Cadco CSR-3T 14" Portable Electric Hot Plate, 1500W, 120V, Stainless Steel

I couldn't be more pleased with this hot plate. It's commercial quality. Made in USA . You will be very impressed with the fast and even cooking you'll experience with this hot plate. First of all, it's made for restaurant/commercial use. That tells you a lot. It has a RobertShaw thermostat which is considered in the industry as a leader in electronic controls manufacturing. It also boasts an 8" coil. This large size coil provides the needed heat surface to cover most any pan or pot you put on it. It provides exceptional even cooking. You're probably saying, "but I use 12" frying pans" OK, but take a measurement off the bottom of the pan and most 12' pans only have about a 10" bottom that contacts the cooking surface. Even if your pan or pots exceed the large 8" coil, the pan or pot's own conductivity properties will distribute the heat properly to the fringe areas. They're made to do that. But, don't detract that capability from this extra large coil which really puts out the heat. There are some of these cooktops out there that have a cast iron covering and they look nicer. However, I had one before I bought this one and I believe the cast iron covering over the coil doesn't allow for 100% heat transfer to whatever you're cooking in. You get all the heat this baby generates transferred to your pot or pan. I have a very expensive Modern Maid stainless gas cook top with 4 burners and indoor BBQ built into it. We were very impressed looking at how classy it looked in the showroom. Cooking on it however, is another story. The 4 burners are circular with the gas jets running only around the circle not in X patterns like commercial burners which cover the whole bottom of your pan or pot with flame. I immediately noticed the perfect heat distribution over the entire cooking surface of the 12" pan I first used on this Cadco hot plate. I've been so used to shifting the pans around on the burners of the gas cook top during cooking that I was absolutely blown away how I could just let the pan stay put on this cook top and get the meal evenly and perfectly cooked. Keep in mind, this unit must be plugged into at least a 15 amp. circuit. We have a new 200 amp power panel and they're all 20 or 30 amp. so I don't have a power problem; but, if you have an old style fuse box you might. Check the circuit you plan to plug into before you buy. A 15 or 20 amp circuit should work fine. But you probably won't be able to use, say a toaster on the same circuit when you're cooking with this cook top. These things work best on their own dedicated circuit or without any other plugged in item working at the same time on the same circuit.

The reviews for Cadco hot plates were positive, so I took a chance and ordered the CSR-3T. I've had it in daily use for over two months now and I am thrilled with the quality of this hot plate! Pros: * Sturdy construction with real metal throughout. * Fully-variable temperature ranges from the gentlest simmer to a full, rolling boil or hot fry. Being able to hold foods at a long, slow simmer was critical for my cooking needs, and this hot plate has exceeded all expectations!! * Wide base with dense rubber feet makes for stability even under heavy kettles of soup. * Heats up and cools down quickly. * Sides and base of unit are covered with vents and/or perforations; hot plate thus stays relatively cool even while cooking. * Independent, illuminated power toggle switch, plus power LED provide extra safety. It's very hard *not* to notice the unit is on! * Ingenious design makes for easy cleanup (see below). * Made in the USA! Cons: * Warranty is void if you spill food inside the unit. My experience however is this is rather difficult to do, since the entire area where food could enter the electrical section comprises two 3/4"x3/8" slots (see photos). * Hot plate is fairly large--a full 14" wide-- so be sure you have sufficient counter space. * Short power cord (1 meter) is a good safety feature, but might be inconvenient for some kitchens. Some reviewers have complained about cleanup being awkward, since the heating element is not fully removable. I'd like to say a word about that, as I have found cleanup quite easy: First, while the heating element is, indeed, permanently attached, it also lifts up easily to a high angle -- at least 60 degrees tilt. Second, the burner drip pan lifts right out, revealing a large cavity underneath. That means even if food slops through the center hole in the drip pan it will land in the large cavity where it is easy to sponge up. Third, the drip pan itself is stainless steel and (so far) almost effortless to wash. It is also a standard 8" size, so if it ends up stained or corroded you could easily order a cheap replacement. My only complaint relative to cleanup is that the trim ring around the base of the heating element is not easy to lift out, so grease tends to build up along the edge. It is held in with a tiny spring that might eventually break. These shortcomings seems minor to me, however, so I'm sticking with 5 stars. [UPDATE 2019-09-18] This was an excellent hot plate, and it did eventually wear out. In fact, it lasted two years almost to the day. However that was two years of heavy, daily use: 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, for two full years, including many spills, lots of banging around with big, full kettles of stew (etc). I basically beat the c**p out of this hot plate, and it still lasted two full years. I would have enjoyed it lasting another couple of years, but under those conditions I am not complaining. I thought folks might like to know.

Stellar and far better than the cheap electric burners on Amazon. Cooks much more evenly than the cheap burners. It is sturdy, heats up quickly, easy to use, easy to move, and great size for large pans. Well done.

Works Great for canning with my larger "All American Canner", holds heat and maintains pressure with ease... Great value for the money, would buy again. Control buttons are easy to use to find that Sweet Spot for Canning! It's easy to clean and burner doesn't smoke up even a little bit. Have used for cooking out side of canning and it's nice to have that extra burner on Hand. I feel very safe using this burner for many types of Cooking. I like that this burner is also compatible with all my cookware; not just induction type pans...

I bought this for pressure canning. A burner that is well worth the money. Very well made and sturdy. Holds my 23 quart pressure canner with no problems.

For those wondering if this is suitable for pressure canning. I have successfully processed 4 batches of food with a All American model 930 loaded down with 19 pints (I can't speak for anything heavier). It takes a while to get up to temperature, but it saves me from having to use my outside gas stove in the winter. Pleased with performance and very pleased with durability.

Cadco CSR-3T Countertop Hi-Power Single 120-Volt Hot Plate I am not sure what to say about this, I am overly impressed with the quality and well-built feel of this. We are just getting back into canning and our glass top stove has a frame. It never occurred to me that this would be a problem. But my canner sits on the frame not down on the burner. So to avoid any issues, we wanted to get a hot plate that would work with my canner. We did some research and this is the exact model that was suggested by a brand name canning company for the type of canner we are using. I was not expecting it to be restaurant quality, so the price initially gave me a bit of a moment. However, we talked about it and figured for the type of quality it is, we would never have to get a replacement, plus we should be able to be use it all day for a canning day and not over work it. We have been very impressed. It gets up to temperature nicely and once I find my desired setting, it does not seem to have any problem holding them temp. This was watched with a thermometer in the pot, so not a guess. I really contemplated spending this much, however once we made the decision, we have not looked back. Great, very well made solid piece!

First time it worked great!! 4 months later there is an electrical short at the base. I am very frustrated, a lot of money was spent to have this happen.