Empava Induction Cooktop Guide: 11, 12, 20, 30 and 36 Inch Models Compared

Choosing an Empava induction cooktop comes down to one question: does it plug into a standard 120V outlet, or does it need a dedicated 240V circuit? That answer decides whether you are shopping for a portable induction cooktop or a small two-element plug-in unit, or for a hardwired 24, 30 or 36 inch induction cooktop that replaces a full range top. As an authorized Empava dealer, we at Urban Supply carry the whole range, and this guide compares every size we sell, from the 11-inch single burner to the 36-inch five-element model, using the specifications from the listings, with a side-by-side table at the end.

How an Empava Induction Cooktop Heats, and Why Cookware Must Be Magnetic

An induction cooktop does not get hot the way a radiant or gas cooktop does. A coil under the glass creates a magnetic field that generates heat directly in the base of a compatible pan, which is why Empava's listings describe the cooktop as staying cooler to the touch and why it responds so quickly to a change in power level.

Cookware has to be magnetic. Cast iron, enameled cast iron and most stainless steel work. Pure aluminum, copper, glass and most ceramic pans will not, unless the maker has bonded a magnetic plate into the base. Empava's own test is the simplest: if a magnet sticks firmly to the bottom of the pan, it will work.

Pan detection is built in. The Empava induction cooktops currently live in our store list pan detection that shuts the element off when no pan is present (most also size the output to the cookware), an "H" hot surface indicator while the glass is still hot, and a child lock.

Portable Induction Cooktop vs Plug-In vs Built-In: 120V or 240V?

120V plug-in models run from a standard household outlet. Empava's 11-inch single-burner portable induction cooktop, its 12-inch two-element models and the new 20-inch two-burner unit are all rated at 1800 watts maximum on 120V. The new 11-, 12- and 20-inch models are listed at 15 amps; the current 12-inch two-element built-in ships with a pre-installed 120V plug but calls for a 20-amp breaker, so check the circuit first.

240V built-in models are hardwired to a dedicated circuit. Empava's 24-inch and 30-inch four-element cooktops are listed at 240V with a 40-amp breaker, and the 36-inch five-element models call for 50 amps. The listings describe a hardwired connection (three copper wire cables on the 36-inch, with the hard wiring included on the 24-inch) and no power cord, so an electrician makes the final connection. Empava's newest 30- and 36-inch built-ins are rated for 240V or 208V at 60Hz, which matters in buildings that supply 208V.

Why does 120V stop at 1800 watts? A standard 15-amp, 120V circuit delivers 1800 watts, exactly the maximum Empava lists for its plug-in models, which is why two-element 120V units share power. A 240V induction cooktop on a 40- or 50-amp circuit is a different scale: the 36-inch models list 9600 to 12200 watts total, enough to run five elements at once.

Power Sharing, Power Boost and Timers: Reading the Spec Sheet

Power sharing confuses more buyers than any other spec. On the 12-inch two-element built-in, the left element runs from 300 to 1800 watts across eight settings and the right from 300 to 1300 watts across six, and the listing specifies power-sharing capability: with both elements on, the cooktop manages output within its 1800-watt maximum. You can sear in one pan or simmer in two, but not boil two large pots at once; if you cook that way, step up to a 240V built-in.

Power boost is the opposite idea: a short burst above the element's normal rating on the 240V models. On the 36-inch five-element model, the 11-inch center element runs at 2300 watts and boosts to 3000, two of the 7.5-inch elements run at 2000 watts and boost to 2600, and the other two run at 1500 and boost to 2000. The 24- and 30-inch four-element models list boost mode for up to 5 minutes, with the 30-inch model's 10-inch element reaching up to 2700 watts.

Timers and settings. Most built-ins list touch controls with 9 power levels and a 99-minute timer; the 12-inch built-in adds nine temperature settings from 120°F to 460°F and a 1- to 179-minute timer.

30 Inch Induction Cooktop vs 36 Inch Induction Cooktop: Elements, Bridge Zones and Cutouts

A 30 inch induction cooktop from Empava has four elements; a 36 inch induction cooktop has five, with a large center element added. The current 30-inch model uses 10-, 8-, 7- and 6-inch elements. The 36-inch model with Flexi bridge elements uses an 11-inch center element and four 7.5-inch elements for a listed 12200 watts total, and the other 36-inch model we carry lists a 3700-watt center element with 2400- and 2000-watt corner elements for 9600 watts. Empava's newest 30-inch lists a 3.0kW right rear zone boosting to 4.0kW beside three smaller zones; the newest 36-inch puts that zone in the center with four 1.85/2.7kW zones around it.

Bridge elements join two elements into one long zone so a griddle or oval roasting pan heats evenly. On the 36-inch five-element model, Empava describes two 15.5-inch by 7.5-inch Flexi bridge elements rated at 3000 watts, controlling two heating elements simultaneously. A new 36-inch model coming to our store adds a right-side flexi/bridge zone rated at 2500 watts, boosting to 3000, and the new 12-inch two-burner plug-in model includes a bridge element. If you own a cast-iron griddle, a bridge zone is the feature most worth paying for.

Cutout sizing is where orders go wrong, so measure the opening in your counter first. The current 30-inch model lists a cutout of 29.5 by 20 inches; the two 36-inch models list 34.65 by 19.69 and 35.3 by 20 inches; the 24-inch needs 22.5 by 19.5 inches; and the 12-inch built-in needs 19.5 by 13.5 inches. The newest 30-inch lists a cutout range from 29 by 19 7/8 up to 29 1/8 by 20 1/2 inches, and the newest 36-inch from 34 7/8 by 19 7/8 up to 35 1/4 by 20 1/2 inches. The built-ins also specify a 5-inch cutout height and are listed as installable over Empava's 24- and 30-inch under-counter single wall ovens. Empava's notes add that the cooktop lip overlaps the cutout by roughly a half inch to an inch and the surface should sit 24 to 36 inches below any hood; our best range hoods guide covers the ventilation side.

Sizing Guide: 11, 12, 20, 24, 30 and 36 Inch Empava Induction Cooktops

11 inches, one burner, 120V: the true portable induction cooktop. Rated at 1800 watts with touch controls, at 11 inches wide and just under 14 inches deep it stores in a cabinet and suits a dorm, an RV or a rental kitchen.

12 inches, two elements, 120V: the small-kitchen workhorse. The current built-in ships with a 120V plug and weighs 12 pounds; the new 12-inch model adds a bridge element. With power sharing, treat it as one and a half burners.

20 inches, two burners, 120V: new to the lineup. Two elements spaced further apart than the 12-inch unit on the same 1800-watt, 15-amp rating, about 20.5 inches wide: a wider two-pan surface without a 240V circuit.

24 inches, four elements, 240V: the compact built-in. Two 8-inch elements up to 2700 watts and two 6-inch elements up to 2000 watts in boost, on a 40-amp breaker, for four burners in a narrow counter.

30 inches, four elements, 240V: the standard range-top replacement, on a 40-amp breaker; the newest 30-inch built-in runs on 240V or 208V and lists 8700 watts total at 240V.

36 inches, five elements, 240V: the family-kitchen choice, on a 50-amp breaker. Choose the model with Flexi bridge elements if you cook on griddles, or the 9600-watt model with the 3700-watt center element if you want one very fast large burner. The newest 36-inch built-in lists 11400 watts total at 240V.

Empava Induction Cooktop Comparison Table

Our Recommendation

Renting, or no 240V circuit: the 11-inch portable for one pan, the 12-inch built-in for a permanent small install, or the new 20-inch two-burner for a wider surface.

Replacing a 30-inch range top: the 30-inch four-element model on a 40-amp, 240V circuit, after checking the 29.5 by 20 inch cutout against your counter.

Big-family cooking or griddles: the 36-inch five-element model with Flexi bridge elements on a 50-amp circuit. Narrow counter, full function: the 24-inch four-element built-in.

Still deciding between induction, gas and radiant? Our cooktop buying guide walks through all three fuel types, and the Empava gas cooktop collection covers the 12- to 36-inch gas models.

Browse the Empava Induction Cooktop Collection at Urban Supply

Start with the Empava induction cooktop collection to compare the current models and watch for the new ones as they go live. The broader induction cooktop collection and our full cooktop collection cover every size and fuel type we carry. As an authorized dealer, we ship every order with the full manufacturer warranty, listed at 2 years on the Empava induction cooktops we carry.

Build out the rest of the kitchen from Empava kitchen appliances, including the wall ovens the built-in cooktops are listed to sit above, and find everything Empava we sell under Empava appliances. For the bathroom side of an Empava refresh, see our Empava bathtub buying guide and walk-in tub buying guide.

Not sure whether your panel can take a 40- or 50-amp circuit, or whether a cutout matches your counter? Contact us with the model and your measurements and we will confirm the fit before you order.

Related reading: Cooktop Buying Guide · Best Range Hoods for Your Kitchen · Empava Bathtub Buying Guide · Walk-In Tub Buying Guide