The first induction cooktop I ever owned was a cheap portable burner I bought to keep soup warm at a school fundraiser. It buzzed, its low setting clicked on and off, and I almost gave up on induction because of it. Readers ask me about portable burners more than anything else, so for this guide I wanted to find the ones that cook as well as a built-in, not just keep soup warm.
From September to October I tested eight of the best-selling portable induction cooktops side by side on our kitchen counter, all on the same 120-volt outlet with nothing else on that circuit. Each one cooked our family’s meals for at least a week, from eggs and fried rice to a pot of broth for hot pot night, and I took two of them camping for a weekend.
The Duxtop 9600LS is the portable burner I’d buy again. It brought a quart of water to a boil in 4 minutes and 35 seconds and held the steadiest gentle simmer of any single burner I tried. If you like to set an exact temperature, choose the NuWave Pro Chef. If you want a good burner for the least money, the Duxtop 9100MC is my budget pick, and the NuWave PIC Flex is the one I pack for camping.
Want one built into the counter? See my overall induction cooktop guide. Need two zones? Read my double-burner picks. Short on space? My small induction cooktop guide measured every inch. If one plug-in burner is what you need, keep reading.
My rankings at a glance
| Rank | Cooktop | Best for | Boils 1 quart in | Holds a gentle simmer? | Fan sound | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duxtop 9600LS | Best overall | 4 min 35 sec | Yes | Quiet | 8.8 |
| 2 | NuWave Pro Chef | Best for exact temperatures | 4 min 40 sec | Yes | Noticeable | 8.5 |
| 3 | Duxtop 9100MC | Best budget pick | 4 min 45 sec | Mostly | Quiet | 8.1 |
| 4 | AAOBOSI 1800W | Best for small kitchens | 4 min 38 sec | Mostly | Quietest | 7.9 |
| 5 | Duxtop 9620LS | Best double burner | 4 min 50 sec (one side) | Yes | Quiet | 7.7 |
| 6 | NuWave PIC Flex | Best for camping and RVs | 6 min 10 sec | No | Quietest | 7.2 |
| 7 | Hamilton Beach single induction cooktop | Simplest to use | 4 min 55 sec | Mostly | Noticeable | 7.0 |
| Skip | Amazon Basics 1800W | Not recommended | 4 min 50 sec | No | Loud | 5.6 |
Boil times are the middle of three runs with 1 quart of tap water in the same 3-quart pan. “Quiet” means the fan sounded like a soft conversation from 3 feet away; “loud” was closer to a running dishwasher. Ratings are out of 10.
Portable induction cooktop reviews
Here’s how each burner did in my kitchen, best first.
1. Best overall: Duxtop 9600LS
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts, with 20 power levels from 100 to 1,800 watts · Temperature settings: 20 levels, from 100°F to 460°F · Timer: Up to 10 hours · Controls: Angled glass touch panel with a child lock, a fast-boil button and a keep-warm button (140°F for up to 30 minutes) · Size: 14 by 11.4 by 2.5 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 35 seconds; simmer drifted about 6°F. My rating: 8.8 out of 10.
This is the burner I’d buy again. With 20 power levels and 20
temperature levels, there are real in-between steps at the low end. It
held my pot of soup at a gentle simmer for half an hour, which no other
single burner here managed as well. It goes as low as 100°F, so I could
melt chocolate without a double boiler, and the 10-hour timer let me
simmer bone broth overnight while the burner switched itself off on
time.
The angled panel is easy to read from where you stand, and the warm
and boil buttons quickly became my everyday shortcuts. Wirecutter
also names it the best portable induction cooktop.
What I liked
- It held the steadiest simmer of the single burners.
- The wide temperature range and the 10-hour timer are genuinely
useful. - The glass panel wipes clean in seconds.
What I didn’t like
- My thinnest pan made a high-pitched whine on the highest
setting. - You have to press a mode button before you can set the heat.
My verdict: Buy it if you want one burner that does everything
well.
You can compare the whole range in my guide to Duxtop induction cooktops.
2. Best for exact temperatures: NuWave Pro
Chef
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts · Temperature settings: 94 settings, from 100°F to 575°F in 5-degree steps, plus 6 presets · Build: Sold as commercial-grade, with shatter-resistant ceramic glass · Size: 14.2 by 11.4 by 2.4 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 40 seconds; simmer drifted about 5°F. My rating: 8.5 out of 10.
If you like to set an exact temperature, this is the burner for you.
When I fried chicken at 350°F, my thermometer read 343°F in the oil, and
it stayed there batch after batch. Its simmer was the steadiest of all
eight burners. The Barbecue
Lab also ranked it first in its hands-on test of five induction
burners.
The trade-offs are small. The evenly heated circle in my 10-inch
skillet was smaller than I expected, and the fan is a little louder than
the Duxtop’s.
What I liked
- You set the temperature in 5-degree steps.
- It held the steadiest simmer of the whole group.
What I didn’t like
- The evenly heated area is smaller than on the Duxtop.
- It costs more than my budget pick.
My verdict: Buy it if you fry, make candy or want to set an exact temperature. Skip it if you’re on a tight budget.
3. Best budget pick: Duxtop 9100MC
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts, with 15 power levels · Temperature settings: 15 levels, from 140°F to 460°F · Controls: Six raised buttons and a small digital display
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 45 seconds; simmer drifted about 9°F. My rating: 8.1 out of 10.
The 9100MC is the best induction burner for the money. It boiled a
quart only 10 seconds slower than the 9600LS. Its raised buttons are
easy to find by feel, and my mother, who has low vision, preferred them
to every touch panel I tested. Wirecutter calls it its budget pick,
too.
I also took it camping. On our campsite’s electric hookup, it cooked
a pot of chili for six of us without tripping the breaker, and the
raised buttons worked fine with cold fingers on a chilly evening.
Its lowest temperature is 140°F, so it can’t hold a really gentle
melt. On the lowest setting, my soup crept from still to small bubbles
and back again.
What I liked
- It’s excellent value, with easy raised buttons.
- It boiled water almost as fast as the 9600LS.
What I didn’t like
- Its lowest temperature is 140°F.
- It has no keep-warm or fast-boil shortcut buttons.
My verdict: Buy it if you want a dependable burner for the least money, with buttons you can feel. Skip it if you need very gentle heat for melting.
4. Best for small kitchens: AAOBOSI 1800W
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts, with 20 power levels · Temperature settings: 20 levels, from 120°F to 465°F · Coil: 6.8 inches across · Extras: Boil, hot pot, stew and keep-warm presets, a 4-hour timer, a child lock and a hot-surface warning · Size: 13.8 by 11 by 1.7 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 38 seconds; simmer drifted about 8°F. My rating: 7.9 out of 10.
The AAOBOSI is slim and compact, and it was the quietest full-power
burner I tested. At our hot pot night, I could still hear my kids
talking over it. It boiled water almost as fast as the Duxtop. Where it
fell behind was low heat: on the lowest settings it switched on and off,
so very gentle simmers wandered.
What I liked
- Its fan is the quietest of the full-power burners.
- It’s slim enough to store almost anywhere.
What I didn’t like
- It switches on and off at low heat.
- It’s a newer brand with a shorter track record.
My verdict: Buy it if you want a slim, quiet burner that stores anywhere. Skip it if you simmer delicate sauces often.
5. Best double burner: Duxtop 9620LS
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts in total, shared between two cooking zones · Settings: Power mode or temperature mode, with 20 levels in each mode · Controls: Touch panel with a digital display for each zone and a child lock · Cookware: Magnetic pans at least 5 inches across
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 50 seconds on one side; simmer drifted about 7°F. My rating: 7.7 out of 10.
Two burners on one 120-volt plug means the zones have to share power:
when you turn one side up high, the other side gets less. With pasta
boiling on the left and sauce on low on the right, it worked well. With
both sides on high, the pasta took almost twice as long to boil.
Wirecutter picks it as its double burner, too.
If you often cook two things at once, compare more options in my
guide to the best
double-burner induction cooktops.
What I liked
- You get two cooking zones from one outlet.
- Each zone has its own controls and display.
What I didn’t like
- You can’t run both sides at full power.
- It needs about 2 feet of counter space.
My verdict: Buy it if you need two zones from one outlet. Skip it if counter space is tight.
6. Best for camping and RVs: NuWave PIC
Flex
Quick facts: Power: 600, 900 or 1,300 watts, so you can match it to your power supply · Temperature settings: 100°F to 500°F in 5-degree steps, plus 6 presets · Coil: 6.5 inches across · Size: About 12 by 10 by 2 inches
My results: 1 quart boiled in 6 minutes and 10 seconds at full power; simmer drifted about 12°F. My rating: 7.2 out of 10.
The Flex is light and round, so it slips into a tote bag or a camper
cabinet. Its real advantage is the power limit: you can cap it at 600 or
900 watts, so it won’t overload a small power station or a weak
campground outlet.
I took it on a weekend camping trip with my family. At the campsite,
I ran it from a 1,000-watt portable power station on the 600-watt
setting. It heated water for our morning coffee in about 9 minutes and
cooked scrambled eggs for six in two batches. On the site’s 30-amp
electric hookup at full power, it handled a pot of pasta, but slowly.
The breeze made no difference to the cooking, which is one big advantage
over a camp gas stove. In bright sun I had to shade the display with my
hand to read it.
At home, its 1,300-watt maximum and small 6.5-inch coil make it the
slowest burner in my test, and it browned only the center of my 10-inch
skillet. Wirecutter came to the same conclusion: it’s great for travel,
but too small for everyday family cooking.
For more choices for camping and recreational vehicle (RV) kitchens, see my guide to the best induction cooktops
for RVs and camping.
What I liked
- It’s light and easy to pack.
- The 600- and 900-watt settings work on campground hookups and power
stations. - Wind doesn’t affect it the way it affects a gas flame.
What I didn’t like
- It’s slow and small for family meals at home.
- The display is hard to read in bright sun.
My verdict: Buy it if you camp or cook on weak power. Skip it if it will be your main burner at home.
7. Simplest to use: Hamilton Beach single
induction cooktop
Quick facts: Power: 1,800 watts, with a fast-heat mode · Controls: A short row of simple buttons
My results: 1 quart boiled in 4 minutes and 55 seconds; simmer drifted about 10°F. My rating: 7.0 out of 10.
If someone in your house just wants a burner that turns on and heats
up, this is the friendliest one. My teenager figured it out without
asking me a single question. It ranked second in The Barbecue Lab’s
hands-on test. It sits seventh here because its fan was louder than
most, and its lowest settings didn’t hold a steady simmer.
What I liked
- The controls are very simple.
- The fast-heat mode gets water going quickly.
What I didn’t like
- Its fan is louder than most.
- Its low simmer wanders.
My verdict: Buy it if you want the simplest burner for a parent, a dorm or a guest room. Skip it if you want a quiet fan or a steady simmer.
The one I’d skip
The Amazon Basics burner is one of the cheapest big sellers, with 8
power settings, a child lock, overheat protection and a timer. In my
tests, its heat jumped in big steps, so I couldn’t find a gentle simmer
between “still” and “rolling boil”. Its fan was also the loudest of the
eight, closer to a running dishwasher than a quiet room. For a few
dollars more, the Duxtop 9100MC is a much better burner.
How portable induction burners work
A copper coil under the glass creates a fast-changing magnetic field.
That field heats the base of a magnetic pan directly, so the pan cooks
the food while the glass stays much cooler than a coil hot plate. Most
portable induction cooktops stop at 1,800 watts because a standard U.S.
kitchen outlet is on a 120-volt, 15-amp circuit, and 120 volts times 15
amps equals 1,800 watts. That’s also why double burners have to share
their power. You can read more in my guide to how induction cooking
works.
Induction also wastes less energy than gas. According to ENERGY
STAR, about 85% of an induction burner’s energy goes into the pan,
compared with about a third for a gas burner.
Using a portable induction cooktop outdoors or while
camping
A portable induction burner can be a great camp stove, as long as you
plan for power.
- Check your power source. A campground electric
hookup can run an 1,800-watt burner. A portable power station or a small
inverter usually can’t, so choose a burner with a low-power setting,
such as the 600-watt setting on the NuWave PIC Flex. - Keep it dry and level. Set it on a flat, sturdy
table, never on grass or a soft cloth that blocks the air vents
underneath. - Bring magnetic pans. Cast iron and magnetic
stainless steel work; most aluminum camping pots don’t. - Shade the display. Bright sun can make the screen
hard to read.
My guide to running
induction on RV, solar or battery power explains how to work out how
long a battery will last.
How to choose a portable induction cooktop
Power
Choose a 1,800-watt burner for everyday family cooking. Lower-power
models, like the 1,300-watt NuWave PIC Flex, are slower but useful in
RVs, dorms, campsites and anywhere with a weak electrical circuit.
Settings and temperature
range
More settings make low heat easier to control. In my tests, the
burners with 20 levels (the Duxtop 9600LS and the AAOBOSI) or 5-degree
steps (the NuWave Pro Chef) simmered more steadily than the Amazon
Basics, which has only 8 settings. A low minimum temperature, such as
100°F, helps with melting chocolate and keeping food warm.
Coil size
Only the part of the pan above the coil heats well. If you cook with
10- or 12-inch skillets, avoid small-coil travel models.
Controls
Touch panels wipe clean easily, while raised buttons are easier to
use by feel. An angled panel is easier to read than a flat one.
Cookware
Your pans must be magnetic. If a fridge magnet sticks firmly to the
bottom of a pan, it will work. See my guide to what cookware works on
induction.
Safety
Look for automatic shut-off, overheat protection and a child lock.
The glass gets hot from the pan, so let it cool before you wipe it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best
portable induction cooktop?
In my testing, the Duxtop 9600LS was the best portable induction
cooktop overall. It held the steadiest simmer of the single burners and
covers a wide range, from 100°F to 460°F. The NuWave Pro Chef is best
for exact temperatures, and the Duxtop 9100MC is the best budget
choice.
Can
a portable induction cooktop plug into a normal outlet?
Yes. Most run on a standard 120-volt outlet and draw up to 1,800
watts. Avoid running a kettle or microwave on the same circuit at the
same time, or you may trip the breaker.
Can you
use a portable induction cooktop for camping?
Yes, if you have enough power. A campground electric hookup can run a
full 1,800-watt burner. For a portable power station or a small
inverter, choose a model with a low-power setting, such as the NuWave
PIC Flex.
Is an
induction burner better than a regular hot plate?
For speed and control, yes. An induction burner heats the pan
directly and responds as soon as you change the setting, while a coil or
infrared hot plate heats itself first and stays hot longer. A hot plate
does work with any pan, though.
Why does my
induction burner make a buzzing noise?
The cooling fan always runs, and some pans hum or buzz on high power.
It’s normal, and it usually quiets down when you lower the setting or
use a heavier, flat-bottomed pan.
Are portable induction
cooktops safe?
Yes, when used as directed. They only heat a magnetic pan, most
switch off when there’s no pan or when they overheat, and many have a
child lock. The glass still gets hot from the pan, so take care after
cooking.