Usually, the hobs are paired to two different controllers (one exception is a unit with 5 hobs). You can boost one in a pair, which means you can boost two as long as they are on different controllers. Like left and right.

We have a 36" Thermador induction cooktop with 5 hobs. You can have all 5 on high at any time, and you can boost on 3 of the 5 at the same time. I haven't tried to boost on more than 2 at once so this is theoretical. I can't imagine having 3 on boost simultaneously, I wouldn't be able to keep up with that amount of power. If you aren't used to induction, you don't realize the speed at which pots will heat.

Cheryl

Both of the cooktops I'm considering have the two-zone thing you all described. In one case, if you'd using the largest burner on Boost, the other burner paired with it is not useable at all temporarily (while the big one is on boost). Not a deal breaker.

Next question - txhe GE HAS tap-touch controls, while the Electrolux gives you a choice of tapping or just moving your finger around a digital dial. Is the latter much easier?

As well, the Electrolux' biggest burner is 10" whereas the GE's is 11".

Any opinions?

SJHockey, With all due respect to the person who gave you the info in your first paragraph---that just sounds wrong to me.(Many manuals are poorly written.) Power sharing is the term and it only applies to 'boost'. 'Boost is the extra added jolt of power to use when boiling is desired. And only to get the contents up to a boil. You dont need boost to maintain a boil. Engage the 'boost' feature when starting a boil.

Power sharing does not apply to any regular heat level. You can have all 4 or 5 hobs at regular heat levels all of the time-just have to share when 'boosting'.

Power sharing is sharing the extra 'boost' level between one or two hobs in a 'set'. You dont power share among all of the hobs on the cooktop, only between it's partner in a set.

And in two and one half years of cooking on my 30" Bosch 500, I have not once used the power sharing feature. I just havent had to boil two pots at the same time. Cook two pots at once. Sure. But not get up to a boil. Possible for others but just hasn't happened to me.

Once I get a pasta pot up to a boil for a minute or two, I lower the heat. It stays at a boiling temp.-maintains the boil.

It is not easy to clearly define the concept of power sharing-in words.

Important to distinguish between starting a boil----and maintaining a boiling pot. You may need boost to start a boil but you dont need boost to maintain a boil.

Power share a boost but 'high' does not power share. Low heat does not power share. Only 'boost'

And on my Bosch, the 'boost' feature shuts off automatically after 10 minutes.

Boost to start a boil---only boil, -- and only to begin the boil, not to maintain the boil.

(this ends my treatise on the boost feature of induction!)

LOL, Westsider! I think this applies to most induction cooktops. The one exceptiion is the Viking, when I was researching this a few years back, it was the only one that didn't power share. This may have changed, I have not looked recently.

My 36 inch 5 burner has 3 controllers, the two burners on one side share, the two on the other side share, and the middle burner is on it's own. So I can boost up to three pots at a time, during which time the other two can be used normally but can not be not boosted. After 10 minutes or so (don't remember exactly) the boost feature turns off on it's own and the setting defaults to 12, which is the highest setting. I use it to bring a large pot of pasta to a boil, or bring my pressure cooker up to temperature. I also have used it for stir frying with a flat bottom wok, but to be honest, I can use high and get good results, too. I don't do stir fry very often, and am not that good at it either--so any purists out there, please don't toast me. :-)

Cj