Aroma Housewares AHP-303 Single Burner Hot Plate, Metal, Black

I used Amazon.com because the website made it easy to find the particular hot plate I wanted -- from amongst many, many others. For my review of the Aroma AHP-303 hot plate (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007QCRNU/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img), I must first admit that I'm probably flying under false colors, here. All I wanted was a simple hot plate...more precisely: a one cup coffee warmer. However, since I prefer those larger mugs (often used for soup), I've never been able to find a single mug warmer which would hold the larger sized coffee mug. I had no interest in cooking or reheating food...or even boiling water, for that matter. I just wanted a 'large-enough' coffee mug warmer. Hence the sledgehammer approach. I ordered two of these hot plates and both do exactly what I needed: they keep a large mug of coffee warm. I have one in my computer room, upstairs, and use the other in my basement workshop. Being retired and largely without competent adult unsupervision throughout the day, I thought I'd indulge myself. Yes, it is overkill, but it does exactly what I needed. The Aroma AHP-303 has a nice, clean, compact design. The single control operates as it should and the electrical cord is just the right length (not so long it has to be coiled up; not so short that I'd have to hunt down an extension cord). Finally, by some quirk of fate, the design of the hot plate manages to make a nice techie-looking addition to my computer room and yet also fits in with the "man-stuff" in my work shop. I'm a happy camper. I would recommend the Aroma AHP-303 -- even if you only plan on using it to cook something.

Works great ! Affordable. Using it almost everyday.

Works. Sleek design. Easy to clean. but takes a very long time to heat up, and when it does is barely hot enough to maintain a boil on water, or a frying pan hot enough to brown the contents. Don't try to bring water to the boil on this hotplate. It will take an incredibly long time. I resorted to boiling water in a microwave and then transferring it to a pan to steam vegetable on this hotplate.

3 STARS: I ordered this from another website (rhymes with Fall-Mart) on April 28th of 2011 and here it is.... almost a year later & I'm buying a new one. I had used this exclusively to keep my coffee warm throughout the day. I had it set at the "W" on the word WARM on the dial, which kept my coffee at the perfect temperature all day. I usually drink 1 to 1.5 pots of half-caff coffee per day. I have it on a timer so that I never have to worry about forgetting to turn it off at the end of the day (because that happened once before I got the timer.) So it was probably "on" for 15 hours a day, every day. But..... a couple of days ago, I noticed an odd sound coming from the kitchen and found my coffee boiling away on the hot plate, which I can only assume means that the timing mechanism in the hot plate is broken and it can no longer maintain a temperature other than fully on/high. I did think that while it was working properly, it was great, and honestly, the price is low enough that buying another is not that big of a deal. I spend that amount on coffee-shop coffee every few months! For such a low price I didn't really expect 20 years of use, anyway. So, in summary, it's good while it lasts & inexpensive enough to replace when it fails. At least I got almost a year out of it! :) 4/23/2012 EDIT: 5 STARS: So I ordered a new one here on Amazon & when it arrived I pulled out the booklet that came with it & there at the back of the English section, toward the middle of the booklet, there was a one year warranty.... So I called Aroma, talked with a VERY nice & polite Customer Service Rep, Venus, who took my info & asked me to fax a copy of my sales receipt, which I did... and a new hot plate was on my doorstep about 10 days later!!! I didn't have to mail my old one back, no hassle, no fuss, & no charge!!! Amazing! I LOVE customer service like that! I did have to hunt down their phone # on their website since the 800 number in the brochure has been disconnected. But now I have 2 hot plates, & no complaints. :) A compromise star rating of 4 stars.

The Aroma Housewares AHP-303 Single Burner Hot Plate is a practical addition to any kitchen, especially for those seeking a portable and affordable cooking solution. Its compact design makes it ideal for small spaces like dorm rooms, studio apartments, or as an extra burner during gatherings. Performance & Heating: Equipped with a 1000-watt cast iron heating element, this hot plate offers four temperature settings: Warm, Low, Medium, and High. Users have found it effective for tasks like boiling water, cooking simple meals, and keeping dishes warm. However, some have noted that it may take longer to heat up compared to traditional stovetops, and the heat distribution might not be as even. Design & Build Quality: Constructed with durable die-cast metal, the AHP-303 is built to last. Its solid surface design prevents food from spilling inside, making cleanup straightforward. The unit's compact size doesn't compromise its stability, and it's compatible with various cookware types, including glass and aluminum, up to 6 inches in diameter. User Experience: Many users appreciate its simplicity and ease of use. The absence of an on/off switch means it starts heating as soon as it's plugged in, which some find convenient, while others would prefer a dedicated switch. A few users have reported an initial odor during the first use, which typically dissipates after a short period. Amazon Final Thoughts: For those in need of a straightforward, portable, and cost-effective cooking solution, the Aroma AHP-303 delivers commendable performance. While it may not replace a full-sized stove for heavy-duty cooking, it's a reliable companion for light meals, travel, or as an auxiliary burner.

Stay away from this item. We purchased one about a year ago and if failed after 1 month - I disassembled it and made some repairs. It then worked for about another four months before failing again. We used it almost every day during the winter time. So, I ordered two more (they are cheap) for this winter, and the first one failed within a week. I haven't tried to fix that one. The other is on the shelf, emergency use only. ISSUES - they don't event check them out at the factory!! You should plug them in somewhere OUTSIDE and turn it on HIGH for about 20 minutes in order to burn off all the smelly oils that are used during manufacture. Sort of a shock to see white smoke coming from under the unit the first time we plugged one in!! The temperature control knob is plastic and the control shaft gets hot so this fails within a couple of months. I used gorilla glue to repair it for a while - good for another month until heat caused it to fail again. There are not hard stops on the thermostat so you have to sort of guess how to glue the knob on the shaft - i.e. find the OFF point and glue it so OFF is UP. The wiring inside is connected with wire crimp spade connectors like you might use in your car - but it's carrying 10-15 amps! At least they tell you in the accompanying documents that the housing gets hot - and it DOES!! There is very little to isolate the hot plate (which can get to a dull red color) from the supporting black housing/base. AND the hot plate holds heat for a very long time - still almost to hot to hold after 20 minutes.

I purchased the Aroma AHP-303/CHP-303 Single Hot Plate (Black) on Amazon exactly a year and 3 days ago. So far so good, very convenient, easy to use (when you know how to use it correctly), powerful enough for cooking. To those complaints in other reviews, here are some tips: 1. USE A POT WITH THE RIGHT SIZE! The heating surface is 15cm (5-3/4") in diameter. The FLAT part of your pot bottom must be larger than that! Otherwise, there ill be part of the heating suface not in complete contact with the pot, and that will cause overheat. If the heating surface is covered completely (in direct contact) under the pot flat bottom, the heat will be absorbed efficiently by the pot content, you will get faster cooking and no overheating. Here are the tests (1a and 1b) to compare: 1a) 18cm (in diameter) pot, but the bottom is rounded on the edge, the actual flat part that can get in full contact with the heating surface is 12cm, 3cm SMALLER than the heating surface. Bring 1QT (32Oz) water to boil: 13.5-14 minutes continued to boil a second pot of 1Qt: 10 minutes, the burner started to turn itself on and off because it was getting too hot. There is about 1.5cm around the edge of the heating surface not covered by the pot. The heat dissipates into the air which is not a good thermal conductor, and that causes heat buildup in the burner. 1b) 20cm (in diameter) pot, the flat part of the bottom (the actual contact area) 16cm, 1cm LARGER than the heating surface. Bring 1QT (32Oz) water to boil: 11.5 minutes (more efficient cooking compare to the smaller pot in test 1a) continue to boil a second pot of 1Qt: 7.5 minutes, No overheating, the burner did not turn itself on and off. 2. Cool down: It took 50 minutes to cool down to a temperature that you'll feel comfortable to put it in your luggage bag. You can speed it up by putting the pot back on it with cold water, change the water when it gets warm. I made it in 20 minutes by changing water twice. 3. Smoke and smell: yes, the first time to use it, you'll see smoke and smell paint burning. After several uses, it will be OK. 4. The only improvement I wish for a new version is to make the four legs longer (for more clearance under the burner) and foldable (for easy pack). With longer legs, the burner can be rasied higher so there will be more clearance between its bottom and the surface that it sits on (for example a table surface). Currently, the clearance is not enough, the table surface can get really warm or even hot. I put a competely soaked towel under the burner to prevent burning the table. Overal all, I am happy with my purchase.

I purchased this burner 9 years ago and was on Amazon today to purchase a second one so I can have two pots going at once. The one I bought 9 years ago is still a work horse. Yes, it does have it's limitations but they are not deal breaker limitations for me. Perhaps since Covid everything is just not the quality it was years ago so I'm unclear if that might be the case with this unit as I read the bad reviews. IMHO people have too high expectations for such a lower end product. It's not the $2500 stove you just bought and will never cook like that. I have read negative reviews stating it turns on and off constantly. Well duh! That's the nature of this type of product. It has to turn on and off constantly to maintain the temperature you chose. Some state in their negative reviews that the outside gets too hot. Again, duh! It's an inexpensive small unit that used to be made in metal and I suppose it still is, so yes, the metal will get hot. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that will happen. When I'm finished cooking I unplug it. After I'm finished eating and am cleaning up if it's cooled off enough I put it on my shelf where it stays. I have many times used that priceless invention called a pot holder when I'm in a hurry. In case you have not heard of them they are used to pick up hot pans, or in this case an Aroma Single Burner Hot Plate.....that gets hot....what a concept! Again, with all the new lower quality items out there since Covid, cause everything is blamed on Covid of course, perhaps this unit is not as good as it used to be and perhaps some have stopped working after a year...or maybe two. However, when you spend around $20 or less for this item and it quits after a year or two.....trust me.....you definitely got your money's worth.