I helped my 83 year old dad get a new RCBS pot after his finally kicked the bucket after almost 45 years. Like any old farmer, he thought he could fix it, and I ordered him a couple of elements off the innerwebs. They are still in a box. Ended up helping him get an RCBS Easy-Melt 25# pot. At 83, and one arm almost completely immobile, he still tries to get to his playroom, with much difficulty. He hates the digital function of this unit. I tried to show him, and I'm even half tech challenged myself, but he still can't get it. Can't see the dang numbers anyway, and then can't program it. Thinks it has two ranges. I ended up just buying Lyman's simple dial operated 10# pot, and traded him. 10# will give him all the lead he needs to cast the 30 or 40 boolits he ends up doing in a night's casting. Dad likes the simple dial control on top of the pot, and will just use his thermometer to find his casting temp, and unplug it when done. That said, the RCBS instructs one set the temperature to 160 at the end of a casting session to allow cool down before unplugging. I read through the book, can't find the purpose of this step. Aside from losing the programmed temp of that casting session, why can't one simply unplug to pot?
Dad is much happier with his simpler pot, but I'm not sure I'm gonna welcome this as much as I planned. I have never used any pot with a PID controller, and have cast for over 40 years. I've still got my old Lyman 10# pot, with the element in the pot, not on the outside, that has melted several tons of lead. I keep using it cause it ain't broken yet.