TOP 5 induction hobs with convenient slider controls under $400

The Candy glass ceramic hob is positioned as an affordable 4-burner induction model. All heating zones have the same diameter of 18 cm, but their power differs. The left front and right rear burners have 2000 W, and the other two have 1500 W.

The Candy CIS 642 SCTT has various functions that simplify the cooking process. So, there is accelerated heating for any burner: accordingly, for 5 minutes the maximum power can be raised to 2600 or 2000 W, which, for example, will allow you to boil water faster. It also supports pause mode, timer and automatic keep warm. The last option will not allow the prepared dish to cool down before the guests arrive, and with minimal energy consumption.

Touch slider controls will allow you to quickly master and easily configure the hob. The slider will help you set one of the 9 available heating powers with one touch, and other sensors will help you take advantage of all the offered functions. The control panel can be easily locked to keep children safe.

A set of other protective options is quite common for modern electrical panels, including residual heat indication, spill and overheat protection, and automatic shutdown when idle.

The dimensions for installing the model are quite standard - 560x490 mm, and the connection power is a typical 7.4 kW. In case of problematic wiring, this value can be forcibly reduced, namely to 6.5, 4.5, 3 or even 2.5 kW.

Candy CIS 642 SCTT is a fairly functional and easy-to-use induction hob with an attractive price.

In addition to the Hansa company name, another brand is mentioned on the hob. In the upper right corner there is the inscription Schott Ceran, which means that high-quality glass ceramics from this reputable manufacturer are used here. The buyer has the right to count on a higher level of reliability and durability of the device, at least compared to analogues with a glass-ceramic base of unknown brands.

Hansa BHI68621 is equipped with four induction heating zones. On the left is the smallest (diameter 16 mm, power 1200 W) and the largest (21 cm, 2000 W), and on the right are two identical ones (18 mm, 1500 W). The latter pair supports bridge mode, turning into one elongated 3000 W burner, for example, for cooking in a casserole dish.

The Booster function temporarily increases the heating intensity of any zone. The power indicators will be respectively equal: 1400/2500/3000 and 5000 W for a double burner. Other options include Stop&Go pause, timer, residual heat indication and auto shutdown.

Slider controls with child protection will allow you to quickly set the required heating intensity. By the way, each burner has its own 12-level slider, which means the user will need even fewer touches when setting it up. In addition, two automatic programs are supported here, namely temperature maintenance(heating) and automatic boiling (automatic acceleration of cooking).

But the model does not have the Power Management function, so if the wiring in the house is weak, then it will not be possible to reduce the total power of the device below 7.4 kW. But in any case, Hansa BHI68621 is a balanced representative of the middle class of induction hobs with high-quality glass ceramics and solid functionality.

A representative of the Serie 6 line from Bosch, this is a mid-range 4-burner induction hob that has the makings of advanced models. For example, they use glass ceramics from the renowned manufacturer Schott Ceran, which has proven itself in practice, is not afraid of high temperatures and has good mechanical resistance.

The Bosch PIE 631 FB1E is also notable for its DirectSelect slider control. Users have access to a variety of heating power adjustments(9 main and 8 intermediate values). In addition, using sensors, it is easy to set a timer (both with a sound alert and with automatic shutdown after time has elapsed), use the pause function (ReStart) or lock the controls. The lock serves to protect against children or quickly clean the surface from dirt without turning off the device.

Users of the model have 4 induction burners at their disposal, which are rightly considered the most progressive among other electrical variations. On the left there is a pair of identical zones with a diameter of 18 cm and a power of 1800 W. They are "universal soldiers" for a variety of culinary tasks.

On the front right is the largest and most powerful burner (21 cm and 2200 W), suitable for quickly boiling water and/or cooking food in large utensils. Above it is a small (auxiliary) zone of 14.5 cm and 1400 W. It will be convenient to heat up small portions of food, brew coffee in a pot, etc.

More panel versatility is provided by the PowerBoost and Power Management functions. The first allows you to increase the power of any burner by 60%. Let's say that for the largest zone the limit will temporarily rise to 3700 W. But with Power Management, on the contrary, you can reduce the total connection power from 7.4 kW down to 1 kW, which will be useful in housing with weak wiring.

Bosch PIE 631 FB1E is a well-balanced induction surface from a reputable brand in terms of quality, functionality and price.

Introduced in 2021, the Electrolux induction panel joined the proprietary 300 line, which includes basic models. But despite its status, the device is ready to boast of advanced functions, such as Hob2Hood auto control.

So, if you add Electrolux CIL 61443 C with a hood compatible with this technology, the latter can turn on automatically when cooking starts, and the fan speed will depend on the selected heating mode.

The hob is equipped with a slider control located on the glass-ceramic surface on the front right. Each burner has its own Direct Access slider, which allows you to set the required temperature with one touch in a wide range of adjustments (14 levels).

It also offers a pause mode, a timer, child protection, automatic shut-off and a three-stage residual heat indicator. The latter should not only protect against burns, but also act as a hint for the current heating method (the actual operation of the heater or residual heat).

Electrolux CIL 61443 C is ready to boast of a good variety of burners. At the back there are two identical 1800 W zones with a diameter of 18 cm. The front right one is auxiliary - 1400 W and 14.5 cm, and the left one is the most powerful and largest: 2300 W and 21 cm, respectively. Each zone also supports the PowerBoost function, which for a short time time increases the heating intensity, for example, up to 2500 W for a small one and up to 3200 W for a large one.

But it should be taken into account that two burners will not be able to work in PowerBoost mode at once, since the device’s connection power does not exceed 4.6 kW, and, if necessary, can be further reduced by the user (Power Management option). Therefore, Electrolux CIL 61443 C is an attractive choice primarily for low-current networks and/or those users who often heat food in large quantities, but do not cook more than 1 - 2 dishes at a time.

By the way, for such scenarios it is advisable to consider 3-burner hobs.

One of the main advantages of the Whirlpool induction hob is FlexiSide technology. So, if on the right side of the surface there are two independent burners with an autofocus function, then on the left there is a dual adaptive zone. Here you can cook food in non-standard oblong dishes or place several utensils at once, and not limit yourself to just two.

The Whirlpool WFS 4160 BF adaptive area also supports Chef Control mode. In it, this heating zone is divided into 3 temperature zones (low (front), medium (center) and high (back)), and for the appropriate heat treatment, users can simply move the cookware without changing the settings.

The hob supports proprietary 6th Sense technology, which allows you to automate typical culinary processes. A total of 4 automatic programs are offered, including automatic boiling, keeping warm, melting and cooking over low heat.

There should also be no difficulties with various manual settings. There are individual sliders for each burner, allowing you to select the power level from 18 available options. Plus, the PowerBoost fast heating function is implemented, there is an indication of residual heat, a timer and child protection.

The base of the model is made of premium glass ceramics produced by Schott Ceran, and therefore the device is not only beautiful, but also highly resistant to scratches, abrasions and other unwanted defects.

The default connection power is 7.4 kW, so you can set a high heating intensity on at least 3 burners at once. And if you need to save electrical wiring, then the limit value is not difficult to reduce to 6/4/2.5 kW.

Whirlpool WFS 4160 BF is a functional kitchen appliance with cool features and a reasonable price tag.