Hot plates are a trendy kitchen unit for travelers as well as bachelors who want to cook with ease. It’s a smart choice to enjoy a quality gourmet dish, no matter where you are. You can quickly prepare your meal or keep the soup warm throughout the journey.
With compact and lightweight, a hot plate requires small space. So, it’s an ideal way to enjoy camping or to use it tiny spaces like RVs and dorms. Despite the small size, the best hot plate allows you to prepare quality meals with minimal ease.
What is a hot plate?
A hot plate is a portable heating device that is used for cooking instead of a gas burner, oven or stove. It is a perfect traveling instrument. It gives the full kitchen facilities in the compact space without heating the room. It is mostly powered by electricity. So, your kitchen remains clean as well. However, the hot plate is placed on a sound or a flat surface. It comes with different sizes from large to small.
Best Hot Plates Review
Finding the best hot plate in the ample number of products can be a crapshoot. It may also be a confusing matter for the inexperienced cook. Because of, depending on so many considerations, you may fall into the trap of vast products available in the market.
However, we have made a list of the best hot plates reviewing the ins and outs of every burner. So, go through the following lists and choose the one that can meet your needs within your budget.
1. Proctor Silex 34103 Fifth Countertop Hot Plate Burner
Proctor is a renowned brand in kitchen appliances for decades. It has been providing a tested and proven product by using it’s off the test kitchen. So, you get the best hot plate burner that makes life easier. Also, all the products go under the rigorous testing processes to ensure that your money is on the worth investment.
Proctor Silex fifth burner is a compact and powerful kitchen appliance that helps to prepare meals within no-time. It saves your valuable counter space. Though it seems small, you can cook food for a large group with ease. Also, the electric hot plate is convenient and portable. So, you can carry it with anywhere you want. Also, the lightweight construction and compact size make it a perfect tool for all on-the-go chefs.
However, the Selex electric burner provides quick and standard heat. It also comes with an easy-to-use temperature setting know to seat low, medium, and high settings precisely. So, you’ll get the perfect heat to make a tasty meal. In fact, the accurate temperature is so crucial for cooking. Sometimes, some foods need a perfect temperature to cook. Otherwise, it loses taste and nutritional ingredients.
So, what’s more, to make the Proctor Selex a perfect burner? We think it’s the safety features. You know that using a burner too dangerous to handle. Hence, Proctor Selex features built-in safety features to protect any unwanted occurrence. It comes with a light on the front to make you know when the burner is on. Also, the non-skid feet ensure that the burner should stay put when it is in use. By the way, the cleanup of the burner is also easy. Lift the coil and wipe down the stainless steel drip tray with a non-abrasive sponge.
Key Features
- Made of robust stainless steel to ensure durability and reliability.
- Featuring built-in safety features along with non-skid feet to ensure the burner stays put when using.
- Adjustable temperature settings knob to get precise temperature
- Compact and affordable countertop design to make it easy to carry on.
- Stainless steel drip down is easy to clean up with a non-abrasive sponge.
2. IMUSA USA GAU-80305 Electric Single Burner
For 80 years of experience, IMUSA has been contributing to houseware products through more than a hundred products. It includes innovative gadgets, cookware, appliances, espresso, and many other home items. In fact, it has a deep root with the United States as you see at least one product of IMUSA at every household. So, like many other top-notch products, IMUSA GAU-80305 electric singles burner is another household item to make life easier.
So, all in all, the single electric burner is a much-needed part for fiestas to sporting events to a large holiday gathering. You must need a single burner for those occasions, so, why don’t you experience the best for cooking? IMUSA GAU-80305 lets you cook anywhere you have a plug. It features unique variations such as color, size, and exterior construction. This single burner is exceptionally portable and compact. So, you can use it for the office, dorm rooms, or small apartments. Even, you can get it in your bag when you are outing with friends.
Furthermore, the burner features easy access to the drip pan for easy clean. It also features built-in safety features to prevent any firing accidents. So, it comes with non-skid feet to make it safe. Also, it features an indicator light to let you when the burner is switched on or off. It helps you to avoid accidents.
Finally, last but not least is the temperature setting knob. It also features heat distribution coils to ensure precise temperature for the foods. So, when you are cooking, you are worried-free about more or less heat at once. Who doesn’t know that precise temperature will not only enhance the taste but also cook the food well.?
Key Features
- Compact design requires sim space perfect for dorms, offices, and outdoor activities.
- Temperature regulating knob with heat distribution coil to ensure precise heat
- Nonslip rubber feet to prevent sliding
- Power indicator light to let you know when it is switched o or off.
3. Secura 9100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner
If you are seeking out a kitchen brand, you may find that almost every house has at least one appliance from Secura. Secura is a leader for small appliances for whole North America and the United States. It has sold over 8000000 products which resemble the quality of Secura. Secura is a brand for kitchen, health, beauty, and fitness products. All the products are ergonomically designed, made of high-quality material, ease of use, and affordable.
Secura ensures 83% energy efficiency with 1800 watts power. So, it is almost 50% more powerful than traditional gas stoves. Also, the burner has an astonishing feature of automatic shut-off. So, why is it the best portable induction burner? The Secura countertop burner comes with easy control panel. It has a digital control panel to control the overall settings and a LED display to view. So, the burner never goes too fast or too slow.
Here, we can’t forget the digital timer of the burner. As you have already known that the burner has a digital burner, the question is how much time it will serve. The built-in count-down timer will work up to 170 minutes at a stretch. Isn’t it enough to complete your overall cooking? The induction produces heat only within the cookware. As no heat goes out as well as your countertop gets all, cooking will be faster than regular time. Moreover, it saves energy more efficient rather than traditional gas and electric burners.
What’s more attractive to the Secura burner? It can complement any décor and furniture because of the elegant and modern sleek design. Also, the outstanding manufacture leaves no open flame or includes no hot cooking element. As a result, the spills won’t burn or stick to the surface. Hence, it is easy to clean. By the way, the burner is lightweight enough to be portable and store in a compact space.
Key Features
- 200 to 1800 watts power level with 15 temperature settings to provide accurate heat for different items.
- Built-in digital count-down timer ensures power providing up to 170 minutes.
- Sleek and modern design complement any décor to add elegance to the kitchen.
- Extremely lightweight and compact for portability and storage.
- Auto-pan detection and over-heat protection technology give maximum safety.
4. Cuisinart CB-30 Cast-Iron Single Burner, Stainless Steel
Cuisinart CB-30 is a perfect combination of art and performance. It is cast-iron and stainless steel-made single burner that manages space to the kitchen. It produces up to 1300 watts power for fast and smooth cooking. You don’t need to change the coil frequently. Changing coil may seem a hassle for many people. So, the coil-less single burner helps you to get rid of purchasing coils without compromising performance. Ultimately, the Cuisinart CB-30 is solid, durable, and convenient to use.
So, what’ new from the single cast-iron burner of Cuisinart? It is made of premium brushed stainless steel that ensures durability and reliability. Also, it resists rust, abrasions, tarnish, and stain. It always looks like a new one if you frequently clean the burner. Also, the brushed steel looks elegant to any décor of the kitchen. The burner has six settings to control the temperature. So, it offers ultimate flexibility from low to high, no matter which temperature you need for a wide variety of foods.
Now, another important factor is the cleaning feature of the burner. Due to the absence of a coil in the cooking surface, cleaning is too easy. Its compact and portable size, it requires small space to store anywhere in the kitchen. It comes with the adjustable thermostat with ON and OFF indicator lights. The heavy-duty cast iron ensures long-lasting. Also, nonslip rubber feet prevents you from any slipping.
Key Features
- Heavy-duty cast iron ensures durability, reliability, and performance.
- Includes 1300 watts for quick heat-up and heat retention throughout cooking.
- Includes 6-setting adjustable temperature control from low to highest heat.
- Includes “Coil-less” cooking surface for easy cleanup.
- Ensures safety “ON” and “OFF” indicator lights.
5. Duxtop 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold
Why has Duxtop got enlisted to the list of the best hot plates? It’s nothing like anything but unique features of Duxtop induction cooktop burner. It is a fast, safe, and powerful burner that brings a lot to the table. The versatile cooktop is a great assistance for entertaining, style, ease-to-use, and of course, for the outdoor parties. It adds elegance to the kitchen as an extra cooking zone.
So, what is the most astounding feature of the Duxtop? Unlike most other burners, the Duxtop features a unique magnetic field. It can detect the size and kind of cookware. After that, it produces the required energy to the cooking vessel to reduce energy wastage. Don’t mind that all the foods get the same power. Each food requires a certain energy to be steamed or boiled. Duxtop knows it and provides enough power to the foods, no matter what food you are cooking.
You are going to get the most versatile experience from Duxto burner. It is compatible with 120 volts and 15 Amp, which is standard for all homes in the United States. By the way, it is a cooktop burner that combines everything you need. It includes a digital control panel to temperature. Moreover, the built-in count-down of the Duxtop burner ensures 1 min increments up to 170 minutes. Most surprisingly, it comes with an auto-pan detection to turn off the burner when nothing is on the cooktop. Isn’t it amazing?
Key Features
- Unique magnetic field to detect the size and the kind of the cookware on the cooktop.
- Digital control panel controls the temperature from 140°F to 460°F that ensures power level from 200W to 1800 W.
- Compatible with 120V and 15 Amp American standards with plug and play feature
- Compact design and lightweight gives much portability and requires small space
- Auto-pan detection that shuts automatically after 60 seconds if no cookware is detected.
6. Cuisinart CB-60 Cast-Iron Double Burner, Stainless Steel
Once again, it’s Cuisinart to enrich the list of the burners. Mow, it’s Cuisinart CB-60 which is a made double burner. It’s a powerful 1800 watts burner that combines a 1300-watt large plate and a 500-watt small plate. So, it can heat up quickly and retain the heat throughout cooking. So, cooking requires less time to give you more pleasure in leisure. It comes with two powerful burners that give much flexibility. So, you use the burner even without in the kitchen.
Cuisinart CB-60 is equipped with heavy-duty cast-iron plates. The plates give much durability even for years. The plates include “ON” and “OFF” lights to indicate the burner is switched on or off. It also comes with 6 adjustable settings to adjust the temperature depending on the meals you are cooking. Also, stainless steel prevents any rust, abrasions, corrosion, and tarnish. The elegant color and sleek design remain unchanged for several years.
In addition to that, a versatile unit is an excellent tool for entertaining and holidays. It looks great and elegant in the kitchen. The compact and portable design gives you the flexibility to carry on for outdoor activities. You need nothing but electricity to play the burner. Simply plug and play the device and cook whatever you want. By the way, the burner comes with rubber legs which are reliable to prevent from slipping while you are using the cooktop.
Key Features
- Powerful 1800 watts includes a 1300-watt large plate and a 500-watt small plate for fast cooking.
- Quick heat-up and continuous heat retention to ensure throughout the cooking cycle to ensure constant heat.
- Two separate adjustable 6-settings to control the temperature.
- Ready and digital “ON” and “OFF” light indicators to show whether the burner is on or off.
- Non-slippery rubber legs to prevent from slip while it is being used.
7. OVENTE Electric Infrared Burner
A burner using infrared technology is a dream for many people who don’t want to use a microwave. Ovente is here that gives the opportunity as a microwave but works like a burner. It produces a top-of-the-line performance without any cookware restrictions. It heats up too quickly and evenly that leaves no cold or hot spots on the surface. It is equipped with 1000 watts power that is a perfect combination of both traditional and modern burners. Its compact and lightweight design makes it an affordable unit to take away for outdoor activities, traveling, camping, etc.
If you want hassle-free experience in coking, infrared technology has no pair in the cooking industry. It ensures airflow to the food. So, the no hot nor cold spots stay on the food. Also, the advanced system of the burner gives smooth-top electric ranges t cover all areas of temperature from low to high. Here, you can use the thermostat control knob to set the desired temperature conveniently for your cooking. Not even the thermostat, the Ovente is compatible with all cookware. However, if you want the best results in cooking, always use flat cookware as plate size of the burner.
Made of ceramic glass and stainless steel, the Ovente single-plate burner comes with classical design. It is housed with stainless steel, whether crystallite ceramic glass on the top gives another dimension of beauty in the kitchen. Also, it never takes more than a minute to clean the burner. Never mind that the burner is too large to carry around for outdoor activities. It’s compact and lightweight. So, you can take it anywhere in your travel bag and enjoy your favorite dishes cooking. Hence, it’s a perfect unit for small studios, bachelors, kitchenettes, RVs, and camping trips.
Key Features
- Housing with stainless steel along with crystalline ceramic glass on the top gives a classy but elegant look.
- Infrared technology with an advanced system for smooth-top electric ranges ensures 1000W/120V power for quick and evenly heat.
- Compatible with all types of cookware but the close plate size of the burner gives a better result.
- The compact and lightweight design gives much portability and require minimum space to store.
- Easy to clean the Ceramic glass and metal burner by using a clean and damp cloth to look fresh.
8. Elite Cuisine ESB-301F Single Electric Flat Cast Iron Heating Plate Burner
Elite Cuisine has proved that cooking is cooking, convenient, and art when you have a burner like Elite Cuisine. The single flat heating plate burner offers reliable, quick, and evenly heating to the cookware so that meals are cooked well. It ensures 1000 watts for fast and efficient cooking. In fact, it is a non-stick cast iron hot plate ensures efficient and even cooking along with breeze clean up. So, you will get stable cooking while using such non-skid rubber Cuisine burner.
The Elite Cuisine features an adjustable temperature control knob to provide low, medium, and high heating to the cookware. As all dishes don’t require the same heating, it’s a fantastic feature from Elite Cuisine. It also features a power indicator light to let you know whether the burner is switched OFF or ON. Moreover, it prevents all slippery activities because of the rubber feet. So, both stability and safety will be ensured while you are cooking. You can add space between the countertop and the burner for more safety.
So, what’s more from the Elite Single Electric burner? The single buffet burner features a compact and confined design to save the space in the kitchen. It also uses a cast iron plate to ensure evenly heat from all the sides to the food. However, it comes in two colors. Depending on the décor of the kitchen, you can choose either black or white. Both are same in quality but different in color. Also, its portability is so great that you can use for travel use and on-the-go in recreational vehicles.
Key Features
- Includes adjustable temperature control knob to set low, medium, high, and warm temperature.
- Features standard 1000 watts of power for fast, convenient, and easy cooking with evenly heating.
- The cast-iron flat heating plate is easy to clean with a breeze.
- Cool-touch base and non-skid rubber feet for stable cooking
- Power indicator light to let you know whether the burner is ON or OFF.
How to Use Hot Plate
If you have a small space to cook but don’t want to generate heat while cooking, using a hot plate is the best choice. It is perfectly great for college dorm rooms, single-parent, or for bachelors. It serves the same purposes as a full stove top but requires minimum space. It helps you cook anything you can make on a hot plate. Even, it helps you cooking in the summer without heating the entire house. By the way, using hotplates can bring dangers if it is operated unwisely.
Though new hot plate never emits sparks, the old one may be risky because of the position of “off-on” switch on the unit. Even the bimetallic thermostat can become corroded. So, here you will know some tips to avoid any burn or corrosion and danger from the hot plate.
How to use a hot plate?
Cooking on the hot plate requires special attention. Any mistake can result in fatal danger. SO, follow the rules assigned by the manufacturer while using the hot plate.
So, at first, clean the lower bottom of the pan so that it can be dry. Any water drop remains on the lower bottom won’t be good for the hot plate. After wiping the bottom down with a clean, dry cloth, place a heat-resistant stove pan on the hot plate. If your recipe requires oil or cooking spray, pour the oil or cooking spray on the pan before placing on the hot plate.
After you place the pan on the hot plate, plugin and turn the switch on to heat the plate.Don’t heat the plate without placing the pan on it. However, if you don’t need cooking spray or oil, turn the hot plate on high heat.
Apply food ingredients while the pan is heating. Keep the heat on the medium-high level for precise cooking. Cook the dish according to your recipe. Never touch the hot plate without wearing protective hand gloves while cooking or if it is hot.
After the food is cooked, remove the pan from the plate. Then turn the switch off of the hot plate.
How to clean a hot plate?
Regular cleaning of the hot plate ensures longevity as good condition for cooking. It also reduces your assiduity of cleaning dirt, oily residue, and food particles over time. Even, the food particles remaining on the hot plate or pan form rust that damages the performance. Also, cleaning a rusty hot is twice harder than cleaning regularly. So, you must clean the hot plate and pan regularly and in a proper way.
- Bicarb and vinegar are two homemade cleaning agents. Spray some vinegar and Spink some bicarb on the plate. Leave the plate for at least 5-10 minutes. Then scrub with a soft clean cloth or bristle brush. Rinse the plate off with fresh water.
- A mixture of baking soda and plain water also works well to clean the plate. Apply the mixture on the plate and follow the same procedure as well.
- You may find a commercial oven cleaner or glass cleaner. Spray it on the plate and leave for at least 30 minutes. Wipe the plate down with a fresh, clean cloth or towel or a soft scrubber.
Caution: Never use a hard scrubber to wipe the plate down. It leaves a scratch on the plate.
How to take care of a hot plate?
A hot plate is used for cooking dishes or reheating the cooked dishes. So, proper caring can enhance the longevity of the hot plate. You can extend the durability and performance of the hot plate by following some tips as following:
- Always try to use a fresh and new hot plate. Old ones can create corrosion and burn due to the bimetallic thermostat.
- Never use a damaged or a rusty hot plate as well as a pan. Both can cause accidents and even fatal danger.
- Always keep the hot plate in good condition. Cold, moisture, chemical spills, and corrosive vapors are the main reasons to increase electric and electronic failures. So, clean the hot plate and rinse it off with a fresh, dry cloth.
- Never use and store the hot plate in cold rooms. Also, never store the hot plate with corrosive and chemical equipment.
- Always dry the lower bottom surface of the pan and the plate before placing on the plate. Otherwise, both of them will damage over time.
- Always use glassware before cooing on or using the hot plate. Never place a glass flask, soft glass or glass jar on the hot plate.
- Make sure that the hot plate surface is larger than the pan or other utensils using on the plate.
- Try to avoid old hot plates for flammable materials.
- Try to avoid using damaged, malfunctioning, and unreliable hot plate. It results in corrosion or exhibits unexpected temperature. So if you notice something unexpected from the hot plates, repair or replace it as soon as possible.
- Always follow instructions given by the manufacturers to avoid all sorts of accidents. Even, use a hot plate with sufficient guarantee from the manufacturer.
- If it is possible, check the thermostat of the hot plate before turn the switch on.
The hot plate makes the cooking easy. It helps to clean the compact space by availing all the facilities of the kitchen. But, using unwisely can bring severe accidents. So, use the hot plate cautiously by following the instructions. It can be your perfect travel companion for cooking while you are outing with friends. As a hot plate serves for a long time, proper caring ensures good performance without fearing of accidents.
Buying Guide
With so many options are available in the market, it’s confusing to choose the desired hot plate. Also, there are different models such as electric, induction, and infrared, of which every model is different in work. So, choosing the best hot plate burner depends on what type you need. No matter which burner you choose, quality always depends on size, weight, material, power source, control panel, price, cleaning process, and obviously the safety features.
Heating Source
Hot plates usually tend to use electricity to produce heat. But manufacturers have different thoughts to use heat sources. Nowadays, different heat sources like ceramic, metal, glass, and induction burners are widely available and are getting popularity. Recently, hot glass plates with glass surface look elegant and compatible with all decors of the kitchen. On the other hand, the induction burner is widely available that uses a magnetic field to conduct heat. Also, the magnetic field can detect the size and type of cookware to adjust the temperature.
Wattage
What’s the most crucial part of choosing a hot plate? It’s the wattage that determines a lot of how you cook your food. Usually, higher wattage seems good instead of lower wattage. Higher wattage takes less time to get the meal cooked. It’s also extremely useful for boiling water. However, higher wattage isn’t good always for cooking. A new cook can burn the food accidentally, or you may waste the power unnecessarily. So, standard wattage is good enough for the modern cook. On the contrary, if you are an experienced cook, choose the higher wattage that produces evenly heating to the cookware.
Performance
All the hot plates aren’t the same in cooking meals or boiling water. But the top-notch plates create no problem for boiling water, cooking crepes, melting chocolates or preparing other meals. The best hot plates can boil water fast as well as cook meals with even heating. Moreover, they are useful to melt chocolate. So, consider the performance of the hot plates; otherwise, your foods will be ruined.
Portability
A hot plate isn’t such as a unit to keep in the kitchen. It’s a modern cooking unit that you can carry to travel. So, portability is a concern for the traveler when they want to buy a hot plate. For instances, a single burner seems compact and lightweight to carry while traveling. It requires the least space of the travel bag.
On the contrary, a double-burner appears quite large and heavy. It requires more space for the travel bag. So, if you consider traveling, it’s best to choose a single and lightweight burner.
Safety
Most unwanted accidents happened at home are produced from the kitchen. Due to the lack of sufficient safety features, a hot plate can ruin the hole and bring disaster. So, pay deep attention to the safety features while buying a hot plate. Usually, a set of non-skid rubber feet comes with the burners t prevent slipping. It also sticks the hot plate firmly on a place so that you can cook precisely.
Temperature Control
One of the essential features to get attention is temperature control. Though most of the burners come with a control knob, you should check it. Missing this part may result in the unwanted heating capacity of the burner. It features both the wattage and the heating source of the hot plate. Expectedly, all the above models come with at least 6 adjustable settings with the temperature control knob. So, you can produce warm, low, medium and high temperature whichever you need for different variety of foods.
Final Remarks
The best hot plate is a great assistant to the kitchen. It makes cooking fast, convenient, easy, and reliable. So, choosing the best and desired can enhance the elegance of the kitchen. The compatible burner adds beauty to the décor along with producing heat for the meals. However, all the above products are sleek designed, ergonomic, user-friendly, and durable. So, choose the best one that fits your budget and meets your needs.
Enjoy Cooking.