With so many contact grills on the market, how do you choose one that will suit your needs? This article goes over the pros and cons of the Cuisinart 4 in 1 Griddler, a very popular grill that receives good reviews.
This review is based on my own experience with the Griddler.
Cuisinart 4 in 1 Griddler Features
You can cook on the ribbed grill plates or the flat griddle plates, with the Griddler closed or opened flat.
The Griddler is designed for:
- grilling meat, poultry or fish (recommended only for boneless cuts of meat).
- grilling wraps (flat or filled) and panini or plain sandwiches.
- in the open position – cooking eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast, open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches.
- grill fresh veggies (zucchini, carrots, onions, peppers etc.).
- any other goodies you can think of!
The Griddler includes:
- two sets of dishwasher safe, non-stick plates – grill plates and griddle plates.
- two cups, for catching excess fat that drains away from food.
- toothed scraper to clean debris from the grill plates.
- floating hinge that allows for cooking super-thick sandwiches.
- handle that is heat-proof.
- on-off switch, one knob to set temp in degrees, one to set temp from low-to-high.
- stainless steel housing and sturdy build.
- three year warranty.
Why I Chose the Cuisinart 4 in 1 Griddler
I did a lot of research before buying the Griddler and settled on it because:
- it offered more versatility than a lot of other makes and models.
- user reviews were very high on several different sites
- our experience with Cuisinart products and service over the years has been very positive.
- it was a very good value for the price
Cuisinart 4 in 1 Grill Cooking
We’ve been pleased with the Griddler. We mainly use it for grilling red meats and chicken, and for grilling wraps and sandwiches. Meat definitely cooks faster and stays more tender than with pan-cooking or oven grilling.
For grilling sandwiches and wraps the Griddler is my favorite tool. Wraps don’t fall apart, and they do get warmed through properly. Sandwiches come out evenly browned without overdoing the ingredients.
The space where our Griddler sits is too small for opening it flat, so we haven’t done that. I would say something like French toast would work very well on the flat; maybe pancakes, too. You could do sausages or bacon, but it will be messy with all that fat.
Cleanup with the Griddler
Cleaning up after using the Griddler is fairly easy. We don’t use a dishwasher, so when the plates have cooled I pop them off and put them to soak. By the time the meal is done it’s easy to clean them.
The Griddler can be wiped down easily, using a cleaner that cuts grease to avoid a buildup of oily residue on the housing. The important thing is to clean it after each use, like an electric fry pan or griddle.
I have to say that the “non-stick” coating is not all it could be — but I’ve never found a really good non-stick surface anywhere. When I’m cooking pork loin chops or boneless skinless chicken I want the meat seared anyway, so I will either brush the meat very lightly with oil, or brush the hot plates with a little oil (using a silicone pastry brush). It doesn’t add any amount of fat and it makes a nicer job.
Cuisinart 4 in 1 Griddler – Pros and Cons
Removing and replacing the Griddler plates is easy; they snap on and off in a few seconds. Opening it flat takes the push of one button.
The Griddler build is very solid. Ours is several years old and there’s no sign of wear in the hinge or where the plates are seated. No problems with the controls either.
The drip cups that catch draining fat are a bit of a nuisance; you have to watch them so they don’t slide away from the drain! But we don’t usually cook anything with a lot of fat, so we can live with the inconvenience.
If you plan to grill anything with a lot of fat, like big sausages, or chicken with the skin and fat left on, a contact grill will be a bit messy. You can’t prevent fat from spitting when it’s hot, so be prepared for a bit of extra cleanup around the grill.
Cuisinart service is good. There was a problem with one set of plates, so I called and they replaced them immediately. I did have to send the defective plates back, but that’s to be expected.
I really appreciate the three year warranty on Cuisinart appliances. We’ve had many small appliances (not Cuisinart) quit past the first year, so I routinely look for two or more years of coverage on everything we buy now.
Having owned the Griddler for quite a while, I can definitely say that I would choose it again.
Go to the Cuisinart 4 in 1 Griddler blog for recipes, pictures, and sources for the Griddler.
