There is provided an apparatus for heating a pot of food or beverage, the apparatus comprising at least one receptacle (20), each receptacle for temporarily receiving a pot of food or beverage to be heated. Each receptacle comprises a base (22), sidewalls (24), and an opening opposite from the base (22) for receiving the pot; a heater element (43) mounted to the sidewalls; a temperature sensor (45) mounted to the base; a pot sensor (40, 41) for detecting whether or not a pot is present in the receptacle; and a controller connected to the heater element, temperature sensor, and pot sensor. The controller is configured to control the heater element in response to the pot sensor and temperature sensor.

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

Provided is an apparatus and method for a digital power supply that can provide independent power control, and control variable power, for two or more electrical loads. Disclosed embodiments may reduce the magnitude of harmonic currents and/or flicker introduced into a power system. Embodiments include a microprocessor that delivers power to electric loads using phase-controlled AC current. The microprocessor may calculate a power array corresponding to a requested power for each electric load. Logic is provided for populating the power array in a pattern that reduces the magnitude of harmonic currents and flicker.

Cooking appliances and methods for operating cooking appliances are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for operating a cooking appliance is provided. The method includes providing power to the heating source according to a first control mode; determining whether to transition from the first control mode to a second control mode and, if so, then providing power to the heating source according to the second control mode. The method further includes determining whether to transition from the second control mode to a third control mode and, if so, then providing power to the heating source according to the third control mode. The cooking appliances and methods include features for limiting cooking utensil temperatures using time-to-target criteria.

Provided is an apparatus and method for a digital power supply that can provide independent power control for two or more electrical loads. Some disclosed embodiments provide continuous, variable power and other disclosed embodiments provide discrete power levels. Disclosed embodiments may reduce the magnitude of harmonic currents and/or flicker introduced into a power system. Embodiments include a microprocessor that delivers power to electric loads using phase-controlled AC current. In some embodiments, the microprocessor may calculate a power array corresponding to a requested power for each electric load. Logic is provided for populating the power array in a pattern that reduces the magnitude of harmonic currents and flicker. Portions of the disclosure include a band controller for delivering power to achieve and maintain a desired target temperature, and a wireless controller for controlling temperature from a remote device.

A cooking apparatus has a cooking chamber, a microwave unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, an input unit to receive a cooking command and a control unit to perform a cooking corresponding to the received cooking command by performing one of a first heating stage and a second heating stage, and after performing the one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, performing the other one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage. In the first heating stage, the control unit operates the microwave unit and at least one of the convection unit and the grill unit, and in the second heating stage, the control unit operates the grill unit and the convection unit while not operating the microwave unit.

Systems, methods, and devices may include a toaster device. The toaster may include a toaster body having a housing having a top outer surface, a bottom outer surface, and a side outer surface extending between the top and bottom outer surfaces. The toaster device may include a control system comprising a power supply and a switch configured to cut power to the heating element when in a cut-power state. The toaster device may include a toaster cover comprising an actuation element. The toaster cover may be alterable between a detached state in which the toaster cover is separated and remote from the toaster body and an assembled state in which the toaster cover rests atop the toaster body to cover the bread slot and the actuation element of the toaster cover actuates the switch into the cut-power state.

The present invention relates to a thawing-apparatus, in which a substance is preferably heated. The present invention further relates to a method to thaw a substance with radio-frequency waves.

Provided is an electric grill capable of precisely controlling the temperature of a grilling plate by directly applying a heating paste including carbon nanotubes to the bottom of the grilling plate. The present invention includes the grilling plate on which food to be cooked is placed; a heating body that is applied so as to be arranged on the lower portion of the grilling plate so as to heat the grilling plate; a heat insulating material which is disposed to be spaced apart from the heating body at a predetermined distance so as to block heat conduction to the outside; and a temperature sensor which is disposed between the heating body and the heat insulating material so as to measure the temperature of an upper plate. A pair of electrodes for supplying electricity to the heating body are arranged along opposite edges of both sides of the heating body, and a heating region can be divided and controlled by dividing and combining the pair of electrodes, the heating body, the coating thickness, and the like.