Usually in the summer time we start thinking about buying an extra burner. This is usually because we need it to use out in the garden alongside the BBQ, we might need it for our children who are heading to college, we might want it to take camping or we might just need it for our office at work. Whatever you’re reason you will be looking for the Best Single Electric Burner.
What to look for in an electric burner
There are 3 types of electric burner that you can consider, presuming that you don’t want an induction burner like the Secura 9100MC then you need to know what to look for.
Cast Iron Plate
You may already have a solid cast iron cooker or have seen them. The benefits are that they are solid and durable, easy to scrub clean, easy to see which bit will be hot. They take a little time to heat to the highest temperature but they do heat up evenly so you don’t get hot spots.
Coil Ring
The coil ring burner is a strip of heat conducting metal shaped into a coil shape to make it most efficient for circular pans. It heats up relatively quickly, is more lightweight than the cast iron plates which might be important if you want to carry it around.
Ceramic cooktop
A ceramic plate has the heating element beneath a glass plate top which makes it heat up quickly and evenly and is easy to keep clean. They usually look nicer too.
Benefits of a single electric burner
The biggest benefit of an electric burner is that it is convenient for small places and can be powered from a standard electrical outlet which makes it very useful if you just need an extra hotplate when you’re entertaining.
They can be quite lightweight and easy to carry around if you’re travelling so you can take them camping if you have access to electricity, carry to your office if you need a small cooking appliance you could even take it to a hotel if you’re staying away from home so that you don’t have to eat out all of the time.
They are usually quite cheap to buy making them a great option for students, although they can get pricier if you go for professional versions which are made to withstand more than normal usage.
You won’t need to buy any special kind of pans to use with these burners, any old pan will work as long as it is flat on the bottom and sits on the burner in a stable manner.
Most burners are not only very easy to use, just plug in and turn the knob to the setting you want and you can be cooking but they are very easy to keep clean.
Best Single Electric Burner
Top Choice – Cusimax 1500W Electric Countertop Burner CMHP-B101
Our top choice of electric burner is the Cusimax 1500w which is a cast iron plate version. It’s 13.6 x 10.3 x 4.1 inches in size, weighs less than 6 pounds and uses a standard outlet for power. With a 7 inch plate it can handle any type of cookware with a base no bigger than that, this is so you get an even heat up and it makes sure that the pan is stable on the burner.
The Cusimax 1500w has 2 controls on the front, an on/off and a heat control knob with 7 different heat settings. Once the unit has reached the temperature level you have selected it will toggle on and off to keep the heat steady. It’s quite affordable with a cost less than $30 and small enough to fit into a drawer or cupboard when you’re not using it.
Runner up – Cadco PCR-1S
If you looking for something that can handle more use and heavier pots and pans then check out this professional model the Cadco PCR-1S. It has a stainless steel body with a cast iron heating plate. It can handle 14 quart pots and is often used by people who do canning.
The burner is 14 x 12 x 3 inches in size and has a hotplate of just over 7 inches in diameter. It has a numbered control knob with 12 different heat levels so that you can determine the heat you want more accurately. This is a heavy duty unit with a long cable and can withstand a lot of use although this is reflected in the price.
IMUSA USA GAU-80305 Electric Single Burner 1100-Watts
The GAU-80305 is an electric burner with a coil heating element. It’s a small compact unit which is 3.5 x 9.8 x 9.1 inches in size and less than 2lbs in weight. The coil is only 5.5 inches in diameter so you don’t want to use pans with a base much bigger than that so that you get even heat transfer.
It has a stainless steel drip tray below the element to make it easy to clean and it’s small size makes it easy to fit into small areas, perfect for having around for when that extra burner is required. It’s simple to use with 1 control knob on the front but it’s only marked with low/med/high on it as your temperature guidelines. This is also very low priced if you’re on a tight budget.
ES-3101C Electric Countertop Burner
If you like ceramic heat plates and would prefer one on you countertop burner then you might be interested in the ES-3101C Electric Countertop Burner. The ceramic plate is only slightly raised from the body which means the pans stay very steady on the heat.
The ring size is around 7 inches and the unit size is 13.9 x 10.9 x 4.4 inches with a weight of just under 5 pounds. The controls are are simple with 1 knob showing divisions from low – high and using infrared principles it heats up pretty quickly. Ceramic is easy to clean and looks good in the kitchen so why not check it out.
Summary
There are a lot of choices out there when you’re looking for the Best Single Electric Burner but if you know how to narrow down what you’re looking for it can help make the search easier. If you’re not sure what you want then check out our top choice the Cusimax 1500W Electric Countertop Burner CMHP-B101 to see if that would work for you.