Hacker News Reader

Comment by eimrine | Hacker News Reader

Since we are talking about kitchen, sensor buttons on anything are easier while cleaning from fats than all kinds of moving buttons/switches.

View on HN

I find sensors are dangerous, for two reasons. Sensors react not only to your finger but also to the wet cloth while cleaning, so cleaning can change settings or switch on the heat. There is usually a "cloth-detection", but that often doesn't work. And on the hob, if you spill something, liquid might get on the buttons and change the settings. I've had a spill turning into a disaster of burned milk and even more spillage that way.

Idk how it works but when I clean my induction burner, when the buttons are wet, there is some sort of annoying alarm beep but it never ever activated some button for no reason. Also, you need to long press the power button then the burner specific button.

Of course it’s induction so even if it was erroneously powered on, it would only be an issue with a pan on it which never happen anyway when you clean.

I hate sensors buttons with passion for everything but in the specific case of an induction burner, I think that’s a smart choice (accessibility aside).

My previous ikea induction burner even had 4 virtual sliders for the temperature, one for each burner and it was so nice that I wonder why it’s not the default.

I’d be fine with them except that the stove completely turns off when the sensors get a drop of water on them. And your fingers has to be dry and clean to use them. Both conditions make them hopeless in a kitchen.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com