If you’re not commonly using more than 1 or 2 heating elements at a time, portable induction cooktops are significantly less expensive than an entire induction stovetop ($50-60 each). I wouldn’t want it as a permanent solution, but it works.
Just a warning for people that see this, generally you’re going to want to spend more like $150 because you want to make sure you get a unit that has true variable power and not duty cycles. If you get one with Duty Cycles you’re likely going to hate it because temperature control is going to be almost impossible unless what you want is full blast or almost nothing.
If the only thing you do is basically turn the stove on to high and that’s it then you won’t care but if you ever do anything that needs to hold a very specific temperature you are going to definitely want a unit that has a true variable power inverter so that it can actually change the power output instead of attempting to approximate that through Duty Cycles (turning on full blast then off in cycles)
This is also something you want to look for in a microwave.
It is something that is not very well documented for products either. The cheap ones without variable power obviously won’t advertise it but many of the ones that do have the capability also don’t advertise it well, or even at all for whatever reason. It makes a huge difference when trying to cook anything on any setting other than high.
I’ve been using a single-burner induction cooktop as my primary cooktop for over a year now, and it’s awesome. I very rarely need more than one burner, and have never needed more than two. Paying $50 for a cooktop vs $5000 for a range is a pretty easy choice.
I also have a large toaster oven and generally avoid any dishes that would require a full-size oven. That toaster oven was not cheap, though, unlike the induction cooktop.
If you’re not commonly using more than 1 or 2 heating elements at a time, portable induction cooktops are significantly less expensive than an entire induction stovetop ($50-60 each). I wouldn’t want it as a permanent solution, but it works.
Just a warning for people that see this, generally you’re going to want to spend more like $150 because you want to make sure you get a unit that has true variable power and not duty cycles. If you get one with Duty Cycles you’re likely going to hate it because temperature control is going to be almost impossible unless what you want is full blast or almost nothing.
If the only thing you do is basically turn the stove on to high and that’s it then you won’t care but if you ever do anything that needs to hold a very specific temperature you are going to definitely want a unit that has a true variable power inverter so that it can actually change the power output instead of attempting to approximate that through Duty Cycles (turning on full blast then off in cycles)
This is also something you want to look for in a microwave.
It is something that is not very well documented for products either. The cheap ones without variable power obviously won’t advertise it but many of the ones that do have the capability also don’t advertise it well, or even at all for whatever reason. It makes a huge difference when trying to cook anything on any setting other than high.
I’ve been using a single-burner induction cooktop as my primary cooktop for over a year now, and it’s awesome. I very rarely need more than one burner, and have never needed more than two. Paying $50 for a cooktop vs $5000 for a range is a pretty easy choice.
I also have a large toaster oven and generally avoid any dishes that would require a full-size oven. That toaster oven was not cheap, though, unlike the induction cooktop.