Customer Reviews

BroilKing PR-D1 Professional Double Burner Range

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I can't say I've literally tried or tested every counter-top buffet range there is, but this one's construction is clearly superior to all competitor's products. I hesitated - Broil King? Who are they? - sounds like some cheap, discount store brand, but I bought due to the all-steel construction because all the others, made largely out of plastic, seemed seriously cheesy to me. This unit is genuinely solidly built out of all metal, nicely chrome plated with nice quality controls. It works well to boot - like a good quality stove-top. You really get a full range heat control. I use mine at holiday time when my gas range is suffering from no vacancy. This will gently warm things without burning when set at low - a true test of the quality of the unit. Cheaper units "look" like they have full range controls but in fact, you get off and screech. Thanksgiving can be ruined if your mashed potatoes "warming" on your extra burner burst into flames because the "low" setting was mostly wishful thinking on the manufacturer's part. An excellent unit - a bit of an investment, but definitely worthwhile. I only use it twice a year, but will never regret it.

I bought this for our office as a way to give our folks the ability to cook various things for lunch. It has met that goal, and it has been great to have around. I was worried that it wouldn't produce the kind of heat that a regular stove would, but it does just fine!

My one complaint and it is a significant one, is that it doesn't really have a medium heat setting. The dial covers the range but the heat it actually produces is either very, very hot, or hardly anything at all. I don't know if that is a quirk of just my unit or if that's a typical problem people face. That is a big enough flaw, to me, however, that if I bought another one, I would try a different brand.

Unit should be shipped with a little better packing. When it showed up, the one burner knob was off laying seperately in the box and that burner did not work correctly. It would not turn off. Had to take the unit apart to fix the burner knob shaft so burner would turn on and off correctly. Since doing that, both burners have been working fine. I have used it quite a bit and have had no other problems than the shipping problem. It is great value for the money.

This was given to us about last christmas to replace our old one... not worth it...
a couple months into our ownership of this item, it stopped working properly. The right burner remains on at all times - we have to actually unplug it when not in use because even though the dial is turned all the way down it is very very hot when it is plugged in and turned off. So the right burner remains on hi all the time, and the left burner is either lo or hi, there is no concept of temperature control with this device... if the knob is a centimeter below medium on the left burner then the heat will be very low too low to cook most things... if it's a centimeter above medium it's hot - if you want medium heat to work, good luck.
It worked ok until it broke, however it was never especially powerful. I can't even tolerate trying to cook with it anymore, I just go to the apartment downstairs and cook on my boyfriend's mom's gas stove for nice even heating. But a ministove that they are dubbing 'professional' should not be breaking after like, three months.

Keep in mind I am comparing this with a Rival brand (the actual brand, not just the word) solid hot-plate double burner that recently broke, one that sells on this site in fact.

This thing is basically a two-up of the the hot-coil electric ranges I grew up with in the 70's when gas ranges weren't used as much. The coils get red-hot, when I first got it I tried boiling some water (uncovered pots) just as a test. The smaller saucepan (clad-copper, Revereware) w/ 2 cups water (we're talking Top Ramen here, folks) boiled so fast I was amazed; it really wasn't that much slower than straight gas at med-high. The larger pasta pan took longer, obviously, but it's a heavy Calphalon aluminum pot so it takes a while to heat up anyway. It's also bigger than the coils so that takes longer, but even so, the thing came to a roiling boil pretty quickly. Cooking pasta at a really rolling boil, I'd probably half-place a lid on the pot to keep it really going, but nothing like dealing with the Rival brand.

I'm sorry I didn't actually time them, but suffice to say, with the Rival brand appliance I had to use pot lids half-cocked to get water to boil, which would then boil over when the water hit the covers.

Here's the BAD: The next day, I was cooking some eggs and using just the left burner. I noticed the other (right) burner was warm. Not hot, just warm. The temperature dial was definitely turned to "off". I tried turning it to "off" again, and guess what, it heated up to a red-hot glow as if it were on "high." I turned it to "off" yet again and it just went warm. However, I burned my thumb badly when I reached to grab the egg pan, not noting the other burner had gone red-hot again. The dial was STILL at "off" on the right-hand offending burner. My thumb has blistered and already popped, it's pretty nasty.

So I unplug the unit, do a few tests, and find the right temp. dial does not give the usual "click" that thermostat-controlled temperature dials like that do when they turn off and on (for instance, when a working one is set at "medium" and the thermostat determines the temp has fallen about 25 degrees, it makes a clicking noise when it kicks back up to medium. They're not exact, these electric appliances, just like a toaster oven does the same clicking thing.

For a final test, I simply plug in the unit w/ both switches definitely set at "off." Mr. Left is cool as a cucumber, Mr. Right is warm or red hot, depending on mood I guess. My point is it's a problem that replicates over and over, not a one-time or "stuck" thing. The unit is spotless, BTW, it is only 4 days old.

Have patience, I'm finishing up. Like I said, I've only had this for 4 days. I would LOVE it if not for the devil-influenced right-hand burner. I of course called customer service at BroilKing (NOT toll-free, BTW, and the same phone # for all of their departments)(which on the recording you'll find was formally "something-something" and maybe even another "something else"). The first two days it's past 2 pm my time and they're closed on the east coast, what can I say, I was working and couldn't be on hold for an explanation, RMA, whatever. Today, Fri. May 28th, they're CLOSED for Memorial Day. That's cool, I expect that on Monday the 31st, but I guess they decided Fri. would be good to take off too.

So I have this great piece that works with a terrible flaw. I'm sure it'll be fixed one way or another, the only thing I pause at is the warranty states that it's my duty to pay for cost of shipping and return freight as well as shipping insurance. THAT SUCKS. The thing arrived broken (it came from the CHEF site, BTW, though they have nothing to do with the manufacture). Hopefully when I can actually talk to a live body almost a week after I got it they will take care of the shipping costs as I really want this thing to work as advertised, it's good if it's not broken, if you know what I mean!

i bought this burner two years ago and it has been working just fine. however, i must say that i am now in the market for a new one because i have gotten tired of my only two option high or low. one can't really cook on this thing - which i need to since it's my only stove - because there is no medium range of heat. other than that it's fine.

We have a small lodging operation. In spring of 2008 we purchased a total of 6 of these units. Of the 6, there was 1 that worked out of the box. Got 5 replacement items, and of those, 3 worked out of the box.

When plugged in, indicator light come on, and even with knobs turned to off, one or both of the burners gets hot!!! Frightening. Dangerous. And these are supposed to be "professional" quality.

Broil King has been very supportive, and has replaced all defective units, but with no explaination as to the poor quality control.

I'd recommend finding a different solution. If you have to purchase and use, be sure to test first and replace if defective, and keep unplugged at all times except when in use. Hot plates are the #1 source of house fires; these are probably why!

This cook plate appears at first glance to be well crafted. Upon removal from it's carton it also has the feel of quality engineering. Starting with the heat controls, there is no resistance with either knob to keep it's cooking position, the slightest touch of a clothe or paper towel may move either knob to the highest position. At times i believe the unit actually adjusts it self. The small burner never really shuts off. Leaving a pan of leftover's or a skillet of grease set for cooling, I found is a dangerous experience. I found there is also no heat control for either knob. Turned on low and in a few minutes the element is glowing super heated,, hot enough to weld with. Use the same caution when cleaning, unplug when not in use,,as i have been branded many times just by wiping of a spill. How any appliance this dangerous can still be purchased, and even remains on the market is beyond me. My advice when buying the broilking hot plate is, purchase fire insurance at the same time. The unit is inferior and extremely dangerous around children or pets, and should be taken off the market completely.

Hello shoppers,
This unit is small and compact with little wasted space making it ideal for my purposes. I have high hopes that the two I ordered for rental units of mine will last considerably longer than the white lower quality units I have purchased from local stores in the past, but they are pretty new so I don't know first hand their durability. I particularly like that the metal under the burners is all one unbroken piece with the unit making cleaning simple and efficient. The whole thing stays looking shiny and new week after week which is a great benefit for my reputation with guests. And the value for price is certainly fair.
Sincerely,
Lynn Cameron
[...]

Packaging, packaging, packaging... This product was meant to be picked up at your local WalMart or Target... Carried to your car and tenderly moved to your home... Although the outer box was wonderfully packed with plastic air balloons, the product box designer has no idea on how to keep a product safe during shipping... The product arrived and works... However, both dials had fallen off and had to be searched for in the box... The product is cool... However, this was NOT meant to be shipped...