Nuwave Dual Top Pro review

The Nuwave Dual Top Pro 80042CT is a two-zone countertop cooktop for households that need two compatible pans heating at once. Its exact Costco listing identifies two 11.5-inch glass surfaces, 8-inch coils, a total 1,800-watt rating and a 14-pound weight. The model-specific 80042CT manual adds an important qualification: the selected 900-, 1,500- or 1,800-watt setting is a shared total that the appliance automatically divides between burners when both are active. Two separate touch panels let you set each side, but they do not create two independent 1,800-watt supplies.

Two zones change the work pattern, not the outlet math

The layout is useful when you want a pot and a skillet, two saucepans, or two side dishes going together. You still need induction-ready cookware on both circles. The manual describes ordinary flat cookware and advises centering it within the designated ring; it gives a 3-inch minimum cookware diameter and recommends no pan wider than 12 inches because heat can take longer to reach the edges. That 3-inch statement is not identified as magnetic pan-base diameter. Costco's 11.5-inch surface measurement and 8-inch coil size describe the hardware, not a promise of evenly heated food across any 11.5-inch vessel.

Each side has its own control group, and you can choose settings for each, but the manual's Dynamic Watts description says the selected total automatically splits between burners according to their temperature demands. When two pans need strong heat at once, their power competes within that shared ceiling. A buyer who requires each side to deliver maximum output simultaneously should treat that capability as unconfirmed. Compare the exact-output arrangement before interpreting a headline wattage as a per-burner figure.

This distinction separates the 80042CT from the single-zone One Top Pro 80034CT, whose own manual offers 700/900/1,500 W for one pan. The Dual Top's lowest documented total selection is 900 W, so the One Top gives a lower selectable floor, but it cannot heat a second pan. Another comparison is the PIC Double Pro 30603: it is also a Nuwave two-zone cooker with dynamic shared total wattage, but it is a different exact model with different surfaces, controls and manual. Do not transfer specifications between them.

Temperature controls: fine entry, conflicting range

The 80042CT manual gives five named temperature presets at 100, 175, 275, 375 and 575°F, while the exact Costco listing advertises six presets and 94 temperatures between 100 and 575°F. The manual says the adjustable range starts at 50°F, which conflicts with Costco's listed 100°F minimum. I treat the minimum and total setting count as unsettled, not as a reason to claim the wider or narrower specification without qualification.

There are two adjustment paths. The manual says the plus/minus arrows move in 5°F increments; a separate numerical keypad section says entered temperatures adjust in 1°F increments. That makes direct keypad entry useful when a particular setpoint matters, while the arrows are a coarser route. Neither path measures the pan surface or internal food temperature. No probe or cookware package is assumed; the listing does not itemize its box and the manual does not establish an included food probe.

The manual supports up to three timed stages and up to 50 custom presets. The countdown range is 00:01–99:59, and there is also a delay function described separately. These controls may help with recipes that move through a sequence, but long timers are not a promise of unattended operation. Keep a cook in view and follow the exact operating and safety instructions supplied with the appliance.

Plan the counter and circuit before the first use

The model's rating page says 120 VAC, 60 Hz and 1,800 W, for household use only. The manual says not to use it outdoors, to place it on a stable, level, nonmetallic surface, to leave at least three inches of open space at the back, sides and top, and to keep the fans and vents unobstructed. It also says to use a separate electrical outlet from other operating appliances. A lower wattage option does not override those instructions or establish that a particular mobile-power source is appropriate. This is a countertop appliance, not a built-in hob with a verified cutout or hard-wired installation plan.

There is a small identity caveat inside the documentation: the cover and rating page identify model 80042CT, but the parts section calls it “Part #80042.” The manual itself is titled Dual Top Pro and contains the exact-model cover/rating details, so I keep the offered model as 80042CT and disclose the interior label rather than silently dropping the suffix. Check the unit label and use the manual packaged with the exact cooktop.

Who is it for?

Consider this model if two ordinary induction pans must be used together, you accept a shared 1,800-watt ceiling, and separate temperature/time controls matter more than independent full-power circuits. Pass if one pan is plenty and your key constraint is a 700-watt low setting, if you need a confirmed minimum below 100°F, or if simultaneous full output at both sides is essential. A single burner can have a lower countertop footprint; a conventional built-in product needs a different installation assessment.

At the time this exact model was checked, Costco's product page displayed “Unavailable.” That does not establish permanent discontinuation or prove that every other seller lacks stock, and this review makes no price promise. Confirm that a listing or box says 80042CT and compare the included items rather than assuming a cookware bundle. The Costco 80042CT listing and Nuwave-authored 80042CT Owner’s Manual rendering are the exact references used here. The comparison of the One Top Pro and Dual Top Pro summarizes how single-zone low-watt use differs from two-pan shared-output cooking.