The Nuwave PIC Gold is one of the cheapest ways into precise portable induction cooking, pairing a 1500W element with 52 temperature steps from 100°F to 575°F and three selectable wattage levels 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. The trade-offs are equally consistent across reviews: a relatively small 8-inch coil that hot-spots under bigger pans, occasionally wobbly heat-hold, and a ferrous-cookware-only limitation. It appears to suit 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.
- — 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.
- — Works only with ferrous (magnetic) cookware; glass, ceramic, aluminum, and copper pans will not heat at all, so you may need to buy new pots.
- — Reviewers and owners repeatedly cite hot-spotting and unsteady heat hold ("not one of them holds a constant heat"), with uneven results on foods like bacon.
- — The single 8-inch coil concentrates heat at the center of the 12-inch surface, so larger pans cook unevenly toward the edges.
