Factory Reconditioned Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the Griddler in February of 2005 and have taken care to ensure it lasts. The Griddler is heavy and sturdily constructed. It heats up quickly, and cleans up even faster. We have used it for panini, grilling meat, and toasting burger buns.The unit can be used either as a panini/grill press with the floating top or opened up to use as a griddle.

The base of the unit heats up and maintains temperature better than the top. This creates uneven toasting of the Panini or other items. It's not so much of a problem using as a griddle, since one side will simply cook faster than the other.

After a year the nonstick surface has started pealing off of the grill plates. I have never used metal on the nonstick surface and have taken great care to preserve the finish. Perhaps it is in the design or a fate of nonstick coated products in general, but the now I will have to take care not to get pieces of the nonstick surface in my food.

The Griddler comes with interchangeable dishwasher safe griddle and grill plates with a lock and release system that is intuitive to use.The plates easily release with the press of a button for cleaning.To place the plates back on the Griddler, one simply rests the plates in the groves located towards the rear or bottom and snaps the front or top into place.The plates don't consistently stay attached in the top section like they once did. It's very annoying trying to reposition a hot plate back into place.

On the surface, the Griddler has the looks and design to be a great product. Cuisinart has some bugs to work out to attain even heating and plates that last. If I were to buy a new panini press, I would not look to Cuisinart again.As a matter of fact, I now enjoy using a Breville 800GRXL Indoor Barbeque and Grill instead.

PROS:
Heavy and sturdily construction
Heats up and cleans quickly

CONS:
Non-stick surface does not last
Uneven heating

Click Here to see more reviews about: Factory Reconditioned Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler

Product Description:
A floating hinge and two sets of cooking plates turn this multifunctional unit into a contact grill, panini press, large open grill, or griddle. Made of brushed stainless steel, this four-in-one, space-saving appliance offers cooking options that range from pancakes, sausages, and grilled cheese to fish, hamburgers, and panini. Its floating hinge adjusts to the thickness of food, while adjustable temperature controls ensure food is cooked properly. The unit features a sturdy panini-style handle and convenient indicator lights, as well as nonstick grill and griddle plates that are removable, dishwasher-safe, and designed to drain grease away from food for healthier cooking. Two dishwasher-safe drip cups to collect grease are included, plus a dishwasher-safe scraping tool for easy cleanup. The unit measures 13 by 11-1/4 by 6-1/2 inches and carries a limited 90-day warranty. --Catie Unger

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Cuisinart Griddler - Contact grill, panini press, open grill and griddle Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the griddler in February of 2005 and have taken care to ensure it lasts. The Griddler is heavy and sturdily constructed. It heats up quickly, and cleans up even faster. We have used it for Panini, grilling meat, and toasting burger buns. The griddler comes with interchangeable dishwasher safe griddle and grill plates. The unit can be used as a Panini press or as a griddle.

The base of the unit heats up and maintains temperature better than the top. This creates uneven toasting of the Panini or other items. It's not so much of a problem using as a griddle, since one side will simply cook faster than the other.

After a year the nonstick surface has started pealing off of the grill plates. I have never used metal on the nonstick surface and have taken great care to preserve the finish. Perhaps it is in the design, but the now I will have to take care not to get pieces of the nonstick surface in my food. The plates don't stay attached in the top anymore either. It's very annoying trying to reposition a hot plate into place.

On the surface, the Griddler has the looks and design to be a great product. Cuisinart has some bugs to work out to attain even heating and plates that last. If I were to buy a new Panini press, I would not look to Cuisinart again.

PROS:
Heavy and sturdily construction
Heats up and cleans quickly

CONS:
Non-stick surface does not last
Uneven heating

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cuisinart Griddler - Contact grill, panini press, open grill and griddle

Product Description:
Cuisinart multifunctional Griddler Gourmet makerThe CuisinartTM GriddlerTM makes "multifunctional" an understatement! Make perfect panini... plus! With four separate cooking options, it can handle everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks, hamburgers and panini. It helps you prepare more servings of more kinds of food in less time, so you can cook for a crowd -- no one has to wait!Simply change the cooking plates and adjust the floating hinge to use the Griddler as a Contact Grill, a Panini Press, or your choice of an extra-large double Open Grill or Griddle.Product FeaturesContact grill, panini press, flat grill and griddleRemovable, nonstick grill and griddle platesCooking plates drain grease for healthy cookingHinged, floating cover adjusts to thickness of foodSelector knob with "power on" indicator lightTwo adjustable temperature controls with indicator lightsBrushed stainless steel and cool-touch housingTwo drip cupsCleaning/scraping toolInstruction/Recipe bookLimited 3-year warrantyLimited 3-year warranty, backed by the Cuisinart reputation for quality

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Cuisinart GR-3 Griddler Jr 3-in-1 Nonstick Countertop Grill Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'd been looking at panini grills for years, but had never found the perfect model. Many of the grills I looked at in stores seemed very cheap and poorly built. One clear exception was the Cuisinart grill, which was very well constructed, but it was very expensive and also very large. When I saw this new Cuisinart Junior, I decided to take the plunge. It has become the hit of our kitchen. Making fancy grilled sandwiches has become a highlight of our weekends. My teenage kids love the sandwiches off the grill, and they don't seem to notice that they're eating healthier than before. The quality of panini sandwiches off this little grill is far superior to the paninis we get at our local restaurants.

Here are the features that make this grill a winner for me:

- The grill plates really are nonstick. I've never had to do more than wipe them clean, even when drippings seem to have burned on. The plates remove super easily, and also snap back in very easily.

- The grill pre-heats very quickly. I turn it on before I start making the sandwich, and it's always hot enough by the time the sandwich is assembled.

- The grill always creates the perfectly grilled panini. When I used to make grilled sandwiches in a frying pan, getting them perfectly grilled without burning was hit or miss. With this grill, I just set the dial a bit shy of medium and every sandwich comes out perfectly grilled.

- The hinged lid let's us make fairly huge sandwiches (a few inches thick). This might not sound like a big deal, but it's key to having fun with the grill, since it let's you make creative sandwiches that you could never cook all the way through or flip in a frying pan.

- The small size is perfect. It cooks one very large or two smaller panini, and it doesn't take up a ton of counter space. It's small enough that I can leave it out all the time, which makes it a lot more convenient to use.

One thing to be careful of:The lid does get hot. Make sure you only use the handle for opening and closing. I wouldn't let younger kids work the grill by themselves.

I have not tried cooking meat with the grill.We use it strictly as a panini grill.

I don't generally get excited about kitchen appliances, but this little grill is downright fun. Any gadget that can get my teenagers psyched about going to the grocery store to find wacky things they can turn into grilled sandwiches is a hit in my book.(BTW, our favorite sandwiches so far are: tomato and fresh mozzarela with basil pesto; chicken, apple, and raspberry with provolone; and pear with brie. My apologies if I'm not spelling some of these foods right.)

Great purchase. Getting used more heavily than our stove. I'm hooked.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cuisinart GR-3 Griddler Jr 3-in-1 Nonstick Countertop Grill

Product Description:
Enjoy the taste of deliciously grilled food from the convenience of the kitchen all year long with this easy-to-use countertop appliance. The multi-function unit offers exceptional versatility with three different ways to create a wide range of menu items. Use it as an open grill to cook fish fillets and asparagus or one or two juicy steaks at a time. Turn it into a contact grill by simply closing the lid--great for cooking hot dogs or veggie burgers to perfection, both sides simultaneously. As a third option, the grill functions as a panini press, making it effortless to create cafe-style grilled sandwiches, loaded with melted cheese, thick slices of ripe tomato, fresh summer basil, and other favorites. The unit's hinged, floating lid automatically adjusts to the thickness of food, while its user-friendly temperature-control dial allows adjusting the heat as needed. Other highlights include a red and green indicator lights, a generous cool-touch handle for safely raising and lowering the lid, brushed stainless-steel housing, a drip cup and cleaning tool, and removable nonstick grill plates for effortless food release and quick cleanup. Whether open grill, contact grill, or panini press, the compact three-in-one appliance takes up minimal space on the countertop, measuring approximately 14-2/5 by 12-1/5 by 6-1/2 inches, and carries a three-year limited warranty.

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Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought a G4 Griddler from Amazon in 2005, and used it a couple of times a week (at least) until it had to be put out to pasture in 2010 due to failure of the non-stick coating on the plates.(The coating started to bubble and peel, and no one wants that in their food...)I loved it. (See my review of the Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press) It was still working great, but replacement plates were not available.

I was elated when offered the opportunity to review its smarter younger brother, the GR-4NAM Griddler.I could hardly wait for it to get here and run it through its paces.

At first glance, the GR-4NAM looks virtually identical to the G4.However, closer inspection reveals that it has been totally redesigned, and for the better.

Improvement:The grease catcher used to be a little cup that had to be set under a spout on the side of the bottom plate.If it was positioned incorrectly, (or forgotten about), greased dripped out on the counter.The grease catcher is now integrated into the Griddler as a drawer-like device that can be pulled out to clean, and then put back in place for the next use.

Improvement:The original G4 had two sets of plates - one flat set, one ridged set (for paninis).There is now one reversible set of plates (ridged on one side, flat on the other), and therefore no need to find a storage place for the plates not in use.The new plates have a good substantial weight.I don't have the old ones here for comparison, but the quality of the plates certainly was not cheapened.

Improvement:It used to be a little tricky to put the plates in place and to remove them.There was also a difference between the top plate and the bottom, so you had to be careful not to try to put them in the wrong way.The plates now have an identical shape, so they are interchangeable, and the release buttons activate a spring-loaded mechanism that pops the plate loose for easy removal.Now, to see how it cooks:The Griddler takes about as long to warm up as a good-quality waffle iron.Just when you start to get impatient with it, it's ready.

The first thing that I cooked was a no-no in the eyes of Cuisinart - a bone-in, skin-on leg and thigh chicken quarter.Too thick, they say.HA! says I, because I am a bit of an anarchist.I marinated the chicken in olive oil and rosemary, heated the Griddler to Medium. I cooked it on the panini plates because I love those little fake barbeque stripes across my food.It worked just fine.(I should have taken a picture, it came out looking beautiful.But I was hungry.)

Word of warning:Do not cook thick or fatty meat on High - you will get grease spatters all over the place. Medium works just fine in such instances.

I discovered from my old Griddler that when cooking meat it's best to turn off the heat before it's done, and let it finish cooking with the residual heat in the plates. That way the meat does not get overdone.

For clean-up, I let the plates cool down, and then put a wet paper towel across the bottom plate and close the lid and let it sit for a while.The dampness softens anything that is stuck to the plates, and then it can be easily washed off with a sudsy sponge or dish wand.

Today for lunch, I made myself a sandwich with sliced sourdough bread, cooked sliced chicken breast, fresh grated parmesan cheese and dried basil.I followed the panini directions in the small cookbook that comes with the Griddler.Well, I sort of followed the directions...Cuisinart recommends brushing the outside of the sandwich with olive oil.I prefer to use melted butter on panini because it makes the sandwich crisper.

I preheated the Griddler on High, placed the sandwich inside, and applied light pressure for about 30 seconds, and then let it cook.The directions say to cook panini for about 4 -5 minutes, but my sandwich was ready to eat in 2 minutes.Maybe the butter makes the bread brown faster than olive oil.

In any case, it was beautiful - evenly browned, crunchy and delicious, and I did take a picture (see product images).

How durable will the GR-4NAM be?Good question.From everything that I can see so far, Cuisinart has only made the Griddler better.But time is the real test of quality. I will report back from time to time regarding durability.

Right now, I'd say this looks like an excellent buy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler

Product Description:
Compact in size but big in features, Cuisinart's countertop Griddler offers five-in-one functionality as a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle. The stylish brushed stainless-steel housing looks sleek and modern in the kitchen and features a wide panini-style handle and a hinged floating cover that adjusts to various food thicknesses. On the base, two temperature controls and a function selector are clearly marked and have indicator lights for quick reference and accurate, no-guesswork operation. Open the cover and customize the cooking surface with removable and reversible nonstick grill and griddle plates that snap in and out easily and drain grease to an integrated drip tray for healthier cooking. The Griddler also comes with gourmet recipes and a cleaning scraper tool. The cooking plates, drip tray, and scraper all go safely into the dishwasher. Limited three-year warranty.
From the Manufacturer


Parts & Features

1. Base and Cover: Solid construction with stainless steel self-adjusting cover
2. Panini-Style Handle: Sturdy cast-metal handle adjusts cover to accommodate thickness of food
3. Removable and Reversible Cooking Plates: Nonstick and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
4. Grill Side: Perfect for grilling steak, burgers, chicken, and vegetables
5. Griddle Side: Prepare flawless pancakes, eggs, bacon, and seared scallops
6. Controls: Indicator lights signal Power On and Ready to Cook
7. Selector: Choose the Grill/Panini or Griddle function
8. Grill/Panini: Adjust temperature from "warm" to "sear"
9. Griddle: Adjust temperature form 200