Q. Thank you for recommending the Pragatism Electric Warming Tray. I just placed my order for three of them on Amazon, one for me and two as gifts. Did you know that it was only $29.99, not $39.99? Yippee!

—A.A., Minneapolis

A. I did not know they were $29.99 again. When I first tried it they were $29.99, but the price was $39.99 when I wrote the column. They are usually $49.99 on Amazon, so I thought $39.99 was still a good deal for something so useful. If it is back to $29.99 that is fantastic, especially since it could replace a chafing dish and would be very useful for cooking and entertaining on porches and decks in the spring, summer and fall. I might try using mine for fondue, with several different pots placed on the surface. A few weeks ago my girlfriend talked me out of buying a mid-century modern fondue set we saw at an antique store, saying, "We never do fondue at home!" My reply was, "Of course we don't, we don't have a fondue set!" The fondue set was really cool looking so I may go back and buy it if it is still there, but if not at least I have another way to try fondue at home.

Q. Have you determined if the Pragatism Warming Tray is good for proofing dough? Perhaps by putting a rigid cover (box, cake cover, etc.) over it? I checked the Amazon reviews and couldn’t find anything that addressed this.

—R.K., Sunnyvale, California

A. The challenge here is the temperature, as the minimum temperature is 140 F, well above ideal proofing temperatures of 79-100 F. With some insulation between the dough and the warming tray (like towels) I think it would work fine. Use a thermometer next to the dough to monitor the temperature.

Q. What do you think of refurbished electronics? Are the refurbished/renewed items on Amazon usually serviced and refurbished by the manufacturer? I was considering buying something that way, and adding a three-year protection plan just in case.

—J.V., East Bay Area, California

A. I love refurbished electronics and have bought a bunch of them. Most refurbished products (especially manufacturer refurbished) cannot be distinguished from new, and are often unused product that was returned and can no longer be sold as new. Deciding between new or refurbished depends on the price and the warranty. Sometimes the price is little different than brand-new, and I buy the new item as the warranty is typically better. But usually the difference is so great that I cannot justify it and go with the refurbished item. A good example of this is a refurbished KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer, which refurbished sells for about 50% of the new price at kitchenaid.com.

According to Amazon's website, some Amazon Renewed products are serviced by the manufacturer, some are not. I have a strong preference for manufacturer refurbished products. The manufacturer is best-equipped to check the item and make sure performance is up to specifications, and they have a strong interest in keeping customers satisfied. If you get the Amazon Renewed, then adding the three-year protection plan is a good idea. Often protection plans are a good idea on new products as well. I purchased a new Frigidaire Induction Range to use with my upcoming cooking website, and I was able to get five additional years of coverage for under $250 directly through Frigidaire. Given that modern appliances have a bad reputation for reliability (though Frigidaire Induction Ranges are reported to have excellent reliability) I knew a good thing when I saw it.

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