Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press

best indoor grill so far

I have tried the Villaware Uni panini grill the Delonghi open countertop grill and another panini type grill (approx $90) and returned them all (ouch those return shipping charges hurt). I never considered the Geroge Foreman grills because they always felt cheaply made to me not to mention many unfavorable reviews).



None of the grills/panini presses that I tried got hot enough to work well for me. They just did not grill as much as steambake cook the food and they all took a longer time to do so than I was willing to wait.



I never was bothered by cleanup though. I always just wipe the hot plates with wet paper towel let it then cool a bit and wash with wet sponge. Works on them all.



So I just gave up and bought some stovetop grill pans and have used them for the past year or so. They do get as hot as you want but you do have to turn the food to cook both sides.



Being a kitchen appliance junkie I decided to try the Cuisinart Griddler this year.



I love the size (great for just 2 people though) as I do not anticipate using it in the full open position. And it is handsome as handsome can be to me. Very commercial looking on a very small scale. (I was chef/owner of a restaurant for 13 years.)



And cleanup is easy. Although I still use the wet paper towel and sponge for immediate cleanup the removable plates (very easy to take off and put back on) make washing in sink or dishwasher other options Although the plates are nonstick it is best to use vegetable spray or oil on the food (I prefer this rather than spraying the whole plate.)



There are 3 controls--griddle temperature selector on/off to select either griddle or panini/grill and panini/grill temperature selector. There is no timer so there is a small learning curve to learn when your food is cooked. Expect to overcook many things at first as the griddler really cooks quickly.



There's a short electrical cord about 34" usable length. Solid construction. Hinged top does settle squarely on the food. Because there the griddler is flat with no slope like the Foreman and other grills vegetables will not roll off or toward the front.



It takes about 5 minutes to preheat and then wow it really grills. Salmon took just 3 minutes. I overcooked my halved zuchinni in just a few minutes.



You can hear the instant sizzle sound but don't go to far away as it cooks more quikly than you might be used to.



We don't eat fatty meats (like burgers) so I cannot comment on the grease/drip factor but with fish seafood chicken and vegetables there is absolutely no splatter.



It can cool down quickly if left open a disadvantage while cooking but an advantage for cleaning.



Again the most important factor for me was how hot the grill got (and quickly as well) This of course leads to perfect grilling on both sides.



I just love my griddler.



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