A friend of mine picked up a surplus Corning model PC-620 (product info:
http://tinyurl.com/4xmmy) laboratory hotplate/stirrer for a couple
bucks. It turns out that the stirrer works but it doesn't get hot. I
took the unit apart but didn't see anything glaringly obvious wrong with
it. The element shows 14.7 ohms but I don't know what else to look at
so I figured that even it's a long shot I'd ask here hoping for a
service manual or someone that has some experience with these units.

You might wonder why I am "wasting" my time on a hot plate. Well, these
things aren't exactly cheap at nearly US$500. Hotplates capable of a
very consistent/stable 1000 deg F (550 deg C) don't come cheap.

--adam