If you’ve recently tried hot pot cooking and loved it, you may be wondering if it’s possible to do hot pot at home with your friends and family to save on costs. You can buy a range of different electric hot pot cookers at various price points to match most people’s needs.
You’ll want to understand the features that hot pot cookers can come with, as well as the average cost of a hot pot cooker so that you can see what type of cooker is in your price range.
Average Cost Of An Electric Hot Pot Cooker
The average cost of hot pot cookers is around $80 for a reasonable electric hot pot that doesn’t need a separate portable cooktop and is a good size. The average price range is between $25 to $140, size and added features play the largest part in the cost of your new hot pot.
| Hot Pot | Price | Size | Divider |
| Aroma Stainless Steel Hot Pot | $69.99 | 5 Qt | |
| Wilzoe Electric Hot Pot | $26.99 | 1.9 Qt | |
| Dezin Electric Shabu Shabu Hot Pot | $85.99 | 5.2 Qt | ✓ |
| Topwit Electric Hot Pot | $67.99 | 5.2 Qt | |
| 4Yang Hot Pot With Grill | $136.99 | 5.2 Qt | ✓ |
| SEAAN Hot Pot With Grill | $99.99 | 5.2 Qt | ✓ |
| YONGXIN Electric Hot Pot | $79.99 | 4.2 Qt | ✓ |
| Food Party Electric Grill And Hot Pot | $119.99 | 5.2 Qt | ✓ |
| UNAOIWN Electric Hot Pot | $63.99 | 5.3 Qt |
In the average price, we’ve looked at the best hot pot cookers that Amazon currently sells, you may find different hot pots in your local store or at other online stores, but the average prices should remain fairly consistent.
If you’re paying much more than $140 you need to be reviewing why the price is so high and if you should be paying that much as it’s likely not needed unless you have special requirements.
Paying under the average price will typically limit the features that you get with your hot pot cooker and you may end up having to upgrade at some point if you really enjoy hot pot, so ensure you know which features are important to you.
Average Cost Of A Non-Electric Hot Pot Cooker
The average cost of a hot pot pot is around $35, and it comes with ladles, but you’ll also need a portable induction cooktop to heat the pot, and that will cost you around $60. It can work out to around the same cost for the same size and similar features as an electric hot pot cooker.
Typically your pot will only be used for hot pot, as will your induction cooktop, so while the prices are similar, it’s not going to be a multipurpose cooker for you in most cases.
Where a non-electric hot pot cooker may make more sense is if you plan to use it very often and you want a much larger pot for more people. The cooktop won’t need to change, and the pot will be less expensive as you go up in size vs. getting larger electric hot pot cookers.
Features That Impact The Average Cost Of Hot Pot Cookers
Not all hot pot cookers are created equal, the size you want and the features you need will determine the actual price you’re going to pay. A basic hot pot cooker that just heats up the broth for 1-2 people is going to be the cheapest option and the easiest to put away.
Hot Pot Cooker Sizes
A major factor in the price of your hot pot cooker is the size you get. You’ll want at least a 2 quart or 2 liter capacity cooker for 2 people, if you’re looking to have 4+ people, you’ll want to get a 4-5 quart or liter hot pot cooker.
If you need to have more than 4 people sitting around a large table, you may need a more expensive and larger hot pot cooker, or you can consider whether buying two cookers is a cheaper option.
Many hot pot cookers may indicate they have capacity for 8 to 12 people, but remember that if you’re sitting around a large table, it’s going to require people to get up and reach over, which isn’t always the most convenient option
Hot Pot Dividers
A hot pot cooker divider allows you to have multiple broths in your cooker to suit different people’s tastes or just to have more flavors available. Cheaper hot pots won’t have dividers, and averagely priced hot pots should have at least 2 broth dividers included.
As you get higher-priced hot pots that are larger, you may find some with 3 or 4 sections for different broths. Having dividers or more dividers is helpful if you have people that don’t want spicy broths or some that want extremely spicy broths.
Multipurpose Hot Pot Cookers
Hot pot is very popular around the world, and different styles of hot pot cooking require different components as part of the meal. So a standard hot pot cooker is typically good for Chinese hot pot, while a hot pot cooker with a grill can be a more popular option for Korean hot pot.
Three popular multipurpose options for your hot pot cookers are:
- Hot Pot Cooker With Grill
- Hot Pot Cooker With Wok
- Hot Pot Cooker For Frying
It’s also helpful to look at how your hot pot cooker can replace or provide other options for cooking. Many come with Teflon coatings that allow for wok-style cooking or pan-frying.
So if you are considering different types of cookers, like an Instapot or similar products, see whether a multipurpose hot pot cooker can do the cooking jobs you want instead.
Multipurpose will mean more cost for your cooker, but you may be able to save money if you’re looking at other multipurpose cookers that are more expensive.
Hot Pot Cooker Ingredient Costs
Hot pot cookers will require some type of broth, and you’ll need thinly sliced meat and vegetables at a minimum. Specialty stores like H-Mart in larger cities can provide both for you, which can cost a little more but save you time in preparation.
Average prices for hot pot broth are $4 – $5, and should only be used once for each meal. You’ll add water and can top that water up throughout the meal to increase the use of the broth.
The average price for thinly sliced frozen meat is $8.99 – $13.99 per lb. Most people will have 3+ types of meat available, so consider how much your diners want to eat.
If you don’t have an H-Mart or similar Asian specialty store in your area, you can still ask your local butcher to thinly slice various meats for you. You may even get better deals on meat like chicken or pork products from your local grocery store with a meat counter.
