Electric Tabletop

[LuvOurNewf]

When I finally get started I plan on using the unfinished portion of our basement for my operations in lieu of alienating my wife if I dare to use the kitchen.

For those of you that don't use the kitchen directly what do you recommend for your heat source? I would prefer to stay with electric due to the convience and if this is your choice how large do you go? Single or double burner? Or two separate singles?

Thanks.

 

[Deda]

Heat source for what purpose?

 

[Soaplady22]

Do you mean to do HP or to help along a CP batch, like a heating pad instead of just towels??

 

[LuvOurNewf]

Sorry. I need to learn to give all the information instead of a portion.

I was wondering about a heat source for melting the solid fats and oils. I assume a hot plate would work?

 

[PrairieCraft]

microwave

 

[Araseth]

I used to live somewhere where I couldn't use the kitchen easily so I had a double electric burner that was fantastic. It had two dials for each plate, and the plates were two different sizes. I've used it for warming oils mostly but I have rebatched in it too. However if you're only going to HP and nothing else (CP, lotions etc.) I'd suggest just a crock pot, takes less space, I assume uses less energy and doesn't need as much babysitting. My double burner cost about £25 so it was quite cheap, if it wasn't that cheap I'd have just got a single burner.

 

[IrishLass]

Ditto a crockpot if you're going to be making soap via HP.

For CP, I use my electric coil stovetop in my kitchen to heat my oils and it works great, so I'm thinking that for a basement, a portable electric hot plate such as Araseth mentioned would work just fine, and it wouldn't take up much space at all.


IrishLass

 

[Soaplady22]

My vote is for a small microwave. They are ridiculously inexpensive these days. Just saying ....

 

[MissMori]

It depends on the side of your batches. Small... microwave. Anything larger... use a hot plate. I have a double hot plate that I got years ago on the cheap. I use it when I'm making large batches outside.

 

[Deda]

I don't melt oils any more, only cocoa butter and that I do in a microwave.