When my oldest moved into a rental with a broken range, the landlord said the repair would take a month. She needed two burners, not one, because her whole dinner routine is pasta on one side and sauce on the other. The text she sent me is the question every double-burner shopper should ask: “What happens when both sides are on?”
Every 120-volt double burner shares about 1,800 watts between its two zones, because that’s all a standard kitchen outlet can supply. So from September to October I tested seven of them on the same kitchen outlet, timing a quart of water with one side on and again with both sides on high, and cooked our usual two-pot dinners on each for at least a week.
The Duxtop 9620LS is the one I sent my daughter. Its main zone cooks like my favorite single burner, and it handled pasta on one side and sauce on the other without a fuss. If you want the two sides to share power more cleverly, look at the NuWave PIC Double. If you cook big breakfasts, the AMZCHEF double with griddle made pancakes for four at once.
Only need one zone? See my portable induction picks. Want two zones built into the counter on a regular plug? Compare 120-volt plug-in cooktops. If two burners on one outlet is what you’re after, keep reading.
My rankings at a glance
| Rank | Cooktop | Best for | 1 quart, one side on | 1 quart, both sides on high | Low simmer | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duxtop 9620LS | Best overall | 4 min 50 sec | 8 min 55 sec | Very steady | 8.4 |
| 2 | NuWave PIC Double | Best power sharing | 4 min 52 sec | 8 min 10 sec | Steady | 8.2 |
| 3 | NuWave Double Pro | Best for searing and big pans | 4 min 48 sec | 8 min 5 sec | Steady | 8.0 |
| 4 | AMZCHEF Double with Griddle Pan | Best with a griddle | 6 min 40 sec | 7 min 30 sec | Mostly steady | 7.6 |
| 5 | AMZCHEF Double 1800W (ETL certified) | Best value | 4 min 58 sec | 9 min 20 sec | Pulses a little | 7.4 |
| 6 | Cooktron Double with Knob Control | Best with knobs | 5 min 5 sec | 9 min 5 sec | Steady (non-pulse low) | 7.2 |
| Skip | Rosewill Foldable Dual | Not recommended | 7 min 45 sec | 11 min 30 sec | Big jumps | 5.4 |
Each boil time is the middle of three runs with the same quart of tap water. “Both sides on high” means a second pot was boiling on the other side at the same time. Ratings are out of 10.
Double-burner induction cooktop reviews
Here’s how each double burner did in my kitchen, best first.
1. Best overall: Duxtop 9620LS
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts total, shared between two zones · Modes: Power mode or temperature mode, 20 preset levels per mode · Controls: Touch panel with LCD display, child lock · Cookware: Magnetic, at least 5 inches across · Safety: Low- and high-voltage warning; Intertek ETL (ETL) approved
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 50 seconds on one side; 8 minutes and 55 seconds with both on high; the simmer was very steady. My rating: 8.4 out of 10.
This is the double burner I’d buy. Each side has its own controls and an LCD screen that’s easy to read from across the kitchen, and you can pick power mode for boiling or temperature mode for frying. The pasta-and-sauce test was effortless: the sauce held a lazy bubble on the right while the pasta boiled on the left.
With both zones on high it slows down a lot, almost twice as long to boil, because the two sides share 1,800 watts. Wirecutter also picks it as its double burner.
If you only need one burner, see the Duxtop 9600LS in my portable guide.
What I liked
- It has two independent zones, each with a clear liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen.
- You can choose power mode or temperature mode.
- It held the steadiest simmer of the doubles.
What I didn’t like
- It slows down when both sides are on high.
- With 10-inch pans, only the center of each zone heats strongly.
My verdict: Buy it if you want two dependable zones for everyday cooking, like pasta and sauce at once. Skip it if you often need two pots boiling fast at the same time.
2. Best power sharing: NuWave PIC Double
Quick facts: Power: 900, 1,500 or 1,800 watts settings, shared by need (“Dynamic Watt Technology”) · Temperature: 50–575°F in 5°F steps (106 settings) · Zones: Two 8-inch zones, 25 pounds weight capacity per side · Controls: Two independent touch panels with a “Precision” key · Size: 23.6 × 14.1 × 2.6 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 52 seconds on one side; 8 minutes and 10 seconds with both on high; the simmer was steady. My rating: 8.2 out of 10.
NuWave sets temperatures in 5-degree steps instead of power levels, which makes it easy to hold oil at frying temperature or keep chocolate melted. Its power sharing gave the best “both on high” time in my tests apart from the Double Pro. When I seared chicken on one side and kept rice warm on the other, the chicken side kept its heat.
The 900-watt setting is handy on a weak circuit or in a recreational vehicle (RV). Some temperature settings felt hotter than the number on screen; I learned to set it 25 degrees lower for eggs.
For more, see my guide to the best precision induction cooktops.
What I liked
- It sets temperatures in 5-degree steps from 50°F to 575°F.
- It shares power smartly between the two sides.
- You can cap its wattage for weak circuits.
What I didn’t like
- The displayed temperature isn’t always what the pan reaches.
- It’s wide and needs about 24 inches of counter.
My verdict: Buy it if you want exact temperatures and smart power sharing between the two sides. Skip it if your counter is narrow.
3. Best for searing and big pans: NuWave Double Pro
Quick facts: Power: 900, 1,500 or 1,800 watts at 120 volts, shared by need · Temperature: 50–575°F in 5°F steps; 5 presets · Memory: 50 saved presets per burner (100 total) · Timer: Up to 99 hours · Size: 23.6 × 14.2 × 2.6 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 48 seconds on one side; 8 minutes and 5 seconds with both on high; the simmer was steady. My rating: 8.0 out of 10.
The Double Pro is the newer, more feature-packed version of the PIC Double, with a seamless glass top that wipes clean in one pass. It gave me the best steak crust of the doubles, and the fastest two-pot boil.
A few times the touch keys didn’t register with wet fingers, and the fan was louder than the PIC Double’s. If you don’t need 100 presets, the PIC Double does nearly the same job.
What I liked
- It was the fastest with both sides on.
- Its seamless glass top wipes clean in one pass.
- It saves your favorite temperatures as presets.
What I didn’t like
- Its touch keys missed some presses with wet fingers.
- Its fan is louder than the PIC Double’s.
My verdict: Buy it if you sear in big pans and want the fastest double with both sides on. Skip it if you cook with wet hands a lot; its touch keys missed some presses.
4. Best with a griddle: AMZCHEF Double with Griddle Pan
Quick facts: Power: 1,100 watts per side, 1,800 watts total at 120 volts · Controls: Knob plus touch; 9 power levels; 99-minute timer; child lock · Griddle: Removable nonstick griddle pan, dishwasher safe · Cookware: Magnetic, 4.7–9.4 inches across · Error code: Shows “E0-inch when no suitable pan is detected
My results: 1 quart boiled in 6 minutes and 40 seconds on one side; 7 minutes and 30 seconds with both on high; the simmer was mostly steady. My rating: 7.6 out of 10.
Lift off the griddle and it’s a normal two-zone burner; put it back and you have a pancake station. Saturday pancakes for six came off in two batches instead of four. Because each side is capped at 1,100 watts, it’s slow to boil on one side, but it barely slows when both run together.
It only takes pans up to about 9.4 inches across, so large skillets heat mainly in the middle.
What I liked
- The griddle is included and easy to clean.
- It has a knob as well as touch controls.
- It hardly slows down with both sides on.
What I didn’t like
- It’s slow to boil on one side, with 1,100 watts at most.
- It has only 9 power levels.
My verdict: Buy it if pancake breakfasts are your thing and you want the griddle in the box. Skip it if you mostly boil water; one side alone is slow.
5. Best value: AMZCHEF Double 1800W (ETL certified)
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts total; 18 power levels (100–1,800 watts) · Temperature: 20 levels, 100–465°F · Sharing: With both burners on, the combined max is 1,800 watts and one burner can’t exceed P13 · Timer: Up to 10 hours; child lock; residual-heat warning · Size: 20.2 × 11.8 × 2.5 inches; pans 4.7–9.4 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 58 seconds on one side; 9 minutes and 20 seconds with both on high; the simmer pulsed a little. My rating: 7.4 out of 10.
This is the cheapest double here that I’d happily use every day. It has lots of steps, an ETL safety listing and a narrower body than the NuWaves. At the lowest setting the heat clicked on and off, so my soup went from bubbling to still every few seconds; a heavier pot evened it out.
AMZCHEF is unusually clear about power sharing in its listing, which I appreciate.
What I liked
- It’s a good price for 18 power and 20 temperature levels.
- Its footprint is narrow.
- The maker is clear about its power limits.
What I didn’t like
- Its low settings switch on and off.
- Its maximum pan size is small.
My verdict: Buy it if you want a well-priced, honest double burner with plenty of settings. Skip it if you simmer delicate sauces often.
6. Best with knobs: Cooktron Double with Knob Control
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts shared; 9 power levels · Temperature: 10 settings, 140–464°F · Controls: Rotary knob, touch keys and display for each zone · Low heat: Continuous low-power heating (non-pulse), per the maker · Timer: Up to 4 hours; child lock; auto shut-off
My results: 1 quart boiled in 5 minutes and 5 seconds on one side; 9 minutes and 5 seconds with both on high; the simmer was steady. My rating: 7.2 out of 10.
If touch controls drive you mad, this is the double to get: each side has a real dial. My mother, who hates touch panels, used it without asking me a single question. Cooktron says it heats continuously at low power instead of pulsing, and my simmer test agreed.
Some owners report it cutting out mid-cook or dying after a few months, so keep your receipt. Mine worked through four weeks of testing.
For more, see my guide to the best induction cooktops with knobs.
What I liked
- Each zone has a real knob.
- Its low heat is steady instead of pulsing.
What I didn’t like
- It has fewer settings: 9 power levels and 10 temperatures.
- Some owners report early failures.
- Its fan is louder than most.
My verdict: Buy it if you want real dials and steady low heat on a plug-in double. Skip it if you want the most settings or a quiet fan.
The one I’d skip
The Rosewill folds in half with a carry handle, which is clever for storage. But its listing describes power levels from only 200 to 1,000 watts and 9 temperature settings, and in my tests it was the slowest to boil by far and jumped between temperatures in big steps. Owner feedback on Amazon is also far weaker than for the models above. For similar money, the AMZCHEF ETL model is a much better cooktop.
How power sharing works on a double induction burner
A regular U.S. kitchen outlet is 120 volts on a 15-amp circuit, which works out to about 1,800 watts. Every honest 120-volt double burner is limited to that total, so when you turn both zones up, each one gets less. Makers handle it differently:
- Capped levels: AMZCHEF’s ETL model says that with both burners on, neither can go above level P13.
- Fixed split: the AMZCHEF griddle model lists 1,100 watts per side with an 1,800 watts total.
- Shared by need: NuWave calls its system Dynamic Watt Technology: it gives power to whichever side needs it, instead of splitting it evenly.
In real cooking this mattered less than I expected: a boiling pot on high plus a sauce on low worked fine on every model. It only hurt when I wanted two pots boiling fast at once. If you often need two high-heat zones, a built-in cooktop on a 240-volt circuit is the real answer: see best induction cooktops.
How to choose a double-burner induction cooktop
Power sharing
Every 120-volt double burner shares about 1,800 watts. Read how: a level cap (AMZCHEF), a fixed split (the griddle model) or need-based sharing (NuWave). If you mostly boil on one side and simmer on the other, any of them works.
Zone size and pan size
Check the maximum pan size. Many doubles top out around 9 inches, so a 12-inch skillet heats mostly in the middle.
Controls
Separate controls for each side are a must. Knobs suit cooks who dislike touch panels; touch panels wipe clean more easily.
Width
Doubles are 20 to 24 inches wide. Measure your counter and where you’ll store it.
Built-in use
Some models can drop into a counter cutout. If that’s your plan, see 120-volt plug-in built-in cooktops and small induction cooktops.
Cookware
Your pans must be magnetic, so check my guide to what cookware works on induction.
Induction is also efficient: ENERGY STAR says about 85% of its energy reaches the pan, compared with about a third for gas.
FAQ
Can you use both burners on a double induction cooktop at the same time?
Yes. Both zones work at once, but they share about 1,800 watts on a 120-volt plug, so each side gets less power when both are on high.
Is a double induction cooktop worth it?
Yes, if you often cook two things at once and don’t have a built-in cooktop, or need extra burners for holidays. If you only cook one pot at a time, a single burner is cheaper and faster.
How many watts does a double induction cooktop use?
Most 120-volt double burners are limited to about 1,800 watts total, shared between both zones.
What is the best 2-burner induction cooktop?
In my tests, the Duxtop 9620LS was the best all-rounder, with the NuWave PIC Double close behind for its 5-degree temperature steps and smarter power sharing.
Can a double induction cooktop be built in?
Some can. Check that the model is approved for drop-in installation and has enough airflow underneath.
Do double induction burners need special pans?
They need magnetic pans with a flat base, usually between about 5 and 9 inches across. A fridge magnet should stick firmly to the base.