The story of the Heatle begins in 1997, when a southern German industrial group that specializes in induction hobs published a patent that introduced an inductive immersion heater for the first time.
The idea is great: the efficiency of the immersion heater principle (heating element is directly in the liquid) is paired with the advantages of induction (wireless, convenient and safe). Wouldn't that be a problem...
A normal induction cooker simply works completely differently.
An induction hob, as we know it, heats a relatively large surface (pot, pan). Such a pot is flat, lies directly on the hob and does not move. "Hitting" a large body with induction is possible with simple and inexpensive circuits, which is also reflected in the price of inductive hotplates.
But an inductive immersion heater is the exact opposite:
Tiny goal
Dynamic goal
High performance
The area of the Heatle's heating disc is 16 times smaller than a regular 16cm pot. No ordinary induction cooker will respond to a Heatle disc (or even several) - they are invisible to it.
When you lift the pot, the stove switches off. But unlike pots, cup bottoms vary in thickness, width and (un)even. The disc also moves around by blowing air or stirring by hand.
Fast and efficient results require that the heating discs have a maximum amount of energy available. A Heatle concentrates up to 2,000 watts into the disc - and at greater distances there is still enough left to heat up.
Many try it. Everyone fails.
Many years passed since 1997 before this idea was commercially exploited for the first time - with great success. First from a startup, then from a corporation.
Then the breakthrough finally comes.
The tireless marathon
Especially after the flop of the SEB project "Just My Mug", it becomes even more exciting for the two founders that they seem to be the only ones in the world who have figured out how to bring an inductive immersion heater to life.
But the road to a real device, which should be three times smaller than the first Frankenstein prototype, is still long and rocky. The two get advice and support from the best minds in the industry, are welcome guests on boards of directors and secure support for the development of market leaders and investors.
Prominent support
With a lot of support from investors and end users, Heatle is surviving the Covid-related chip crisis, with production costs more than doubling and delivery times for components jumping from 2 weeks to 24 months. This also extends the research and development time immensely.
In 2022, the supply chains will collapse due to the Russian war of aggression - there will be further cost increases and delivery difficulties. But this year things are still moving forward. Part of the research is dedicated to EMC (electromagnetic compatibility), which represents the biggest hurdle for such technologies.
Made in Germany
In 2023 nothing will stand in the way of series production. Heatle opens a production hall in Berlin-Treptow and begins producing and delivering the first series-ready devices, of which a total of 10,000 will be built.