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Enjoyed for centuries in East Asia, hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish where meats and veggies are cooked and served in a simmering pot of broth. With today's electric hot pots, you can make a crowd-pleasing version from the comfort of your home.
“Hot pots are easy to plug in and operate, so you and your family (or guests—hot pot makes a great party!) can cook an entire meal in the center of the table,” says Sarah Leung of blog The Woks of Life. “They’re wider and shallower than most slow cookers or Instant Pots, making them a better option for communal cooking and dining—everyone should be able to reach the hot pot in the center of the table to add or remove ingredients.”
Since they have “simple dials to adjust heat,” hot pots can cook ingredients quickly, says Leung. Some models also feature grill and griddle inserts, so they can double as tabletop grills for searing meats and veggies, too.
Our Top Picks for the Best Electric Hot Pots of 2024
Ahead, we found the seven best electric hot pots that experts recommend. Shop quality picks for enjoying this traditional Chinese cooking style, as well as the similar Japanese-style cooking method shabu-shabu.
How we picked these products
To find the best electric hot pots, we tapped Leung and Kathy Fang, a celebrity chef and co-owner of the restaurant Fang. We also turned to Becca Miller, an associate food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen; Nicole Papantoniou, Kitchen Appliances and Technologies Lab director; and their team of on-staff experts. The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen team includes all types—engineers! data analysts! registered dietitians!—who rigorously put everyday products to the test in their New York City-based labs to determine which ones you can trust. They chose electric hot pots based on their favorite trusted brands, user reviews, and their expertise on cooking tools. After culling all these expert insights, we’ve determined these are the best electric hot pots to shop in 2023.
Pros
Durable- Easy to clean
Cons
- Can't sauté in the pot
Aroma Housewares' Shabu Hot Pot is made of sturdy stainless steel, which is a quick-heating material. Fang says this durable pick has lasted her over eight years and has “never failed.” It's dual-sided, so you can make two broths with different spice levels at once, in case the crowd you're cooking for has different preferences.
Fang adds that you’ll get the “best bang for your buck” with this pick. “It’s affordable, heats up quickly, incredibly easy to use, easy to clean, and very light in weight,” she explains. “It’s not as bulky as some other options and thus great for storing in small apartments with limited storage space.”
The only downsides: This dual-sided hot pot doesn’t have a removable divider, so you can’t make one big dish, and unlike some models, you cannot sauté directly into the pot.
- Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 5 quarts
- Temperature range: Low, medium, high
- Dimensions: 12.88"D x 16.13"W x 8.63"H
- Weight: 6.13 Pounds
2
Best Multi-Purpose Electric Hot Pot
SPT Shabu-shabu & Multi-cooker
Pros
- Several cooking technique capabilities
- Durable build
Cons
- Small pot
This electric hot pot is ideal for making hot pot or Japanese-style shabu-shabu. Plus, it can grill, steam, simmer, and more. It comes with a range of accessories to help cook various meals, including a stainless steel pot, non-stick griddle, glass lid, steam rack, mesh strainer, and strainer support.
There are three adjustable temperature settings, which Papantoniou notes are helpful for “quickly” cooking “thin pieces of food.” This unit also has an indicator light, so you know when the appliance is on.
- Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 3 quarts
- Temperature range: 0-3 adjustable dial
- Dimensions: 12" D x 12" W x 9" H inches
- Weight: 6.5 pounds
Pros
- Easy to store
- Non-stick interior
Cons
- Cooking bowl isn't removable
- Limited temperature settings
The Good Housekeeping Institute recommends TopWit's Electric Pot as a quality, budget-friendly buy. Although the cooking bowl is not removable from the plastic base, “which can make it trickier to clean,” the team says the non-stick coating on the insert makes for easy cleanup. The clear lid allows you to watch food as it cooks. Its small size is ideal for making one to two servings and is easy to store when you're done.
Since the electric hot pot has only a high and low heat setting, the testers say there can be “inconsistencies in heating soup bases.” However, the brand does provide recipes to cook on both levels, so “the two temperature settings provide more versatility than a single temperature.”
- Material: Plastic, non-stick
- Capacity: 1.5 liters
- Temperature range: Low, high
- Dimensions: 6.8"D x 8.8"W x 6.6"H
- Weight: 1.69 pounds
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4
Best Electric Hot Pot with Grill
Zojirushi Electric Skillet for Yin Yang Hot Pot
Pros
- Griddle pans
- Deep soup pot
Cons
- Pricey
Great for grilling and more, this Zojirushi hot pot features a deep soup pot with a yin-yang style divider, as well as a griddle pan and clear lid. The Good Housekeeping Institute noticed that the unit's rubber feet offer stability and that the ceramic nonstick coating on the deep pan and griddle pans made “cleanup simpler.”
As long as the flames don’t go past the base of the pan, the deep pan can be used on your stovetop. This allows you to sauté on your stove before “moving into the base to keep broths warm.” The handles will also stay cool to prevent burning.
- Material: Titanium with a ceramic non-stick coating
- Capacity: About 5 quarts
- Temperature range: Keep warm, low, medium, high
- Dimensions: 13.75'' D x 17'' L x 9'' H
- Weight: 6 pounds
Pros
- Ability to sauté
- Small footprint
Cons
- High heat can cause foods to burn
Also from Aroma Housewares, this 2.6-quart electric hot pot is perfect for serving a smaller crowd and won't take up too much counter space. It has a versatile nonstick grill pan for barbecuing meats, seafood, and veggies, as well as removable stainless steel insert that can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
The Good Housekeeping Institute experts were thrilled that this unit could sauté, but they did notice that onions and tomato paste cooked fast and burned a bit at high heat. They recommend adjusting the temperature to keep food from burning as you sauté.
- Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: About 2.6 quarts
- Temperature range: Low, medium, high
- Dimensions: 10.25"D x 12.13"W x 7.75"H
- Weight: 5.8 pounds
Pros
- Range of temperature settings
- Small
Cons
- Can't see through the lid
Enjoy hot pot on the go with the help of this small electric hot pot. The Good Housekeeping Institute says it’s lightweight and “easy to carry around,” featuring a built-in handle and spout for more easily “pouring out liquids, like boiling water or broth.” The nonstick insert is also dishwasher safe and simple to clean.
The experts “love” the unit's six temperature settings to help make a variety of recipes. Since the plastic lid isn't see-through, however, it may be more difficult to check on your food than if the unit had a clear lid.
- Material: Plastic, nonstick
- Capacity: About 1 quart
- Temperature range: Warm, boil
- Dimensions: 6.49'' D x 9.09'' W x 6.73'' H
- Weight: 1.75 pounds
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Pros
- Consistent heating capabilities
- Versatile for different cooking techniques
Cons
- Expensive
Enjoy the versatility of this premium Breville electric hot pot, which models a traditional wok. It boasts tall sides and an electric base that allow you to “sauté and stir fry veggies” and “create a soup base to simmer hot pot,” the Good Housekeeping Institute says.
The electric base of the hot pot has several specific heat settings, which can help produce “consistent results.” The wok’s large bowl can make sizable portions, plus it's nonstick, removable and dishwasher safe.
- Material: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 6 quarts
- Temperature range: Minimum, high, sear
- Dimensions: 14"D x 18"W x 9½"H
- Weight: 12.5 pounds
What to look for in the best electric hot pots
Material: Aluminum and stainless steel are popular electric hot pot materials. The Good Housekeeping Institute says aluminum heats faster and is “more lightweight” than stainless steel. The latter material is “more durable.”
Capacity: If you want to feed a larger group of people, look for electric hot pots with at least a 6-quart capacity. Two quarts is an ample size for one or two servings, the Good Housekeeping Institute says.
Temperature range: Opt for an electric hot pot with several heat settings, as these will help “bring liquids up to temperature” and cook your hot pot ingredients safely, the experts say. Be sure to lower the temperature of the hot pot once the liquid reduces. Models with numerical temperature settings offer more consistent results.
Accessories: Grill and griddle inserts ensure your hot pot can also grill meats and veggies, giving you more versatility as you cook.
Safety: An electric hot pot should be balanced on its base or on an even surface. Check for units with detachable cords, which are helpful to avoid “tripping hazards,” the Good Housekeeping Institute adds.
What is an electric hot pot used for?
You can make several styles of hot pot using an electric hot pot. “Mongolian or Northern Chinese-style hot pot features lamb, with a sesame-based dipping sauce,” says Leung. “Try spicy Sichuan hot pot, or a Cantonese congee hot pot. You can also prepare a Japanese shabu-shabu meal or Sukiyaki.”
In general, an electric hot pot will allow you to cook “pretty much anything within a [simmering] broth,” adds the Good Housekeeping Institute. This includes proteins (think: chicken, tofu, and beef), as well as veggies like carrots and cabbage. Features like grill inserts can help you sear meat and vegetables, too.
While this appliance is quite versatile, it cannot be used as a rice cooker.
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How to make hot pot
- Choose a soup base for your hot pot, like plain water with kombu, mala soup, kimchee soup, sukiyaki, herbal soup, or miso soup, says Fang.
- Pick a protein. Fang says shaved beef, lamb, pork, and beef balls are the most common for hot pot. “When you go to the Asian supermarkets, look for pre-sliced cuts, packaged and labeled with ‘shabu’ on it,” she says. “Typically, shabu or hot pot meats need to have a good amount of fat and marbling, thus sliced rib eye, brisket, or belly are desirable cuts.” If you choose a leaner cut, you’ll want to avoid over-cooking it, as this can make it tough.
- “Thinly sliced meats are to be swished in the hot broth for only seconds before being removed from the hot pot, to then be enjoyed in a delicious dipping sauce,” says Fang.
- Add vegetables to your hot pot. Fang’s favorite veggies are napa cabbage, sh*take mushrooms, carrots, chrysanthemum leaves, spinach, or tofu.
- Include a starch. Fang recommends udon noodles, ramen noodles, glass noodles, or shirataki noodles.
- Select a dipping sauce. Try out options like soy sauce, chili paste, sesame sauce, vinegar, chili oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions, chopped cilantro, ponzu, or Shacha sauce, also known as “Chinese barbecue sauce,” Fang suggests.
- Use chopsticks to swish proteins in the electric hot pot, a strainer to clear the soup of protein residue, a 3-inch hot pot strainer to help remove ingredients from the pot, and a soup ladle for serving.
Why trust Delish
Kathy Fang is a celebrity chef and co-owner of Fang.
Sarah Leung is a cook, writer, and co-founder of The Woks of Life blog.
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances & Culinary Innovation Lab.
Becca Miller is the associate food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen.
Why trust Delish
Nashia Baker is a commerce editor at Hearst covering the latest and greatest products across the home and lifestyle categories. Throughout her career, she has interviewed chefs and food experts to learn about top trends in the culinary world. For this story, she interviewed a food blogger as well as two Good Housekeeping Institute experts on the absolute best electric hot pots and what to look for when shopping. She also tapped them for tips on how to cook hot pot.
Nashia Baker
Commerce Editor
Nashia Baker is a commerce editor at Hearst Magazines; she covers all things home and lifestyle across brands such as Oprah Daily, Cosmopolitan, Delish, and Esquire. Before joining Hearst, she highlighted small business owners, creatives, and the best shoppable content.
