I can't speak for the Diva but the Max Burton could be improved.

1) It doesn't go as low as I would like.
2) It is noisy.
3) It seems a little flimsy. Not that I have had any problems.
4) The lip on the Max Burton isn't on a single plane so you can't just cut a hole and drop it in.

Power on the Max Burton seems pretty adequate but more can't hurt.

doofus, we have the Diva two hob induction and love it. To be honest, when I was researching appliances, I kinda zeroed in on that model from the start and read positive things (about induction in general) so didn't really seek a less expensive alternative. You may want to ask this question over at the Appliance Forum - it's where I spent the first two months of my on-line research! If cpovey still hangs out there, he was incredibly knowledgable about gas/induction (he has a different model than the Diva if I recall).

Here it is in our kitchen.

Eliz

The Max Burton has a maximum of 1600 watts of power and the Diva DDP-2 has a maximum of 2800 watts of power on the larger burner. That is a big difference when you are using large pots and pans, doing stir fries, or pan frying a steak.

I always think this way.. "you get for what you pay" a $95 induction appliance, sound like a joke!
probably made in china, all in plastic, no parts if broken and probably it;s tested that will be break right after the warranty expired.

if you want induction, also look other companies, Fagor, Smeg, kuppersbusch not sure if smeg has 2 burner, the other yes.

Giacomo, I understand about the "get what you pay", but the price difference is so big, I can buy Max Burton's device 9 times: $100 vs. $1400 plus $400 for 240V line (assuming the manufacturer will not honor its warranty). It is unlikely, both of my two hypothetical units will break at the same time, so I will not be completely stranded either.

Being on-the-counter and using the standard 110V plug, it is also much easier to replace  and upgrade to a newer model  than a built-in.

Margareta's point regarding the maximum power is important, though. That's worth paying for, although, perhaps, not 9 times :-)

Thanks for the list of other manufacturers  I'll research them now!

It depends on what use you intend for the induction. I have cooked on a 1,300w Mr. Induction that sits on the counter for nearly 2 years.The burner size of the countertop units are smaller in diameter than the built-in Miele that will be in my new kitchen.

The lower watt, smaller burner unit is just fine to saute onions and garlic or cook in a small pot. Don't expect a large pot of water to boil in a flash. It cannot boil water as fast as my old electric coil large burner did.

The height of the burner will be several inches higher than a built-in unit. That's fine if you are tall. I am 5'3'' and it is too high. The cord will drape across your counter and always be in the way. It looks awful sitting on the stove.

If you are not serious about cooking on induction the countertop unit may be good enough. Sure you can buy 9 portable units compared to one good built-in. But why would you want to do that? I think the countertop unit is fine to get me by until my kitchen is finished. But, it a toy compared to the higher powered built-ins.

Is the Diva built in and the Max Burton not? Not sure it's fair to compare a freestanding unit to a permanent installation.

That said, after shopping a lot, the full sized Divas don't seem to offer much to justify the price over, say, a GE. The Mieles do have more features to justify it (if you need those features).

Ahem. The "induction site" actually has great information on the different aspects so I'm going to refer you to them for technical stuff but I want to say that it's a little bit like a car. Honda or Jag?

But I was considering starting out with a cheaper model and leaving upgrading as an option so I thought I'd share:

One of the biggest is that the smaller portable versions require 120 (a regular plug) and the larger builtins require 240 (the big ones). Most people don't have the option to pick between them. So if you opt to put in a cheaper one you will also want to run the 240 in case you want to upgrade.

Upgrading from cheap to expensive is harder than you would think depending on what type of ctop you are putting in. For instance, it would probably include either complete counter replacement or at least the removal of the counters to cut/recut holes.

Countertop/Cabinet height would change differently if you planned for a "on the counter" and then upgraded to "in the counter". It would drop the ctop at least 3 inches. Also, you'd probably need to leave the top 5? inches of the cabinets empty in preparation for that or you'd end up having to yank the ctops and modify the cabinets if you switch up.

In all, for me it was cheaper to buy the expensive one right off the bat rather than prepare/worry about the upgrade.

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Induction Info

Oh, man!! Morgne, I'm dating myself here, but if you'd asked me way back when I was working with cars I'd have said the Honda was worth a lot more! You had me ROTFL. Many years before they became part of Ford, Jaguar did get Delco (I think), electronics, which helped, but they used to be famous for falling apart of the freeway.

But to OP's question, I agree, check out The Induction Site. And for a countertop unit that can do a lot more, for relatively less money, there's Cooktek. :)

Lol. Whats best about my comparison is that I gave up my V12 Jag with electrical issues for a Honda minivan and love it! Still, it's not a matter of value as much as function. The Jag did exactly what I had it for (looking cool, going fast) and so does the honda (packs the stuff in, comfortable).

I want more performance out of my cooktop now... and more comfort out of my car!

well, it depends on whether you want to use the two Max Burton's at the same time. If you do, then you're going to have to run another 110v circuit to the kitchen since you'll overload the first one running two at a time.

The Mieles do have more features to justify it (if you need those features).

I could not find an induction cooktop by Miele, only regular electric. Could you post a link, please? Thanks!

The difference is power, which equals performance. A 110v unit is never going to be the equivalent of a 240v one.

Several years ago, we purchased a countertop 110v Sunpentown Mr. Induction unit to try out induction. Since two of our electric cooktop burners were not functional at the time, it came in handy & showed us how good induction is. I especially like its timer function & its power is equivalent to about 8,000 BTU. However, its height on a countertop is a bit awkward to use. We use it now for occasional tabletop cooking (sukiyaki) & a portable burner.

We chose a 240v single burner built-in induction cooktop to flank our natural gas range in our new home. In 2006 our choices were much more limited, so we went with Gaggenau for power (33,000 BTU) & design reasons. It was very expensive & is noiser than we'd like, but its power is incredible & we love the way it looks. It's also easy to keep clean.

Cooktek is another induction cooktop/company you should consider. Lots of power at a reasonable price, and it's US made, based in Chicago.

Induction cooktops are electric and thus listed on the Miele USA website with their other electric cooktops:

Here is a link that might be useful: Miele electric cooktops including induction