A hot plate is a portable self-contained tabletop small appliance cooktop that features one or more electric heating elements or gas burners. It can be used as a stand-alone appliance, but is often used as a substitute for one of the burners from an oven range or a kitchen stove. Hot plates are often used for food preparation, generally in locations where a full kitchen stove would not be convenient or practical. They can also be used as a heat source in laboratories, where they are used to heat substances in containers such as beakers, flasks or test tubes. Hot plates can also evaporate solvents, melt solids and maintain the temperature of a reaction or process. In addition, hot plates are used in various industrial settings for melting or heating materials, drying and curing coatings and preheating parts for manufacturing. Hot plates can also be used in product quality control and testing. Some specific uses of hot plates are:

• Food preparation: Hot plates can replace conventional cooktops in the home. They are also useful when there is not a readily available gas line to connect to, and for tableside preparations such as hot pot and fondue.

• Laboratory experiments: Hot plates are used to heat substances in containers such as beakers, flasks or test tubes. They can also evaporate solvents, melt solids and maintain the temperature of a reaction or process.

• Industrial settings: Hot plates are used for melting or heating materials, drying and curing coatings and preheating parts for manufacturing.

It is important to note that hot plates have certain restrictions and prohibitions for use in different settings. For example, hot plates may not be used to fry or cook food items that produce grease-laden vapors (bacon, sausage, butter, etc.). Gas-fueled hot plates and hot plates with exposed heating elements are not allowed on some campuses. Electric hot plates must be listed by a nationally recognized certification laboratory and must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.