The hot plate you cooked your mac and cheese on in college was nothing like this. Check out the Viking Portable Induction burner. It delivers a fast cooking surface that uses a magnetic coil to produce a high-frequency electromagnetic field with any ferrous pan to set up a current that creates serious heat: 1800 watts (equivalent to 15,000 BTUs). Once the vessel is removed from the element or it is turned off, the heat generation stops. The burner sells for $499.95 and makes a great addition to your summer cooking arsenal because you can use it outside.