Nuwave Flex Precision Induction Cooktop, 6.5” Heating Coil, Black

I'd often considered giving a try to an inductive cooktop, especially for emergency situations when my traditional burner-coil electric range couldn't be used. However, many of the devices out there had such an extensive list of conflicting reviews that it was hard to figure out what really did and didn't work. Eventually, I settled on the NuWave Flex PIC and picked it up as renewed, simply to have some real experience and to know where to go from here. Now that I've had a few days to give it a real run, here's what I've found for this little cooktop. Please note that my test settings were on Medium heat with the power limited to 900W instead of the full 1300W. * This cooktop uses around 30% to 50% of the energy needed by a traditional range (2200W burner). Example: In a real comparison test using a specified and equal portion of food under conditions of cold start to completion of cooking, the traditional range consumed 458Wh to cook while this cooktop consumed only 200Wh. * This cooktop heats up much faster than the traditional range. Example: An 8" skillet with a pat of butter goes from start to sizzle in 30 seconds on medium. The traditional range takes 5 minutes to do the same at medium. Example: A pan of soup takes roughly the same time to heat up as a microwave, but the microwave is at 100% power (1100W) and the cooktop is only set to Medium. The traditional range would take 2x-3x longer to heat the same amount of soup. * This cooktop can be set quickly and simply, but it can also be fine-adjusted for specific temperatures. The easy settings are slightly more involved than the 'turn it on' of the traditional range, but that's only because you need to remember to press 'start' after setting the heat. The efficiency of the cooktop alone is enough to make me prefer using it over a traditional range. Add the fact that it also cools down faster, takes up minimal space, it's portable, and the max current input is low enough to be handled through any 15A outlet, and it's an easy sell. However, there are a few drawbacks: * It doesn't like when you lift the pan. This is a safety feature, but it goes into alarm rather fast and you need to remember to check it and potentially turn it back on after you've lifted the pan. * Needs "Inductive-ready" cookware. Yes, some of your pots and pans might not work. Thankfully, induction-ready cookware is also readily available and isn't overly expensive. * Noise: The inductive cooktop has a fan to keep the electronics cooled. This means that it needs space around it for airflow and it's noisier than a traditional range. * Timer: I haven't personally used this cooktop for long cooking times, but you need to be aware that there is a default timer on this unit. If you want to use it for something that will take more than an hour, you'll want to reset the timer accordingly or the cooktop will shut off on you.

WOW WOW WOW I now use the NuWave Flex Precision Induction Cooktop for everything from quick weeknight dinners at home to cooking hearty meals at campsites, and it’s an absolute standout in portable cooking technology. This compact, 1300-watt cooktop, featuring a 6.5-inch heating coil and 10.25-inch shatter-proof ceramic glass surface, delivers precise temperature control with 45 settings from 100°F to 500°F in 10°F increments, adjustable via intuitive push-button controls and a clear LCD display. Its three wattage settings (600, 900, 1300W) allow flexibility for power-limited settings like RV camping, while the induction technology ensures rapid heating—boiling water in under 5 minutes compared to 6.5 minutes on a traditional electric range. The cooktop’s safety features, including automatic shut-off when cookware is removed and a cool-to-touch surface, make it ideal for tight spaces like dorms or tailgates. Paired with the included 9-inch Duralon ceramic non-stick fry pan, it’s versatile enough for searing steaks, simmering sauces, or frying eggs, with easy cleanup using just a damp cloth. Compared to competitors, the NuWave Flex excels in portability and precision but has some limitations. The Duxtop 9600LS ($100, 1800W, 20 settings from 100°F to 460°F) offers more power and finer control with 20 power settings, making it better for high-heat tasks like deep-frying, but it’s bulkier and less ideal for travel. The iSiLER Portable Induction Cooktop ($70, 1800W, 17 temperature settings) is a budget-friendly alternative with a kids’ safety lock, but its smaller 6.7-inch coil and less durable build don’t match the NuWave’s quality. The NuWave PIC Gold ($100, 1500W, 8-inch coil, 51 settings up to 575°F) handles larger cookware better but is less compact, making the Flex the better choice for camping or small apartments. NuWave Flex Precision Induction Cooktop is a stellar choice for home, camping, or tailgating

Feature rich on the fly fine tuning adjustments including temperature, wattage and time. No need to start over. The pre-programmed options provide a good starting point from which you can make adjustments instead of starting from scratch every time. The best feature is being able to add or deduct cooking time at any time while in the process of cooking which ensure you don't over cook or boil over when not watching.

I have been very happy with my Nuwave Cooktop. The induction part does take a little getting used to. Make sure you use only induction-ready cookware—it makes a difference. Also, make sure you don't have any other magnetic things on the counter near it. About a month after receiving the cooktop, some of the buttons went out on me and Nuwave replaced it immediately. I love the timer function and the flexibility on setting the temperature. The fan is a bit loud and takes some getting used to. But the noise also helps to remind me that it is still on. All in all, a useful extra burner or sole burner for a small apartment or dorm.

Brilliantly precise. Efficient. Easy to understand and operate. Using a good induction cooker, such as Nuwave, reduces electricity consumption. I've proved it. Instead of waiting >5 minutes it takes most standard electric stove tops to reach desired heat, the induction cooker generates the heat desired immediately, then it turns off immediately. Unplugging anything reduces phantom electrical draws. Initially, with my first induction cooker, a Mueller RapidTherm, which I bought from Amazon in November 2023, I struggled with which cookware was inductive (magnetic). My aluminum, copper and stainless steel cookware were useless on an inductive cooktop. So I bought a no-name brand single electric cooktop from Amazon to use as a second cooker for any pot I wanted to use. Problem is, the electric cooker takes a little while to attain the desired temperature, but I could unplug it. After two years, I've decided to go with induction and a single LP stove top with the electric cooker stored nearby. I had (I tried my new Becigar induction cookware on my new Nuwave and the results were simply superb. This is my second induction plug-in. I replaced my Mueller induction cooker, because I could control the heat so that everything boiled and on the lowest setting it simmeted. Not sure what's wrong, but it showed signs indicating shortages. I was replacing my traditional stove, a white enameled metal GE electric 4-eye stove that after about 8 years after purchase, rusted and failed. Everything metal rust in my house. I pulled and tossed the stove, reworked the wiring to account for removing the traditional stove and installing a 20 amp/120 volt outlet (not recommended for DIYers) for my plug in cookers. My goal is energy cost reduction with less costly, no fuss alternatives.

I am really enjoying this Nuwave cooktop. I am glad that my sister told me about this item. Thank you

I've never used induction cooktops so this was an experiment. What a surprise! As a long time fan of gas over electric cooking, I have to say the new winner is induction. Blazing fast heat up of the cookware, good temperature control, fast shutdown with minimal heating of the cooktop surface (so no baked on splatters) and temperature and timer controls I've never seen on a gas stove. I can put a steamer pot of veggies on it, set temp and timer knowing it will shut off when it's done. The engineer in me loves the efficiency specs of induction too - about 85-90% as opposed about 40% for gas.

I have happily used a NuWave cook top since 2013 but now I am completely off Nuwave products. My first NuWave lasted 5 years ....but that was good in my mind because I used it for almost every meal, every day. There are only two of us in the house and using the cooktop was more energy efficient than using the burners on an electric stove. In 2017 I replaced that NuWave cook top (it began serging power supply) with another one, the PIC with wattage controls (see photo). The problems with that one were: inaccurate temp control and a command panel cover that fell apart (photo #2)within a few weeks. The temp control ran the cook top way too hot but I learned to work around by cooking according to how the food was responding to the setting. I worked around the crappy control panel cover by covering the buttons with clear, heavy duty tape. All was going well until I killed the cooktop three weeks ago by having frying oil boil over and it ran into the internals. Fast forward to today. I reordered the same cooktop before Thanksgiving, it never arrived, Amazon sent a replacement and it arrived Dec 16th. Yay! BUT ... this morning (17th) I plugged it in and the central digit in the temperature read out was not lighted (photo #1). I went ahead and scrambled some eggs and the temp setting seemed to work accurately. There was the expected Eau de Beijing as it warmed up. So after contemplating the fact that this unit was clearly not given QA attention, I was concerned about WHAT ELSE? might be wrong with it. While the purchase price was reasonable, that overrode the idea that this unit would very possibly crap out on me at any moment. Or become dangerous. Or both. Finally, I do not want to go through a return and replace again, only to get another suspect product. Sorry, NuWave. It was nice while it lasted but you broke my heart when you gave up our relationship for a few more pennies in your own pocket. You didn't even ask if I would compromise and pay you enough to cover the cost of quality upkeep. At least now you won't also be breaking my pocket book. p.s. I show you in photos the bouquet of skillets you sent me in the past just so you will remember that we go way back.

This is one of my best purchases. Up to now I have had to make do with a regular electric coil cooker. This has revolutionized my meal prep. It is quick, clean and very responsive to temp change. You can hear to fan inside, but it does not bother me at all. I use it with an induction burner mat (Silicone & fiberglass).

The best part about this inductive cooktop is the low to high preset buttons. It makes the cooking process easier because I don’t have to adjust the temperature from the lowest to high. It heats up the pan fairly quick and is space saving. I have been using this for more than 6 months with no issues. There are also three wattage settings which makes it energy efficient.

Have used twice since receiving and blown away by power! Tinned baked beans were ready in just over 90 seconds ! Balsnaic mushrooms in approx 2.5 mins! Super impressed!

This product works good. I’ve had it now. A while couple of years never had no trouble with it. A great piece of equipment.

Selectable power, I set it to 600w and my food not only won't burn, it cooks without sticking to the pressure cooker. The fan shuts down after use, unlike others that keep running. Customer service went out of their way to help me with a small issue. Highly recommended.