There’s an induction cooktop available to suit every budget and level of cook. We’ve included high-end models that are worth their premium price tag, thanks to advanced safety features, virtual flames, greater heating power, and smart pan-detection functions. Then there are budget options that don’t offer all the latest gadgets but do offer an efficient and reliable heat source for your kitchen. There are many benefits to using an induction cooktop over the best gas ranges (opens in new tab) and the best electric ranges (opens in new tab). For a start, you waste less energy during cooking, because they use a magnetic current to transfer heat directly to your cookware so that your pot or pan is heated quickly and evenly. This is one of the biggest reasons that users make the switch. Another benefit of induction cooktops is that they cool down quickly, which is ideal if your household includes young children or boisterous pets. And when it comes to safety, most cooktops offer at least a child lock, while plenty also have an array of enhanced safety smarts, including automatic shutoff if you haven’t tended to your pots in a while. The standard size of an induction cooktop is 30 inches, but larger and smaller sizes are available. The size and number of heating elements vary, too, with some appliances offering circular heating elements, and many having a flexible bridge element so that you can use a myriad of pan shapes at the same. Here, we’ll cover a wide range of the best induction cooktops to help you find the perfect fit for you.
Best induction cooktops
We’ve summed up the best induction cooktops to help you whip up a storm in the kitchen with minimal fuss and mess. We’re working hard to review all of the products we’ve featured here, but there are some we haven’t currently reviewed. For these, we’ve provided a summary of user reviews to help you make the right purchasing decision for you and your family.
Best picks
The Miele KM6320 might not look as showy as say, the Samsung NZ30K7880UG above, but its understated design doesn’t equal a lack of features. There are three elements and cooking zones (offering a range of nine temperatures selected by touch), which are split up into one traditional circular zone of 3100W for round pans, and a longer “PowerFlex” zone that combines two elements into one large 9x15" section up to 7700W. The benefit of this is greater versatility: you can use larger, longer, or oddly-shaped pans alongside one another. Like other induction cooktops in this guide, the Miele can detect the size of the pan and supply energy only to this area, making for a more efficient experience. Other functions include Auto heat-up which prevents burning your food, as well as keeping warm, which essentially keeps food at a ready-to-serve temperature. The KM6320 offers safety features aplenty, as you’d expect for an induction hob of this level. It will turn itself off if no pans are placed on the cooktop, and switch-off also happens automatically when a cooking zone has been at the same temperature for a long time (helpful in some situations, but a hindrance if you’re intending to slow-cook over several hours). The Frigidaire FGallery GIC3066TB has a simple, easy-to-use touch interface, with a set of separate controls for each of its four cooking zones as well as a timer and safety lock. With an extra-large 10-inch element for larger pots and pans, it has capabilities for the most budding chefs, plus a range of features that belie its reasonable price. It’s certainly the best value of any induction cooktop we’ve reviewed. Depending on which of the nine temperatures you set, this induction cooktop has a power output range in power from 1,450 watts to 3,400 watts. This is about average when compared to other models in this guide, but is plenty for cooking all dishes efficiently. And as this Frigidaire stove top only generates heat to the pan, any food spilling over your pan won’t burn onto the cooker. Like some of the best induction cooktops, this model features a handy automatic pan size detection – which matches the size of the heating to the pan you’re using – plus a melt and hold function, which delivers a low heat for melting ingredients and sauces without burning them.
Read our Frigidaire Gallery 30" FGIC3066TB induction cooktop review (opens in new tab)
While the Samsung NZ30K7880UG isn’t the cheapest model we’ve tested, it certainly earns its high-end price tag with technical features. It also has the largest 12-inch diameter element of any cooktop we’ve reviewed. Design-wise, this cooktop is made from fingerprint-resistant stainless steel, and the option to choose between digital touch controls or removable knobs will appeal to a wider range of cooks. There are two standard round heating areas, while the flexible heating area gives you a larger area for pots that aren’t round. Each has fifteen temperature settings to choose between, plus a simmer and power boost to boil water more quickly. When in operation, there are LED surface lights that shine onto a pan to mimic a gas flame. It’s not a vital feature, but a nice visual touch, and an example of where the product leads the way against the competitors. If you feel confident enough to leave your cooking unattended, the Samsung NZ30K7880UG offers WiFi Connectivity to let you check in remotely. Bluetooth can also sync a compatible extractor fan in your kitchen with the cooktop to remove steam and odors. If you are concerned about safety then the shutoff function will automatically turn off cooking areas that haven’t seen movement in a while – helpful if you’ve left anything forgotten.
Read our Samsung NZ30K7880UG induction cooktop review (opens in new tab)
The Café CHP95302MSS is an expensive induction cooktop, but when you buy it you’re paying for some seriously smart extras. One of these extras is the Bluetooth pan that comes with it, which can pair the Gourmet Guided recipes and adjust temperatures and timings automatically. This induction cooktop also has a smart timer that can run different timings on different cooking elements simultaneously, and because it’s Wi-Fi compatible, you can check out your timers via the corresponding app. This induction cooktop comes with four burners, two of which can combine to form a bridge element. It’s 30 inches, but there is a 36 inch model with an extra burner available. The controls on this cooktop are digital, and they allow you to change the cooking temperature on a dial. They’re also safe, with locking features to prevent unwanted switch-ons, and a red light to indicate when a burner is still hot. When you remove a pan from this cooktop, it will automatically switch that burner off. While this will come in useful more often than not, it could be annoying if you want to temporarily take something off the heat and add it back on, because you’ll have to switch the burner on again to resume cooking.
Read our full Café CHP95302MSS induction cooktop review (opens in new tab)
Bosch is generally a trusted name in the world of appliances, and the Bosch Benchmark NITP660UC delivers 2200-3700W of power across 5 elements, a higher number than some in this roundup. The 12-inch dual-ring central cooking zone is particularly roomy, and flexible when it comes to accommodating different-sized pans. This cooktop has several Bosch-specific features, including an AutoChef frying mode then checks the temperature constantly during frying, adjusting them as it sees fit. SpeedBoost bumps up the power when you want to cook faster, while ShortBoost is designed for occasions when you’re cooking with oil or thin-walled pans that you don’t want to damage. Thanks to 17 temperature settings you can be very precise about your cook level, and if need to pause what you’re doing to answer the door or a call, the cooktop will save your last-used settings when turned off for a short period of time. It’s becoming more common to see smart features in the best induction cooktops, and the Benchmark NITP660UC can be connected to your smart device via Bosch’s Home Connect app, which also allows you to check your cooktop remotely. The Frigidaire Professional FPIC3077RF has four elements, including the biggest 10-inch with 2500 and 3800W power, as well as two 7-inch elements and a 6-inch. The total power output is 7500W, and up to 11000W with the cooktop’s power boost capabilities. Unlike most of the best induction cooktops which feature touch-sensitive controls to keep the entire cooktop flat and sleek, on this model you turn heavy-duty knobs to change the temperature. The best option is largely down to preference – some users will find the knobs old-fashioned, with others will enjoy the precise temperature control they bring. Frigidaire’s SpacePro Bridge Element allows you to use a griddle, as well as other pans that aren’t round. You can tell it’s easy to use, too, as confirmed by its compliance with the ADA requirements as specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act. In terms of features, there’s a hot surface indicator to remind you when the cooktop is still too warm to touch, but there isn’t a pan presence sensor like other models in this roundup, or a light, or a timer. The FPIC3077RF also lacks smart control over Wi-Fi, but most of these omissions won’t be a problem for users who find that sort of tech unnecessary and want a sensibly-priced performer.
Buying advice
What is an induction cooktop and how do they differ from other types of cooktops?
One of the main differences between an induction cooktop and an electric or gas cooktop is the way it heats up your cookware. While gas ranges spark a flame to heat up your pots and pans and electric ranges generate heat through metallic coils under a ceramic surface, induction cooktops work a little differently. Made by popular kitchen appliances brands such as KitchenAid, Samsung, Bosch and Fridgidaire, induction cooktops use magnetic currents to deliver heat directly to your pots and pans. This transferal means that your pans are heated evenly and quickly, and less energy is wasted during the process. So there’s no need to twiddle your thumbs while you wait for the heating element to warm up. Another benefit of an induction cooktop is that it’s far safer to use. Because residual heat doesn’t hang around on the heating element once you remove the pan, the cooktop is safe to touch almost immediately. Cleaning is also a breeze, as you can wipe away any spills or residues straight away.
How we chose the best induction cooktops
Since we started reviewing induction cooktops in 2013, we have spent more than 80 hours finding some of the best cooktops on the market and conducting in-depth research to help you find the cooktop that works best for you. We contacted manufacturers, professionals and industry insiders to get informed opinions and gather information that would lend more authority to our recommendations. When putting together our guide to the best induction cooktops, we first did extensive online research to find some of the best models available. We were looking for common features as well as those that set certain models apart. All of the cooktops in our lineup are 30 inches wide. We only evaluated cooktops that feature four burners; however, many of these cooktops provide a bridge element that allows you to combine two burners to create one large heating element. Induction cooktops are more costly than electric or gas cooktops. The ones on our lineup fall within a price range of $500 to $2,500. After finding some of the best cooktops out there we continued our research, comparing features to determine which are the best for different types of cooking. Our findings are included in our side-by-side comparison chart and our in-depth reviews and will help you find the best cooktop for your needs.
What to look out for when buying an induction cooktop
When searching for the right cooktop, there are several things you should consider, such as the size of cooktop you desire, how many burners you need, and even the design and finish of the product. Here are a few additional characteristics that you should not forget when looking for the right induction cooktop for your home. Power Induction cooktops are just as powerful as any gas or electric cooktop. Most cooktops range in power from 1,400 watts to 3,700 watts of power. Furthermore, some of the best cooktops offer a power-boost feature. With this feature, the heating element provides maximum power to heat up your dish, whether it is boiling water or searing food, to provide the fastest and most powerful results. Products with this feature ranked higher on our lineup than those that did not. However, on some induction cooktops, elements are paired together and share an induction generator. This means that neither burner in the pair can use the maximum amount of power. If one burner is using a high amount of power, the other element can only use the remaining amount. Cooktops that feature four induction generators scored higher in this area than those with only two. Pricing You can purchase a basic, compact induction cooktop for about $350. The cooktops in that price range have two burners and a maximum of about 1,800 watts. The least expensive model in our comparison, the Frigidaire FGIC3066TB, was priced at $729 at the time of this writing. It has four burners and is full-featured with power boost technology and other nice features. It doesn’t have the power of some more expensive models, but it’s still a great option for its price range. If you want all the power and features an induction cooktop can provide, you’ll usually spend well over $1,000. Installation Most induction cooktops drop right into your countertop. Aside from the product dimensions, you should also take a look at the cutout dimensions to ensure you have the right cutout space for it to fit properly. Induction cooktops’ energy source is electricity, and if you are installing a new induction cooktop in your home, you may need the guidance of a professional electrician to ensure the electrical circuit can handle the power of the product. Design Induction cooktops are flat. They don’t feature any type of coil or grate that you have to remove and regularly clean. These units feature glass or ceramic surfaces, and all of the ones on our lineup boast touch controls so you can easily and quickly adjust the temperatures and settings. The flat surface means there are no drip pans or coils for food to fall into, which makes it simple to clean. Additionally, because the cooktop itself doesn’t heat up, you don’t have to spend time every night scraping off burnt food. Ventilation Even though little excess heat and hot air escapes from induction cooktops, odors, smoke and grease are still present, resulting in the need for a ventilation system. Range hoods, ventilation hoods and exhaust fans are all options. Few induction cooktops provide any type of ventilation system built into the device, so you will have to purchase a ventilation system separately.
What other features do the best induction cooktops have?
If you’re looking for features that will set your induction cooktop apart, you’ll want to first look at the number of cooking zones, so that you can effectively juggle multiple pots and pans. This comes in particularly handy if you have lots of mouths to feed or you like to bulk cook in advance. Picking a model with a good variety of temperature settings should also be a priority, as you can handle different food types with ease. Because the heating element shuts off instantly once you remove a pan from your induction cooktop, the best models also have warming features to help keep food warm, in the event that you haven’t quite timed your dishes right. Another handy feature is a bridge element, which will let you join together two heat elements, so that they can work their magic on large or awkwardly-sized cookware such as a griddle. As with any cooking appliance, the best induction cooktops also master safety features to ensure that the whole family stays safe. An induction cooktop with pan detection will cleverly control the heating element so that it’s only while in use, while control lock functions will keep the cooktop extra secure in between uses, in case you have any little ones around.
