Any preserving pan advice please?

You could approach the problem from the other direction, and buy a single hotplate on which you could use your trusty old preserving pan. www.amazon.co.uk/s?ref=nb_sb_noss_2&crid=1H0EOPI32YT9J&sprefix=hotplate%2Caps%2C77&k=hotplate&tag=gransnetforum-21 Prices from about £15 upwards.

I had to buy a new one for induction hob use, it’s a Judge stainless steel one.
Be very careful not to get any jam on the hob, if you do wipe it off immediately, otherwise it will stick rock hard.

My preserving I had from Aldi. You need to test all your pans with a magnet. If it sticks the pans can be used on induction hob. Once you put the induction on to boil don't move it is very quick to boil but also very quick to go down. I love mine. I brought on with crosses as any size pan can be used on all 4 rings. Circles you can only use that size pan on them. As the base needs contact with the shape.

Thank you for those useful hints and tips. Using the induction hob is certainly a 'trial and error' event at the moment!

Elegran - I hadn't thought about it the other way round and my allotment gardening friend has gone off with the pan, delighted and with promises of 'payment in kind' so I'm not going to ask for it back!

The "payment in kind"sounds great!

I make a lot of jam but don’t have a dedicated preserving pan. I use a large (probably about 5 litre capacity) stainless steel saucepan with a lid. The maximum amount of fruit I would use would be 2 kg, usually less. I do the initial cooking of fruit with lid on, then remove. Works well for me and the saucepan can be used for other things - big batch of stew etc.

Most modern saucepans will work on induction hob - just check the bottom for magnet symbol

Harts of stur have a stainless steel maslin (preserving pan) for £29.95. I rate that store, have used tham a lot in the past.

J52

I had to buy a new one for induction hob use, it’s a Judge stainless steel one.
Be very careful not to get any jam on the hob, if you do wipe it off immediately, otherwise it will stick rock hard.

Leaving a wet dishcloth on the solid jam for ten minutes makes it easy to wipe off.

Thank you everyone.

Farmor15: I used my large casserole pot to make the marmalade and that worked well, so maybe I'll just stuck with that, for now at least.

lixy - glad to hear your marmalade worked out on new hob?.
I think the traditional preserving pan design was to provide a large surface area so that the water would evaporate more rapidly to get jam to setting point. However, I always add minimum water to cook fruit - try to get it to release own juice- so long boiling isn't needed, and ordinary saucepan works.
Marmalade does need more water and cooking to soften peel, but having a lid helps and kitchen isn't filled with steam.