but there’s no doubt that the cookware I rec’d is top notch.
In summary, I figure I got TWO of the bigger Pro model PIC’s for about $105 apiece, including S & H. Not bad! These things may have their quirks, and they may not boil 10 cups of water in 90 seconds or whatever, but I don’t feel as though I got ripped off. (I’m giving the extra PIC Pro unit {#2} to my sister as a holiday gift.)
Plus, I got some really high-quality ‘free’ cookware for only $30. The 9” pan alone is worth more than that. And, I like the technology, with its relatively low consumption of electricity. Hurricane Sandy left me without power for 8 days, and I was using a 6500W generator to struggle along. My home’s electric stove would’ve been too much for my little generator to handle, so I had to cook on my outdoor BBQ grill. If I’d had an energy-efficient induction cooker, I would’ve still been able to do some indoor cooking.
( According to NuWave, the PIC Pro’s power consumption ranges from 600 watts on “Low” setting, to 1800 watts on “Max Sear” setting, at house line voltage of 120V.)
I just rec’d these things from Nu-Wave yesterday: for all I know they’ll short-circuit tomorrow, right? But right now, this newbie is willing to give NuWave the benefit of the doubt. If that changes, I promise you that I will have a nice, juicy, unfavorable follow-up to my current review. I’m not going to complain about their customer service etc. yet, because I personally haven’t experienced any of that (yet).
So, Mr. NuWave. Quit hiding in your office and explain to us the conditions under which your PIC’s are calibrated. Be honest and tell us what we need to do to get the LED settings to better match the temperatures we are actually getting. I’m just some goofball with a thermometer in my kitchen, --you’re the pro. How’s about giving us a little peak into your crystal ball? And “chill” with the hype! Whether you realize it or not, your excessive hype is creating expectations in peoples’ minds that you are unable to meet. If you became “more real”, you would get far less negative reviews (and returns) from your customers. I guarantee it is hurting your bottom line more than you may think.
So far, I rate it at 4 stars out of 5. I’ll be back with a follow-up review, later.
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E J
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Nov 23, 2013
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Updated Review of PIC Pro
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO MY NOV. 20, 2013 REVIEW. I've asked this "ReviewsTalk" website to remove my original review...
I phoned NuWave for clarifications BEFORE I ordered via their website 11-14-2013. Their sales reps also confirmed I can simply pay all at once, which I preferred. I think some super-villain like Lex Luther designed their online ordering process. It made me feel like I was being challenged by a wily opponent, or running a cyber-gauntlet, but I read each succeeding question/offer carefully and ended up doing OK.
I went for their “BOGO” 2-cooktops-for-1 offer, and I opted to upgrade to the “PIC Pro” model. PIC PRO unit #1 base price was $129.94 ($24.99 more than the PIC2’s price of $99.99). S&H on that unit was another $29.95, for a total of $154.93. For PIC Pro unit #2, I paid a $24.99 ‘premium’ for getting the ‘pro’ version, and paid another $29.95 for S&H. Total cost of the 2nd unit was $54.94. So both Pro units cost a total of $209.87, or $104.94 apiece, including the S&H. I also went for the free “Complete NuWave PIC Cooking Package”. This introduced another $29.95 for S&H. The final charge against my credit card was $239.82. The charge showed up Nov. 17th NuWave sent me prompt e-mail confirmation of my order, but I had to email them on Nov. 18 to request a UPS tracking number. They promptly sent me the tracking number, and the shipment arrived intact on the morning of Nov. 20th.
In a single 32-lb. box, I rec’d the two PIC Pro units (model #30301AR), and the cookware set (consisting of: a 9" frying pan; a 10½” frying pan; a 10 ½” dia. x 3” deep stainless steel pot; a 10½” dia. glass lid; a stainless steel steamer insert that can be used with the pot; a fondu-ring insert that can be used with the pot, and; eight fondu forks. I missed the fondu-thing in the 1970’s, looks like I now get a 2nd chance. The frying pans are stainless steel on the outside, with a copper-colored, “Duralon” nano-ceramic non-stick coating inside. Their bottoms are almost ½” thick. The stainless steel pot also has the thick bottom (but has no non-stick coating inside). The glass lid fits either the 10½” pan or the 3”-deep pot and has a little steam-vent hole in it.
Each PIC PRO unit is about 12” dia. x 2½” high, except it is 14” dia. in the front area where the push-button controls are. The cooktop’s red circle is 6½” in diameter. The outer white ring is 9½” in diameter. As I’ll describe better below, the unit’s induction coils seem to be centered beneath the red circle. All controls except ‘program’ (staged cooking) are EZ to figure out without the manual. A big, red LED displays your settings. Panel has six temperature presets: Low (100F); Med. Low (175); Med. (275); Med. High (375); High (425), and; Max. Sear (560F or above). You select a preset, then adjust the temperature up-or-down in 5F degree increments to your desired setting. (The PIC2 limits your adjustments to 10F increments: the PIC Pro allows finer adjustments in 5F increments from 100F to 560F, for a total of 94 possible settings.)
TEMPERATURE CHECK WITH EMPTY 10½” PAN:
I did some quick tests on both the PIC Pro units I’d received. I performed identical tests on each of them, and found they both produced exactly the same results, which frankly surprised me. Here’s how I tested each of them:
I placed the 10½” pan onto the cooktop, sprinkled perhaps ¼ oz. of water into it. Since I know water will always boil at 212F (at sea level), I used that fact to gauge how accurate the cooktop settings were. I turned on the cooktop, and initially set it to its lowest setting, just 100F. The empty pan got barely warm to the touch almost instantly and stayed that way. So that setting seemed about right.
I then set it for 150F, and gave it a couple minutes to stabilize. Once I heard its electronic controls rapidly cycling off-and-on, I knew it was stabilized. I slowly raised the temperature setting in 10F steps until it was set at 200F, and sprinkled more water as needed. Then I raised it in 5F increments, pausing each time to wait for the faint sound of the electronics ‘cycling’ to hold the new setting. At the 210F setting, the water droplets didn’t boil, at 215F setting they did. At 210F again, they didn’t. This told me that the temperature settings are accurate when the cooktop is used with their own empty 10 ½” pan, and that the cooktop can hold a temperature that varies no more than 5 degrees F. There is no way to predict whether YOU would get the same results with a different pot or pan, because it may have different induction/magnetic properties, or thickness or something. Some pots & pans heat up differently than others, even if they are all rated “induction ready”. Your best bet is to perform the same little test with your own cookware and see how it behaves. All I can say is this: …both PIC Pro units they sent me were highly accurate and behaved identically when used with their own 10½” pan (model #32004), when that pan was EMPTY except for a few drops of water.
TEMPERATURE CHECK WITH WATER IN 10½” PAN:
The cooktop settings became less accurate when I poured 10 cups of water into the 10½” pan…. I placed the 10½” frying pan onto the cooktop, added 10 cups of room temperature (72F) water, and turned ON the unit to its highest “Max Sear” setting. It took 7 minutes to bring the water to a full, rolling boil. My home’s line voltage was 122.5V. NuWave’s “less than one minute to boil” claim needs to be clarified.
I then set the LED display to 215F: the boiling quickly stopped and the water temperature dropped to 190F before stabilizing. This was 12% lower than the 215F setting I had entered, as measured using my ASCI-certified Kessler lab thermometer at proper immersion. To maintain a gentle boil (212F), I had to input a setting of 275F. Thus, the actual temperature produced (212F) was 23% lower than the unit’s LED readout of 275F was indicating.
I noticed that the boiling bubbles would initially concentrate in a circular band that was about 6 or 6½” in dia., roughly corresponding to the red circle on the cooktop’s surface. Obviously, this traced the location of the induction coils that were heating the pan. As the gentle boiling continued, the bubble formation became more uniformly distributed, showing that the 10½” pan was doing a good job of distributing the heat input.
I performed the exact same test with each unit and they again performed EXACTLY way. They were both “off” by the EXACT same amount. I was impressed by how consistent they were with each other. Something like that doesn’t happen by accident.
As I mentioned, my 215F settings on each unit produced an actual water temperature of 190F. I allowed the electronics to stabilize into that rapidly cycling off-and-on state and remain that way for 10 minutes while I monitoring the lab thermometer readings. When the LED was set at 215F, both units maintained the water within a narrow temperature range of 188-191F degrees. The PIC Pro cooktops I received really are able to maintain a precise temperature. The only problem is that, once I added 10 cups of water, the LED readout no longer matched the actual water temperatures being produced.
In all fairness, let me point out that a 10½” dia. pan is shallow and has a large surface area to “lose” (dissipate) heat, as compared to a narrower, deeper pot. And water heats up differently than cooking oil. If I’d heated up 10 cups of oil instead of water, or maybe only 4 cups, perhaps the LED readings would’ve been closer to being reality.
I have to give NuWave credit for the fact that BOTH my units performed identically, and BOTH of them were able to maintain a temperature that varied by less than 3 degrees (F). That sort of repeatability is not easy to achieve. These things are definitely not toys.
I’ve seen NuWave induction cooktop reviews on Amazon.com (mainly the 4-star ones) that thoughtfully try to explain some of the physics and performance characteristics, to fill the info-void NuWave appears content to leave us with. That’s cool. Here’s my own contribution to the ‘cause’.
OK. Regardless of manufacturer, I believe there is almost always going to be a temperature difference between the setting you enter into these induction-type units and what you actually get. Variations in your own cookware’s dimensions and induction properties, and the manner in which it is being used (as griddle? as oven? as oil fryer? as water steamer?), can produce widely varying results. Dumping some water or oil into the cookware introduces yet another variable which will have an effect on the temperature you end up obtaining. The only way any of these induction-type cooktops could be truly accurate is if they came equipped with a means for the cooktop to measure the temperature of the water, oil oven, griddle, etc. that is being heated, -such as a wired external probe you could stick right into whatever is being heated. Otherwise, the best they can do is measure the temperature of the bottom of the object being heated (bottom of the pan, pot, oven, griddle, etc. you are using) where it contacts the surface of the cooktop unit. Other than that, these induction-cooktops are running ‘blind’.
Apparently, NuWave calibrates their PIC Pro cooktop unit for use in combination with their own cookware (such as that empty 10½” pan I’d received from them). My results matched theirs, when their pan WAS EMPTY. But once I added the 10 cups of water, everything changed. The cooktop settings were now inaccurate.
Since we are not provided with an external temperature probe, we are left having to come up with our own means to independently check the true temperatures being produced. So, I suggest you may want to go out and buy an inexpensive (but reasonably accurate) candy thermometer for maybe $5. If you’re using the induction cooktop to heat a dutch oven, also buy one of those cheapo (but accurate) in-the-oven thermometers for maybe another $5. Using these inexpensive items, you can determine, thru trial-and-error, what setting you need to enter into your NuWave PIC unit (or any other similar induction cooktop) to produce your target temperature.
For example, let’s say you’ve entered 350F into the cooktop unit and you’ve allowed your pot of cooking oil to reach a stabilized temperature, but your candy thermometer says your pot of oil is only at 280F. Now you know you need to enter a higher cooktop setting, -maybe try 440F. OR…let’s say you’ve entered that 350F setting and your oil is getting way too hot. You know you have to enter a lower setting. Once you’re successful, write down the ‘good’ setting you’ve figured out, and note which pot or pan you used, and how much oil (or whatever) you were heating in it. (Remember: some pots/pans are “hot” induction-wise, some are “cooler”.) The next time you do it, you’ll know exactly what to do and what to expect. Gradually, you will develop a ‘feel’ for how your own induction cooktop behaves with your own cookware.
I’m not making excuses for NuWave or any other manufacturer. I’m just a person who has purchased an induction cooktop and is now trying to figure out the best way to use it to get consistent results. I’m sure there were plenty of complaints about microwave ovens in the 1960’s and 70’s when they were the ‘latest thing’.
On a positive note, --the cookware they sent me is the bomb! No complaints at all about the quality of NuWave’s cookware. Time will tell whether that Duralon non-stick coating holds up on the frying pans, but there’s no doubt that the cookware I rec’d is top notch.
In summary, I figure I got TWO of the bigger Pro model PIC’s for about $105 apiece, including S & H. Not bad! These things may have their quirks, and they may not boil 10 cups of water in 90 seconds or whatever, but I don’t feel as though I got ripped off. (I’m giving one of my PIC Pro units to my sister as a holiday gift.)
Plus, I got some really high-quality ‘free’ cookware for only $30. The 9” pan alone is worth more than that. And, I like the technology, with its relatively low consumption of electricity. Hurricane Sandy left me without power for 8 days, and I was using a 6500W generator to struggle along. My home’s electric stove would’ve been too much for my little generator to handle, so I had to cook on my outdoor BBQ grill. If I’d had an energy-efficient induction cooker, I would’ve still been able to do some indoor cooking.
( According to NuWave, the PIC Pro’s power consumption ranges from 600 watts on “Low” setting, to 1800 watts on “Max Sear” setting, at house line voltage of 120V.)
I just rec’d these things from Nu-Wave recently. I have no experience with actually cooking with them yet, but am very intrigued with their ability to maintain temperatures within a precise temperature range, -especially at the lower settings. I have every reason to expect that of I had wanted to, I could have set either one of my PIC Pro units to some setting, say 115F, and it would have maintained my (empty) 10½” pan at 114-116F, once I’d allowed a few minutes for the electronics to stabilize. I am not aware of any other way to do that in the kitchen. I’m looking forward to checking it out.
I will mention that the NuWave sales reps I spoke with were a bit on the aggressive side, but not too bad. They pushed a little, and I simply pushed back. But they seemed overly ‘guarded’ and weren’t very open. I didn’t get a ‘warm & fuzzy’ feeling. Something one of them said led me to believe I could save myself a few bucks by placing the order via their online site, instead of doing it via phone. When I began trying to say goodbye, they both tried talking me into going for a ‘cruise trip’ deal. Really? Very weird…
I did not like NuWave’s tricky online ordering sequence at all!! It first required that I submit my credit card info etc, and then it hit me with a series of maybe 15 successive questions about whether I want to buy this or buy that. I can easily see how lots of other people could become annoyed with it, and take their business elsewhere. If the online ordering process had unnerved me, I would've stopped, and clicked OFF the entire site. I would've known I hadn't yet given my final approval to bill my credit card until I’d OK'd everything in the final "review order" window, at the very end of the process. If I’d backed out, I would’ve closely monitored my credit card to make sure no unauthorized charges appeared. But everything went smoothly online, my credit card was billed Nov. 16/17th in the correct amount, and I received the correct items via UPS quite quickly.
As I mentioned before, I feel NuWave/Hearthware is negligent in their failure to present their customers with the sort of performance information that I (and some other reviewers) are trying to provide you with. I feel that NuWave should be upfront and explain that ALL induction cooktop units (not just the ones they are handling) will produce temperatures that can significantly vary from the settings we input. It all depends on: the induction-characteristics of the cookware being used; the cookware’s size & shape; the type of material being heated in the cookware; the volume/amount being heated; etc. These are all things that are out of NuWave’s control: why not acknowledge that these sort of temperature differences come with the territory (for NuWave and for all its competitors) and maybe give us some general tips or guidelines for dealing with these inevitable differences?
THEY SHOULD ALSO LOOK INTO PROVIDING AN EXTERNAL TEMPERATURE PROBE FOR USE WITH THEIR INDUCTION COOKTOPS !!!
Back in the 1960’s, when the first microwave ovens were being marketed, consumers had to get used to the idea that placing tin foil and metal cookware/utensils placed in a microwave would produce frightening results. But the people got used to this limitation and quickly learned to accept them, because the microwave benefits far outweighed the negatives. To me, NuWave is at a similar junction right now. They should be teaching their customers how to better use this new ‘induction’ technology they are marketing –not stonewalling everybody.
NuWave’s marketing mindset seems to be 25 years behind the times, acting as if the one-way medium of TV still holds sway. Make a glitzy ‘infomercial’ loaded with hype to lure buyers, and then throw them to the wolves. Really? We’re well into the 21st Century, guys. The “audience” talks back now. They communicate and exchange opinions instantly on the internet, FaceBook, Twitter, etc. PEOPLE ARE READING THIS REVIEW, RIGHT NOW !!
I’m a bit more fearless than most, and decided to purchase directly from NuWave, using their annoying online ordering site, even though I’d read so many, many, many negative reviews and warnings about them. The person next to me may have read that same negative info and taken their business to a competitor. NuWave will never know how many customers they've already chased away
NuWave has a decent product, -why not just sell it at a decent price (for a decent profit) and dispense with all the clever sales gimmicks? Their excessive hype is creating unrealistic expectations in peoples’ minds. It’s sowing the seeds for customer dissatisfaction. They’ve even managed to earn the worst possible rating from the Better Business Bureau (an 'F'). They’re an unattractive company selling some beautiful products. Beauty and the Beast.
The negative blogs and reviews and comments are going to catch up with them. If they want to stem that tide, they need to start embracing ‘openness’. It seems to me this sort of “openness” approach would be a major step in the right direction toward improving consumer confidence and trust. Hey, maybe NuWave has a ‘take-the-money-and-run’ business model and doesn’t care about tomorrow. But if they want to secure a stable and lasting market niche, they’re going to need to change their entire marketing/sales style, and dramatically improve customer relations.
Nevertheless, they did sell me some fine quality products at a decent price, and delivered them as promised right on time, so I’m still giving them 4 stars. My own personal experience with them has been fine thus far. I can’t say whether you would fare as well.
But I would recommend purchasing their PIC Pro induction cooktop (model #30301AR), and I am quite pleased with the “Complete NuWave PIC Cooking Package” that I also received from them.
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willto
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Feb 20, 2014
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NuWave Induction Cook Top (buy one get one free deal)
It seams like I can not get a bottom line price for their deal to buy one induction cook unit and get one free with a complimentary set of certain cookware items (many compounded S&H fees involved.) An then on top of that there is the 10 piece cookware deal where it supposedly becomes even a better deal. Interesting enough when you start the order process for one induction unit they do not allow you to proceed into the free/better deals without first providing all of the shipping and payment information. They claim that they need this information to set the variable S&H costs. Straingly enough people complaints indicate that they are receiving only the single unit, and often they are not even in working order when they are received. "If it doesn't work, send it back and we will refund you the purchase price" they advertise. The check is in the mail! "The free unit, to get this you need to have ordered it at the same time you ordered the first unit otherwise the second one free deal is no longer valid". One would think that the they did order this as the second step of the process (after the shipping address and payment information has already been identified).
Watch out on this one since all the items are in place to scam you. The subject of the on line testimonials seem to follow the complaints as they are entered, but who really is sending these responses. Perhaps this organization does periodically honor their promices but there are way to many disatisfyed customers. It has all of the elements in place to be labeled as a scam. I will be going to several places where I can see what I am buying and see the price on the shelf. Target has one on sale now for $59. This is well under the $123 NuWave cost and I can see and buy just those single cookware items I want without more S&H. Even if the NuWave offer comes through for you, Target privides a better deal, and if there is a product issue there is an easier way to resolve the situation.
Oh yes there is the ask a question box near the end of their add. I got through 2 1/2 sentences of what I was asking for (a price quote before I committed to buy) when an autoresponse was received. In tried to send a second time and the site locked me from further requests. So much for effective communication. Well it looks like I will be buying two induction cook units (for some EM testing I want to do on a lab bench) but at this point they will NOT be NuWave units since I have no reason to trust them to send me what I thought I would be ordering. I will also be using one of these units to see if my wife and I feel the upgrade to an induction stove top is worth the money in a home we will be building (LP is presently our preference and in a power loss situation it still allows one to cook and heat the kitchen).
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jws2020
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Apr 10, 2014
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Nuwave
I went to website to order the Nuwave buy one get one free. went back to the website I ahd goodled found these complaints, after reading I desided not to orderthe nuwave at all. So your poor business dealings just lost you a customer. thanks for this posting it saved me money.
jay
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dwyatt1028
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Apr 25, 2014
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Cost and Pans
This product is such a scam and the shipping charges should be illegal, they don't tell you that only there pans work on this cooktop, I truly think the government should investigate this company as so many of us have been taken advantage of!! Donna in Florida
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Shanteria
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Apr 27, 2014
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Scam
I ordered the buy one get one free PIC. I was so excited to get it that I didn't bother to come here and read all the reviews, never again will I buy without reading. After taking 6 hours to navigate the website, losing my children and being raided by the police because of my husband's horrible drug habit, I finally completed my order and anxiety started waiting for it to arrive. Finally, I would be able to make the perfect macaroni and cheese dinner, with ketchup, for the two kids the police didn't take. After 6 weeks, two overdoses on pain pills and one bad car accident my PIC arrived. The packaging was nice and the unit was as advertised. I was initially upset about the compounded shipping charges, but quickly realized it didn't matter because I used a stolen credit card to purchase the damn thing anyway. That's neither here nor there. Anyway, I get it set up after about 30 minutes and I'm off to cooking! I tried to boil water in one of my own pans and after it didn't boil after an hour I knew something was wrong. I needed different water. I poured the bad water out and filed it with bottled water and still nothing. In between shooting oxy I figured I would use the pans that came with it and wow what a difference. That water was boiling in no time. I really wish it had a timer on it though. I passed out from the pain mess and boiled all that water out of the pan. Don't do that. I called the company and they were less than helpful. After a total of about 13 hours I finally got Samson and Delilah their Mac and cheese. It was expensive and time consuming but they said it was pretty good. I wouldn't recommend purchasing this junk without someone else's credit card though, because it really is a rip off. Just go to target and get theirs.
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Elizabeth bourke
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May 13, 2014
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Unwavering
They are taking people money with there false advertised please people do not buy there product they will draw a you life saving out off you account and sell you a cheap product you can buy at any walmart or dollar store. Please don't buy from them they are fake and a THEIF and a lair from hell
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elvismom
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Jun 28, 2014
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Decided not to buy based on reviews
I was listening all morning to the tv ads Even checked online at work, tried to call but on hold for over 15 minutes.
Home now and I do read reviews before I order. So glad I did will check with bed bath and beyond and HSN before I order.
One reviewer wrote that all pans do not work if this is true, then this pan is not for me. But at least if I buy local I can return if there is a problem
Thanks to all the reviews
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boyjensen50
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Jan 16, 2015
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NOT WORTH THE MONEY
John Jensen PURCHASED TWO INDUCTION COOKTOP STOVES IN AUGUST 2012. WORKED FINE, BUT, AFTER ONE YEAR OF USE THE FIRST ONE HAD A MELT DOWN AND STOPPED WORKING. USED THE SECOND ONE FOR ABOUT YEAR AND THE FAN STOPPED WORKING AND AN ERROR SIGNAL CAUSED THE UNIT TO STOP COOKING. WHEN I CALLED TO COMPLAIN I WAS TOLD TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE. I WILL NOT PURCHASE A NEW ONE IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO EXIST. ONE YEAR OF USE FROM AN APPLIANCE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO INVEST IN. NOT WORTH THE MONEY!!!!
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ken steidl
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Mar 7, 2015
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ken
I will not order due the scam reports. sounds like they need to be turned into the bbb ( better business bureau)
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jacked
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May 7, 2015
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Dave
Bought my Nuwave over the phone on April 13/2014! Made payments totalling 182.21 Just got a collection notice from them wanting an additional $149.74??????? I should have only paid $129.94 (3) 33.33 = 99.99 + 29.95 = $129.94. When I called their "Express Collection Dept." apparently in India. I asked for a sales receipt or invoice they said they didn't have one. This company is a complete con job. STAY AWAY AT ALL COST!
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[email protected]
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May 14, 2015
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Shirley
The more I cook with the cookware the more they stick. Never have had such bad pots and pans. Talk about lie, that's what these people have done to me. Not a big fan of liers.
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