Abstract: An electric hot plate has a molybdenum disilicide resistance wire heating element spaced above a fibrous refractory pad by wire supports and spaced below a transparent glass plate forming a cooking surface. The pad has a smooth top surface, the wire is looped back and forth sinuously or possibly spirally coiled to form a layer which is parallel with the pad surface and the glass plate, and the wire is designed to operate at temperatures preferably of from about 2300.degree. to 2500.degree. F. or higher, at which temperatures the pad surface has been found to be effective for diffusely reflecting upwardly the wire heat radiation.