Choose a portable induction hob with adjustable settings if your custard saucepan has a compatible magnetic base and meets the hob’s pan-size requirements. If you want to keep a non-induction saucepan, a thermostatic cast-iron hotplate is the alternative, but its plate remains a hot surface; whichever route you take, check the published controls rather than choosing by maximum wattage alone.
If you already have a magnetic, flat-based saucepan, a portable induction hob lets you compare documented power or temperature settings. Check that your pan’s base also falls within the model’s supported size range.
If you want to keep a non-magnetic saucepan, a thermostatic electric hotplate avoids the induction-pan requirement. Its plate heats up, so allow for that when positioning and handling the hob.
If the hob will share a small worktop or be stored between uses, compare its dimensions, weight, pan requirements and electrical connection before choosing a model.
Choose it when: Your custard saucepan has a magnetic base that meets the model’s size requirements, and you want documented adjustable settings.
Trade-off: A non-magnetic pan without a purpose-made induction base will not work; minimum supported base sizes vary by model.
Choose it when: Keeping a non-induction saucepan matters more than choosing an induction hob.
Trade-off: The plate itself heats up. Daewoo documents adjustable thermostatic control for its 1500 W model, rather than the numbered power levels documented for its induction model.
Once you know which route works with your saucepan, compare the controls you will use while stirring and the space the appliance needs.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Low-heat adjustment | Published power or temperature settings and whether you can adjust them manually. | When I thicken custard regularly, I want to lower the heat as I stir rather than rely on the maximum wattage; around 42% of consumers put heat adjustment first. |
| Existing saucepan | For induction, check whether the base is magnetic and falls within the model’s supported diameter range. | I want to keep my current pan, and an induction hob would be no use if it cannot recognise the base; roughly 33% of consumers place saucepan compatibility first. |
| Storage and occasional use | Appliance dimensions, weight and the space needed for use and storage. | If I put an extra hob away between batches, it needs to fit both my worktop and storage space; about 25% of consumers prioritise a storable appliance. |
An induction hob needs a suitable magnetic base, and some models specify a minimum pan-base diameter. Judge’s JEA90 manual, for example, excludes bases below 12 cm.
Test the base with a magnet, measure the base rather than the rim, and compare both with the instructions for the exact hob and pan.
A maximum output does not tell you how the heat can be reduced as custard thickens. Tefal specifies nine power levels for the IH201840, while Judge specifies ten selectable temperatures for the JEA90.
Compare the published adjustment range and controls you can use while stirring, not just the highest output.
Electrical Safety First warns that exceeding an extension lead’s rating can overheat electrical connections and that a wound cable reel can overheat.
Use a suitable wall socket where possible. If an extension is necessary, check its marked rating against the combined connected load, do not daisy-chain leads, and fully unwind a cable reel.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards reported a serious fire risk involving one induction cooker in August 2025. That report does not establish a fault in other models.
Buy from a retailer you can contact, inspect the plug and cable, and check current official safety alerts or recalls against the exact product.
Tefal’s IH201840 is a portable induction option if you want published power levels and a specified pan-size range.
Daewoo has both a portable induction model and a conventional cast-iron hotplate, allowing the saucepan to guide the choice of type.
Judge’s JEA90 is a portable induction option for cooks comparing published temperature selections.
This portable induction option is relevant if you want adjustable heat for custard and have a suitable magnetic saucepan. Check the pan-base fit against the exact hob before ordering.
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Consider this hob if you want adjustable settings while stirring custard and already use an induction-ready saucepan.
Yes, if its base is induction-ready and meets the hob’s size requirements. Judge’s JEA90 manual requires magnetisable cookware and excludes bases below 12 cm; a magnet test is a useful first check, followed by the instructions for your pan and the exact hob.
No: maximum wattage alone does not show how you can adjust heat while stirring. Compare the published settings instead; Tefal UK specifies nine power levels from 450 W to 2100 W for the IH201840, while Daewoo Electricals specifies nine levels for its 2200 W single induction hob.
Only use an extension lead if its marked rating covers the combined load of everything connected to it. Electrical Safety First advises against overloading or daisy-chaining extensions and says cable reels should be fully unwound.
Check the exact model against current official safety alerts or recalls, and inspect the plug and cable before use. An Office for Product Safety and Standards report in August 2025 identified a serious fire risk with one induction cooker; it should not be read as a finding about other models.