Ancient GE electric skillet died

$5 thrift store appliance I have found useful for many years.  Well last night it failed.  Light came on but no heat.  The element embedded in the pan rarely fails, its the temp control.  If you can get a new one, life continues (assuming its reasonable price), if not usually means a new one.  I am not impressed with new plastic encrusted skillets.  Only control for this skillet was $15 and looked like it had been dug up in somebody's back yard.

Well I run across a youtube video by some English guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEr17dE6McI  He had a new or newer skillet that seemed all or nothing.  Either wont heat or gets too hot.  So yea faulty temp controller, but guessing it was the under $20 cheapie from China that you just buy another as the new temp regulator cord cost as much as a new skillet and probably have same flaw.

He did a workaround.  Used what he called a "simmerstat" off an electric kitchen stove that controls temp of surface burner element.  In US, its called an infinite switch.  Which sounds like its out of some sci-fi novel.  But used you can get one of these for $5 or so, new around $15.  He wired one of these so he could plug his skillet cord into it, set the skillet temp regulator to max and regulate temp using the simmerstat/infinite switch.  Nice workaround.  This also work on any skillet long as you can do hard wire connection to the element.   Dont think i have ever seen actual element fail on one of these type small appliances, always temp regulator.  But should check the element first before wasting time and money just in case.  Use ohm meter function on VOM and make sure there is continuity through actual element.  If open circuit, then element is toast as is the skillet.

I found used infinite switch in good shape for $4 shipped on Ebay and its on its way.  I will just open old faulty plug and hard wire it, eliminating the existing temp regulator stuff.  Original cord just be a plug to interface with the heating element.  

Kinda obscene what "antique" electric skillets go for on ebay anymore.  If the new ones werent so crappy, nobody would give them second look at those prices.  This workaround truly way to make these old appliances last lot more years.  Cause nobody makes new cord/regulator for them.

I got both the infinite switch which looked lot better than it did in the ebay pics.  And got new cheapie VOM.  

Unfortunately when I tested, the heating coil in the GE skillet was open circuit.  The heat control was ok.  Usually other way around but hey, what is, is.  Anyway not repairable.

Today was curious what it would take to turn the dead skillet into stove top skillet.  Removed the handles/feet and the plastic plug cover.  Then ground off all the coil so pan had flat or nearly flat bottom.  All that crap is welded on so it took lot work, probably more than resulting pan is worth.  But this was more to satisfy my curiosity.  So put it on burner and heated it and made some hotcakes.  That aluminum does indeed evenly spread the heat.  No charred hot spot marks on the hotcake like with the Taiwan 10inch cast iron skillet.  I still wonder if its the Taiwan skillet or if all cast iron skillets same, only American antique ones I have are couple huge "chicken frier" type.  Too much skillet for hotcakes. I used one as camping make-do "Dutch Oven" but living alone, no real use for them.

Is the modified GE a great new cooking tool?  Not really, but at least might be useful once in a while modified like this.  Otherwise it would have just gone into scrap metal pile.

When found out the GE heating coil dead, ordered an electric skillet off ebay.  Used stainless Regalware 12" with the liquid filled double bottom.  This is specialty item usually sold multi-level marketing cause of obscene price new.  This is older model and shipped price $40 is par for course on all but cheapest crappiest electric skillets.  Never had any oil filled cookware so be interesting.  I did watch youtube of use of current oil filled Saladmaster electric skillet making a pineapple upside down cake.  Interesting.  The oil apparently holds heat so lower setting and shorter cooking time for stuff.  We will see.  Also ran across a current Chinese copy that had poor reviews, so not all rainbows and sunshine.  The Saladmaster by way was like $400, which is crazy for an electric skillet.  You would literally have to use it for a lifetime to justify paying that.  For that kind money, it better do the grocery shopping for me and do my laundry.

I found a reasonable Farberware 334a in decent shape but decided one electric skillet is plenty.  Was thinking about the aluminum pan I made out of the dead GE and looked at regular stove top aluminum skillets.  Found old heavy cast aluminum one that looked like it had cooked many a breakfast.  By looks of it either 1950s or 1960s.  $16 shipped though stupid Arkansas makes ebay charge tax even on used items so ruined a $20 bill.  But want to see how a heavy stove top aluminum skillet made as a stove top skillet did.  Its also 10 inch like my cast iron skillet and found I like the thicker hotcake made in 10 inch over thinner when spread out in a 12".