To counter the sibbling comment: I've assembled many dozens of boards on a hotplate with no complaints. Watching them reflow with a stereo microscope (AmScope SM4) over the hot plate is fun. I've never worried about temperature profiles; I've just started it from cold on the maximum setting and turned it off when all the solder has melted.
* The hot plate I used was the "Presto 07211 Liddle Griddle", which worked well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IUWL