GE Bringing Good Things To Atlanta

By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 4/20/2009

ATLANTA — Now that it’s back in the General Electric fold, GE Consumer & Industrial plans to heat up the show floor at next week’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show here with a host of new cooking products.

From GE Profile comes that brand’s first freestanding range with induction cooking. The unit features a 3,700-watt output element to assure that meats, vegetables and soups cook quickly and efficiently, while sauces and other delicate foods may be gently warmed on a simmer level.

Like all induction ranges, the new Profile model cooks via a magnetic field to provide the responsiveness of gas, fast heating and high energy efficiency, the company said.

With induction cooking, the surface surrounding the burners does not get hot. Instead, a current is produced when an induction-compatible pan with a steel or magnetic bottom is placed on the cooktop. The current heats the pan and cooks the food inside.

Less energy is wasted with induction cooking compared to gas or electric, because the technology transfers heat directly to the cookware and the food, rather than heating up the surface area of the cooktop. As a result, spills will not cook onto the stove, and the seamless design allows any liquid or food to be easily wiped away.

Induction technology also saves time by bringing water to the boiling point faster than gas or electric cooktops.

GE said the new ranges are expected to hit sales floors in July.

Meanwhile, the Monogram grills, available in a range of sizes from 30 inches to 54 inches, were designed to provide a “seamless transition” from indoor to outdoor entertaining venues while maintaining the premium design and quality of GE’s commercial-look luxury platform, the company said.

The grills are available in both built-in and freestanding designs, and feature hand-finished chamfered edges, dramatic bullnose lighting that illuminates large control knobs, and a temperature gauge embedded below the grate.

A heavy-gauge 304 stainless steel canopy, with insulating double-wall design and tubular handles, opens to more than 1,500 square inches of surface space, brilliantly lit by halogen lamps for night cooking convenience. Activation is simplified by pressing an electronic 120-volt ignition button, which is supplemented with a 9-volt battery backup, and radiant heat baffles set above the adjustable 25,000-Btu main burners ensure even heat distribution below stainless steel grates, and contain liquids to reduce flare-ups.

Intense heat — up to 23,000 Btus from the fully adjustable ceramic infrared searing burner — locks in food’s natural juices and flavors, GE said, and a ceramic-infrared rotisserie burner allows slow roasting of meats and poultry.

Both built-in and freestanding models also feature such extras as a drop-in smoker box; protective vinyl grill cover; basting pan; and stainless-steel rotisserie motor, spit rod and claws. Consumers may also choose from natural gas or liquid propane models, and a Monogram stainless-steel under-counter refrigerator can be added for custom installations.