The first consideration is size. Obviously the advantage of all of these stoves is that they are small. Still, some are much smaller than others. A single-burner stove is very easy to carry around. Larger dual-burner stoves are a bit more cumbersome and are often better suited to standard kitchen use.

The next thing to consider is power. A very good burner will be comparable to a full range kitchen stove. These types of burners are usually around or above 1300 Watts per burner. As the wattage decreases, the cooking ability of the burner decreases proportionately. A low watt burner will take longer to boil water and cook food. Furthermore, low wattage portable electric burners will be unable to cook some meals.

Power and safety are closely related. Ideally, a burner should heat up and cool down quickly. Some burners heat up quickly but are fire hazards. Only the burner should be hot; the rest of the appliance should be mostly cool, and the handles should always be cool enough to touch. When a portable electric burner gets too hot, it can be a serious fire hazard in a confined space. Portable stoves should always be closely monitored and responsibly stored.

Many of these features are factored into the price of the product. Regardless, most portable electric burners are priced very reasonably. It is possible to get a very good portable electric stove for under $100.