A few months ago I started getting a leak in my “water blech” (kedaira al gabai kedairah) and instead of replacing it I got a “plata” (Israeli electric hot plate).
I place right on top of my stove top burners, so there is nothing under it that can burn. It does get very (evenly) hot.
According to the Rav I spoke to in Israel if one wants to place (only dry) food on this plata on Shabbas morning, to warm for lunch, one can do so IF you have an upside pan or tray on the plata, and put your food on top of that.
Personally, I put my old (leaky) water blech (without any water of course) on top of the plata before Shabbas (it covers the whole surface of the plata) and place my food on top of that…
This solves TWO problems –
1) My food still gets plenty hot, but does not burn or get dried out, and
2) I can put (dry) food on it Shabbas morning.
BTW… Very few frum Israelis use our American style blech, MOST frum Israelis use a hot plate, and this is the accepted way of doing so.