How to Choose a Japanese Hot Plate
A Japanese tabletop hot plate turns dinner into an event — everyone cooks together at the table instead of one person stuck at the stove. Here's how to pick the right one.
Not sure a tabletop hot plate is what you're after?
In the UK “hot plate” can mean two quite different things. Here's the quick way to tell which one you need:
- Cooking on a single ring — small kitchen, student flat, an extra hob at Christmas → you want a portable induction hob. Try the BRUNO Ultra-Slim IH Induction Cooker (2,000W, 60–220°C, 28mm slim).
- Soup, noodles or a small hotpot for one or two → a compact electric pot such as the BRUNO Compact Multi Grill Pot (600W, 800ml).
- Boiling, braising, steaming and deep-frying in one pot → the BRUNO Multi Grill Pot does all five (1,200W).
- Cooking at the table with friends — hotpot, teppanyaki, takoyaki, okonomiyaki → that's a Japanese tabletop hot plate. Everything below.
Cook together, eat together
Set the hot plate in the middle of the table and grill, simmer or sizzle as you go. Guests help themselves straight from the pan while it's hot, so you stay part of the conversation instead of hidden away in the kitchen. It's what makes hotpot nights, teppanyaki and takoyaki parties so much fun — the cooking is the entertainment.
1. By model
- BRUNO Digital (BOE123) — Our main model. A digital temperature readout and four smart cooking modes take the guesswork out of hotpot, grilling, steaming and slow simmering. 1,400W, with a detachable power cord for easy storage. Comes with a steaming rack and flat plate; a deep grill plate is available separately. Red, Pink or White.
- BRUNO Oval (BOE053) — Rounded, cast-iron-style looks with even edge-to-edge heat. The most generously equipped in the box — flat plate, takoyaki plate, 2-litre ceramic-coated pot, silicone mat and plate remover — plus the widest choice of extra plates of any model. Now in Pink Beige.
- BRUNO Compact (BOE021) — The original best-seller, just right for 2–3 people and smaller kitchens. 1,200W and the lightest at 2.3kg. Final stock — White only, while stocks last.
- Aladdin Smokeless Graphite Griller — Graphite heat for fast, low-smoke grilling indoors.
2. Swappable plates — check the model
A BRUNO hot plate becomes a different dish by swapping the cooking plate:
- Flat plate — pancakes, eggs, teppanyaki, yakisoba
- Grill plate — meat and vegetables with run-off grooves for yakiniku
- Takoyaki plate — octopus balls and sweet bites
- Ceramic-coated pot — hotpot, nabe, stews and soups
- Steamer rack — dumplings, fish and vegetables
Plates are model-specific. A Compact plate will not fit an Oval, and neither fits the Digital — each range has its own. Check the code on the plate listing before ordering: BOE021 = Compact, BOE053 = Oval, BOE123 = Digital. (The long stand handle and the replacement power cord are the exceptions — those do fit across models.)
Extra plates available: Oval 6 · Compact 6 · Digital 2. Browse plates & accessories →
Ready for the UK. Every hot plate we sell is genuine 220–240V with a fitted UK 3-pin plug — no transformer, no adapter, ready straight out of the box.
Recipes to try on your hot plate
Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Yaki Udon, Two-Broth Shabu-Shabu Hotpot and Garlic Prawn Ahijo — all cooked on a BRUNO hot plate.
Yes. Every hot plate we sell is genuine 220–240V with a fitted UK 3-pin plug — ready to use straight out of the box, with no transformer or adapter needed.
The Digital (BOE123) is our main model and the one we'd suggest first — the temperature readout and preset modes make it the easiest to get right, and it costs less than the Oval. Choose the Oval (BOE053) if you want the widest choice of plates and the cast-iron look; it also comes with the most in the box. The Compact (BOE021) is the original and still the lightest at 2.3kg, but it is now on final stock in White only.
Hotpot (nabe), teppanyaki, yakiniku grilling, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, pancakes, yakisoba and everyday fried breakfasts — switch the plate to switch the dish.
Each model arrives with plates included — the Digital with a steaming rack and flat plate, the Oval with a flat plate, takoyaki plate and 2-litre ceramic pot, the Compact with a flat plate and takoyaki plate. More are available separately. Plates are not interchangeable between models: BOE021 plates fit the Compact, BOE053 the Oval and BOE123 the Digital, so check the model code before ordering.
A tabletop hot plate is made for cooking at the table with guests — plug-in, social and ideal for hotpot and grilling. An induction hob is a high-powered kitchen worktop appliance for fast everyday cooking. They serve different purposes.
The Compact and Oval comfortably serve 2–3, while the larger Digital model suits 3 people or more.
The cooking plates are removable and non-stick (fluororesin) coated. Let them cool, then wash gently with a sponge and mild detergent — avoid metal scourers to protect the coating. Wipe the base unit with a damp cloth; never immerse it in water.
Hot Plate Recipes
Make the most of your hot plate with these tried-and-tested recipes.
Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake)
Takoyaki (Japanese Octopus Balls)
Yaki Udon (Japanese Stir-Fried Udon)
Six-Well Garlic Prawn Ahijo (Takoyaki Plate)