Best Induction Cooktops of 2025 - Consumer Reports
Induction cooktops rate among the best-performing products Consumer Reports tests. In fact, some models earn perfect or near-perfect scores in our lab assessments.
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Most 30-inch induction cooktops have four cooking elements and the best models deliver impressive heating performance in our tests.
We test 30- and 36-inch induction cooktops from such popular brands as Frigidaire, GE, Samsung, and Whirlpool. We also test pro-style induction cooktops from brands like Bosch, Monogram, and Thermador.
Regardless of whether the cooktop is gas, electric smoothtop, or induction, each is tested at low and high heat. Just about any cooktop will fare well enough when cooking over medium heat, but a stellar model will also boil quickly and simmer steadily. “The extremes between low- and high-heat tasks are where we really see differences,” says Kenneth Sutton, who oversees cooktop testing at Consumer Reports.
For high-heat cooking, we use a standard pot filled with about 4 quarts of water on the largest cooktop burner. We crank up the burner to the highest setting and note how quickly the water heats up.
For low-heat cooking, we use the smallest burner to maintain simmer and melt temperatures, gauging how well a cooktop holds a steady simmer temperature without dropping too low or reaching temperatures hot enough that you’d scorch delicate foods like melting chocolate or tomato sauce.
Here are answers to some of the common questions people have about induction cooktops, including how they function, compatible cookware, and potential drawbacks.
As a special type of electric cooktop, induction models harness the power and precision of an electromagnetic field to quickly heat your cookware. “Since you’re heating the pan directly, you’re not losing time while heat transfers from a radiant electric burner,” Sutton says.
Induction is about 10 percent more efficient than traditional electric smoothtops and up to three times more efficient than gas. That increased efficiency can easily shave several minutes off the time needed to boil a pot of water.
If you’ve considered an induction cooktop or range, you’ve probably heard that not all cookware is induction-compatible. The truth is, any magnetic pot or pan will work on an induction cooktop, and there’s a good chance you may already own pots and pans that do. (Test them out by seeing whether a magnet sticks to them.)
If you’re looking for new cookware, check the Features & Specs tab on the model page of any cookware model or set in our cookware ratings to find out whether it’s induction-friendly. You can also take a magnet with you to the store when you’re shopping for induction-ready cookware. Don’t worry, people won’t think you’re weird, they’ll think you’re smart.
Yes. Cast-iron cookware is a magnetic metal and works on induction. That’s true for solid cast-iron pans as well as enameled cast-iron pots and Dutch ovens.
Paul Hope is a Home & DIY Editor at Consumer Reports and a trained chef. He covers ranges, cooktops, and wall ovens, as well as grills, drills, outdoor power tools, decking, and wood stains. Before joining CR in 2016, he tested kitchen products at Good Housekeeping and covered tools and remodeling for This Old House magazine. You’ll typically find him in his old fixer-upper, engrossed in a DIY project or trying out a new recipe.
Allen St. John has been a senior product editor at CR since 2016, focusing on digital privacy, audio devices, printers, and home products. He was a senior editor at Condé Nast and a contributing editor at publications including Road & Track and The Village Voice. A New York Times bestselling author, he's also written for The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Rolling Stone. He lives in Montclair, N.J., with his wife, their two children, and their dog, Rugby.
