Stylish and economical general purpose hotplate designed with safety as well as performance in mind. The compact shape takes up less bench space and makes storage easier. The hotplate has microprocessor control and an innovative LED based true °C temperature setting system rather than simply a 1 to 10 arbitrary scale. The unit can also be used in conjunction with the SCT1 digital contact thermometer to accurately control sample temperature rather than plate temperature. The “Hot” warning light will flash whenever the plate temperature is above 50°C even when the hotplate is turned off and unplugged from the mains.