Buying a Two Burner Hot Plate

Hot plate units offer an affordable, compact, and portable alternative to typical electric ranges and cook tops. While not as easy to find as single burner models, two burner hot plates allow two pots or pans to be heated at the same time, and are still useful if one of the burners fails. They can also expand the number of burners available if you already own a range or a single burner hot plate. Read on for details on some of the retailers which offer two burner hot plates, specific models, and features to look for when buying one...

Two burner hot plate models are easier to find online than in stores. They can be purchased from Buy.com, eBay.com, Amazon.com, and others. A black Aroma-brand model with flat/solid style burners and power indicator lights can often be purchased on eBay. Google Product Search (google.com/products) is useful for finding additional web sites which offer them for sale. Using the search phrase "double burner hot plate" is helpful for buying these online, as some web sites do not use the word "two" in the product description title. Used two burner electric hot plates can sometimes be found on CraigsList.org, but these can usually be purchased only in the local area they are offered from.

One store chain which sells two burner hot plates is Target. As of 9/10/2007, it offers a stainless steel Rival brand unit which can be purchased at stores or on its web site, for just under $40. The Target web site offers additional hot plate models which can only be purchased online, including the Toastmaster 6432 ($49.99, has flat/solid burners), the Kitchen Selectives DB2 ($19.99, coil-style), and an Elite Cuisine model ($29.99, coil-style). They are also offered by some home shopping cable/satellite channels.

Features to look for when buying a two burner hot plate include solid/flat burners (these are easier to clean than traditional coil-style burners), power indicator lights (helpful for preventing burns and ensuring that the plate is not left on accidentally), and maximum wattage (higher wattages can heat food more quickly). Most or all such units have separate surface temperature controls. Some two burner hot plate models, like the Waring Pro DB60, have one burner which is larger than the other, or a different number of coils on each burner. Most units feature a black, stainless steel, or white exterior color. Other hot plate brands include Broil King, Toastess, and Cucina Pro.