Portable induction cooktops let you cook almost anywhere you can plug into an outlet. They don’t emit heat; instead, they use electromagnetism to make your pan hot. They boil water faster than a conventional stove top and hold temperatures steady, so you don’t have to fiddle with knobs repeatedly or stir sauces constantly to avoid scorching.

We’re smitten with the Tramontina Guru, an innovative induction cooktop that connects to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth and uses an app to guide you through hundreds of recipes with step-by-step instructions and videos. The app syncs with a temperature sensor and a precision scale integrated into the Guru’s piano-black shell and sleek glass surface, which makes cooking on the Guru nearly foolproof.

Induction burners only work with magnetic cookware, but you don’t need to buy fancy cookware. Except for aluminum and glass cookware, most pots and pans work fine. The Guru comes with an induction-friendly 4-quart stainless steel pot and nonstick pan, but an inexpensive cast-iron skillet also works well.

The Guru’s digital display and straightforward controls allow you to intuitively and precisely adjust the power level, temperature and timer. The cooktop is powerful enough to sear salmon and steaks, but it also throttles down to gently poach eggs in water.

In our testing, the Tramontina Guru had no difficulty producing a creamy risotto for a winter dinner, a dish that’s always a challenge since a steady temperature can be tough to maintain on a traditional kitchen stovetop. We also had no issues using the Guru and a pot of water as a sous vide set-up to cook thick-cut bacon overnight. The next morning, we swapped the pot for a griddle, dialed up the power, and turned out two stacks of weekend pancakes. 

If your Valentine is a passionate cook with a well-stocked kitchen, they probably already own a cool apron and a fancy wine decanter. Give them a Tramontina Guru this year (and maybe a stack of pancakes), and you might get more than a kiss.