Head-to-head · Best Compact Induction Cooktops

Breville Control Freak CMC850 Induction Cooktop vs Nuwave PIC Gold Induction Cooktop

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Breville Control Freak CMC850 Induction Cooktop comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.6 vs 3.3). The gap is mostly about Pastry cooks, confectioners and anyone whose failures come from temperature drift rather than lack of power — custards, curds, tempered chocolate, caramel, long low-temperature holds. Also a defensible buy for a small professional kitchen. It is the wrong appliance for a dorm room, an RV, or a counter where it would have to be put away between uses. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Compact Induction Cooktops

Breville Control Freak CMC850 Induction Cooktop

4.6

4 sources3 derived$1,499.95

The Control Freak is the outlier in this category and the reason is measurable. Serious Eats found that on ordinary portable induction burners a temperature setting can be hundreds of degrees away from what is happening in the pan; this one held cookware within 15 to 20 degrees of target and came with a probe to tighten that further. It is also 21 pounds, has no quick-boil, and costs more than ten times the price of the burners it beats. That is a specialist's trade, not a general one.

Strengths

— The only cooktop in Serious Eats' 17-model test whose temperature settings tracked reality, holding cookware within 15 to 20 degrees of the target
— Ships with a probe that attaches to the cooktop for closed-loop temperature regulation rather than open-loop guessing
— Breville specifies a 77°F to 482°F range and Serious Eats counted 397 discrete temperature settings within it — resolution no other portable burner in that test approached

Watch-outs

— Costs more than ten times what most of the other recommended portable induction cooktops cost
— 21 pounds and 13.7 by 18.5 inches — Wirecutter says it "takes up about as much counter space as a 1980s microwave"
— No quick-boil setting; without one it took 19 minutes to boil a gallon of water, slower than the Duxtop 9100MC's 16

$1,499.95 · Buy at webstaurantstore.com Full review →

Ranked #6 in Best Compact Induction Cooktops

Nuwave PIC Gold Induction Cooktop

3.3

2 sourcesall derived$107.99

The Nuwave PIC Gold is one of the cheapest ways into precise portable induction cooking: a 1500W element with 52 temperature steps from 100°F to 575°F and three selectable wattage levels, all in a roughly 5-pound, sub-14-inch footprint. For the money it heats fast, runs comparatively quiet, and brings real safety features like auto pan-detection. Reviews agree on the trade-offs too: a relatively small 8-inch coil that hot-spots under bigger pans, occasionally wobbly heat-hold, and a ferrous-cookware-only limitation. It suits budget-minded and space-constrained buyers more than anyone chasing professional-grade evenness, where pricier 1800W models like Nuwave's own Pro Chef pull ahead. Treat it as a capable value pick within the compact-induction category rather than a top performer.

Strengths

— Inexpensive entry point into induction cooking, with a manufacturer MSRP around $139.99 and frequent street prices below $100, far cheaper than most precision portable burners.
— Genuinely fine temperature control: 52 temperature settings from 100°F to 575°F in 10°F increments, with six pre-programmed presets for common tasks.
— Selectable wattage (600W, 900W, or the default 1500W) lets you dial down power for gentle simmering rather than just cycling a single element on and off.

Watch-outs

— Wirecutter could not access the advertised 10-degree temperature increments at all, finding the burner effectively limited to six preset heat levels — "which isn't enough for everyday cooking"
— Serious Eats found it so lightweight that it "feels cheap" and questioned how long it would last
— 1500W ceiling is 300 watts below every other cooktop on this page

$107.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Breville Control Freak CMC850 Induction Cooktop

Every other cooktop here has temperature settings you have to re-learn for each pot; the Control Freak is the one where the number on the display means something. It does not win on speed — the Duxtop 9100MC boiled a gallon in 16 minutes to the Breville's 19 — and it is not portable in the sense the Duxtop 9600LS, IKEA TILLREDA or Nuwave PIC Gold are, at 21 pounds against their five to six. The Hamilton Beach 34104 is the cheap way to get frying headroom; this is the expensive way to get precision.

Nuwave PIC Gold Induction Cooktop

The PIC Gold's control panel is one of the simplest here and Serious Eats found its temperatures accurate, but it is the only cooktop on this page rated below 1800 watts and the only one two separate testers declined to recommend. The Duxtop 9100MC and Hamilton Beach 34104 are sturdier and faster for similar money; the IKEA TILLREDA is simpler still and cheaper; the Duxtop 9600LS offers 20 real settings where this one advertises 52 and delivers about six; and the Breville Control Freak CMC850 Induction Cooktop is in a different class entirely.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Breville Control Freak CMC850 Induction Cooktop	Nuwave PIC Gold Induction Cooktop
Type	Portable countertop induction (commercial)	Portable countertop
Model	CMC850 (SKU CMC850BSSUSA)	30211
Burners / Zones	1	1
Total Power	1800W	1500W (600/900/1500)
Temperature Range	77–482°F (25–250°C); 397 settings	100–575°F (10°F steps)
Temperature Sensing	Through-glass sensor, 20 readings/sec; Probe Control probe included	—
Power Levels	3 intensity settings (slow / medium / fast)	52 temp / 3 wattage
Burner Diameter	10 in	—
Recommended Pan Diameter	5.5 in minimum	—
Timer	Up to 72 hrs, 4 end options	Delay + 1-hr resume
Surface Weight Limit	13 lb	—
Cord Length	36 in	—
Dimensions	13.7 × 18.5 × 4.3 in	13.8 × 12.4 × 2.5 in
Weight	21 lb	5.15 lb
Included	Probe, pot clip, USB stick, accessory box, padded carry case	—
Surface	—	Ceramic glass (12 in; 8 in coil)
Controls	—	Touch + 6 presets
Voltage	—	120V
Warranty	—	1-year manufacturer's warranty
Material	—	Ceramic
Wattage	—	1500 watts

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