Best Countertop Burners

Best Countertop Burner Reviews

Secura 9100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner

features
Secura 9100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner

Today we’ll be talking about the Secura 9100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner. We’ll be looking at what features this induction hob can offer you and whether it’s as safe as they tell us it is.

Whatever you’re reasons for needing a countertop burner, whether it is just for an extra burner in the kitchen or whether you have no kitchen facilities and you are looking for the safest options to have some kind of cooking facility this is in our opinion the best portable induction cooktop out there.

Check out the Secura 9100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner at Amazon.com

If you’re not sure between an induction and an electric burner check our review on the Cusimax 1500W Electric Countertop Burner for comparison.

Secura 9100MC 1800W Review

If you want a burner that is easy to use and easy to store, the Secura 9100MC 1800W is a good choice, at 16.3 inches x 12.6 inches x 3.7 inches it is large enough to give you a steady base for your pans but not too large to store.

Features of the Secura 9100MC

  • 15 power levels from 200-1800Watts; 15 temperature range from 140 Degree Fahrenheit to 460 Degree Fahrenheit
  • Digital control panel; Lightweight and compact for easy handling and storage
  • Built-in count-down digital timer with 1 min increments up to 170 minutes; The auto-pan detection; Equipped with diagnostic error message system, Low and high voltage warning system
  • Compatible with Duxtop and other induction ready cookware such as cast aluminum enameled iron and steel, stainless steel with a magnetic bottom, or cast iron
  • Product Built to North American Electrical Standards, 120V 60Hz AC; 1-year warranty; ETL approved

The Secura 9100MC 1800W is black with an angled control panel which makes it easy to read when there is a pan on top of it. It has 15 power levels from 200 – 1800 watts, the highest great for when you need to boil water and heat up food quickly. It does seem to be quicker than a normal burner on the stove so be aware till you have used it a few times and know what it can do. You can also use the temperature control which is great when you are using it to fry and you’re looking for a specific temperature because it will keep that temperature constant until you remove the pan or switch it off.

Find out more…

With an induction burner it doesn’t heat up the plate so it can heat up the pan, it uses electro magnetic energy which reacts with the metal in your pan so the heat is actually generated through the pan itself, which is why you need a pan with a magnetic base to work with an induction burner. The easiest way to check is to take a simple fridge magnet with you when buying pans to see if it sticks to the bottom. You can also check the pans you have so you know if you have any suitable cookware before you start. The good thing about having to buy specific cookware is that it will work on any cooking surface so you can still use it on your standard stove top.

On the control panel there are touch button controls. There is an on/off button, a heating button, a temperature button which is in Fahrenheit, a timer button which works in minutes, the display window and + and – buttons so you can easily adjust any level. The timer can be set for up to 170 minutes and the unit has error code displays which can also warn you if there is high or low voltage.

This burner just plugs into your normal outlet, the Secura 9100MC 1800W has a 5 foot cord and once you are plugged in and you switch your burner on you are ready to start cooking. The plate will stay cool to the touch until you add a pan to the burner, there is an automatic pan detection sensor in the burner. The cooking area is 8.25 inches in diameter and that is the around the largest size base of pan that you should use for the best results, you can also go down to around a 6 inch base of pan. If you use a larger based pan it won’t heat up around the edges so you would have to continuously stir to keep it cooking evenly, if the base is too small it might come up with a E03 error, NO POT, as it won’t detect it.

On the Duxtop Secura 9100MC you can choose which control you would prefer to use for cooking, either the power levels or the temperature control and the timer will work with either one. The temperature range is 140 degrees Fahrenheit to 460 degrees Fahrenheit, it may take a little trial and error to find the level that works best for what you are cooking. You will find that although the pan itself gets hot the area around the edge of the cooker doesn’t so you won’t burn yourself if you accidentally touch the edge of it. It also has an overheating safety sensor which will turn the heat down to a very low temperature if it senses it is overheating and it will give a beep alert to let you know it has adjusted something.

Customer Opinion

Customers are finding that they love these induction hotplates so much they buy more than one and use them instead of their main stove. They are cheap and quick to use and you can take them outside in the summer. Some customers have found that they are good for their elderly relatives as the heating turns off as soon as you remove the pan, they also cool down much quicker than a normal hotplate. Once people have tried this they don’t want to go back to a normal cooker.

The main negatives found are the unit stopped working after a few months, didn’t heat properly and makes whining noise when on.

Verdict

For an extra burner or your only burner this is a useful piece of kitchen equipment. If you have a child going to college and living in a room with no facilities this would be a good gift to allow them some basic cooking options or if you just want to be able to cook smelly items outside so you don’t have the smell indoors this would work. You could even take this with you camping if you have access to electric. If no electric check our review on the Coleman Classic Propane Stove. I’m sure you will get your moneys worth if you invested in this Secura 9100MC 1800W, but don’t be surprised if you don’t want to go back to your normal stove.

Buy the Secura 9100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner at Amazon.com

NuWave 30242 PIC Gold Precision Induction Cooktop with 10.5″ Fry Pan, Black

portable hotplate
NuWave 30242 PIC Gold Precision Induction Cooktop with 10.5″ Fry Pan, Black.

Today we’ll be reviewing the NuWave 30242 PIC Gold Precision Induction Cooktop with 10.5″ Fry Pan, Black We’ll be looking at what this induction single burner has in terms of features so that you can decide whether it is the right cooking hotplate for your situation.

We’ll also look at customer opinion to see how well they like it. This is a single induction cooktop with a frying pan included so you won’t need to worry about whether your pans will work as you will have one to start you off.

Check out the NuWave 30242 PIC Gold Precision Induction Cooktop with 10.5″ Fry Pan, Black

If you think you would prefer a standard electric burner read our review on Cusimax 1500W Electric Countertop Burner

NuWave 30242 PIC Gold Review

If you’re looking for a portable induction cooktop to take on holiday because you won’t have cooking facilities or you are a student living away from home and you need something that you can use in your room that doesn’t take up too much space, or maybe you just need an extra burner for your home that you can use when you have guests and you do more cooking an induction cooktop like the NuWave 30242 could be just what you’re looking for.

Features of the NuWave 30242 PIC Gold

  • Uses up to 70% less energy than a conventional oven
  • 52 temperature settings from 100 Degree to 575 DegreeF in 10 Degree increments
  • 6 pre-programmed temperature settings
  • Delay and Sear functions
  • 1 hour default setting/Auto-off

When you use the NuWave 30242 PIC Gold one of the benefits you get is the energy saving, it uses 70% less energy. So how does it do that? If you don’t know how induction works it’s different than your standard cooker whether that is gas or electric. Induction uses a magnetic field which is created within the unit, when it has metal (your pan) which is magnetic placed in the field it creates a reaction which heats up the metal pan and it can do it very quickly. The heat from the standard cooker heats thermally through the base of the pan but the heat also escapes around the sides escaping into the room and wasting energy.

The neat thing about an induction burner is that all around the pan you are heating is doesn’t get hot, there are no flames and no direct heat source so although the pan will get hot while it is cooking the unit itself won’t. This makes it very safe to cook with and easy to clean up as things don’t burn onto it. You could even place a piece of paper on the ceramic top between the cooker and the pan and the pan will still heat up the food without burning the paper.

This little cooker has 6 pre-programmed temperature settings, like what you might use on a conventional cooker low, med low, medium, med high, high and max sear. These setting have a set temperature which can be adjusted if you wanted to by the +/- buttons, but if you wanted to cook a steak and it said to sear it on a high heat, you probably guess at what a high heat is and just use what you believe is right but with this NuWave Pic Gold you just press the sear button and the temperature will be exactly right at 575F and it will stay right for as long as you need until you want to turn it down to the correct temperature to finish cooking your steak at 375F which is the med high setting.

Find out more about the NuWave 30242 

This unit also has a programming function so if you know the timings of cooking certain things like rice for example you can program it to follow certain cooking steps like boil and simmer for set times then let it cook away and know it will turn itself off when it is finished.

One thing that puts people off buying an induction cooktop is the fact that it only works with certain cookware. This cooker comes with a 10.5 inch frying pan which is specifically designed to use with an induction cooker so you know you can try out your hotplate as soon as it arrives.

When it comes to knowing if your pans that you already have will work on the induction plate you just need to remember that your fridge magnet is your friend, if it holds onto the bottom of you pan with the magnet then your pan should work on the burner. You can take your fridge magnet with you if you want to buy cookware so you can test it there and then.

NuWave have other cookware that you can buy from them to work with your hotplate including a cast iron grill with a drip tray so you can turn it into a mini grill to use inside for your steaks, sausages and burgers or you can use it outside if you have access to an electric outlet. On this grill it’s easy to get it to a set temperature and keep it there when you’re grilling your food.

Customer Opinion

Most customers can’t say enough good things about this cooktop. They want to use it all the time.

Buyers think this cooktop works just as advertised, heats very fast without filling your kitchen with heat.

This is an awesome unit for a small apartment and the fact it comes with a pan is an added bonus.

The negatives have been item arriving and not working, some people don’t like the fact you can’t use all pans with it, one customer had problems with the temperature staying stable.

Verdict

No matter where you want to use your NuWave 30242 you know that you can cook safely and quickly getting great food every time. If you want to buy one of these cookers for your son or daughter going to college you will know that it is easy for them to use and safe, cool to the touch and it also comes with recipes with easy instructions including the recommended setting so that they have somewhere to start with cooking. It’s not the cheapest countertop burner but there are enough benefits to persuade you to consider it.

Buy the NuWave 30242 PIC Gold Precision Induction Cooktop with 10.5″ Fry Pan, Black at Amazon.com.

Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner

Induction stoves
Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner.

If you’re looking to buy a portable countertop burner for your kitchen or for travelling and have heard about induction heating and would like to find out about it then check out this review on the Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner.

We’ll be looking at the features offered, how well it works and what the buyers think about it. If you’re not sure about induction stoves and think you would prefer a normal electric burner read our review on the Cusimax 1500W Electric Countertop Burner.

If you landed on this page just to buy the Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner checkout Amazon.com

Secura 8100MC Review

Which pans to use on an induction cooktop

The first thing most people hear about with the best portable induction cooktops is the fact that you need specific cookware. The way to check if your pots and pans will work on this burner is to test them with a magnet, they need to have a magnetic bottom. If you have to buy something new it would be worth taking a magnet with you when you buy to double check because some say they have a steel bottom but it is a mixture and they aren’t always very magnetic.

How does induction work

In normal cooking a flame on a gas burner or an electric ring will generate heat and it will heat up your food by thermal induction, you tend to lose a lot of heat into the air with this kind of cooking, what induction cooking does is use the cooking pot itself to generate heat through magnetic induction.

The cooking part of an induction cooktop is a powerful, high-frequency electromagnet. The Secura 8100MC 1800W has a ceramic surface and electronics within the unit generate the electromagnetism.

When a magnetic based pot is placed onto the surface the magnetic field transfers energy into the metal and the pot then becomes the heat source as it becomes hot. The heat is controlled by altering the strength of the magnetic field and that change can happen instantly, and in a nutshell that is how you can do induction cooking.

Features of the Secura 8100MC

  • Duxtop Induction Cooktop uses 120 volts, 15 amps of electricity – standard in all homes; Lightweight and compact for easy handling and storage
  • Digital control panel. Built-in count-down digital timer with 1 min increments up to 170 minutes; 10 temperature range from 140 Degree Fahrenheit to 460 Degree Fahrenheit; 10 power levels from 200-1800Watts
  • Requires induction compatible cookware. Compatible with Duxtop and other induction ready cookware such as stainless steel with a magnetic bottom, or cast iron
  • The auto-pan detection will shut the unit automatically after 60 seconds if no cookware is detected; Equipped with diagnostic error message system, Low and high voltage warning system; ETL approved

We have already talked about specific magnetic cookware and how to check yours so we will take it as read that magnetic based cookware is required for any type of induction countertop burner.

Find out more…

This single induction cooker is powered by 120v with a normal plug, it can be used anywhere it can be plugged in. You can take this with you when you go travelling as long as you have access to electricity. It’s light and small in size so it would be easy to pack up to take with you or store in a drawer or cupboard at home if you want an extra burner in the kitchen.

The Secura has a digital control on the front which is a simple press button. There are 3 types of control when cooking on this unit, you can just use the 10 power levels on this cooker adjusting it with the +/- buttons. Most people tend to use this as it probably relates more to how we use a normal hotplate. There is 10 temperature levels so you can cook by temperature if that is easier for you to manage and there is also a timer unit so you can set it to cook for a certain amount of time then switch off, it can adjust in 5 minute increments up to 170 minutes.

The Secura 8100MC has an automatic pan detector which will shut off the power if no pan is detected after 60 seconds and it also has high or low voltage warnings.

The difference that you notice cooking with induction is the speed of it heating up your food, it can boil water very quickly and although the pan will get hot as it cooks the unit itself doesn’t so the buttons feel cool to the touch. The ceramic top with get hot with the heat of the pan but when it is removed cools quickly and is easy to wipe clean.

Although the heat control is instant when you adjust it there is still some familiarisation needed when you start cooking by induction, people find it can burn food quickly if you don’t take care.

Customer Opinion

Most customers are pleasantly surprised and delighted at the speed of cooking that they get with this little cooktop.

Buyers have bought this to take away with them and tried it out at home and decided to keep it there.

If you need an extra burner in your kitchen buy this but be prepared to not use your basic cooker very much in the future, it really changes peoples minds about cooking.

The negatives found are some people find the fan noisy, some people have found difficulty getting it to work with smaller pans and some buyers have found it stopped working after a few months.

Verdict

If you want something small that can heat up well, cools down quickly and can clean up easily the Secura 8100MC definitely fits the bill, be aware that once you try it you might not want to go back to a normal gas or electric burner. The fact that you need to check if you have pots and pans that can work on this cooker might mean an added expense of some new pans but these will be able to be used on your normal cooker too. Well worth checking out in our opinion.

Buy the Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner at Amazon.com