***** Increased to 5 stars after 9 months of heavy use. This thing just works great! Highly recommended. It continues to heat reliably and evenly, and has almost replaced my stove. Aside from boiling water, I don't use my stove at all anymore, I cook everything on this griddle.A traditional flat-top is one of the critical components of any professional kitchen. This little guy provides similar results to professional griddles in a small package and without requiring 220 volt service or a gas hookup.I have prepared everything from steaks to hash browns to scrambled eggs to quesadillas on this griddle, and so far it's met all my expectations.It's important to understand what this really is and how it's intended to be used. This is not like a $20 aluminum griddle. The cooking surface is cast iron, thick, and heavy. It takes a long time to heat up, and it holds a lot of heat, so it also takes a long time to cool down. That's exactly what you want for great griddling. Stable consistent heat over time is what it's meant for, NOT fast heating and cooling.If you want something that heats quickly and cools quickly, you should probably get a lightweight aluminum griddle or put a frying pan on a stovetop instead.The cooking surface is tough, you can scrape it with a metal spatula without worrying about scratching it. No non-stick coating to get damaged. You can even use a knife to cut food right on the surface and put on your own hibachi show. Cast iron resists warping better than aluminum, so the surface is unlikely to warp.Just like a professional griddle, this one heats from the middle. The outer edges and several inches at the front will be cooler than the center. Again, this is exactly what you want, because it allows you to control cooking speed by moving items from one part of the griddle to another. One person wants their steak rare, another wants medium, and a third wants well-done? You can do all three at once simply by putting the steaks in different places on the griddle. If you've not used one of these before, expect it to take some practice before you are producing perfect results.Proper flat-top cooking requires the use of oil for best results. If you want oil-free cooking, this is not the right appliance for you.I have not had this unit long enough yet to judge how reliable it will be over time, but I can tell you it's made of heavy gauge stainless steel with a cast iron cooking surface, and is very sturdy. There are no electronics to go bad, no bluetooth or wifi, no digital readouts, no mobile app. Just a simple electrical appliance with a mechanical temperature control. Power cord is heavy duty. There's very little plastic.Cleaning is just like cleaning a professional griddle. You don't use soap and water. Clean it while it is still hot, scraping the surface clean with a metal spatula. After scraping, pour on some oil and scrape from back to front, letting the oil drain off the front and into the catch tray. Then wipe clean with a damp towel or sponge. If the surface gets rusty, you're not cleaning it properly.The adjustable feet make it possible to create a forward tilt, so that grease will drain to the front. You might also want to have the right side slightly higher than the left, so the drip tray drains to through the hole on the left side.Overall I am very happy with this unit so far, and if it holds up under repeated use, I'll be very happy indeed. The price is exceptionally good compared to similar units, and so far I have no complaints other than the fact that I'm gaining weight from cooking so much on it.A few cautions:1. This griddle will get a lot hotter than the typical household griddle. The temperatures are listed in Celsius, and the maximum temp of 300 degrees corresponds to a Fahrenheit temperature of more than 550 degrees. That's more than enough to start a fire, so do not leave this unit on and unattended.2. Some smoking is inevitable when cooking on an appliance like this. Use high-temperature cooking oils (like peanut oil, avocado oil, etc) to minimize smoking, and use with a hood or vent going.3. This unit draws a lot of power. Do not plug into an extension cord or power strip, and make sure you use an outlet and circuit rated for at least 20 amps. Think of it as like running a hair dryer for hours. If you use it frequently, you'll notice an increase in your electric bill.4. The cooking surface holds a lot of heat. Be careful when putting wet foods on the griddle, as it can generate extremely hot steam that will cause serious burns. Never try to cool it down quickly by pouring lots of water on it, you'll generate a huge cloud of dangerously hot steam that will cook your skin in a heartbeat.