Hot plates

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Hot plates

What's behind our hot plate Ratings?

Experts at our National Testing and Research Center tested 4 models in hot plates to see which ones perform best.

We look for:

Overall score
Overall score mainly reflects hot plate performance at high and low heat. The displayed score is out of a total of 100 points.
High power
Reflects how quickly the hot plate heated water to near-boiling at the highest-power setting.
Low power
Reflects how well the hot plate melted and held chocolate without scorching as well as how well the it held tomato sauce below a boil when set to low.

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Recommended hot plates

Recommended hot plates are standout choices with high scores. They include CR Best Buys, which offer exceptional value. When narrowing your choices, weigh features, price, and attributes that matter to you.

Recommended hot plates

Hot plate buying guide

To find the hot plate that is right for you, read our expert advice on which features to consider and how to find the best value.

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Hot plates Ratings

Find out which Hot plates scored the best on our tests. Our tests are based not only on government and industry standards but also on standards our specialists think should apply, which re-create the experience you will have with the product.

Latest hot plate ratings

Induction burners use magnetic coils to heat more quickly and efficiently than conventional electric hot plates by sending most of the heat to the pan, rather than to the cooking surface. If you're looking for information about hot plates, Consumer Reports is your best resource. Consumer Reports’ hot plates reviews will give you honest buying advice that you can trust. Use our hot plates buying guide to discover which features are most important to consider. We also provide unbiased Ratings and hot plates reviews to help you choose the best hot plates for your needs.

Ratings & recommended hot plates

Hot plates (4)

The Ratings rank hot plates by overall performance.

Hot plate buying guide

Has your holiday menu outgrown your stove? You could heat that extra pot of potatoes on a $20 electric hot plate. But a growing number of manufacturers are hoping that you'll fork over as much as $500 for the added speed of a stand-alone induction burner. Our tests of four countertop models show that you don't have to spend that much to serve your feast on time. Induction burners use magnetic coils to heat more quickly and efficiently than conventional electric hot plates by sending most of the heat to the pan, rather than to the cooking surface.

Even the speediest of the countertop induction burners we tested can't match the 12 to 15 minutes it takes to boil water on a full-sized electric or gas range. As with induction ranges and cooktops, you'll need magnetic cookware. And induction burners have wattages that range from 1,300 to 1,800 watts--as much as a hair dryer. That means you could trip a breaker switch if you run a nearby toaster oven at the same time. But having a relatively fast extra burner in your kitchen could mean the difference between pleasant dinner conversation and a room full of grumbling guests.