The 8 Best Fondue Pots of 2023, Tested by Food & Wine

We tested 18 models to find the best picks for perfectly gooey raclette, Gruyere, Gouda, and more.

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The 8 Best Fondue Pots of 2023, Tested by Food & Wine

If you’re into melting cheese or chocolate, a fondue pot is a must for any delicious fondue recipe. Like raclette, another delicious melted cheese dish with Swiss origins that requires a raclette grill, a piece of specialty cooking equipment can make or break the recipe. Because the success of traditional fondue relies on perfectly melted, silkily smooth cheese, it’s not enough to just melt the cheese in a basic saucepan and serve.

The best fondue pots keep the melted cheese or chocolate fondue recipe warm, so it never congeals or gets cold while you dip in bread cubes, cut fruit, sliced meat, or whatever else you’re craving. We tested 18 fondue pots and found standouts in the two basic categories of fondue sets: electric and traditional. After making dozens of batches of fondue, we recommend the following eight as the best fondue pots you can buy online.

This fondue pot from a trusted brand has eight easy-to-adjust heat settings and a nonstick insert for easy cleanup.

It’s not as attractive as traditional or cast iron models. The cord is a little short.

This model was far and away our favorite during testing. We struggled to find something we didn’t love about this all-around fantastic fondue pot. The electric heat source and temperature dial were a snap to use, giving us confidence even fondue beginners could master the dish with Cuisinart’s pot. During testing, we found that the third level was enough to keep melted cheese warm, so we feel confident this pot could also be used to cook sauce on the hotter settings.

One of our favorite parts was the nonstick insert, which was easy to remove and clean; we marveled at the fact this pot looked brand-new, even after testing it with both cheese and chocolate. While this is a great basic fondue pot, we were impressed with how many extra features it had. The notched lip was helpful, so the forks — 8 are included — don’t slide into the pot. Plus, it’s roomy enough to use with a crowd; we thought anywhere from 2 to 6 people was the sweet (or savory) spot.

Price at time of publish: $67

Food & Wine / Dhara Patel

At under $40, this moderately-sized pot with 11 heat settings is a steal.

During testing, we found that the pot was a little unstable on its base; care should be taken when stirring. The forks could be sharper.

In addition to being nicely priced, we thought this was one of the easiest fondue pots to use straight out of the box — even without reading directions. Storage is easy because the base can be detached from the pot (that also makes for easier cleanup). The temperature is adjustable with a dial, and we appreciated the large number of heat settings, as well as how responsive the burner was to small changes.

The thin walls of the bowl meant that the cheese melted very quickly. Unfortunately, the walls also made it wobbly as it sat on its base. We had to hold the bowl still with heatproof oven mitts when stirring. We also docked points for the forks. Although the comfortably long, color-coded handles were helpful, the tines were not sharp enough to securely hold bread and fruit, causing us to lose a lot in the pot.

Price at time of publish: $38

Food & Wine / Gabriela Kramer

This gorgeous fondue pot is very versatile, thanks to the oven- and stovetop-safe inserts, which can handle a variety of sauces.

The nonstick insert lacks handles, which makes it tricky to transfer from the stovetop to the base when hot.

This handsome pot is undeniably pricey compared to our other picks, but we think it’s worth the splurge. During testing, we loved that the cheese or chocolate could be melted directly on any type of stovetop range in the nonstick insert. The bowl’s oven- and stovetop-safe capabilities mean they can get hot enough to cook food, so you can also use this pot for oil fondue with meat. After melting the cheese or chocolate, the insert is placed onto the base. We found that using a candle to heat it was enough to maintain a melty, dippable temperature without scorching — the candle holder’s lid made extinguishing it easy, too.

This pot is on the larger side with a capacity of 3.5 quarts. The color-coded forks with sharp tines were easy to use and rested in notches on the bowl’s edge when not in use. From a design standpoint, we only had one quibble with this pot: the nonstick insert lacks handles, which makes moving it around while hot a little dicey.

Price at time of publish: $200

Food & Wine / Riddley Schirm

This authentic-style pot was one of the most attractive we tested; the cast iron pot has excellent heat retention.

You must buy specific gel fuel from the brand to use in the burner; the pot’s handle gets hot (obviously) during heating.

If you’re looking for a fondue pot that’s almost as good as jetting off to the Alps for an evening, this is the one. Its wrought-iron base has an attractive “old-world” style, and the handled cast iron pot is refreshingly low-tech. To make cheese or chocolate sauce, all the heating can be done directly on a stovetop. The heavy pot sits securely on the base; we experienced no wobbling or instability during any of the tests, even when stirring — although you will want to use a pot holder or kitchen dish towel when moving the pot around because the handle gets very hot.

Swissmar makes its gel fuel for use in the 8-hole burner, which burns efficiently and does an excellent job at maintaining an ideal consistency for dipping. The fuel must be purchased separately. This fondue set is not dishwasher-safe, but that’s not a deal breaker, because the enamel coating makes it easy to clean, even with crusted-on cheese. As with all enamel-coated pots, care should be taken when using metal utensils. We noticed some scratches at the bottom of the pot from the fork tines after our tests.

Price at time of publish: $120

Food & Wine / Elizabeth Theriot

This is one of the sturdiest pots we tested, and it’s hugely versatile: it can even be used on an induction cooktop.

Its 1.5-quart capacity is on the smaller side, making it a poor choice for entertaining or serving a crowd.

We couldn’t get enough of this cute little pot during testing — in fact, we used it not just for chocolate and cheese, but an oil and meat fondue, too. Like other cast iron pots we tested, this one is meant to sit on a stovetop for the actual preparation of the fondue, then be transferred to the base, where it’s kept warm by a Sterno or other chafing gel. The handles on either side of the pot were helpful in safely maneuvering it to the base, and we noticed how sturdy and stable it was, even when stirred.

Although it’s dishwasher safe, enameled cast iron cookware is better maintained with hand washing (though that’s hardly a deal breaker). Another point of note is to avoid scratching the bottom of the pot with the sharp-tined forks, but even after three tests, our pot looked brand new. The eye-catching red colorway is gorgeous, making this heavy, heat-retaining pot a perfect choice for cozy date nights.

Price at time of publish: $70

Food & Wine / Chrissy Tassin

This inexpensive pot is fun to use and makes a big visual statement.

The bowl is tricky to clean, and skewers or forks are not included.

Is a chocolate fountain technically a fondue pot? Who cares, this one is riotously fun. It’s priced very nicely and comes in three colors (the pink will certainly find a loyal following). There are only two heat settings on this machine, which makes regulating the temperature simple. During testing, both settings heated the sauce pleasantly, and we were able to eat it right away without fear of scalding or burning.

Whether you’re making chocolate, cheese sauce, or barbecue sauce, it should be prepared on the stovetop or microwave and transferred to the bowl. We took particular note of the instructions that cautioned against heating any sauce over 110˚F, to avoid warping of the auger. To maintain the longevity of your fountain, it’d be handy to keep an instant-read thermometer on hand. This is one of the smallest fondue pots we tested with a less-than-one-quart capacity, but we didn’t feel restricted by that, even with 5 people using it simultaneously. Although we wished the bowl was detachable for easier cleanup, we still feel this is an excellent and whimsical option for the price.

Price at time of publish: $40

Food & Wine / Sharon Essien

This pot is from an iconic brand, is multipurpose, and looks gorgeous.

The cast iron base does not have rubber or felt feet, and may scratch surfaces. It’s expensive.

This tiny but mighty fondue pot should not be overlooked for its petite (0.25-quart) size. We loved using it, thanks to the high-quality materials that outperformed many competitors. We enjoyed the versatility of this pot, which is oven-safe up to 500˚F. It’s easy to prepare the sauce on the stove or in an oven and transfer it to the base, which is kept warm with a tealight. Because the base is also cast iron, the whole setup felt very stable and secure. We noticed during testing that the exposed sides of the base made the flame vulnerable and easily extinguished. That wasn’t a problem, though, because the sauces were kept toasty warm due to the thick base and walls.

The set comes with four color-coded, wood-handled forks with strong tines, but that may be one fork too many for comfortable use. During testing, using the pot with more than three people felt awkward. It’s an ideal size for two or an appetizer portion of fondue.

Price at time of publish: $130

Food & Wine / Joe Morales

This large pot is sleek and attractive. It has responsive, easy-to-control temperature settings.

The magnetically attached cord is sensitive and easily comes detached.

The obvious appeal of this fondue pot is the XL size, but we were wowed by the sleek nonstick coating, which made cleanup amazingly easy. This is a set with plenty of extra features you won’t find elsewhere, like removable cups that attach to the side of the pot. The cups could be bigger to be truly useful, but it’s a fun idea. There are eight heat settings, adjustable via a dial. We swooned over the presets for commonly used sauces, like cheese and chocolate: they were the perfect temperature.

Also of note was the fact that no matter what sauce was in the pot, there were never any hot spots or scorch marks on the pot. We put this theory to the test with a forgotten chocolate sauce. After four hours of simmering, it was still perfectly smooth and warm. Unlike some other electric models, the sauce can be prepared in a pot, so you don’t need to dirty an extra piece of cookware. Downsides? The magnetic cord was easily knocked out, and the pot is bulky in storage, but hey: large pots hold large amounts of fondue. We think that’s a good trade-off.

Price at time of publish: $60

Food & Wine / Mary Honeyman-Speichinger

To test fondue pots, we evaluated each model based on the following metrics: Design, versatility, performance, ease of cleaning, and durability. To test design, performance, and versatility, we made at least one batch of cheese fondue following one uniform cheese fondue recipe for every model. We also prepared at least one batch of chocolate fondue during the testing period. In some cases, we prepared other types of foods in the fondue pots, like hot broth for meat fondue. A key factor we tested for each fondue pot was its overall ability to set and regulate temperature.

We also paid close attention to ease of cleaning and durability. If any parts of the fondue pot were dishwasher safe, we ran them through a dishwashing cycle after use. We noted any damage or scratches from both dishwashing cycles and included fondue forks. We observed each fondue pot's overall size and footprint. For the models that required stovetop fondue prep, we observed how easy was it to transfer the hot cheese or chocolate from the stovetop to the fondue pot.

Bigger isn’t always better: at least when it comes to a fondue pot. The biggest models we tested had a 3- or 3.5-quart capacity. Unless you’re hosting a fondue party, you likely won’t need that much melted cheese or chocolate. If you’re planning on making fondue for two, a less-than-1-quart capacity will work just fine. Using the right-sized pot means the cheese won’t get cold or develop unappealing skin. Of course, smaller fondue pots are also easier to store when not in use.

The material used in your ideal fondue pot depends on a few factors: heat retention, nonstick capacity, and price. Cast iron will keep your chocolate or cheese warm and melty for much longer, even if the heat source goes out, but it’s heavier than stainless steel and typically costs more. If you’re worried about cleanup, enameled cast iron is a good pick for you. On the other hand, having a reliable heat source (like electricity) makes up for steel’s thinner walls. Ceramic picks are attractive and can be microwaved, but are slower to heat, and also easily broken.

An electric fondue pot is super simple to use: you don’t have to monitor an open flame, and adjusting the heat level is as simple as turning a dial or pushing a button. On the other hand, models that rely on an open flame for keeping the cheese or chocolate warm are more traditional — not to mention, undeniably romantic and cozy! Gel fuel, like the kind used in our pick for the Best Traditional Fondue Pot, is more reliable than candles or tea lights.

Nostalgia 12-Cup Electric Fondue Pot Set, Black: This sturdy, wide pot is easy to use, and cleanup is a breeze thanks to the nonstick insert. But at certain settings, the cheese sauce got uncomfortably hot, and our chocolate sauce scorched at the lowest “warm” setting.

Swissmar Mont Brule Electric Fondue Set: This stainless steel pot was an average performer, and we appreciated the no-fuss cleanup and large variety of heat settings. But at over $100, we felt there were better-value fondue sets with similar attributes.

Trudeau Alto 3-in-1 Electric Fondue Set: The ceramic insert of this fondue set was sturdy, easy to clean, and high-end. But you can’t prepare the sauce in any part of the set (it’s made only for warming), and the electric base felt flimsy.

Le Creuset Fondue Set: This handsome set from a legacy brand has obvious aesthetic appeal, and it’s made from extremely high-quality cast iron. If you have the $345 to spend, we recommend this pot — but the price point may be a barrier to many.

If the pot is electric, unplug it. Distinguish the flame on traditional-style pots. Empty the pot (use pot holders or oven mitts to avoid burning your hands). Wait until the pot has cooled before disassembling, then scrub with warm, soapy water. Fondue pots with stubborn, stuck-on food can be soaked. Take care to avoid materials, like steel wool, that could scratch the surface of enameled or nonstick pots (psst: this brush is safe for use on all pots, even enameled cast iron).

That depends on a few factors. You can choose cast iron, ceramic, nonstick-coated metal, and stainless steel. The best fondue pots are made from materials that are easy to clean — like enameled cast iron, and stainless steel with a nonstick coating.

Alp-style cheeses that are made for melting are the best cheeses for fondue. Think: Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Fonita. Younger (less aged) Cheddar cheeses are also a good pick. Hard, aged cheeses — like Parmesan — don’t melt well. The key to perfect fondue is adding white wine to the mix, which keeps the cheese from hardening, and boosts flavor too.

Fondue pots aren’t just for cheese and chocolate. You can also use hot oil in a fondue pot, which is traditionally used with sliced meat that cooks when introduced to the oil. Save your fondue pots for fondue, though: unless they’re manufactured to be multipurpose, most fondue pots are not stovetop- or oven-safe.

Rochelle Bilow is a food writer and editor with over a decade of professional experience. Previously a senior associate editor and social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines, Rochelle is also a novelist, a culinary school graduate, and a former professional baker and line cook. In researching this article, we tested over a dozen fondue pots, evaluating them on a variety of metrics.

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The 8 Best Fondue Pots of 2023, Tested by Food &amp; Wine

The 8 Best Fondue Pots of 2023, Tested by Food & Wine