Hot plates are used to quickly warm laboratory samples. The most common use of hotplates is to heat liquids above boiling point that are stored in glasswares such as flasks and beakers. Because of this, many hot plate models have built-in magnetic stirrers for solutions and chemicals that needs continuous stirring during heating.

Hot plates are generally considered to be low-cost laboratory equipment compared to its utility, considering that hot plates can serve multiple functions outside of heating solutions. Hot plates also does a better job of distributing heat over an area, making it easier for the user to regulate and monitor the temperature of the heated solution. Furthermore, compared to other heating options, hot plates are the most ideal since they can generate moderately high levels of heat (up to 400 degrees Celsius) quickly and present lesser health risks compared to other heating options such burners and liquid baths that can potentially cause fire, burns or injury.

There are different types of hot plates based on their top coating. The most widely used are aluminum hot plates because aluminum provides a rapid heating surface that distributes easily and quickly throughout its area. The only disadvantage is that the aluminum top is vulnerable to corrosive chemicals and can easily be damaged. The other types are ceramic and enamel. Both types are similar since they are both durable compared with aluminum. However, ceramic and enamel surfaces are not as good compared to aluminum in distributing heat.