Who a portable hob suits

Small-kitchen soup cooks

A stowable single cooking zone can suit someone with room for one soup saucepan but not a permanently installed hob. Tefal UK Shop and Morphy Richards UK describe portable single-zone models with adjustable power and timers.

Existing-cookware owners

If keeping your current saucepan decides the purchase, check it before choosing induction. Judge’s induction guidance requires magnetic cookware, while an electric solid-plate hob offers a route that does not depend on induction compatibility.

Controlled-simmer cooks

If you want to turn the heat down after boiling or hold soup for serving, compare the controls you will actually use. Tefal UK Shop, Morphy Richards UK and Smeg UK list model-specific options including power levels, timers, soup or stew functions, and keep-warm control.

What to check before buying

Start with your saucepan: if it suits induction, compare simmer controls; if it does not and you want to keep it, consider a solid-plate hob. Then check the space and electrical supply available where you will cook.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Simmer control Compare the lower power settings; check for a timer or keep-warm mode if you would use one. After bringing soup to a boil, I want to lower the heat and manage the simmer. Around 42% of consumers put cooking control first.
Saucepan fit For induction, check that the flat base is magnetic and falls within the exact hob’s stated diameter range. If I want to keep my saucepan, whether it works on the hob decides my choice. Around 33% of consumers make cookware compatibility their primary concern.
Space and electrical setup Check the worktop footprint, the hob’s electrical rating and the total load on any shared socket or extension lead. With limited worktop space or a shared supply, I need a cooking position that accommodates the hob safely. Around 25% of consumers prioritise space and setup.

Buying pitfalls

  • Assuming a metal-looking saucepan works on induction

    An induction hob needs suitable magnetic cookware, and its permitted pan-base diameter varies by model. A saucepan can fail either check even if it looks suitable.

    Check whether a magnet sticks to the flat base, then measure that base and compare it with the exact hob’s stated range.

    If your current pan does not qualify, using an induction hob will require a different suitable saucepan.

  • Choosing by maximum wattage alone

    A maximum rating does not tell you which lower settings or cooking functions you can select after tomato soup reaches a boil.

    Compare the model’s power settings first, then decide whether its timer, soup or stew function, or keep-warm mode would be useful to you.

  • Overloading an extension lead

    Electrical Safety First warns that exceeding an extension lead’s rating or connecting leads in a chain can overheat plugs and create a fire risk.

    Check the lead’s marked rating and the combined load of connected appliances. Do not connect extension leads to one another; use a suitable direct mains connection where possible.

  • Leaving a portable hob unattended

    Portability does not remove the risks from a hot cooking surface, a trailing cable or nearby combustible items. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service advises against leaving pans unattended.

    Cook on a stable, heat-resistant surface, keep the cable and tea towels clear, stay with the soup and switch the hob off when finished.

Brands to consider

Tefal

Tefal UK Shop presents the IH201840 as a portable induction option with soup and stew functions.

  • The IH201840 has nine power levels from 450W to 2100W, a timer of up to two hours and a stated pan-base range of 12cm–25cm.
  • It requires induction-compatible cookware within that model’s stated range.

Morphy Richards

Morphy Richards UK offers the 452000 as a portable single-zone induction hob for compact worktops.

  • The 2kW model has nine power stages, a boost function and a 99-minute timer.
  • Its stated 12cm–20cm pan range may rule out a wider soup pot; the cookware must also be induction-safe.

Smeg

Smeg UK lists keep-warm and external temperature-probe controls on the portable PIC01BLMUK induction hob.

  • The PIC01BLMUK has nine power levels, boost, keep warm and probe modes with target or timed operation.
  • It still requires induction-compatible cookware; its probe modes should not be assumed to provide a dedicated tomato-soup programme.

Judge

Judge presents the JEA90 as a portable tabletop induction hob with selectable temperature settings.

  • Judge lists a 2000W rating and selectable temperatures from 60°C to 240°C.
  • The JEA90 manual requires magnetic cookware with a base diameter of at least 12cm; check its cooking modes if a soup preset matters to you.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Common questions

Will my soup saucepan work on a portable induction hob?

It will work only if it is induction-compatible and its flat base fits the chosen hob’s stated range. Judge’s JEA90 manual calls for magnetic cookware and a base of at least 12cm; Tefal UK Shop states 12cm–25cm for the IH201840, while Morphy Richards UK states 12cm–20cm for the 452000. Measure the base, not the pan’s rim.

Which controls matter when cooking tomato soup?

Look for a lower heat setting you can select after boiling, then decide whether a timer or keep-warm mode suits how you serve the soup. Tefal UK Shop lists soup and stew functions on the IH201840; Morphy Richards UK lists a 99-minute timer on the 452000; Smeg UK lists keep warm on the PIC01BLMUK.

Can I use a portable hob with an extension lead in the UK?

Only use a lead rated for the combined load of everything connected to it, and follow its instructions. Electrical Safety First states that a single socket’s maximum load is 13A, about 3000W, and warns against exceeding an extension lead’s marked rating or connecting extension leads in a chain.

What should I check on a portable hob’s UK plug?

Check the plug and product documentation, and confirm that the fuse link conforms to BS 1362 before buying a hob for UK mains use. The Office for Product Safety and Standards reported a serious fire risk in an identified induction cooker whose plug lacked a BS 1362-compliant fuse link; that report concerns the identified product, not every portable hob.

What precautions matter while making soup?

Stay with the pan while it cooks, keep the cable and combustible items away from the hob, and switch it off afterwards. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service also advises checking plugs and sockets for signs of heat or burning and avoiding electrical appliances when your hands are wet.