The Best Two-Burner Induction Cooktop (2024)

Portable induction burners allow you to cook just about anywhere or add an extra burner to your kitchen in a pinch, but the best two-burner induction cooktop might just inspire you to abandon your full-size stovetop for good. I tested five popular models to find the most powerful, most programmable, most precise dual-burner induction cooktop for home cooks and professionals alike.

Induction cooktops are safer and more energy efficient than gas or electric stovetops, and if you need something you can move around and plug in, portable induction cooktops are far superior to hot plates, which are essentially mini versions of crummy electric stoves. Portable induction burners are also an affordable way for induction-curious home cooks to try induction cooking without investing in a new major appliance.

But what happens when you fall in love with induction cooking while you’re renting or you’re just not quite ready to go all in on a full-size induction range? If you aren’t regularly firing up all four burners on your gas or electric stovetop (and let’s be real, how often do you need four burners at once?), a double induction burner with two cooking zones is a great middle ground.

The Nuwave PIC Double Induction Cooktop is the largest, most powerful, and most precise two-burner induction cooktop I tested. And though it costs a lot less, it has features that rival our high-tech upgrade pick for the best single-burner induction cooktop, Breville’s $1,300 Control Freak.

The PIC in the name stands for Precision Induction Cooktop, and at $230 at the time of writing, this is, by far, the most precise induction cooktop in its price range. As far as I can find, it’s actually the most precise portable double-induction cooktop period. It has a temperature range of 100ºF to 575ºF that you can adjust in five-degree increments. That’s a whopping 94 temperature settings per heating element. It has an 1800W output, however, like all of the portable two-burner induction cooktops I tested, that output is for the entire device, so you can’t cook at full power on both heating elements at the same time.

Each side has a numerical touchpad which saves you from cycling through all 94 temperature settings to reach the one you want and it makes it easy to use or program presets. This cooktop is preprogrammed with 50 multistep, timed, recipe-specific presets that correspond with an included recipe booklet (for example: #1 Texas-Style Chili starts with 2 minutes on the Sear setting followed by 30 minutes at 275ºF). You can also program an additional 150 multistep presets.

Using the highest setting (Max/Sear), this cooktop boiled four cups of water in just over four minutes (only one other model worked so quickly). And after I added ice to the boiling water, the Nuwave returned to a rolling boil more quickly than any other model.

The timers (one for each heating element) can be set for up to 99 hours and 60 minutes, which is obviously longer than you will ever run the cooktop, but does make it a great option for sous vide–style slow-cooking that could easily take 24 hours. This is also the only two-burner induction cooktop I tested that had an actual power switch on it, which is a nice safety feature. The 8" induction coils can accommodate pans with up to a 12" diameter and each side can hold up to 25 lb.

There’s not much to dislike here, though I was surprised by how long it took to heat a heavy enameled cast-iron Dutch oven full of canola oil when I deep-fried potato chips. I don’t expect the set temperature to match the temperature inside of a cooking vessel, but after setting the cooktop to 375ºF, I got impatient waiting for the oil to reach 350ºF (measured with a candy/deep fry thermometer). I actually had to set it at 425ºF to maintain the ideal frying temperature as I added cold potato slices to the hot oil.

The safety lock isn’t obvious (you hold down Low and Max/Sear to lock and unlock the controls). Finally, one thing that would make this cooktop better would be the two heating elements working together as a bridge burner to accommodate a large griddle. But I’ve looked and that’s a feature I have yet to find in any portable two-burner induction cooktop.

Nuwave PIC Double Induction Cooktop
Power levels: 6
Temperature settings: 94 (100ºF–575ºF)
Wattage: 1,800W
Voltage: 120V
Footprint: 24.5 x 14"
Height: 3"
Burner diameter: 9"
Control type: Touch controls

In addition to spending a lot of time familiarizing myself with each device’s control panels, I performed three controlled cook tests on the two-burner induction cooktops. Here’s how I tested and what I looked for.

Using the highest possible power setting on each cooktop, I boiled four cups of cold tap water in a 2-qt. stainless-steel saucepan and timed each one to see how long it took to reach a rolling boil. I let the pan come to room temperature between each test. For the larger cooktops, I also performed the same test but with eight cups of cold tap water in a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. In the Dutch oven water tests, I tested responsiveness by adding a 12-oz. drinking glass full of nugget ice to the boiling water to see how quickly it came back to a rolling boil.

To get a sense for how evenly the cooktops distribute heat, I used each one to brown a slab of extra-firm tofu with 1 tsp. olive oil on a high-quality enameled cast-iron griddle pan. I looked for even browning, keeping in mind that the pan could affect the outcome as well.

Deep-frying can be intimidating if you’re cooking over a gas burner or electric burner, because the longer you cook, the hotter the oil gets. This requires you to pay close attention to the temperature of the oil (preferably with a deep-fry thermometer) and adjust the flame as necessary. But an induction cooktop allows for more precise and steady temperature control and the best induction cooktops self-regulate. A temperature sensor under the glass can sense drastic (though not necessarily degree-specific) drops when you add something cold to the pan and the cooktop will temporarily use more power to get the temperature back up—and ideally not overshoot with a huge temperature spike in the process. To test this feature (and enjoy a salty, crispy snack), I deep-fried potato chips. And #sorrynotsorry, they were better than anything you can make in an air fryer.

This two-burner model from Duxtop can be used as a portable induction unit, but it can also be dropped into a countertop as a built-in. And once you figure out how to harness its power, it’s a pretty decent induction cooktop. But until you get used to all the settings, it’s very frustrating to use.

The most frustrating thing about this two-burner induction cooktop is that when you hit the “boil” button, the timer defaults to 10 minutes. And if you don’t manually adjust the timer, the cooktop will shut off after the 10-minute timer completes. Not a huge deal if you’re boiling a little water for tea. But if you’re making a pot of pasta and you accidentally use the wrong burner, the thing will shut off before reaching a rolling boil.

Which brings me to the second most frustrating thing about the Duxtop: The left and right heating elements don’t put out the same power, but that information is not indicated anywhere on the cooktop. Both burners look identical and both have a “boil” button. Theoretically, the cooktop operates at its highest power level (10) to quickly boil water when using the boil preset, but on the right side the maximum power is only 1,000W (compared to the left side’s 1,800W output). So if you attempt to boil a mere four cups of water on the right side, the thing will shut off before reaching a rolling boil. (The left burner, which utilizes the full 1,800W, can boil four cups of water in just over four minutes, which is comparable to the Duxtop 9600LS, our longtime top pick for the best portable induction cooktop.)

Another frustration: The temperature settings and power modes work independently of each other and differ by heating element. So on either burner you can choose a temperature setting (100ºF–460ºF in 20° increments), keeping in mind that it will take longer to reach the desired temperature on the right heating element. Alternatively, you can choose a power mode. And instead of the left and right burners having a different range of power modes (say, 1–10 on the left and 1–6 on the right), they both have 10 power modes that don’t match up. For example, the sixth power level uses 1,000W on the left side and 600W on the right side.

The Duxtop is comparable in size to the Nuwave PIC Double, and at the time of publishing, nearly the same price. It’s also less user friendly and has fewer features, so if you’re torn between models, go with the Nuwave.

Duxtop 2-Burner Portable Induction Cooktop
Power levels: 10
Temperature settings: 20
Wattage: 1,800W
Voltage: 120V
Footprint: 23.62 x 13.3"
Height: 2.87"
Control type: LCD Touchscreen
Warranty: 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty

I was drawn to this budget-friendly double-burner induction cooktop from Cooktron for its form as much as its function. I wanted something with front-facing knobs to replicate the feeling of turning on the full-size induction stove I had to leave behind when I moved into an apartment and, overall, I liked the minimalist design. For the most part, this two-burner induction cooktop functions well too. It heats quickly and is sturdy enough to use with my large enameled cast-iron pans and Dutch ovens; it can evenly heat a pan up to 10" in diameter and has a timer on each heating element that can be set for up to four hours. It’s also very easy to clean since the control panel, minus the temperature control knobs, is embedded in the ceramic glass cooktop surface. I also really liked that the safety/child lock button is easy to find. But the simple exterior is an indicator of what’s inside. It has nine power levels, which is in line with the nicer two-burner cooktops I tried, but only 10 temperature settings between 140ºF–464ºF. I’d hardly call this a precision cooktop. Like all of the portable two-burner induction cooktops I tested, the 1,800W output is the maximum level for both burners combined, so you can’t cook at full power on both simultaneously. All that said, this is an affordable two-burner induction cooktop—less than half the cost of my top pick—with a sleek glass top that’s easy to clean.

Cooktron Double Induction Cooktop
Power levels: 9 (200W–1,800W)
Temperature settings: 10 (140ºF–464ºF)
Wattage: 1,800W
Voltage: 120V
Footprint: 23.23 x 15.20"
Height: 2.52"
Burner diameter: 8"
Control type: Knobs and touch control
Warranty: 30-day manufacturer’s warranty

This versatile model from Cooktron is the smallest and most compact double-induction burner I tested. It’s also the least powerful. Style-wise, the cooktop is similar to the other Cooktron model above, with a minimalist aesthetic, and a very smooth surface thanks to front-facing knobs and touch controls. It comes with a lightweight custom-fit, nonstick griddle pan with a matching lid that provides a large cooking surface to sear, brown, and sauté. In a pinch you could also use the griddle as a shallow fry pan. Because the cast iron is so thin, it heats quickly but because there is no bridge burner function, the middle stays noticeably cooler than the spots above the heating elements—something to keep in mind if trying to make multiple pieces of French toast or pancakes at a time. Though both burners can operate at a combined 1,800W, each heating element only has a range of 400W–1,100W, so even when using just one side, it can’t achieve high heats as quickly as the other models. This isn’t something you’d want to use for precision cooking either. There are only five temperature settings from 248ºF–410ºF, adjusted in 36º increments, And because the “burner” areas are so small (just 6.5" in diameter), you’ll need to use small induction-compatible cookware—unless, of course, you’re using the included grill pan.

Cooktron 2-Burner Portable Induction Cooktop with Cast-Iron Griddle Pan
Power levels: 9
Temperature settings: 5 (248ºF–410ºF)
Wattage: 1,800W
Voltage: 120V
Footprint: 18.1 x 9.1"
Height: 3.3" (with griddle pan and lid)
Control type: Knobs
Warranty: 30-day manufacturer’s warranty

I was underwhelmed when I tested the Cuisinart Double Induction Cooktop for our original portable induction cooktop review and after testing four other two-burner induction cooktops, I’m even less excited about it. In every test, the Cuisinart proved to be less effective than even many of the single-burner models I tried, and it took a lot longer than the Nuwave to boil water. That’s because though the entire cooktop can operate at 1,800W, the left heating element has a 200W–1,200W range and the right one only has a 200W–600W range. There’s also no way to tell how the heat settings translate to actual temperature output; they’re numbered 1–8 on the left and 1–5 on the right with no other indications and no conversion chart in the product manual. The timer maxes out at 150 minutes, so this isn’t something you’d want to use for long simmering or any other kind of slow cooking. With so many better options for the same price or less, I don’t recommend this model, but I’d still rather find this in a vacation rental than a cheap electric stove.

Cuisinart Double Induction Cooktop
Power levels: 1
Temperature settings: 5 (Left burner), 8 (Right burner)
Wattage: 1,800W
Voltage: 120V
Footprint: 23.5 x 14.25"
Height: 2.5"
Control type: Touch controls
Warranty: 5 years, limited

To understand what induction cooking is, you first need to understand what it isn’t, namely gas or electric cooking. Gas and electric cooktops work by way of thermal conduction. A heating element, either a flame or an electric coil, generates heat and passes that heat onto the cookware, which then heats the ingredients inside. With induction cooking, the pan is the first thing to get hot—it’s the original heat source. Cooper coils under a ceramic glass surface pass an electric current to induction-compatible metal cookware, and that current, or energy, turns into heat only when it reaches the pan. Without a proper pan, there is no energy transfer and no heat. That adds a built-in safety feature because when you remove a pan from an induction cooktop there’s nowhere for the energy to go, so it stops trying to heat and starts beeping at you. But, while an induction cooktop is safer than gas or electric, it will still feel warm after you cook on it. That’s because the ceramic glass material absorbs some heat back from the pan (that’s thermal heat transfer and it’s inevitable when the pan gets really hot).

I’m a bit of an induction evangelist so I regularly get asked if I had to buy all new induction cookware when I made the switch from a gas stove to an induction stove. And people are often shocked when I tell them I didn’t have to buy (or get rid of) any cookware because most of the best pots and pans are induction compatible.

To get nerdy for a second, any ferrous (meaning: with iron) or ferromagnetic metals will work. The best way to tell if your cookware is induction compatible is to see if a magnet will stick to it. If the magnet sticks (and if the pot or pan has a flat bottom) it should work on an induction cooktop.

• Cast iron
• Enameled cast iron
• Stainless steel
• Carbon steel
• Other pots and pans that have a magnetic steel core/base

• Aluminum (unless it has a magnetic steel base)
• Copper (unless it has a magnetic steel base)
• Glass
• Ceramic