Skip to main content
Ovens & Ranges

New Cooktops Use Sensors to Keep Food From Burning

In Europe, high-tech appliances use sensors to perfect your food.

Miele TempControl cooktop Credit: Reviewed.com / David Kender

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

If you frequently find yourself boiling a sauce instead of simmering it, or serve your guests goopy pancakes, you might need some help in the kitchen.

That's why two European manufacturers have put high-tech sensors in their cooktops. They keep temperatures accurate and precise, so you can concentrate on making a meal instead of babysitting your appliance.

Miele recently debuted TempControl, which the company claims will put an end to ruined recipes. We had a chance to try it on the show floor at IFA Berlin earlier this year, and witnessed feats including eggs that fried for 12 minutes without burning.

A chef cooks on a Miele TempControl cooktop at IFA 2015.
Credit: Reviewed.com / David Kender

A chef cooks on a Miele TempControl cooktop at IFA 2015.

{{amazon name="DUXTOP 1800-Watt Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner 9100MC", asin="B00GMCAM2G", align="right"}} That might sound like an extreme example, but it’s important to remember that this is an induction cooktop, which behaves differently than a gas or radiant electric model. You see, induction heats up the surface of a pan quickly and efficiently, which means an unattended burner can easily get ahead of a careless cook.

Miele TempControl cooktop sensor
Credit: Reviewed.com / Keith Barry

The TempControl system consists of two temperature sensors and one reflectivity sensor.

That’s why Miele embedded sensors underneath the front burner of TempControl–enabled cooktops. In addition to monitoring a pan’s temperature and adjusting the burner’s temperature accordingly, another sensor checks the reflectivity of the pan to determine its thermal conductivity.

Related content

  • Bosch induction cooktop with chicken cooking on metal pan.

    feature

    Induction cooking—here's why you should make the switch
  • A close-up photo of an electric range highlighting the electric cooktop and the oven control knobs.

    best-right-now

    The Best Electric Ranges of 2024

You can choose from three different settings: simmer, medium, and high. The lowest temperature is designed to keep soup from bubbling over, while the highest is ideal for keeping oil at a consistent temperature for frying or sautéing.

A closeup photo of the TempControl cooktop
Credit: Reviewed.com / David Kender

TempControl is available on Miele's flagship induction cooktops, but so far it's only on sale in Europe.

Bosch's flagship induction cooktops offer some similar options.

{{amazon name="Cook N Home 8- to 10- to 12-Inch 3-Piece Set", asin="B00QQ7TYFI", align="right"}} For instance, the Perfect Cook Sensor follows the same concept as TempControl, except it puts the sensor on the pan instead of in the cooktop. That adds some flexibility—you can put multiple sensors on multiple pans—but it does require you to stick rubber connectors onto the sides of your cookware.

Perfect Fry seems even more useful for cooks who want to learn or experiment. Select the Perfect Fry option, and the cooktop will beep as soon as your oil is ready for frying. If you're confused by recipes that tell you to wait for oil to "shimmer," this is a useful learning tool.

Bosch Perfect Cook Sensor attached to a pan
Credit: Reviewed.com / David Kender

Customers can buy extra Bosch Perfect Cook Sensors to attach to additional pans.

The concept isn’t totally unheard of: Back in the ‘60s, GE debuted the Sensi-Temp burner, which employed a less advanced version of the same idea: A spring-loaded thermocouple measured the temp of your pan, while a thermostat adjusted the radiant burner’s heat accordingly. Because Miele’s solution uses induction, it’s inherently more sophisticated—and accurate.

None of the sensor-based models are yet available in the U.S., but if they do hit our shores, you can bet they won’t come cheap: The European TempConnect model we saw at IFA is expected to sell for the equivalent of $2,600.

Bosch Perfect Cook Sensor Connector
Credit: Reviewed.com / David Kender

Using the Bosch Perfect Cook Sensor requires users to put this rubber connector on their pots and pans to attach the sensor.

{{brightcove '4489841619001'}}

Up next