West Bend 53635 5-Cup Plastic Hot Pot, White

Comment: I've utilized hot pots similar to this one in hotel rooms in both
Australia and China, and have always wanted to get one for use at
home in the States. Compared with those I've used while travelling abroad, this one is very quiet, and heats the water
rather quickly. True, it doesn't have an automatic shut-off, but
then I seldom leave electric cooking appliances unattended. It can be used in the kitchen, but also works well at the office, in
my bedroom or living room, anywhere I happen to be that has an
electrical outlet, and is very convenient when I want seconds of
whatever hot beverage I am consuming, without having to get up and go back out to the stovetop to retrieve water from the old-
fashioned tea kettle. Overall, a good appliance to have, made by
a well-known manufacturer with a good reputation, and at a great
price !!!

Comment: As a college student I have limited access to a kitchen. I have another hotpot that I use to make soup and such, but I decided to purchase this hotpot to have a small one to heat up water for cocoa/tea/etc. I've been sorely disappointed with its performance.
1. It doesn't boil water. Yes, it does heat the water to a high temperature, but the water never actually boils.
2. It's extremely loud. The heating element makes very loud clicking sounds when it engages/dis-engages. (The way this hotpot works is to turn the heating element intermittently on and off until the highest temperature is reached. Once it's hot, the element continues to turn itself on and off-albeit less frequently than when it's in the heating process-to maintain temperature). The sound it made was so loud that it would distract me from whatever else I was doing.
3. This product DOES NOT SHUT ITSELF OFF. If you forget about it and leave it plugged in, eventually the water will evaporate and the element will be left hot. There is a danger of shorting the unit and/or starting a fire. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN IT OFF IS TO UNPLUG IT.

This loud clicking noise annoyed me so much I only used the product three times. Even if it didn't make sound I wouldn't use it-- the heating element never brought the water to boiling.

Comment: I purchased this product about 6 months ago from a.com and my entire office has been enjoying tea and cocoa since. It doesn't reach boiling, but is MARVELOUS for all day beverages.

ONLY PROBLEM (and a big one)--there is NO safety off on this hot pot. The ONLY way to turn it off is to yank it from the wall socket. If left plugged in, it will just continue to heat and heat into the evening.

This is a huge problem for the busy, the stressed, or the forgetful. THIS PRODUCT NEEDS A SAFETY OFF!!

Comment: This hot pot does work, so far as getting the water pretty darn hot, but be advised -- the heating mechanism is LOUD, turns on and off at regular intervals, and gets quite irritating. Aside from the noise, a decent product for the price.