Divided, Electric or Induction: Finding the Best Hot Pot

Hot pot is the rare meal where the stove sits in the middle of the table. A pot of broth simmers in front of everyone, plates of thinly sliced meat, tofu, mushrooms and greens go around, and each person cooks a few bites at a time. A Mexican kitchen knows the appeal of a big pot of simmering broth, from pozole to caldo de res, but hot pot asks something different of the pot: it has to hold a steady simmer for an hour or more, right at the table, without a burner on the counter.

This guide compares nine ways to do that at home: divided electric hot pots, a premium electric skillet built for two broths, a hot pot and grill combination, a small pot for one or two, and induction burners with stovetop pots. We compare capacity, wattage, the divider, the temperature control each maker describes and the safety features they list, and we explain where hot pot and its Japanese cousin, shabu-shabu, come from.

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Quick verdict: which hot pot to buy

The table below compares our five standout picks, one for each kind of household. All nine are reviewed in full after it.

Five hot pots side by side

One pick for each kind of household, with the capacity, power and divider each maker or listing states.

Product images from Amazon. Capacities, wattages and features are as stated by the maker or its Amazon listing; “not stated” means the listing gives no figure. Check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best hot pot

Nine picks, chosen to cover the real choices: one-piece electric pots against induction burners with separate pots, nonstick against bare stainless steel, one shared heat control against one for each broth, and sizes from a 2-liter pot for one or two up to a 7-liter pot for a crowd.

Hot pot and shabu-shabu: what the pot is for

Hot pot, huǒguō in Chinese, is a shared pot of broth kept simmering at the table, into which diners dip meat, seafood, vegetables and tofu to cook. A University of Houston Libraries course text on Chinese popular culture notes that its origins are debated: some trace it to northern China during the Tang dynasty and a dish of instant-boiled mutton, while others point to Mongolian nomads cooking thin slices of meat in a communal pot. It also notes that the spicy hot pot of Sichuan and Chongqing, built on Sichuan pepper, became a regional specialty.

The divided pot has a name of its own. Visit Beijing, the Beijing tourism bureau’s site, describes the yuanyang pot as divided into two kinds of soup, a red, spicy one and a clear one. It also recounts the Sichuan writer Li Jieren’s account of early Chongqing hot pot, in which workers each cooked in their own section of a gridded pot. That is the same idea behind every divided pot on this list: two broths, two spice levels, one table.

Shabu-shabu is Japan’s own hot pot. Kikkoman describes it as thinly sliced meat and vegetables swished lightly in hot broth, made with a kombu (kelp) broth and served with ponzu and sesame dipping sauces. A mild, clear broth like that needs no divider, so a single pot works well for shabu-shabu.

How to choose a hot pot for your table

1. Electric pot or induction burner

An all-in-one electric pot is simpler: one plug, one appliance. An induction burner with a separate pot gives finer control and a burner you can use for anything, and the pot washes in the sink. The Rosewill and Duxtop burners offer 8 and 20 power levels respectively; most electric pots offer two or three.

2. Divided or single

A divided pot lets you serve a spicy and a mild broth together, which is the point of a yuanyang pot. Look for a seamless or welded divider so the broths stay separate. Stariver notes that oil-based broths boil at a higher temperature than clear ones, so the clear side often bubbles first; that is normal, not a fault. If the two sides need very different heat, Stariver’s separate controls help.

3. Capacity for your group

Two liters suits one or two people. Five to six liters, like the Aroma or Joydeem, suits a family. Go to 7 liters only for big gatherings. Remember that broth evaporates over a long meal, so keep a kettle of hot broth or water nearby for topping up.

4. Power and your outlet

Higher wattage brings broth back to a boil faster after cold ingredients go in. Most of these units draw 1,300 to 1,800 watts, and Duxtop notes its burner is made for a standard 110/120-volt, 15-amp household outlet. Running two high-wattage appliances on the same circuit can trip a breaker, so plug a second pot or a kettle into an outlet on another circuit.

5. Safety features and cord length

Look for a stated safety listing such as UL or ETL, boil-dry or overheating shutoff, and cool-touch handles. Plan the cord: Joydeem’s is about 47 inches, while Zojirushi’s is nearly 7 feet. Stariver advises pushing the plug fully into the pot’s socket and never submerging the base in water; follow your maker’s instructions on cleaning around the electrical parts.

6. Coating or stainless steel

Nonstick pots are easy to wipe clean but need soft utensils and gentle washing. Stainless steel, like the Aroma pot and the TOPWIT stovetop pot, has no coating to wear and, in Aroma’s case, goes in the dishwasher.

How we chose these nine hot pots

We started from what a hot pot dinner needs: a steady simmer at the table, enough capacity for the group, a reliable divider for two broths, and stated safety features. We looked for established appliance makers and specialist hot pot brands, searched Amazon US, and checked each listing’s stock through Amazon’s product data, keeping only items that were in stock when we checked.

Specifications come from each Amazon listing and, for Zojirushi, from Zojirushi’s own product page. Background on hot pot comes from the University of Houston Libraries and Visit Beijing, and on shabu-shabu from Kikkoman. We did not find a hot pot review from America’s Test Kitchen, Serious Eats or Wirecutter that we could read, so none is cited, and we have not used these products ourselves for this guide. We left out Aroma’s smaller ceramic-coated divided pot and several Joydeem and Stariver models because they showed limited stock, and we did not find Liven, Midea or Joyoung hot pots in stock on Amazon US.

Hot pot questions, answered

What is the best hot pot for home?

For most homes, a divided electric pot of 5 to 6 liters with a stated safety listing. The Zojirushi is our top pick for build and versatility; the Joydeem is a larger choice with boil-dry shutoff.

What is the best hot pot pot to buy if I already have a burner?

A divided stainless steel pot with a magnetic base, such as the TOPWIT 5.5-quart pot, which works on induction, gas and electric cooktops.

Is a divided hot pot worth it?

Yes, if your table has different spice tolerances. A divided pot lets you serve a spicy broth and a mild one at the same time, which is the traditional yuanyang style.

Can you use an electric hot pot for shabu-shabu?

Yes. Shabu-shabu uses a mild broth and thin slices of meat that cook in seconds, so any pot that holds a steady simmer works. A single, undivided pot is enough.

How do you clean an electric hot pot?

Unplug it and let it cool. If the pot lifts out, wash it in the sink, or in the dishwasher if the maker says so, as Aroma does. Never submerge the electric base; wipe it with a damp cloth.

Our final pick for hot pot night

Buy the Zojirushi for a well-built divided pot with a griddle pan, the Aroma for dishwasher-safe stainless steel, the Joydeem for boil-dry protection, and the Stariver for separate heat on each side. Choose the Rosewill set or the Duxtop burner with the TOPWIT pot for induction control, the Topwit combo to grill and simmer together, and the Dezin for one or two.

Related guide: Best fondue pot.

A tabletop pot is one of several plug-in cookers worth knowing. For searing and braising at the table, see our guide to the best skillet electric models, and for making broth on the range, the best Dutch oven and best saucepan. If big pots of broth are what you love, our guide to pozole vs menudo covers two Mexican classics. And if you would rather someone else did the cooking tonight, see the menu or call to order.