# Best Induction Cooktops: the stierproducts tier list - Source: https://stierproducts.com/categories/induction-cooktops - Last researched: 2026-09-23T14:58:09.252Z - Evidence base: 14 products ranked across 70 cited reviews, videos and discussions - Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology - Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813 - every board at once, one dated snapshot per release, same licence, prices and photographs left out - Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence. Induction cooktops: built-in induction hobs and portable single or double induction burners; full ranges with an oven, electric coil or radiant cooktops, gas cooktops and camping stoves are separate. ## Summary On the stierproducts induction cooktops board, Bosch 500 Series 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (NIT5669UC) ranks #1 in S tier, ahead of Bosch 800 Series 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (NIT8060UC) (#2, S tier) and Duxtop 9600LS Portable Induction Cooktop (#3, A tier). The board ranks 14 induction cooktops from S (best) to F (avoid), last researched 23 Sept 2026, drawing on 70 cited reviews, videos and discussions. Placed in the bottom tiers as ones to avoid: Breville PolyScience Control Freak, Nuwave PIC Flex Induction Cooktop, Frigidaire 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (FFIC3025TB), and 1 other. ## Ranking | Rank | Product | Brand | Tier | LP | Outlets | Verdict | Page | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Bosch 500 Series 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (NIT5669UC) | Bosch | S | 873 | 4 | Ranks third, delivering core Bosch reliability without the extra features of the 800 series. | https://stierproducts.com/products/bosch-500-series-30-inch-induction-cooktop-nit5669uc | | 2 | Bosch 800 Series 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (NIT8060UC) | Bosch | S | 865 | 3 | Ranks first as the most proven ownership record in the category, with Bosch's electronics and support benchmarked against all rivals. | https://stierproducts.com/products/bosch-800-series-30-inch-induction-cooktop-nit8060uc | | 3 | Duxtop 9600LS Portable Induction Cooktop | Duxtop | A | 735 | 9 | Ranks sixth, repeatedly tested by Wirecutter as a reliable portable unit with strong performance. | https://stierproducts.com/products/duxtop-9600ls-portable-induction-cooktop | | 4 | Bosch 800 Series 36-Inch Induction Cooktop (NITP669UC) | Bosch | A | 714 | 3 | Ranks fourth, matching the 800-series reliability while adding more cooking zones, though the larger glass adds replacement risk. | https://stierproducts.com/products/bosch-800-series-36-inch-induction-cooktop-nitp669uc | | 5 | GE Profile 36-Inch Induction Cooktop (PHP9036DTBB) | GE Profile | A | 648 | 4 | Ranks eighth, sharing the 30-inch’s reliability while adding a larger surface that slightly raises failure risk. | https://stierproducts.com/products/ge-profile-36-inch-induction-cooktop-php9036dtbb | | 6 | Bosch Benchmark 36-Inch Induction Cooktop (NITP660UC) | Bosch | B | 598 | 1 | Ranks second as the safest 36-inch option, offering the same reliable Bosch engineering in a flagship trim. | https://stierproducts.com/products/bosch-benchmark-36-inch-induction-cooktop-nitp660uc | | 7 | LG Studio 36-Inch Induction Cooktop (CBIS3618BE) | LG | B | 521 | 3 | CR's testing confirms LG's induction performance is top-tier, but the Studio tier's premium positioning weakens its value case. | https://stierproducts.com/products/lg-studio-36-inch-induction-cooktop-cbis3618be | | 8 | Thermador Freedom 36-Inch Induction Cooktop | Thermador | C | 410 | 3 | The best full-surface cooking experience money can buy, and priced like it. A Bosch 500 Series delivers the induction experience for a small fraction of the outlay. | https://stierproducts.com/products/thermador-freedom-36-inch-induction-cooktop | | 9 | Thermador Freedom 30-Inch Induction Cooktop | Thermador | C | 402 | 2 | Flagship money for the cut-down Freedom, with the family's documented repair-cost record and stripe-heating complaints. Buy the Bosch 800 Series 30-inch, or the 36-inch Freedom if full-surface is the point. | https://stierproducts.com/products/thermador-freedom-30-inch-induction-cooktop | | 10 | Duxtop 9100MC Portable Induction Cooktop | Duxtop | C | 395 | 8 | Ranks ninth, a long-produced portable model noted for reliability, yet its basic build feels less durable than newer units. | https://stierproducts.com/products/duxtop-9100mc-portable-induction-cooktop | | 11 | Breville PolyScience Control Freak | Breville | D | 315 | 8 | Ranks fifth, praised for its commercial-grade build and Breville support, though long-term data is limited. | https://stierproducts.com/products/breville-polyscience-control-freak | | 12 | Nuwave PIC Flex Induction Cooktop | Nuwave | D | 293 | 11 | Ranks tenth, well-reviewed for performance and size, but its lightweight construction and limited support keep it at the bottom of the picks. | https://stierproducts.com/products/nuwave-pic-flex-induction-cooktop | | 13 | Frigidaire 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (FFIC3025TB) | Frigidaire | D | 256 | 3 | The cheapest name-brand 30-inch built-in. Fewer frills than the Bosch or GE, but the core induction experience is all here. | https://stierproducts.com/products/frigidaire-30-inch-induction-cooktop-ffic3025tb | | 14 | Empava 36-Inch Built-In Induction Cooktop (EMPV-IDC36) | Empava | F | 0 | 3 | Ranks fourteenth, a trap as a budget, no-name unit lacking warranty support and any failure-rate history. | https://stierproducts.com/products/empava-36-inch-built-in-induction-cooktop-empv-idc36 | ## Flagged as ones to avoid These entered one or more research runs as a product buyers cross-shop but should not buy, rather than as a pick. - Bosch 500 Series 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (NIT5669UC) (#1, S tier): flagged by 1 of 12 runs. - Bosch 800 Series 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (NIT8060UC) (#2, S tier): flagged by 1 of 11 runs. - Bosch Benchmark 36-Inch Induction Cooktop (NITP660UC) (#6, B tier): flagged by 2 of 7 runs. - Thermador Freedom 36-Inch Induction Cooktop (#8, C tier): flagged by 6 of 12 runs. - Thermador Freedom 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (#9, C tier): flagged by 1 of 2 runs. - Duxtop 9100MC Portable Induction Cooktop (#10, C tier): flagged by 3 of 11 runs. - Breville PolyScience Control Freak (#11, D tier): flagged by 3 of 10 runs. - Frigidaire 30-Inch Induction Cooktop (FFIC3025TB) (#13, D tier): flagged by 2 of 4 runs. - Empava 36-Inch Built-In Induction Cooktop (EMPV-IDC36) (#14, F tier): flagged by 6 of 10 runs. ## Tier meanings - S: Exceptional. Finishes top run after run; capped at 3 slots per category. - A: Excellent. Strongly recommended, beaten only by the very best. - B: Good. A solid choice with real caveats worth knowing. - C: Fair. Acceptable in the right situation, outclassed at its price. - D: Weak. Hard to recommend when better options cost similar money. - F: Avoid. The evidence points you elsewhere. ## How to read this - Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand. - LP is the product's points on this category's ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories. - Outlets is how many distinct outlets are cited for that placement. The per-product page lists each citation, and shows which of their links were fetched and confirmed before publishing. - Nothing is hidden: every product the research placed is on this board. ## Limitations - We do not test products ourselves. Every placement is consolidated from published reviews, owner reports and community discussion, so a board is only as good as the sources behind it. - LP is points on this category ladder. It is comparable within a category and never across categories. - A board is a snapshot with a research date. Anything released or changed after that date is not in it yet. - Evidence is uneven across this board: products carry between 1 and 13 cited sources. The count for each is in the table above.