Power, functions, durability and safety are the key aspects to look at when buying an induction cooktop in India. Based on hands-on testing of some of the best-selling induction stoves, we recommend Philips Viva Collection HD4928/01 as our top choice. It comes with a 2100 watt heating element which translates to quicker cooking. It boils 1 litre of water in just 4.2 minutes. Further, it has numerous useful functions like pressure cooking, gravy, slow cook etc and enhanced safety features too.
If you are looking for something a bit more budget-friendly, you could consider AmazonBasics 1900 Watts induction cooktop. It has a 16A plug , which makes it more safer, but on the flipside, not every kitchen/hostel has a 16A plug point within easy access. It too has auto-functions like boil milk, which prevents milk from spilling over when boiling. It can boil a litre of water in around 5.2 minutes.
Overview of the Induction Cooktops We Tested
| Sl. No | Model | Wattage | Time to boil 1 litre of water |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Philips Viva Collection HD4928/01 | 2100 Watts | 4.2 mins |
| 2. | AmazonBasics | 1900 Watts | 5.2 mins |
| 3. | Bajaj ICX Pearl | 1900 Watts | 5.2 mins |
| 4. | Prestige PIC 20 | 1600 Watts | 6.45 mins |
| 5. | Pigeon Cruise | 1800 Watts | 7 mins |
| 6. | Havells Instacook RT | 1400 Watts | 6.35 mins |
How We Tested?
We tried 6 of the top-selling options for this list of best induction cooktops in India. We first analyzed the physical parameters like the size of the cooktop, stability on kitchentop, plug type etc. Then, we checked each option to find the time they take for boiling 1 litre of water. The higher the wattage, the quicker they are able to boil. We further ascertained it by measuring the wattage using a watt meter.
Next, to understand the evenness of heat distribution, we did a flour test. Here, we heated the induction cooktop and spread a thin layer of flour. We noticed that in all cooktops, the heat was concentrated at the centre with the centre browning and edges remaining white. This is because induction stoves in India have a 15cm wide heating element. So, when making chapati, dosa or even when frying food, you will notice that the food at centre is more brown than the ones at the edge. You can overcome this to an extend by rotating the food while cooking and making smaller dosa and chapatis.
We also tested each induction stove for each functions. The ones with auto-function ranked higher as they optimized energy consumption and performance. For example, the ones with milk boil function prevented milk from boiling over by adjusting the wattage constantly.
Best Induction Cooktops In India
Philips Viva Collection HD4928/01 2100 Watt Induction Cooktop
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| Pros |
|---|
| Quickest among the induction cooktops we tried. |
| Easy to use interphase |
| Durable |
| Cons |
|---|
| Expensive compared to other options. |
| Doesn’t have heat milk function. |
With elegant and sleek appearance, Philips HD4928/01 is a perfect combination of form and function. It has a 2100 watt heating element which helps boil 1 litre water in just 4.2 minutes, which is the quickest amongst the options we tried.
The cooktop has 5 programs. They are roti/dosa, gravy, stir fry, slow cook and pressure cook. Out of these, gravy and slow cook are auto-functions that adjusts the wattage throughout the program duration. The cooktop comes with a 3 hour timer which is useful when opting for slow-cooking. Further, it has a pause button too.
The safety features of the cooktop too are top-notch. The cooktop adjusts the wattage depending on the thickness of the cookware to prevent overheating. It has a residual heat indicator that alerts when the cooktop plate is hot. Further, it alerts when any sensors malfunction, when there is input wattage issues, fuse failure etc.
Coming to the drawbacks, first of all, the cooktop uses just a 6A plug even though it consumes high wattage. This could be a potential danger. Next, it doesn’t have boil milk function which many other cooktops offer. Also, it is comparatively more expensive than other options on the list.
AmazonBasics 1900 Watts Induction Cooktop
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| Pros |
|---|
| Fairly quick at cooking and boiling. |
| Has useful functions like heat milk which boils milk preventing spillage |
| Budget-friendly pricing |
| Cons |
|---|
| Comes with a 16 A plug which many people may not have easy access to. |
AmazonBasics products are priced highly competitively. And this cooktop follows suite. With a 1900 watt heating element, AmazonBasics takes 5.2 minutes to heat a litre of water.
It has 6 main cooking functions. They are heat milk, deep fry, boil, curry, chapati and pressure cook. Here too, heat milk and curry are auto-functions. One of the main positives of this cooktop is in fact that milk won’t spill over when boiling, provided you use a sufficiently large utensil.
Just like Philips, it too has a pause function and a timer that can be set for up to 3 hours.
Something to note is that the cooktop uses a 16A plug for better safety. But, if your kitchen doesn’t have a 16A plug point, you may have to opt for a different cooktop.
As for safety, the cooktop has standard features like entering into stand-by within a minute when cookware is removed and not kept back. It also alerts when cookware is not properly placed or in case of overheating.
Bajaj Majesty ICX Pearl 1900W Induction Cooktop
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Bajaj Majesty ICX Pearl too comes with a 1900 watt heating element. As a result, it takes just 5.2 minutes to boil water, like former option from AmazonBasics.
It comes with 8 programs. They are keep warm, curry, fry, idli, dosa/chapati, milk boil, boil and slow cook. Here too, many functions are auto. However, in default mode, milk boil doesn’t prevent milk from boiling over. You will have to adjust the wattage initially to prevent it, which is a drawback.
Other functions like slow cook, keep warm etc are immensely useful in day-to-day cooking. Like the former options, it has a timer. But, doesn’t have a pause function.
The safety features are standard. The product has excellent durability according to some of our team mates who have been used it for close to a decade before breaking down.
Overall, the Bajaj Majesty ICX Pearl is one of the best induction cooktops in India offering a compelling option with its range of functions, reasonable pricing, and satisfactory performance.
Prestige PIC 20 1600 Watts Induction Cooktop
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| Pros |
|---|
| Budget-friendly pricing |
| Heat milk function boils milk without spilling it. |
| Cons |
|---|
| Doesn’t have a maximum 1600 Watts as claimed |
The Prestige PIC 20 is a budge-friendly option like the AmazonBasics. It has a 1600 watt heating element according to the manufacturer which results boils 1 litre of water in 6.45 minutes.
It too comes with numerous cooking functions like dosa/chapati, pressure cook, curry, idili, deep fry, heat milk, saute and keep warm. Here again, the milk function is immensely helpful as it doesn’t spill over the milk when boiling.
But, a drawback we found is that though it is supposed to be a 1600 watt cooktop, our watt meter recorded a maximum wattage of close to 1300 watts, which results in slower cooking.
Coming to the safety features, it has basic features like displaying error when a utensil is missing and protection against overheating, high voltage, dry heating, and sensor failures.
Pigeon By Stovekraft Cruise 1800 Watts Induction Cooktop
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| Pros |
|---|
| Most inexpensive among the options we tried. |
| Fairly easy to use. |
| Cons |
|---|
| Takes a much longer time to cook as it doesn’t have 1800 watts induction coil as claimed. |
Pigeon Cruise is the least expensive option we tried on the list. Though it claims to have a 1800 watt heating element, it doesn’t heat water as quickly as other options. In fact, it takes close to 7 minutes to boil 1 litre of water. Even with other functions, it took comparatively longer than other options. The watt meter measured a maximum of around 1300 watts even when it was set at the maximum power.
The cooktop has 7 preset functions. They are pressure cook, saute, curry, heat milk, dosa, chapati, deep fry and idli. Just like AmazonBasics and Prestige, here too boil milk function prevents milk from spilling over. It heats milk to a maximum of 75-80 C only during the 20 minutes it runs for.
One drawback worth noting is that the cooktop has a tendency to slightly wobble, and the buttons are not as user-friendly compared to other options.
Considering its budget-friendly price, the Pigeon Cruise is the best induction cooktop in India for those who don’t mind the slightly longer cooking time and can appreciate its cost-effectiveness.
Havells Instacook RT Induction Cooktop
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Powered with a 1400 watt coil, Havells Instacook RT is an option that gives ample importance to its safety features. The cooktop has just 4 basic functions. They are manual, boil, gravy/dal and deep fry. In each of these functions, you can set the wattage levels from a scale of 1 to 6.
The induction cooktop functions as promised. It takes 6.35 minutes to boil 1 litre of water to 100 C, which is fair considering its low wattage. Unlike some inexpensive brands that make exaggerated wattage claims and underdeliver, the Havells Instacook RT stays true to its specifications.
The safety features are also sufficient. It comes with a 16A plug, which is safer for high power consuming heating appliances. Further, it shows error message when the appliance is overheated and when input voltage is too low or too high.
Compared to AmazonBasics, it is slightly more expensive. AmazonBasics has more features like a number of useful preset functions, timer and pause function, which Havells Instacook RT lacks. However, it surpasses options like Prestige PIC 20 and Pigeon Cruise in terms of built quality and safety features. So if you are looking for an affordable, safe and reliable product within Havells brands, Instacook RT could be an ideal choice.
What Utensils Can You Use On Induction Cooktops?
Induction cooktops have magnetic coil that induces an electric current within the vessel due to electromagnetic induction. This electric current faces resistance as it flows through the metal, hence generating heat. This heat is transferred to the food inside which in turn cooks it.
So, only magnetic cookware can be used on induction cooktops. That means you cannot use aluminium, clay or copper cookware in induction stove. Further, induction cooktops need flat-bottomed cookware. So, you cannot use round bottomed kadai on induction cooktops.
How To Choose An Induction Cooktop?
An induction cooktop is a fairly simple appliance. Hence, there are just a few important aspects that you need to consider while choosing one for your needs. They are-
Power
Power is perhaps one of the most important aspects to consider when buying an induction cooktop. The higher the power, the quicker it boils and cooks food. On the other hand, it consumes higher electricity too. Ideally, opt for an induction cooktop with at least 1900 Watts of power. Else, it will take as long or sometimes much longer than cooking on the gas stove.
Size of Induction Base
The size of the induction base gives a good indication of whether you can use large pans and pots on the stove. Larger the induction coil, better the heat distribution. However, in India, most options come with an induction coil measuring just 15cm in diameter.
Functions
Auto functions is a helpful feature in induction cooktops. They adjust the wattage at frequent intervals to cook optimizing energy consumption. Boil milk function is a prime example as it allows you to boil milk without worrying about spilling it over. Philips has gravy function which works similarly. Keep warm is yet another cooking function that works at varying wattage.
Durability
You get what you pay for. This is especially true in cases of kitchen appliances. Ideally, be prepared to shell out at least Rs.2000 if you want an induction cooktop that will last at least 5 years or more. Cheaper ones conk out much quicker. Options like Prestige, Bajaj, Philips etc are much more durable than cheaper options available in the market.
Safety Features
Being a heating appliance, it is important that induction stoves have sufficient safety features. Ideally, they should alert you when the pot is removed from the cooktop, when the device overheats or when any of the sensors fail. Fortunately, most induction cooktops come with these basic safety features. This also brings us to another point, avoid buying induction cooktops without BIS certification.