ottawa foodies

Hi everyone

I'm looking for a counter top single burner electric hot plate. does anyone know where i can get one? the cheapest one... i've looked at walmart and couldn't find one.. i thought they would be easy to find.

thanks

XS Cargo on Merivale.

canadian tire has a double one for $29.99. I have used it and it is ok but it takes forever to boil water.

www.canadiantire.ca

You can also find induction hotplates for as little as $100, although you have to use steel/iron pans on them. These sorts of hotplates are all Atelier uses.

I would suggest induction as well. So much safer!! they only heat up when they come into contact with the metal pat/pot, and cool down almost instantly.

Didn't know Induction was that cheap?
I've seen quite a few Chinese tea websites recommend those plates for making tea.
I knew someone who was selling those shipped from China,but not sure of prices for the induction plates.
All I know is shipping is usually expensive for heavier items.

If you're going to spend $100+ on a burner, induction is the way to go, but there are differences. Here's the test results on portable induction burners from CI, and the prices are in $US:

Product Tested Price*
Recommended
Max Burton Induction Cooktop
This top-performing burner boasts user-friendly push-button controls and a large cooking surface that heated pans evenly. It boiled water nearly as fast as a gas range.
$124.25

Recommended
Viking Portable Induction Cooker, Professional Series
This was the Cadillac of our lineup: big and expensive, but well-designed and the fastest at boiling water. Its dial control was similar to a gas range, making it quick and easy to adjust temperatures.
$499.95

Recommended with Reservations
Infinite Circulon Induction Burner
The most unusual in design, this round burner had a pop-out control panel that was easy to use. The large cooking surface allowed the pan to sit off-center, but the slick surface didn’t keep the pan anchored, and testers had to hold handles whenever they stirred.
$249.95

Recommended with Reservations
Waring Pro Professional Induction Cooktop
The small cooking surface hurt the performance of this burner, but the easy-to-use controls were welcome. A competent midrange performer.
$168.95

Not Recommended
Fagor Portable Induction Cooktop
The laggard in the lineup, taking more than 12 minutes to boil water. The touch sensor buttons were not very responsive unless you pressed them exactly the right way.
$199.95

Not Recommended
Magneflux BoilerPlate Portable Induction Cooktop
Although it wasn’t the slowest to heat, its touch sensor buttons drove testers crazy. Adjusting the temperature was a challenge; in order to go from high to medium, we had to hit the button and scroll through all of the low settings. Up and down was not an option.
$399.99

I've bought two induction plates in the last year, one of which I gave to my mother as a Christmas present (she uses it every day) and one for me. The one I gave my mother is a Tatung model I got from Newegg (goes on sale for ~$70 from time to time, most recently last week I think), and mine is a Salton I ordered from Costco for about $100. As far as heating/cooking goes, both function exactly the same; the Salton has a knob for power adjustment whereas the Tatung has buttons (which are easier to clean, I suppose), and both have seen very heavy use without a single hiccup.

Highly, highly recommended if you use cast iron or stainless cookware. Heats up practically instantly and keeps your kitchen cooler since you don't have an element or a flame chucking all kinds of waste heat into the air -- not to mention they're far more energy-efficient. Also handy to have on the kitchen table for hotpot or spontaneous fondue.