Best Countertop Burners (Review)
I have done extensive research to help you choose the best countertop burner out of 11 different models. Find out which countertop burners you should consider and which ones to avoid!:
#1 Duxtop 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Countertop Burner
Duxtop 8100MC is induction burner so it only works with cookware with magnetic bottom. Cookware made of cast iron and in most cases stainless steel is magnetic. Inductions cooking works by creating a magnetic field between magnetic cookware and magnetic coils which creates energy/heat. This technology has multiple advantages: it’s very energy efficient and heats up/changes heat fast.
Duxtop 8100MC has digital timer and you can set timer for it to work for up to 170 minutes (can be adjusted in 1 minute increments). It also has auto-pan detection feature which turns off device in 60 seconds if it doesn’t detect any cookware. You don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving the unit on however if the sensor breaks it might make the countertop burner unusable.
Duxtop 8100MC housing is made of plastic. IT’s is ETL approved.
Overall Duxtop 8100MC is not as good as Duxtop 9600LS induction countertop burner, however it’s not that far off and is considerably cheaper making it a better value for money for most.
#2 Duxtop 9600LS Portable Induction Cooktop
Duxtop 9600LS is induction countertop so it will work only with cookware that has magnetic bottom. It has 20 adjustable temperature setting ranging from 100°F to 460°F and 20 preset power levels ranging from 100 to 1800 watts. From 100 to 900 watts it adjusts in 80 watt increments (at lower settings more delicate adjustments are preferred because they have bigger relative impact) and from 900 to 1800 watts in 100 watt increments.
Duxtop 9600LS heats up fast and performs very well. It doesn’t produce residual heat. Heat fluctuation is minimal, certainly less than (at least most) other brands. Inexpensive induction hot plates like this one maintain the temperature by turning the power on and off, but this one seems to do it at more frequent rate (every couple seconds) therefore minimizing the temperature fluctuations.
Controls are intuitive, responsive and easy to use. “Keep warm” feature works well and maintains 140°F temperature from 1 to 30 minutes. Duxtop 9600LS has a temperature readout. As mentioned in manual it’s more of an estimate but most of the time it’s not far off. It has a timer feature and can be set up to 10 hours. It also has “auto-pan detection” feature which turns off the unit if it has detected that no cookware for 60 seconds.
It has fan that runs while the unit is turned on (and afterwards to cool it down). It does make noise but it isn’t super loud, still some might find it disturbing.
Shallow cookware with large diameter can develop hot spots at higher power settings.
Duxtop 9600LS is a really good induction cooktop however it’s a bit more expensive than other devices in this list so the value for money might not be the best.
#3 iSiLER 1800W Induction Countertop Burner
Since iSiLER 1800W has 9 power levels adjustable from 100 to 1800 watts and temperature is adjustable from 140°F to 460°F in 40°F increments. iSiLER 1800W heats up very quickly and makes water boil in minutes. It holds temperature well too and cools down quickly as expected.
Cooktop has a surface of 6.7 inches (17cm) and is designed for pans with 3.9-8.6 inches of diameter. iSiLER 1800W is lightweight and very portable. Surface doesn’t scratch and is easy to clean.
All of the touch-buttons are intuitive and responsive. It has timer function which can be set up to 180 minutes in 1 minute increments (or 10 minute increments with prolonged touches). iSiLER 1800W also features child safety lock.
#4 Proctor Silex 34103 Electric Single Burner
Proctor Silex 34103 is a very basic electric burner but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad. It works good for a cheap unit. It certainly isn’t best option for boiling medium sized/big pots (although it can still do that if necessary but it will take forever to start boiling and boiling will be minimal) but other than that it works pretty well.
Variable temperature knob is a really cheap, there is no feedback when you turn it (no ticks or anything like that) or numbers. Sometimes you think you have turned it off when in fact you haven’t. Instructions say that you should unplug the device when you are not using it and you really should do that to prevent accidentally leaving the burner on. Proctor Silex 34103 has indicator light to warn if it’s “on” but it really warns whether the unit is plugged or not. Other than the knob the countertop burner feels well made and sturdy.
Burner coil can be lifted up to access stainless steel drip pan for cleaning. If has non skid feet to prevent burner from slipping.
Considering the low price it’s a good device for the pricing, but it’s not as good as some other more expensive ones. If you want absolutely cheapest burner that’s reasonably good then this is a good choice.
#5 Cuisinart CB-30 Burner
Cuisinart CB-30 features 1300 watt heating plate. It has adjustable temperature control with 6 different settings. It takes a bit of time to heat up and quite a long time to boil water (expect 30+ minutes depending on temperature and amount of liquid).
It has indicator lights to let you know when the burner is turned on and when it has achieved desired temperature.
It’s easy to clean. Housing is made of brushed stainless steel. Cuisinart CB-30 is 11.5 inches long, 11 inches wide and 2.5 inches high.
#6 Cusimax 1200W Portable Electric Stove
Cusimax portable electric stove heats up fast and so does change heat. It does have hot spots though and the entire unit gets hot including the knobs (they don’t get as hot as housing but still pretty warm). It does turn off when it gets too hot but the cooking surface stays hot enough. Works with cookware with diameter up to 7.1 inches.
The glass cooking surface is hard to clean, non-cooking surface isn’t.
#7 CUSIMAX 1500 Watt Portable Hot Plate Burner
CUSIMAX 1500 Watt portable burner features 8 temperature settings. It heats up fast however takes a bit of time to cool down (but not very long). It’s pretty powerful too! It’s a good unit but not quite the best.
It’s easy to use and clean. CUSIMAX 1500 Watt portable burner has stainless steel housing.
#8 SUNAVO CB-H11 Portable Burner
SUNAVO CB-H11 has 1500 watt threaded cast iron heating plate and features temperature control with 5 temperature levels.
Heats up fast and takes few minutes to boil water, however the stainless steel housing does get pretty hot and takes a while to cool down.
SUNAVO CB-H11 is small in size and very portable. It’s feels heavy duty and is easy to clean. It’s ETL approved.
#9 Cuisinart CB-60 Cast-Iron Portable Burner
Cuisinart CB-60 burner features two burners: 1300 watt & 500 watt. The less powerful heating plate is kinda useless for cooking and basically is good for only keeping the food warm. The 1300 watt heating plate does work better but it doesn’t get super hot. Each burner has 6 heat settings and it takes pretty long to reach the temperature when set on highest setting. There is two light for each burner: yellow and green. Yellow light indicates that the burner is turned on, the green one that it has reached set temperature.
Cuisinart CB-60 is 5.75 inches long, 22.5 inches wide and 15.25 inches tall. Housing is made of metal whereas knobs from thick plastic. It has non-slip feet for grip and stability.
There are many reports from consumers about this unit breaking/stopping working after 3-12 months of use so beware. It’s not necessarily issue that everyone experiences but just be aware that’s not super uncommon.
#10 OVENTE BGI101S Electric Infrared Burner
OVENTE BGI101S has 1000 watt infrared heating plate. It has thermostat control knob with 5 temperature settings (105°F, 125°F, 155°F, 180°F, 212°F). It heats up quick however you have to be careful because the whole unit heats up considerably and you can get burned by touching it,
OVENTE BGI101S features non-slip rubber feet and on/off indicator light. It’s portable and light, it weighs just 3 lbs.
#11 IMUSA USA GAU-80305 Countertop Burner
IMUSA USA GAU-80305 is super cheap and heats relatively fast but those are pretty much the only good thing about it. It’s very dangerous and prone to catching on fire which is something many consumers have experienced. Sometimes when you turn it off it stays on.
Classic case of “you get what you pay for”. Do your self a favor and avoid this unit.
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