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Gaggenau launches nearly invisible cooktop that "allows the architecture to breathe"

Promotion: German kitchen appliance brand Gaggenau has launched The Essential Induction cooktop, which is designed to be "seamlessly integrated into a kitchen's worktop".

The Essential Induction cooktop includes a stone worktop surface with only two visible elements: the LED light and performance dials.

Resembling a small dot, the light shows the user where to place the cookware. It warns of residual heat and vanishes when not in use to transform the cooktop into an area that is suitable for a range of activities including preparation, serving, dining, working and socialising.

Gaggenau's The Essential Induction cooktop
Gaggenau has recently introduced The Essential Induction cooktop

"The straightforwardness of the design and the minimalistic approach conveys a sense of aesthetics and joy," Gaggenau's head of design Sven Baacke said. "It's about finding delight in the essential aspects of cooking and living, without being overwhelmed by unnecessary features."

"The aesthetics are not just about the appliance itself; they extend to having a clean cooktop that allows the architecture to breathe," Baacke continued.

Gaggenau's The Essential Induction cooktop with a pan and vegetables placed on it
The cooktop includes a worktop surface with only two visible elements, the LED light and performance dials

Beneath the 12-millimetre deep worktop, high-performance 21 and 28-centimetre induction modules can be individually configured to create a "spacious and unified multi-use cooking surface," according to the brand.

The product offers 12 power levels and an illuminated performance dial in black or stainless steel. According to Cosentino – the makers of Dekton – its stone worktops are carbon neutral.

The cooktop is suitable for a range of activities including preparation, serving, dining, working and socialising

As part of the launch, Gaggenau has also developed removable magnetic surface protectors for existing cookware, which come in four sizes for pans between 10 to 28 centimetres.

These protectors are designed to safeguard the worktop, ensure conductivity and mitigate any noise of the pan moving across the stone surface.

"This innovation offers the ultimate freedom in kitchen planning, which is a revolutionary concept for designers and planners”, head of business development at Gaggenau Kais Zaiane said. "As there are no visible cooking zones or frames anymore, it seamlessly integrates into any design scheme."

"The boundaries between food preparation and living space are eliminated with this solution," continued Zaiane.

The Essential Induction cooktop in grey
The cooktop was designed to integrate exclusively with the Dekton stone countertops

According to Gaggenau, it aims for the product to bring the focus back to the kitchen table or kitchen block "where people gather around as they would around a fire, fostering social interactions".

"We can eliminate distractions and design the perfect kitchen that doesn't feel like a traditional kitchen with its boundaries," said Baacke. "I really appreciate the idea of bringing back the kitchen table as a central area where everything happens – a combination of a table and a kitchen block."

The Essential Induction cooktop in grey
The cooktop offers "the ultimate freedom in kitchen planning, which is a revolutionary concept for designers and planners"

The Essential Induction cooktop will be available to purchase from May 2024.

Gaggenau is a manufacturer of high-quality home appliances. The brand has a history dating back to 1683 and is currently represented in more than 50 countries with 25 flagship showrooms across the world.

To learn more about the brand, visit its website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Gaggenau as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.