Hot plate grillers are incredibly versatile. They are real handy for cooking up fried eggs and breakfast in the morning. You can use them for quick reheats and they’re non-stick – so easy to clean. In Japan, most people use a hot plate ( ホットプレート ) to make yakiniku, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, yaki onigiri, and of course takoyaki. Each of our five selected hotplates will surprise you in what they bring to to your table.
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Best Hot Plate Buying Tips in Japan
Before jumping from the fry pan to the hot plate, there are a few things to consider.
What do you need a hotplate for?
Some hot plate designs in Japan are good all rounders, others not so much. If you need something for stir frying noodles or yaki itame, then you need to consider the depth and cooking area the hotplate has.
Versatility and adaptability are also much appreciated. The average hot plate in Japan will usually have a detachable takoyaki plate, but if the ball size is too small, you might not get the results you were hoping for. Some hot plates may also have an additional griddle lined plate to beef up your steak.
Our top recommendation, the Panasonic IH hot plate [ パナソニック IH ホットプレート ], is the most versatile because it fuses a regular round IH hotplate with an induction compatible grill plate. It can therefore be used with any kind of induction compatible pot or fry pan.
How much space will a hotplate take?
For a lot of people, space is key consideration. For a compact hotplate we review two practical choices. One is the Iris Oyama Compact Hot Plate [ アイリスオーヤマ ホットプレート ] that folds up and tucks away into a shelf space. It’s good enough for singles or couples, but not so great with takoyaki and it doesn’t have a lid.
For a decorative hotplate that looks great out on a table we recommend the Japan brand Bruno and their enameled hot plate [ ブルーノ コンパクト ホットプレート ]. The Bruno also has an additional deep pan for making nabe, risottos, stews, or lasagnas.
For those who don’t have much space for anything, you can consider the Lekeu microwave grill plate [ 電子レンジ グリル ホットプレート ]. With this smart little appliance, you can make grilled sandwiches, or grill burger patties and vegetables right in your microwave!
Which is the best hot plate for entertaining in Japan?
Sometimes people need a hotplate to do that little bit extra when friends come over. Our top rated product, the Panasonic, is once again the perfect choice and it’s high tech capabilities will also impress.
The enamel coated Bruno hotplates we recommend also fit the bill, and they’re great for gifting too. They come in small and large sizes and can serve between 2 to 3 and 4 to 5 people.
Alternatively, a really fun party appliance to have is the Recolte raclette fondue maker.
The Best 5 Amazing Hot Plate Choices in Japan
5選 おすすめの ホットプレート
- Panasonic IH Hot Plate – best by far.
- Lekue Microwave Grill Plate – for the utilitarian.
- Bruno Compact – stylish and glamorful.
- Iris Oyama – a dual plate solution.
- Recolte Raclette & Fondue – a master host must have.
Panasonic IH Hot Plate [ パナソニック IH ホットプレート ] – Best in Japan
- Hotplate and regular cooking modes
- Nabe stew and deep fry modes
- Temperature cooking guide
- Overheat and dry pot protection
- Auto-off with no cooking vessel
- Deep frying 1hr continuous use
- Count down timer 1～60 minutes
- Set timer 1min～9hr 55min
Awesome Brownie Points
The hotplate has been around in Japan for a long time, and many people are lukewarm about it. Hotplates often don’t have the best heat distribution, and take up valuable space considering how often you tend not to use them.
The Panasonic induction hotplate is a game changer. Essentially it’s an induction hotplate with a convenient attachable grill pan. It’s a great value purchase ideal for an apartment with no gas, singles and couples, a versatile extra in the family home, and it’s perfect for entertaining.
The nabe mode is especially designed for periodic reheating and over boiling protection. For deep frying, you’ll need a proper IH compatible (price link) tempura deep fryer, and the hotplate has deep fry overheating protection.
The Panasonic IH also displays a convenient temperature cooking guide:
Hotplate | Temperature |
Yakisoba / Yakiniku | 250 |
Gyoza | 230 |
Osukimiyaki | 200 |
Hot Cake | 180 |
Crepe | 160 |
Egg Pancake | 140 |
Keep Warm | 90 |
Induction heat is a pleasure to cook with. It’s safe, fast, and the technology includes a cook timer with automatic switch off. The induction plate is ideal for nabe, to fast boil pasta, potatoes, an extra place to make sauce, keep things warm, or even boil a kettle. You might be thinking it’s no good for takoyaki, but there’s an amazing (optional) 14 ball IH takoyaki pan:
Compared to all other hotplates, this one is pricier, and may have to invest in some new induction cookware. However, the resale value, together with cookware, is much better than other options.
What Some People Don’t Like
Reviews of this hotplate are overwhelmingly positive and mostly 5-star rated. Less than positive experiences are mostly from people unfamiliar with induction cooking. Especially, some people are unaware that induction plates emit periodic buzzing sounds like a mosquito. A few report that young children find this sound rather unpleasant.
Lekue Microwave Grill Plate [ 電子レンジ グリル ホットプレート ]
- Microwavable design and materials
- Grill sandwiches, meats, and vegetables
- Grill in 7 minutes or less
- Heat resistant to 240℃
- Non-stick easy to clean
- BPA Free
- 100% platinum silicone
Awesome Brownie Points
In Japan, a hotplate isn’t so cool when you don’t have space to store it. The solution therefore is not to buy one, but to figure out how to make the best out of what you have. And for most people, what they do have is a microwave.
Lekue is a Spanish designer which specializes in silicone cookware and they also make steamer boxes for microwaves. This product is made in China. It consists of a rounded non-stick steel plate, silicone padding, and ferrite silicone element.
The grill plate needs to be preheated for 3 min at 900 W before you place in your meat, vegetables, or hot sandwiches, and then clip the plates together. After cooking it can be hot, and there may be hot liquids too, so you need to use oven mitts.
It comes with 10 recipes which you can also access online in English. Check your microwave’s inner dimensions before buying this product. This Lekeu microwave griller is (WDH) 26.2 x 14.8 x 5 cm. It’s too big for your microwave, see our review of a similar product.
What Some People Don’t Like
One inconvenience of this microwave griller is that you shouldn’t forget to preheat it. Because the food is not sealed, odors can build up in your microwave, so you have to clean up as soon as you’re finished cooking. Also, these plates tend not to work so well in older microwaves with low wattage – that means less than 900W.
Bruno Compact Hotplate [ ブルーノ コンパクト ホットプレート ]
- Comes in 11 colors
- Solid construction / 2.3 kg
- 1 200 W / 250℃
- Sliding temperature scale
- Flat and takoyaki plate
- Magnetic cord connector
Awesome Brownie Points
Bruno is a Japanese brand hotplate you’ll love to have around to show off. It’s both decorative and utilitarian, and the best compact hotplate in Japan. The enameled exterior makes it good enough to leave on the table or counter, plus there’s a color range to compete with the pickiest decorator.
It has a couple of practical design features that make it way better then cheaper options. The extra height means that the flat dish is a little bit deeper than other hotplates. Also, the temperature has a sliding scale and not fixed incremental adjustments.
The compact hotplate can serve 2 to 3 adults and neatly fits to an A4 sheet of paper. The dimensions are (WDH): 32.5 x 24.3 x 8.9 cm. The basic set has two plates, but the full set comes with an additional deep plate good for stews or even lasagna. The flat plate can hold about 22 regular-sized gyoza.
What Some People Don’t Like
There’s not too much that people don’t love about these Bruno compact hotplates. Compared to similar hotplates, the takoyaki cooks really well, except that the four corners get hotter than other areas, so you have to be careful the edges don’t overcook.
Other than that, a few comment that the size is too small, and not deep enough for good portions of meat or yakisoba without splashes or spill overs. Be aware that this is actually a compact hotplate, and if you’re looking for more depth, then consider the full set option with the deep pan. Alternatively, Bruno also has a large-sized hotplate.
Iris Ohyama Double Hotplate [ アイリスオーヤマ ホットプレート ]
- Flat, Dimpled, and Tokoyakii plates
- Separate temperature controls
- 650W x 2 / 80-250℃
- Fold up:15.5H x 34.3W x 33.6D cm
- Weight: 4.7 kg
- 20 Takoyaki balls
Awesome Brownie Points
Iris Oyama heats better than other dual temperature hotplates in Japan because the two separate plates are well contained. The sliding temperature controls are a real plus for an optimal temperature range, as well as keeping warm.
With these two plates there’s no end to the dinner combinations you can cook up. It’s great for okonomiyaki together with takoyaki, paella with roast vegetable sides, yakiniku and Korean vegetables, or even fry burritos and keep your filling warm.
What Some People Don’t Like
- Takoyaki size is small so the balls crisp easily.
- Difficult to flip over okonomiyaki or stir yakisoba.
- There’s no lid for gyoza, but you can use foil.
- Plate hinges not so easy to clean between.
Helpful Verdict: This hotplate is good enough for just one or two people, and not something you want to pull out for a party. For the price, the compact design and dual temperature setting is the deal breaker, otherwise, you may want something better.
Recolte Raclette and Fondue Maker [ ラクレット＆フォンデュメーカー メルト]
- 350 W
- 3 color sets
- Cheese tray + cocotte x2
- Double sided grill and pan plate
- Cocotte microwave, oven, dishwasher compatible
- Gradeless dial thermostat
- Instruction Booklet (日本語）
- English product homepage & instructions
Awesome Brownie Points
Recolte is a Japanese home brand, and fortunately, this really fun and affordable product has its own English language homepage. The site has easy to follow instructions and a useful guide on what cheeses to use with particular foods.
The best things about the fondue maker are the reversible grill plate, the gradeless dial for fine temperature tuning, and the two high quality cocotte. There’s only one grill element which means the upper and lower sections heat at the same time to the same temperature.
A few things to know is that the bottom trays should only ever be used for cheese and not any other foodstuffs. This is to avoid the risk of fire. When using the upper grill plate or heating the cocotte, be careful of spills that could get into the element and cause damage.
Be careful not to scratch the metal wear with a fork or knife. Finally, if spots or light indentations appear on the grill plates, this is perfectly okay and not a manufacturing error.
What Some People Don’t Like
For the price, there’s really not much that people don’t like about the Recolte fondue maker. For most, the compact size is appreciated, while some find it a lacking. There is, however, a larger square -shaped model (price link) with three cheese pans, but it retails for almost twice the price.
