Disgruntled by small induction cooktops not heating the entire pan? At imm Cologne this year, Gaggenau showed off the answer to your kitchen surface woes with the CX 480 – a smart, full surface induction cooktop that gives the chef of your household ample opportunity to focus on what’s in store for dinner.

The CX 480 Cooktop. Designed by Gaggenau.

Flexibility and Innovation: The CX 480 Full Surface Induction Cooktop by Gaggenau Wows at imm Cologne 2011

Gaggenau is the top brand among the many appliances made by the Bosch-Siemens Group. Cutting edge design with user-friendly controls has kept them well ahead of the competition for years. This year, the CX 480 climbs to the forefront of the trade show scene, impressing us with its highly-intuitive functional elements. Stefan Köhl, Director of Product Management at Gaggenau, explains: “Under the glass ceramic surface of the new full surface induction cooktop CX 480 there is a closely-spaced, staggered configuration of 48 micro-inductors. Unlike conventional large induction coils, this structure transforms the entire cooktop into one large cooking area.” So there are no fixed rings limiting the sizes of pots and pans you should be using – nor is there a front or back burner specified. The entire cooktop is fair game.

Boasting the capability of holding up to four cookware pieces simultaneously, the CX 480 cooktop has become the master multi-tasker. If the pan is moved on the surface, or removed altogether, it recognizes the newly detected area or shuts off completely. To control the settings, an extra-large TFT touch display indicates the shape, size and position of what’s cooking.

Observers at imm Cologne 2011 surely felt what Bosch-Siemens Group states of their latest Gaggenau success: “Gaggenau once again provides enthusiastic home cooks with added scope to pursue their culinary aspirations and underlines the company’s claim to leadership in technology and design ‘made in Germany’.”