For custard made in one saucepan, start with a single portable induction hob that offers manual heat adjustment and fits the space available for both cooking and storage. It needs a magnetic saucepan of a suitable size, and its settings cannot guarantee that custard will not catch. Choose two zones only if cooking with a second pan at the same time matters enough to justify the larger appliance.
If you cook custard or similar sauces in one saucepan, a hob you can put away after use may suit your worktop better than one left out permanently. Manual heat adjustment matters when you need to reduce the heat while stirring.
If your saucepan has a magnetic base within the hob’s supported size range, you can consider a portable induction model without changing pans.
If you sometimes need to heat another ingredient alongside the custard, two zones may be useful, provided the larger appliance fits your worktop and storage space.
Start with manual heat control and saucepan compatibility, then measure the space the hob will occupy during use and after cooking.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable heat | Compare the lowest manual setting and the available steps. Tefal UK lists 300 W to 2100 W across seven manual levels for the Everyday Slim IH210840; these settings do not establish a custard temperature. | When I am whisking custard, I need to be able to turn down the heat rather than rely on a preset. Around 50% of consumers put controllable heat first. |
| Worktop and storage space | Measure the clear width and depth for cooking and storage. Judge specifies a 31.0 cm by 27.0 cm body for the JEA90; Tefal UK lists the Everyday Slim IH210840 as 45 mm thick. | If I need the counter for preparation once cooking is done, I want a hob I can store conveniently. Roughly 40% of consumers make footprint their primary concern. |
| A second cooking zone | Decide whether you regularly use two pans together, then check the larger unit’s dimensions and whether both pans suit induction. | When I regularly heat another pan beside the custard, one zone limits simultaneous cooking. About 10% of consumers put a second zone first. |
Induction needs a magnetic pan base, and each hob has a supported pan-size range. The Judge JEA90 manual, for example, rules out bases under 12 cm.
Check whether a fridge magnet sticks to the base, then compare its diameter with the exact model’s requirements.
If your current pan is incompatible, you will need a suitable saucepan to use an induction hob.
A high maximum setting does not tell you how easily you can reduce heat while stirring custard. Nor does a low advertised setting prove that the mixture cannot catch.
Compare the manual adjustment range and selectable steps, and plan to stir and adjust the heat during cooking rather than rely on a programme.
A second zone helps only if you need another pan at the same time; the larger appliance may take up space needed for preparation.
Measure the available worktop and storage space before deciding whether the additional zone earns its place.
For use in Great Britain, the model’s intended market and applicable electrical product information matter; a plug photograph alone does not establish them.
Check the exact model’s GB-market information and applicable UKCA or CE marking and documentation. Department for Business and Trade guidance recognises CE marking for many regulated products in Great Britain alongside UKCA; this does not determine Northern Ireland requirements.
Tefal’s portable single-zone induction range includes the space-focused Everyday Slim IH210840 and the IH201840, which offers a hot-milk programme.
VonShef offers portable single- and dual-zone induction formats for cooks weighing compactness against simultaneous cooking.
The Judge JEA90 is a portable induction option with temperature-labelled controls and stated external dimensions.
It will work only if its base is magnetic and within that hob’s supported size range. Check the base with a fridge magnet and measure it before ordering; the Judge JEA90 manual says bases under 12 cm are unsuitable.
No setting can guarantee that custard will not catch. A manual range lets you adjust the hob while cooking, but use a suitable saucepan, reduce the heat when needed and keep stirring.
Check width and depth against the clear worktop, then check all three dimensions against the intended storage space. Judge specifies the JEA90 as 31.0 cm by 27.0 cm by 5.0 cm, while Tefal UK specifies a 45 mm thickness for the Everyday Slim IH210840; neither figure tells you whether the hob fits your own space without measuring it.
Check that the exact electric hob is supplied for the Great Britain market and has the applicable conformity marking and product information. Department for Business and Trade guidance says CE marking continues to be recognised for many regulated products in Great Britain alongside UKCA. Great Britain covers England, Scotland and Wales; do not assume the same guidance settles requirements for Northern Ireland.