Review of the induction hob Millen MIH 602 BL

The built-in induction heating panel Millen MIH 602 BL is equipped with all the necessary functions for convenient cooking: touch control with a built-in timer, panel lock function, overheat protection, automatic shut-off when boiling over and residual heat indicator.

This free-standing model is equipped with four burners located in two combined heating zones. The total declared maximum power of the entire surface reaches up to 7.2 kW. During the testing process, we will check whether this figure corresponds to reality and evaluate the ease of use of the device.

^* Contrary to popular belief, this is not the time limit after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.

Millen MIH 602 BL came to us for testing in a strong, large, flat cardboard box. The packaging contains an image of the device, the full name of the model, the company logo, and also lists key features and brief technical specifications.

Inside the box, the panel is protected from damage by foam inserts. In addition to the cooktop itself, installation brackets and screws, a user manual, and a warranty card were removed from the package.

The design of the frameless model with angular edges looks strict and laconic. The original heating zones on the deep black glass-ceramic surface are highlighted with gray paint. The touch control panel is installed on the front in the center, which is a familiar solution.

There are four identical burners on the surface, designed for dishes with a diameter of 160 mm. You can guess the presence of two combined zones without even looking at the instructions, thanks to the inscriptions between the burners.

The Comby zone option allows you to place non-standard shaped dishes on the stove within a rectangle of 42x20 cm on each side.

There is foam tape glued around the bottom perimeter. The height of the entire structure is 5.5 cm.

On the back of the case there is a cable outlet 1.2 m long without a plug. The panel is connected to a power supply network with parameters of 220-240 V, 50/60 Hz.

The instruction manual is presented in the form of a 43-page brochure printed on thick glossy paper. The document covers four models of the same series, differing in the number of burners and power, but having the same set of functions, which simplifies the study of the documentation.

The following buttons are located at the bottom of the Millen MIH 602 BL touch panel:

1. Button to block the panel from accidental touches.
2. Button for combining heating zones.
3. Power button and timer settings.
4. Button to start the intensive heating function (Boost).
5. Button to turn the panel on and off.

The Boost function is active for 5 minutes, after which it automatically switches to the maximum, 9th mode. The Boost feature applies to all four burners, even if they are combined into two zones.

Above is a 9-step slider designed to select the heating power mode or set the timer values. Above the slider there are sensor elements for selecting heating zones.

Between the burner icons there are indicators that display the current state of the heating zone. These can be either digital values ​​of the selected power, or indications of activated functions such as Lock, Boost or Timer.

After turning off the heating, the cooling zone icon will display the letter H for some time. This letter will disappear when the heating zone has cooled to a safe temperature.

The U symbol appears instead of the selected power number if the cookware on the cooking zone is not suitable for induction or is not positioned correctly in relation to the center. In this case, the device will automatically turn off the heating zone after 1 minute. If you manage to return the dishes during this time, heating will continue automatically.

The timer can be used to turn off one or more heating zones after a set time. The maximum installation time is 99 minutes.

A burner operating at a certain power will automatically turn off after the set time has elapsed.

This model does not provide a pause function or mute sound signals.

In general, the hob successfully coped with all our tasks, but we identified a few shortcomings. What immediately catches your eye is that the heating elements are not located in the center of the indicated heating zones on the panel. This is especially noticeable on the two nearest burners, where they are shifted closer to the edge. During cooking and stewing, this does not affect the quality of cooking, but during frying it can cause inconvenience. When two zones are combined, the heating elements are located too far apart, which leads to uneven frying even in a thick-bottomed pan.

If you set the power to maximum to achieve the required temperature in the center of the pan, food in the nearest and further parts may burn. To ensure even frying or stewing, the contents had to be stirred frequently.

On the right rear burner, we adjusted the power 6 times while simmering the broth for 5 hours. Simply setting the pan to minimum power and forgetting about it for a long time will not work — you need to regularly check the boiling level.

The touch buttons respond quickly and clearly even when pressed with wet fingers. The controls are intuitive and do not require long study of the instructions. The glass-ceramic coating is easy to clean from any dirt.

The hob can simultaneously accommodate four dishes with a diameter of 18-20 cm or two containers up to 24 cm diagonally, while leaving space on adjacent burners for dishes with a diameter of 16 cm.

The maximum weight distributed over all four heating zones must not exceed 20 kg. It is not recommended to place dishes with food weighing more than 5 kg on one burner.

To care for the hob, simply wipe it regularly with a soft sponge or cloth using neutral detergents. To get rid of streaks, you can dry the panel with a soft cloth or paper towel. Do not use chemically aggressive products or sponges that may scratch the surface. If necessary, you can use a special scraper for glass-ceramic surfaces.

On the near right burner in Boost mode in a saucepan with the lid closed, 1 liter of water at a temperature of 20 °C boiled in 6 minutes. Energy consumption was 0.144 kWh.

In modes 1 to 5, all burners operate continuously, producing a soft rhythmic ticking sound, smoothly adjusting power within a certain range, changing the heat approximately every 1-2 seconds. From level 6, the specific sound disappears, the range of vibrations decreases, and in Boost mode it becomes stable.

To determine the size of the heating elements, we placed a large container of water on the stove. When boiling, bubbles appeared at the bottom, indicating the configuration of the heating element: a circle with almost straight edges and a small void inside. In heating modes 1 to 6, the size of the circle is approximately 14 cm. In Boost mode, it increases to 15-16 cm, and the emptiness inside disappears.

In the combined zones we saw two non-touching circles. The distance between them was approximately 12-14 cm.

The energy consumption of the hob when turned off is 0.2 W, while after the panel is turned off and cooled down, the energy consumption reaches 11 W.

For 5 hours of operation of three burners when preparing pho bo and frying cutlets, the stove consumed 2.404 kWh, while the maximum recorded power was 2557 W.

Our wattmeter is not capable of accurately measuring power consumption above 4000 W, so we were unable to measure the maximum power consumption when all burners were running simultaneously. However, based on individual measurements of each of the four burners at maximum power in Boost mode, the total power consumption was 6810 W (1752 + 1667 + 1675 + 1716). The power of the two combined zones in Boost mode was measured as 5684 Watts (2855+2829). Let us recall the values ​​declared by the manufacturer: 7200 W for four burners and 6800 W for two combined zones in Boost mode.

The sound signals when pressing the buttons have a standard squeak that cannot be turned off, but it does not cause discomfort due to the optimal volume level. The fan noise is in the average range for similar devices of this type.

To prepare a rich meat broth, we used a shank weighing about 700 g. After the first boil, we removed the foam, washed the meat and returned it to the pan, filling it with two liters of cold water. It was important to check how the hob maintains a low temperature over a long period of time. After activating the Boost mode and removing the foam, we reduced the power to level 5 and set the temperature probe in the broth with a temperature limit of 93 °C.

The broth simmered at 88°C for the first hour, then the temperature rose to 95°C, and we reduced the power to 3. When the temperature of the broth dropped again to 85°C, we increased the power to 4. During the cooking process, we adjusted the power several times — six times in total.

Three hours after the start of cooking, a couple of teaspoons of spices, a pinch of salt and sugar were added to the broth. We also baked onion halves with pieces of ginger in a frying pan and added them to the pan.

To prepare the broth for pho bo, which usually requires 8-12 hours of cooking, we decided to reduce the time to 5 hours. The result is a strong, flavorful broth with soft, easy-to-fall-off-the-bone meat.

We removed the meat from the finished broth, cut it into small pieces and placed it in a bowl. Return the pan with the broth to the stove and bring it to a boil. Pre-chopped green onions were added to the hot broth and then kept for a couple of minutes. Then they took them out and chopped them finely, after which they added them to the chopped meat in a bowl. Thinly sliced ​​pieces of beef were briefly dipped into the heated broth, where they darkened, and added to the meat. Added boiled rice noodles, a slice of lime, chili pepper, chopped parsley leaves to the bowl and poured hot broth over everything.

In Boost mode, heat the frying pan and place a piece of beef at room temperature on it. We lowered the heat to 9 and fried the meat on both sides for a couple of minutes.

Turned off the stove, put the steak on a plate, peppered, salted and covered with foil. After a few minutes, the tender, juicy meat was ready for tasting.

On the two left burners, which were combined, we placed a large cast-iron duck pot. We started by frying pieces of pork weighing almost 2 kg and finely chopped onions at power level 9. Due to the large distance between the heating elements, it was necessary to stir the meat frequently and carefully monitor so that nothing burned at the near or far edge. In the middle of the duckling, the meat was stewed rather than fried.

We washed 2 kg of sauerkraut, lightly squeezed it and set it aside in a colander. We added it to the meat, then added black allspice peas and paprika, poured everything with tomato paste diluted in 400 ml of water, and mixed thoroughly. We lowered the heat to level 4, covered the roasting pan with a lid and simmered the dish until the ingredients were completely cooked. The contents were stirred three times over 1.5 hours.

Frying took place at power level 6. The heating turned out to be optimal. After the first inversion, the displacement of the heating element is particularly noticeable.

To achieve the same degree of frying, the cutlets had to be swapped.

The Millen MIH 602 BL is a full-size induction hob with four burners that combine into two zones, capable of handling both standard-sized cookware and large, unusually shaped containers. Our measurements showed that the maximum power of the panel is slightly lower than stated, but it is sufficient for quickly searing even meat such as steaks. The minimum power levels are suitable for gentle simmering, but stable heating throughout the entire time of use cannot be ensured — during long-term cooking it is recommended to periodically check and adjust the power level.

When frying individual products, either on a separate burner or on a combined zone, you need to take into account the thickness of the bottom of the pan and the frequency of stirring to achieve the desired result.

The main advantages include convenient and intuitive controls, equipped with useful functions such as a timer, panel lock, automatic shut-off and residual heat indication, which significantly increases the usability of the hob. It is also worth noting the moderate fan noise, high-quality assembly of the case and stylish design.

Pros:

• moderate fan noise
• wide temperature adjustment range
• Power Boost function
• convenient control
• design

Minuses:

• frying piece goods requires skill