Deciding to add class to their life with a modern style kitchen, the Jonses bought an invisible stove to match their culinary decor. When the installer tech arrived, he climbed under the counter and proceeded to drill upward into the granite.

When he had finished, nothing could be seen from above, but there were four large craters cut in the underside of the counter. Into these holes the electric heating elements were placed, sealed with a thermally conductive adhesive.

After the tech had finished the installation, the Jonses proceeded to test their new stove. Ms. Jones filled a pot of water, and cautiously set it where she guessed the front burner would be. At first, nothing appeared to have happened, but a small light mounted underneath the upper cabinets promptly came to life.

It projected a pale yellow circle onto the counter, positioned slightly to the side of the pot, but immediately above the burner. Ms. Jones shifted the pot to center it in the circle of light.

In the center of the heating element lay a small coil of wire: an inductor. The presence of ferrous metal on the surface caused the sensor to activate its respective burner and illuminate the surface.

Gradually the light changed from a pale yellow to a deep red, indicating the current temperature of the counter. The water in the pot began to boil. Mr. Jones, deciding the test was over, slid the pot out of the circle and onto normal counterspace.

The light blinked once to acknowledge its task was over, then slowly, almost sorrowfully, faded to a dark purple to a light blue as the heat dissipated into the air. As the counter approached a safe temperature, the light faded to a pale green, flickered once, then went out.
-- Aq_Bi, Jan 09 2005

(???) CleanDesign Ceramic Glass Cooktop http://www.sears.co...085&pid=02244163000
Similar, but not quite the same thing as the above idea, this black ceramic glass cooktop almost disappears on a polished black granite surface. At least there are no unsightly burners or knobs, and it's available today. [jurist, Jan 09 2005]

If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Eventually kitchens will be non-existant in the home.
-- mensmaximus, Jan 09 2005


//Eventually kitchens will be non-existant in the home.// well.. just because you can't see them doesn't mean they're not there . (+).
-- neilp, Jan 10 2005


I have seen a couple of kitchens with hidden burners (actually electrical rings), and burned my hand in one of them.
-- DrCurry, Jan 10 2005



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