Batch cooks with induction-ready pans
If your saucepan works on induction, a portable hob with selectable settings gives you defined adjustments while you stay at the pan and whisk.
Who is this for?
Cooks keeping mixed cookware
If your batch saucepan is aluminium, copper or another non-induction pan, a ceramic hob lets you consider an extra ring without changing pans. Check its cooking-zone and recommended pan sizes.
Small-kitchen extra-ring users
An occasional extra hob needs room for the saucepan and handle as well as storage space. Check the appliance’s electrical load alongside anything else connected to the same socket or extension lead.
What matters when choosing a hob?
Start with the saucepan you use for each batch: its base must suit the hob. Then compare the heat adjustments you can make while whisking and the space and electrical connection available for an extra ring.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable heat | Compare the available heat steps and how you change them during cooking. A milk programme is not a substitute for attending and whisking the custard. | If I need to adjust the heat as a batch thickens, I want controls I can change without treating a preset as automatic custard making; around 42% of consumers would put heat control first. |
| Saucepan fit | Measure the pan’s base, not its rim. For induction, check that the base is magnetic and falls within the model’s stated pan-diameter range. | I want to keep the saucepan I already use for batches rather than change it to suit an extra hob; roughly 33% of consumers would make existing-pan compatibility their priority. |
| Space and electrical load | Allow room for the pan and handle, and check the marked ratings and combined load before using an extension lead. | My extra ring needs to sit safely on the worktop and work with the available connection; about 25% of consumers would place those practical constraints first. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming every saucepan works on induction
Induction cookware must be compatible, and the supported base diameter varies by model. CASO Design specifies 12–22 cm for the ProSlim 2000, while Tefal UK specifies 12–26 cm for the IH201840.
Check that your batch pan has a magnetic base and measure it before choosing induction. If keeping a non-induction pan is the priority, consider a ceramic hob instead.
Choosing induction for an incompatible pan means you would also need a suitable saucepan.
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Treating a milk setting as automatic custard control
Tefal UK describes the IH201840 milk mode around 0.5 litre and approximately 85°C, notes that results vary with cookware, and says the appliance must not be left unattended. Those settings do not establish how a particular custard batch will thicken.
Use a programme as a starting heat setting, stay at the hob, whisk and follow your recipe’s cues or temperature requirements.
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Adding a hob to an overloaded extension lead
The Tefal, CASO Design and Cooks Professional examples are rated at 2000–2100 W. Electrical Safety First puts a single socket’s maximum load at 13 A, or about 3000 W, and warns against exceeding an extension lead’s marked rating.
Check the lead’s rating and the combined load of connected appliances before use. Do not connect one extension lead to another.
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Overlooking cooling and storage after cooking
A portable hob heats the custard; it does not handle what happens after the batch leaves the pan. Food Standards Agency guidance addresses safe cooking at home, while its MyHACCP material identifies cooking, cooling, refrigeration and temperature-monitoring facilities relevant to food operations.
Plan how you will cool and store each batch. If you make custard for sale as a food business, establish the food-safety controls appropriate to your operation separately from your choice of hob.
Relevant brands for reference
Tefal
The Everyday IH201840 is an induction option for cooks with a compatible pan who want selectable power levels and a milk programme.
- Tefal UK specifies nine power levels, six cooking functions, 2100 W and a 12–26 cm pan range for this model.
- Its milk mode is programmed around 0.5 litre and approximately 85°C. Tefal says results vary with cookware and the hob must not be left unattended.
CASO Design
The ProSlim 2000 is a slim portable induction option for cooks who want stepped power and temperature controls.
- CASO Design UK specifies ten power levels up to 2000 W, ten temperature levels from 60°C to 240°C, a timer and pan detection.
- The stated induction-cookware range is 12–22 cm, so measure a wider batch pan before choosing this model.
Cooks Professional
The K962 single ceramic hob is an alternative for cooks who want to keep non-induction cookware.
- Cooks Professional describes a 2000 W ceramic ring with a 17.5 cm zone and states that it works with cast iron, stainless steel, aluminium and copper pans.
- The manufacturer states that pans up to 22 cm work best. Its dial calls for manual heat adjustments and does not provide a stated custard programme.
Joybuy product choices
This portable induction option is for cooks who can use an induction-compatible saucepan and want adjustable heat while attending to a batch of custard.
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ochama 2000 W Portable Induction Hob
Consider this hob if your batch saucepan is induction-compatible and you want to adjust the heat while staying at the pan to whisk.
The product name specifies 2000 W, touch control, ten power settings, six functions and a safety lock. Check that your saucepan’s base fits the hob, and treat its settings as manual heat controls rather than automatic custard making.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special pan for a portable induction hob?
You need an induction-compatible pan that fits the particular hob’s supported diameter range. CASO Design UK states 12–22 cm for the ProSlim 2000; Tefal UK states 12–26 cm for the IH201840. Check the magnetic base and measure its diameter, rather than relying on the pan’s rim size.
Can I leave custard on a milk or low-power programme?
No: a programme does not replace staying at the hob and whisking as the custard thickens. Tefal UK specifically says not to leave the IH201840 unattended and notes that its milk programme’s results vary with cookware.
Can I use an extension lead for a 2000 W portable hob?
Only if its marked rating and the combined load of everything connected to it allow for the hob. Electrical Safety First states that a single socket has a maximum load of 13 A, or about 3000 W; it also warns against exceeding an extension lead’s rating or connecting extension leads together.
What else should I plan for when making custard in batches?
Plan for cooling and storage as well as cooking. Food Standards Agency home-food guidance covers safe cooking; if you make custard for sale as a food business, its MyHACCP material also identifies facilities for cooking, cooling, refrigeration and temperature monitoring as matters to address within the operation’s food-safety controls.
How do I clean a ceramic hob after a custard spill?
Switch it off, allow the surface to cool and follow the model’s cleaning instructions. Cooks Professional describes the K962’s smooth ceramic surface as wipe-clean once cooled.