My first studio flat had a kitchen that was, technically, a kitchen. It had a sink, a mini fridge, and two electric hobs that shared a circuit with the bathroom light in a way that meant you could not use both at the same time without something tripping. The hobs were also positioned such that using them required standing at an angle that I can only describe as committed. I cooked on them twice in the first month and then started ordering takeaway with a frequency that was making a noticeable impact on my bank account.
My name is Zara Okonkwo. I am a junior graphic designer from London, twenty-two years old, and I had moved into the studio in September with a great deal of optimism about cooking for myself and a rapidly diminishing ability to do so given the kitchen situation. I needed a solution that did not involve the hobs, did not take up much space, and could actually cook real food rather than just heating things up.
The Research
I had seen electric hot pots on social media, mostly in the context of university students and people in small apartments in Japan and Korea, where compact cooking appliances are a well-established category. The concept made sense: a single electric pot that could do multiple things, that sat on a desk or a small surface, that did not require a hob or an oven.
I found the Topwit 2L Electric Hot Pot with Steamer at ALTOE. The spec was exactly what I needed. Dual power settings: 250W for gentle cooking like oatmeal or soup, 600W for high-heat tasks like searing steak or stir-frying. A steamer basket that sits above the main pot, allowing you to cook below and steam above simultaneously. A PFOA-free, BPA-free non-stick coating that cleans with a sponge. Overheat and dry-boil protection. A 2L capacity that is the right size for one person cooking a proper meal. And a 7.08-inch diameter that fits on a small surface without dominating it.
I ordered it. It arrived the next day.
The First Week
The first thing I made was ramen. Proper ramen, with noodles and an egg and some vegetables, not the kind you make by adding boiling water. It took about fifteen minutes and it was genuinely good. I sat at my desk eating it and felt, for the first time since moving in, like I was actually living in my flat rather than just sleeping there between takeaways.
By the end of the first week I had also made a stir-fry, steamed broccoli while cooking rice below it using the dual function, and scrambled eggs for breakfast. The 600W setting was hot enough to properly sear rather than just warm, which I had not expected from something this compact. The non-stick surface cleaned up in about thirty seconds each time.
The takeaway orders stopped. Not because I forced myself to cook, but because cooking had become easy enough that it was the more appealing option.
Eight Months On
The Topwit hot pot has been used almost every day for eight months. It lives on the small table next to my desk, which is where I eat most of my meals. I have made ramen, stir-fries, soups, steamed fish, fried rice, oatmeal, and on one occasion a steak that was considerably better than I expected from an electric pot.
The non-stick coating has not degraded or scratched despite daily use. The overheat protection has triggered once, when I got distracted and left it on too long, and it cut out cleanly without any drama. The steamer basket has been used regularly and is still in good condition.
My flatmate in the building, who has a similarly inadequate kitchen, borrowed it for a weekend when her microwave broke. She bought her own the following week. My mother, who visited in February and was sceptical about the concept of cooking a proper meal in what she described as a fancy camping pot, ate the stir-fry I made in it and asked where I had found it.
The studio flat kitchen is still technically a kitchen. I have not used the hobs since October.
The Verdict
If you have a small kitchen, a dorm room, or any situation where proper cooking feels impractical, an electric hot pot is the solution and this is the one I would recommend. The dual power settings make it genuinely versatile, the steamer function adds real capability, the non-stick surface makes cleaning easy, and the safety features mean you can leave it unattended without anxiety. It is the appliance that made cooking possible for me in a space where cooking had felt impossible.
Find the Topwit 2L Electric Hot Pot with Steamer at ALTOE. Listed in Home & Garden and Electric Skillets & Woks.
Cook the ramen. Cancel the takeaway. Reclaim your kitchen independence.
— Zara Okonkwo, London
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