On Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:20:27 +0200, ChattyCathy
> wrote:

>brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>>
>> Thermostat cycling is different from recovery time.
>
>Not really sure what you mean, but the electric wok I have gets good and
>hot for a bit, and then suddenly the thermostat just switches off the
>heating element and the temperature drops rapidly - then (when it feels
>like it) it kicks in again. It's done that since I took it out of the
>box, so it's not "old age" or something - and my MIL had a different
>brand and hers did the exact same thing.
>
>Probably does this because the element would "burn out" or some such if
>it stayed on at such high heat any longer - but it's highly
>inconvenient, if you ask me. If I need a wok to be very hot for a
>specific amount of time, I want it to stay that way until *I* turn down
>(or take it off) the heat myself... That's why I'm gonna buy a wok that
>can be used on a gas burner next time round.

I'd think it's malfunctioning.