A portable induction cooktop is your best option for a small kitchen, an RV or even a small cabin. It doesn’t take up much space, is easily stowed away after use, and most importantly: It’s very safe to use.
In contrary to other cooktops, it doesn’t contain a heating element. Instead it generates an electromagnetic field, which heats up the bottom of your pots and pans. The bottom of your cookware becomes the actual heating element, and it’s extremely efficient.
Below are the best portable induction cooktops according to our research and review process.
- Best overall
Duxtop 9610LS Portable Induction Cooktop - Best on a budget
Duxtop 8500ST Portable Induction Cooktop - Best double burner
Cuisinart ICT-60 Double Induction Cooktop - Best design
Taste by Cuisinart Tasty One Top - Best professional
Duxtop P961LS Commercial Countertop Burner
Best overall: Duxtop BT-200DZ Portable Induction Cooktop
Duxtop 9610LS Portable Induction Cooktop
The Duxtop 9610LS performs extremely well and has smooth surface that allows for easy cleaning. This is by far our favorite choice.
Pros: Great performance – heats up any compatible pot or pan fast, sleek design, touch sensitive control panel, many useful features, easy to clean after use, safety lock.
Cons: The temperature increments make it difficult to simmer, only a small area in the middle heats up your pots and pans, doesn’t do well with low temperatures in general, only works in Fahrenheit.
The Duxtop 9610LS offers great performance and many useful features, so you can make the best of any kitchen regardless of size.
We appreciate how fast it heats up any pan or pot that are compatible with induction, as it allows us to cook our meals quicker and more efficiently. If you spill anything by accident, there’s no need to worry either. The sleek design with smooth surfaces makes it easy to wipe down the entire unit after use, with little risk of food getting stuck in crevises.
The illuminated digital display gives you great control during cooking, and you’ll find plenty of extra features for all your needs. We like the slanted control panel because it allows for easier use with oversized cookware.
On the opposite aspect, the temperature doesn’t seem fit to simmer at all. If you like slow cooking and maintaining a low temperature, the 18-degree temperature increments could cause a bit of trouble. We would’ve liked the option to switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius as well, but this isn’t a dealbreaker at all.
Best on a budget: Duxtop 8500ST Portable Induction Cooktop
Duxtop 8500ST Portable Induction Cooktop
The Duxtop 8500ST offers great value and is a great choice for those seeking an affordable yet versatile cooktop.
Pros: Easy to clean, nice and sleek design, great price:quality ratio, lightweight and portable, simple to operate.
Cons: Only 15 temperature settings from 140 to 460 degrees F, no quick-heat feature, few users had issues with some pots or pans not being recognized.
The Duxtop 8500ST Portable Induction Cooktop offers unparalleled value in a simple, lightweight package. With this single burner you can set up a kitchen anywhere, and start cooking within minutes. There’s no preheating necessary, and the surface is easily wiped clean after use.
We like how nice and sleek this induction cooktop is, and how well is works for many purposes. You might struggle a bit with the temperature increments though, because each step increases/decreases the temperature with a little over 21 degrees – slightly higher than other models.
It took us a few minutes to figure out how it works though, but after reading the manual it’s quite straightforward. It has a few useful features such as timer and child lock, and we liked the option to set the actual cooking temperature rather than just a number between 1 and 15.
We do miss a quick heat-feature on this model though, which means that reaching boiling point could take a bit longer than with other models. It does pull 1800 Watts like other models do, but there’s no option to quickly switch a quick heat-feature on or off.
There were a few complaints about this cooktop being unable to recognize small pots and pans, but we haven’t been able to verify this issue ourselves and we’re unsure whether it’s the cooktop or the cookware that are at fault here.
Best double burner: Cuisinart ICT-60 Double Induction Cooktop
Cuisinart ICT-60 Double Induction Cooktop
The Cuisinart ICT-60 has two induction burners, allowing you to cook entire meals faster – a great option for a small kitchenette.
Pros: Two individual burners, practical size, timers for both burners, surface of each burner is easy to clean.
Cons: Wattage is split between the burners, less efficient than single burners, no quick heat feature, no safety lock.
While a double induction cooktop splits the wattage between two burners, ultimately generating less heat than a single burner, you might want to consider this option anyway.
Only rarely do you need to turn your induction cooktop all the way up anyway, unless you only use it to heat up water, so this could potentially make a great purchase.
With the Cuisinart ICT-60 you can cook entire meals in no time, and it fits perfectly on a countertop in any small kitchen you can imagine. We like it because of how simple and easy it is to use, and after cooking you can easily wipe off the surface areas with a damp cloth.
Both burners have individual control panels and their own timer feature. The control panel isn’t slanted though, which could cause a bit of a problem with oversize cookware.
It doesn’t have a quick heat feature, and there’s no safety lock. However, it does take more than one step to actually heat up the cookware. You’ll have to turn it on first though, and then choose the heat level.
Best design: Taste by Cuisinart Tasty One Top
Taste by Cuisinart Tasty One Top
Whether you’re planning on opening your own YouTube cooking channel or just want a stylish induction cooktop, the Tasty One Top comes in at #1.
Pros: Glass surface with rounded edges, easy to clean, beautiful design, controlled via app or simple control panel, advanced features with built-in recipes, thermometer included.
Cons: Price is a little steep, only gets hot in the middle which causes uneven cooking, limited heat settings.
You’ve probably heard of Tasty, a channel owned by BuzzFeed with millions of subscribers across multiple social media platforms. This portable induction cooktop was designed by Tasty, and they use it as a staple in their many cooking videos.
It’s a smart induction cooktop that connects to your smartphone through an app, granting you access to exciting recipes that you can easily make at home with the cooktop and thermometer. For instance, let’s say you want to make yourself a medium-rare steak. Normally, it would involve precision and a bit of guesswork to get it right. Not anymore. This cooktop allows you to insert a thermometer directly into your meat, and it will automatically shut off once the internal temperature has been reached.
Besides the smart features, we really love the design of this cooktop. Who said kitchen appliances have to look boring anyway? The smooth, soft curves as well as the round hot plate allows for easy cleaning with just a damp cloth. There are no crevices, and therefore food won’t get stuck easily.
All pros aside though, you’re looking at a hefty price tag and a form over function mindset. It definitely wasn’t designed with practicality in mind, as it would otherwise be rectangular in shape with a smaller footprint. We’ve also seen evidence that it only gets hot in the center, which is a bummer if you’re expecting to utilize the entire cooking area at once.
The app connectivity might be a little over the top for most people too, but if you like the style and want something that looks beautiful, this is definitely a winner. And it does actually perform quite well, as long as you allow your cookware to heat up properly before using it.