Griddler GR-4 Reviews

Superior to other contact grills!, August 30, 2004
I was in the market for a contact grill since my family loves panini. When in a local department store I had the opportunity to compare this Cuisinart grill to the Villaware and several other brands. I chose the Cuisinart... even though it was the most expensive model!

I love the retro design, the removable cooking grids, and the front-mounted controls. It is heavy and well-constructed. The ultimate test came when actually using the grill, and it delivered! Heated up quickly, cooked perfect panini, and cleaned up like a dream...even the puddles of melted cheese wiped off with no effort. I highly recommend this item.

best indoor grill so far, November 21, 2005
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 steam,bake 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 of the Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler (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 Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler.

The best yet., November 28, 2004
After two Foreman grills over the past 6 years (the non-stick surface eventually wore down) I purchased "The Griddler". Only time will tell if this unit stands up to repeated washing and "scraping" with plastic utensils. It is all it claims on the tv infomercial. Because it has a thermostat and variable temps, it cooks much quicker then my previous Foreman grill. (Yes, some Foreman's have a thermostat).

Set up is easy. Since the plates are made of aluminum, they heat evenly and over the entire surface. The person who complained about uneven heating either has a defective unit or simply did not wait long enough or put the temp at the suggested level. Sometimes it's in the DNA - not reading or following directions! It is a good-looking appliance in the retro design. Amazon.com has the best price with the $25 immediate rebate. Highly recommended.

More on Griddler GR-4

grill, panini press, giddle all in one, November 14, 2004
i am lovin the griddler gr-4. in another review, there is a complaint that it only has one surounding heat coil on both sides. that doesn't matter. this thing heats evenly. this morning i cooked bacon, eggs, and pancakes almost all at the same time. and everything was nicely cooked and delicious. then i took the cooking platforms right off and thoroughly cleaned it in soapy water.

something i can't do with my george forman(which is still a nice product, just wish i could submerge it instead of just wiping it off). this item came to me by way of ups with out any additional outer packaging. never the less, it was not damaged during shipping. this item does and is everything it says to be on informecial. no smokey flavor, but i hear i only need liquid smoke to give it that bbq flavor. it's also pretty nifty looking. with this amazon deal, i got free shipping, no tax charge, and an extra $25 off. i got it for only a total of $105.

George Forman Step Aside!!!, August 23, 2004
George Forman please step aside. The Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler is wonderful. 4 - in - 1 functions as a contact grill, panini press, open grill or griddle. It's compact and stylish. I have made chicken & steak and the meal was great. The Griddler adjusts itself based on the thickness of the meat and you can adjust the heat level while cooking.

The Griddler is easy to use and the best part is the cooking plates can be removed. It is dishwasher safe or can be easily cleaned with running water and paper towel. There is no more cleaning the grill while your food gets cold. This product is more expensive then the George Forman, but based on my experience well worth the money!

Grease spatters? A little common sense solves the problem., December 3, 2005
We have had good luck with Cuisinart products over the years, so we decided to try this one, mostly based on the large number of favorable reviews here at Amazon. Clean-up is a dream. This product has an excellent non-stick surface, and even burned-on food comes right off with minimal effort. After reading the critique about the grease spattering all over, I tried a small experiment. I cooked salmon filets, marinated with lemon juice, dillweed and olive oil. No problem.

I cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, also marinated with olive oil. No problem. So then I brought in the Big Guns - skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, marinated and cooked the same way as the breasts. It did make a mess. I cooked all of the above on High, however. The problem came from the fat in the skin, and the thickness of the meat - the lid sits farther open, so more splatters can escape.

How to solve the problem? Put a couple of paper towels on the counter, and cook the meat at Medium. Just with any kitchen tool, there is an effective way to use it, and a dumb way to use it. A little common sense goes a long way. I am extremely happy with this grill.

Get one TODAY!