Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Compact Induction Cooktops
Duxtop 9600LS Portable Induction Cooktop4.5
$116.99The Duxtop 9600LS is a single-burner 1800W portable induction cooktop that reviewers repeatedly name a top pick under roughly $250, largely on the strength of its 20 power and 20 temperature steps and a 10-hour timer that few budget units match. In testing it boils water quickly (CenturyLife saw about 3.5 minutes) and holds low simmers better than cheaper Duxtop models. It is not a precision instrument: the fan is loud (around 56 dB), it can whine at full power, the temperature sensor reads roughly 15F low, and it pulses at the lowest settings. For an inexpensive countertop induction burner those are expected trade-offs rather than dealbreakers.
Strengths
- — 20 power levels and 20 temperature steps (100-1800W / 100-460F) give finer low-end control than rivals near $100, so simmers and butter-melting hold without scorching
- — 10-hour countdown timer (settable in 1-minute increments) lets it double as a slow-cooker for stocks and soups, far beyond the 170-minute cap on the older 9100MC
- — Glass surface stays cool except where the pan sits, plus a child safety lock and hold-to-activate power button reduce burn risk
Watch-outs
- — Loud cooling fan during operation; CenturyLife measured 56.3 dB at 12 inches and reviewers consistently call it noisy
- — High-pitched squeal/whine at maximum power that one reviewer likened to 'two pieces of metal rubbing against each other'
- — Heat pulses on and off at the lowest power levels, an inherent limit of budget induction that can affect precision cooking
