Review: the Duxtop 8100MC Induction Burner

Most campgrounds in Iowa have electricity available for both large and tiny camping rigs. My RTTC Polar Bear camper is a "standy," so as my wife and my trailer camping experience continued, we considered the possibility of how to cook inside when the weather was extreme, such as heavy rain. We didn't want to cook inside with our Coleman camp stove, due to fumes. We considered electric hotplates, which are readily available, but then in Facebook tiny trailer groups we came across recommendations of the induction burner.

Researching, we decided to buy a Duxtop 8100MC induction countertop burner, and have been pleased with its performance.

Using a 5-star system of evaluation, the Duxtop 8100MC induction burner receives 4 stars.

Pros

• The biggest outdoor camping advantage is that the magnetic induction cooking is not affected by the wind like a propane burner flame. 
• The biggest indoor camping (camper) advantage is that there is are no fumes like a propane burner flame.
• The burner is solid and stores easily.
• Heating water for pasta or for washing dishes or bathing is really fast.
• The controls are easy to use, although I use the wattage numbers, not the temperature indicators.

Cons

• Even though "5" is the mid-wattage (temperature) range from 1-10, it is still hotter than a stove's "medium." Therefore, I cook eggs on the 2-3 range.
• Most of the Amazon review negatives have to do with temperature control, with either too large a jump between temperatures or with inaccuracies. Since most of my camp cooking is pretty simple, this hasn't been a real problem for me so far. 
• With wattage up to 1,800 watts, a camp cook has to be careful that electrical systems and extension cords are not over-taxed. For instance, one of my electrical cords is rated to 1,650 watts.
• Not all pots and pans work with an induction burner. Thay have to be large enough and of thick enough magnetic metal. We had an old copper-bottomed pan we had to get rid of and also one stainless steel pan that was too thin. Our cast iron skillet works great.
• Some reviewers complained of a high-pitched whine when operating. I haven't noticed (and hope I don't, now that it has been brought to my attention).

My wife and I use a cast-iron skillet mostly; however, we bought Duxtop induction cookware for camping, which we feel are of good quality. I use the smaller skillet when cooking alone and the larger three quart pot for steaming vegetables. A smaller pot is good for hot cereal, even though it is a bit large. Our smallest pot, which we kept from our Coleman propane stove, is too small for the Duxtop.

Big wind . . . little problem!

In conclusion, the Duxtop is a solid unit, not having a heating element that can flop around like hotplates. It stores easily and meets our cooking needs well. There are some challenges with temperature control--as one reviewer put it, there are two settings, "low simmer and burn." We used the burner for one season and found no real issues. This next season, we may learn more when we make pancakes for the grandkids and branch out to dishes other than pasta or scrambled eggs. We have taken the burner "motel camping" a couple of times in case we needed to make macaroni and cheese for the grandkids.

We feel the unit is easy to use, with the owner's manual explaining well how to operate the burner. However, it would probably be good to read a variety online reviews before buying to gain a clear view of what cooking with induction is like.

(Note: this product was bought by me. Any free or replaced items provided by the seller/manufacturer will be noted.)

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