Proctor Silex 32oz Hot Pot Review: a cheap little boiler that just gets the job done

I’ve been using the Proctor Silex 32oz Adjustable Temperature Hot Pot for a few weeks now, mainly for tea, instant noodles, and heating up water for oatmeal. I didn’t buy it expecting miracles; I just wanted something simple and cheap that boils water without taking up half my counter. In practice, that’s pretty much what it is: a basic little boiler that heats fast and doesn’t try to be fancy.

The first thing I noticed: it really does boil water faster than my microwave and my old stovetop kettle. For a full pot (about 32 oz / 1 quart), I’m getting a rolling boil in roughly 3–4 minutes. For half a pot, it’s more like 2 minutes. That’s solid for hectic mornings when I just want hot water for coffee or instant oatmeal and don’t want to stand over the stove.

It’s not perfect though. The temperature control is there, but in real life I mostly use either “almost max” or “low to keep things hot.” The middle settings feel a bit vague. Also, there’s no real OFF switch on the dial: if it’s plugged in and the knob isn’t at the lowest point, it’s heating. That means you have to actually unplug it when you’re done, which is easy to forget if you’re the distracted type.

Overall, my first impression is: cheap, light, and it works. If you expect a premium stainless steel kettle with perfect temperature control and fancy features, this isn’t it. If you just want something to boil water quickly and occasionally cook a pack of ramen without dirtying a pot, it’s a pretty solid little workhorse for the price.

In terms of price, this hot pot usually sits around the $20 range, sometimes a bit more or less depending on sales. For that money, you’re getting a fast boiler, a small cooker for noodles and simple soups, and something compact enough for a dorm, office, or RV. Compared to fancier kettles that cost double or triple, you obviously lose out on stainless steel, precise temperature settings, keep-warm timers, and prettier design. But if you just need hot water and basic cooking, this covers the basics well.

When I compare it to a normal electric kettle in the same price range, the main advantage here is the wider opening and removable lid, which makes it usable as a mini pot. You can actually cook in it, not just boil water. That flexibility is a real plus if you live in a small space or travel with it. On the flip side, the all-plastic body and average nonstick coating mean it doesn’t feel as long-lasting as a good stainless kettle.

There are a few trade-offs that keep it from being perfect value. The lack of an OFF switch is a bit of a safety and convenience minus. The nonstick is fine but not magic, especially for heavier soups. And the cord is short and non-retractable, which is a small but noticeable annoyance. Still, for roughly twenty bucks, you’re getting a pretty solid daily-use tool that heats fast and does multiple jobs.

If your budget is tight and your needs are simple—boiling water, ramen, light soups—this is good value for money. If you’re ready to spend more and care about nicer materials, exact temperature control, or heavy-duty cooking, you might want to look at higher-end kettles or a small multi-cooker instead.

Design-wise, this thing is very straightforward. The body is white plastic, pretty compact (about 6.5"L x 9"W x 6.7"H), and light at around 1.8 pounds. It doesn’t feel premium, but it also doesn’t feel flimsy in the hand. The handle has a soft grip that actually makes pouring comfortable, even when the pot is full. I can pour with one hand without feeling like I’m going to drop it, which is nice when I’m half-asleep in the morning.

The removable lid is handy. You just pop it off to fill the pot from the tap, then snap it back on. There’s a steam vent in the lid, and you do need to be aware of where that vent is. If your hand drifts over it while it’s boiling, you’ll get a hot blast of steam. The lid itself isn’t fancy, but it fits well enough and hasn’t warped or loosened so far.

The control knob is on the front and goes from Warm to Boil in a smooth turn, no clicks. In theory, that gives you a range of heat levels; in practice, you’ll probably use three zones: low for keeping things hot, mid for gentle heating, and near-max for boiling. There’s no indicator light that screams “OFF” or “ON,” and no clear OFF position. If it’s plugged and the knob isn’t all the way down, it’s heating. That’s honestly my main design complaint, because it’s easy to forget to unplug if you’re distracted.

Overall look: very plain. White plastic, small footprint, nothing fancy. It doesn’t take over your counter, which I like, but it also won’t impress anyone. For me, the design focuses more on function and compact size than style. For a cheap pot, that’s fine, but if you care about aesthetics or stainless steel finishes, this will feel pretty basic.

The outer shell is all plastic, which some people will like (lightweight, doesn’t get as hot to the touch) and some will dislike (doesn’t feel premium, concerns about long-term wear). After regular use, I haven’t had any weird plastic smell or taste in the water, which is usually my first worry with cheap plastic appliances. I boiled a couple of full pots and dumped the water before using it the first time, and after that, the water tasted normal.

Inside, there’s a PFAS-free nonstick coating. Sounds nice on the box, but in reality it behaves like a mid-range nonstick surface: great for plain water and simple noodles, average for soups, and not great for anything that can scorch. When I heat clear broth or cook instant ramen, it rinses clean easily. When I tried thicker tomato soup and let it simmer a bit too long, I got a ring of stuck-on bits at the bottom that needed soaking and a soft sponge with some effort to fully remove.

The heating element is covered under that nonstick base, so you’re not staring at a metal coil. That helps with cleaning and makes it feel more like a mini pot than a bare-bones kettle. But it also means you really shouldn’t use metal utensils inside, or you’ll scratch up the coating fast. I’ve stuck to wooden or silicone spoons when stirring noodles, and so far the coating still looks decent—no big chips or peeling.

Overall, materials are what you’d expect at this price: functional but not fancy. Plastic body, basic nonstick interior, light overall weight. If you treat it gently, especially with utensils and cleaning, it should last a while. If you scrub hard with abrasive pads or cook sticky stuff every day, I wouldn’t expect the interior to stay in great shape long-term.

Day to day, this thing is very straightforward. You pop off the lid, fill it with water or food, put the lid back, plug it in, turn the knob, and wait a few minutes. There’s no complicated interface, no modes, no menu. That simplicity is honestly a big plus if you just want something you can use half-asleep in the morning or quickly in an office or dorm.

The handle and pouring are done well. The soft grip feels secure, and the spout shape makes it easy to pour into mugs or bowls without splashing everywhere. I’ve poured boiling water into a French press, into instant noodle cups, and into a thermos, and I haven’t had any annoying drips. It’s also light enough that even when it’s full, it doesn’t feel like a workout to lift and pour.

The main usability downside is the absence of a true OFF position on the dial. The knob just goes from Warm to Boil; there’s no click to OFF. If it’s plugged in and turned even a bit, the heating element is active. That means you have to rely on unplugging it every time you’re done. I’ve gotten into the habit of unplugging as soon as I pour, but if you’re forgetful or you live with kids, that’s something to think about.

Another minor thing: the power cord is on the shorter side and doesn’t retract or wrap neatly into a base. It’s not a huge deal, but you can’t easily store the cord hidden away. Overall, very easy to use, but with that one slightly dumb design choice (no OFF position) that keeps it from feeling totally worry-free.

Performance is where this hot pot actually shines for the price. In daily use, boiling speed is the main strong point. With room-temperature tap water, a full 32 oz hits a proper boil in about 3–4 minutes. Half a pot is closer to 2 minutes. That’s clearly faster than my microwave for the same amount of water, and I don’t have to babysit a pot on the stove. For tea, instant coffee, cocoa, or oatmeal, it’s frankly very convenient.

For cooking, it’s good for simple, liquid-heavy foods: instant ramen, other packaged noodles, canned soups, and reheating thin leftovers. A standard brick of ramen fits nicely; round bricks fit especially well. The heat seems fairly even—I can see the noodles circulating in the boiling water. I’ve also used it to melt butter mixed with a bit of water for corn, and keeping it on a low setting kept the butter hot without totally killing it, though it still tried to lightly simmer even on low.

Where it struggles is with anything thicker or prone to sticking. Tomato-based soups want to cling to the bottom if you don’t stir. Creamy soups or thicker sauces will leave a film that needs scrubbing. Also, a few users mentioned, and I’ve seen it once, that if you let it boil for a while, it can cycle off for a bit and then come back on, like it’s protecting itself from overheating. For quick noodles and boiling water, that’s not an issue. For longer boils (like some pasta), it can be slightly annoying.

As for the temperature control, I’ll be honest: it’s more of a rough dial than precise control. Warm is good for keeping things hot, Boil is obvious, and the middle is just “hotter or cooler” without much precision. If you just want hot water and simple cooking, that’s fine. If you need exact temps for specialty tea or pour-over coffee recipes, you’ll probably want something more accurate.

On paper, the Proctor Silex 32oz Hot Pot is a mix between a mini electric kettle and a tiny one-pot cooker. Capacity is about 0.95 L (1 quart / 32 oz), it’s made mostly of plastic on the outside, with a PFAS-free nonstick coated interior. There’s a control knob that goes from “Warm” to “Boil,” a removable lid, and a soft-grip handle. That’s pretty much it. No fancy base, no digital display, no timer, no keep-warm button.

In everyday use, it covers a few basic tasks well: boiling water for tea or pour-over coffee, making instant noodles, heating canned soup, and reheating watery leftovers like broth or thin stews. I’ve done ramen, miso soup, and some leftover curry that I thinned out with water. For anything thicker (like chunky chili or creamy soup), the so-called nonstick interior starts to feel less nonstick, and cleanup takes more effort.

One thing to understand: this is not a full-on hot pot cooker like the big multi-level ones people use for table-top hot pot dinners. It’s also not a precise temperature-control kettle for coffee nerds. It’s more like a personal boiler you keep in a dorm, office, camper, or small kitchen. You plug it in, twist the knob, it heats up quickly, and you pour.

So in terms of positioning, I’d say: if you want something small, cheap, and straightforward that lives somewhere between a kettle and a mini saucepan, this fits. If you expect perfect nonstick for thick soups or delicate cooking, or you want exact temperatures for specialty tea, you’ll probably find it a bit basic and limited.

Cleaning this hot pot really depends on what you cook in it. For plain boiling water, it’s as easy as it gets: you pour out the leftover water, let it cool a bit, pop off the lid, and wipe or rinse the inside. The PFAS-free nonstick coating handles that with no problem. Even after daily boiling for tea and coffee water, I haven’t seen limescale buildup yet, though that will depend on your tap water hardness.

For instant noodles and simple broth, cleanup is still pretty easy. I usually just rinse it right after use, maybe a quick wipe with a soft sponge and a tiny bit of dish soap, and it looks clean. The nonstick surface here does its job—no heavy scrubbing, and food doesn’t cling too hard if you don’t let it sit for hours.

Where it becomes more effort is with thicker or sticky foods like tomato soup, creamy soups, or anything that can burn slightly at the bottom. When I heated a canned tomato soup and let it simmer a bit, I ended up with a ring of dried soup around the bottom edge. That needed soaking in warm soapy water and some patient scrubbing with a non-abrasive sponge. It came off, but it wasn’t the one-wipe clean I was hoping for from something marketed as nonstick.

You also have to remember it’s hand-wash only. No dishwasher. And you really shouldn’t use metal utensils or abrasive pads inside, or you’ll scratch the coating. So as long as you mostly use it for water, noodles, and light soups, cleaning is quick and painless. If you plan to use it like a mini pot for heavier meals all the time, expect more soaking and careful scrubbing.