Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We thankfully tested this unit out before using it in our camper. I wanted to ensure that it would work well for cooking simple meals and heating up canned goods. I also wanted to make sure it wouldn't get too hot underneath the unit and damage our new laminate countertops. The unit wasn't level when sitting on our granite kitchen counters. It was about 1/4" too high on one leg. We removed a rubber cushion, and that solved the problem (though we shouldn't have had to remove a protective cushion in the first place). Strike ONE. After 30 minutes on the HIGH setting, a pot of water (about 1 1/2 quarts) was 190 degrees. The unit would cycle on and off (the light would be on, then turn off) without reaching the boiling point. STRIKE TWO. The other HUGE problem with this unit is that there is no heat shield to prevent the heat from reaching the countertop. We used a thermometer to check how hot the granite countertop became and were shocked that it was 140 degrees underneath the unit!! STRIKE THREE. I sent it back to Amazon today. I have no doubt that Amazon will continue to send out these units, so buyer beware. Aside from not being able to cook a meal, they are also a fire hazard. At the very least, they aren't safe to use on most surfaces. Stay away from this one. We purchased two Sylvania electric single hotplates today from a drugstore chain. They have the coil type of burner, but are fast to heat (less than 8" to boil water) and only reached 87 degrees under the unit after a half hour.