Find out which 36 inch induction cooktops put the magic back in cooking! A fter over 30 hours of researching and testing, we found the NuWave – PIC2 to be the best portable induction cooktop for most home users. The NuWave has all the bells and whistles, an intuitive and thoughtful design and has the robust cooking capabilities of the best gas range, if not better because it’s also a breeze to clean.The Duxtop – 9100MC 1800W is our pick for runner-up.
164 Shares Induction cooktops are one of the great breakthroughs in the past few years of cooking tech. At their best, they give you precision, control, and consistency without expertise. Exact, repeatable results for any home cook is a recipe for success! The problem with shopping for an induction cooktop these days is that it’s very tricky to tell which are infomercial crap and which are legitimate kitchen appliances. After all, not all induction cooktops are created equal–far from it!
Many fail quickly, while others heat very unevenly. But with all the flashy marketing, who’s to know the difference? We’ve set our team the task of combing the market to find the true performers in the induction category.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to three workhorse cooktops which are precise, reliable and user-friendly. Then, we’ll help you figure out which is best for you! Here’s a glance at our top picks: BEST on a BUDGET BEST SELLER BEST QUALITY. Fagor Secura Duxtop Our Rating: 4.5 Popularity: Low Our Rating: 4.4 Popularity: High Our Rating: 4.4 Popularity: Medium 1. Fagor 670041920 UCook Induction Cooktop “it does all the essentials well.” This is the least expensive induction cooktop that really works well. There are cheaper options out there, but they’re disposable junk, as far as we’re concerned. The Fagor isn’t the most powerful or precise model on the market, but it does all the essentials well.
We think it’s an excellent first induction cooktop. This is also a reasonable choice for more experienced folks on a budget, who don’t need anything fancy. Pros: While it isn’t as versatile or powerful as our more expensive recommendations, the Fagor has all the key features of a great induction cooktop. It has a magnetic heating coil, all-glass cooktop, and digital control panel. “the same induction technology that’s used in models several times the price” This is exactly the same induction technology that’s used in models several times the price of the Fagor.
It doesn’t generate or retain heat on the surface itself, instead using the magnetic coil to create heat in your cookware. This thing takes up very little space, and it’ll use 90% less energy than traditional hot plates! It covers basically the same temperature range as the most expensive induction cooktops on the market: 140-465 degrees F.
So, while you can pay more for finer increment control and so forth, you’re not going to miss out on any heating power by getting the Fagor. The controls on this one are also basically the same as the top-notch cooktops. There are 8 different temperature settings in the Fagor’s range (140, 180, 212, 260, 300, 360, 420, 465), and you can also use 8 simplified power levels (1-8).
Best Induction Cooktops 36 Inch
You can switch between them as you prefer. On the power settings, it’ll hold a constant wattage. Using the temperature settings, it’ll fluctuate power on and off to hold the cooktop at a constant temp.
The only real difference between this and the most expensive models is that you have wider increments on the Fagor (so, less precision). Even though it’s the cheapest of our recommendations, it actually has a longer cook timer than our midrange choice! The Fagor has a programmable timer up to 180 minutes. It shuts off when the timer is done, so you can set something to cook and forget about it. It has the same safety shutoff feature as the more expensive models: it automatically shuts off if it doesn’t detect cookware on the surface. You don’t miss anything in terms of size, either. The Fagor can be used with cookware between 5-10” in diameter, the same range as our more expensive recommendations.
“ideal for camping, second homes, and apartments” This is definitely the most portable of the bunch, though! The whole thing weighs less than 5 pounds. At 1300W, it also runs easily on generators and smaller circuits. We think the Fagor’s ideal for camping, second homes, and apartments–places where super precise temperature control isn’t as important as low weight and low wattage. Unlike the vast majority of cheap induction cooktops, it’s actually safe to use!