Proctor Silex Portable Electric Stove, Cast Iron Single Burner Cooktop

Nice and works so good.

This hotplate is good for occasional use, and it's easy to use, but I don't think I could use it long-term. It heats up in a relatively quick amount of time, but it's hard to regulate the cooking temp. It doesn't respond quickly to adjustments. Having said that, it's been reliable and does the job. It's very handy when you just need an extra burner or while camping.

I ordered this hot plate to use when I visit my elderly mother's house, since her cooktop failed and needs to be replaced. This burner heats up quickly, and it has a bright light indicating when it's plugged in. However, it stays hot for a LONG time after it's been turned off and unplugged, so keep that in mind, especially if you're using it around children or anyone else who might not pay close attention. The hot plate requires at least 4" of bare space between itself and a wall or other flammable surface, and the cord is very short (about 2 feet long), which might make finding a suitable location challenging, particularly in areas with inconveniently located outlets. This works well as an emergency burner/cooktop replacement, but I haven't used it for long enough to know if it would be suitable for long-term use. It is compact, lightweight, and easily transportable, so I think this hot plate would also be a great addition to travel gear for people who are on the road a lot for their jobs, staying in hotels and other places without regular cooking facilities.

I took this camping (used my EV for power) and it worked wonderfully. I was not into making eggs and bacon over a large fire that morning, and this hot plate did the trick. It got hot quickly. it is small and takes up little room, and light. Easy to clean - just wipe it down, though I did not make a huge mess of it. Very easy to use as it does not have tons of features, which in my opinion is a feature in of itself.

Proctor Silex of course is an iconic American brand that dates back more than 65 years (135 years if you count their history back to their original roots). At one point they were staples in every American household, from irons to coffee makers, to their amazing juicers (I still have one that works today from the 1970s). Of course as globalization took hold, it was difficult to continue making indestructible appliances once people starting buying cheaply manufactured products from overseas. Proctor Silex took an "if you can't beat them, join them" approach and ended up outsourcing all their production. Hamilton Beach did the same thing and today both companies are owned by a company called "Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company". And yet I find myself gravitating back to these old iconic brands. Not because their products are super impressive (they're usually not), but because they have a three year warranty and customer service that's actually reachable (albeit by mail or online form, not phone). As for this product, I was actually pretty impressed with it. Unlike newer models with slick digital controls and displays which are impossible to figure out, this one is a throwback to simpler times when all you needed was a mechanical button to control the heat. There's even a satisfying "clicking" sound when you turn it on, something I haven't heard in years. The construction is all metal (including the iron cooking plate with ceramic nonstick coating), and the unit measures only 8.5" x 8.5", so it'll fit in kitchens and living areas where there's not a lot of space, and it's portable enough to carry while traveling. It's not the slickest burner in the world, but it does the job at a price that seems pretty reasonable. You can probably find similar ones for nearly half the price, but this is definitely more solidly made than those, I trust the UL and ETL certifications a bit more with this brand, and for me it's worth a few extra dollars for the peace of mind knowing that I'm able to reach someone for warranty service if needed.

Ordered this to use outside for cooking purposes and I love how Great it works for our needs. It heats up very well and doesn’t make any kind of noise. The options to control the heat are very easy to use. We primarily use this to fry food outside so that the house doesn’t get smelly.

I found that this cooktop works nicely as a "keep warm" or heat up some water, but I didn't find it was powerful enough to reliably "cook" anything. I didn't notice much difference in the temperature control, it seems like it just heats up and then turns itself off when it reaches that temp vs a truly adjustable control knob. I found it has it's uses, especially good for keeping things warm when you need to free up a regular burner, but you have to accept it's limitations or you will be disappointed.

Electric single eye portable burner. Works great and gets pretty hot. Comes with 3 different heat levels. Easy to use and clean.