Hamilton Beach 25325 MealMaker Express Contact Grill

by Hamilton Beach

Product Features

• Grills foods on the top and bottom simultaneously for quick cooking
• Top also opens flat, doubling cooking surface to 216 square inches
• Dishwasher-safe, nonstick grids remove for easy cleanup
• Fats drain into dishwasher-safe drip-tray for healthy cooking
• Timer shuts off grill automatically when cooking time elapses

Product Details

Product Manual [365kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 16 x 5.5 x 14 inches ; 13.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 15 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00004SPE0
• Item model number: 25325
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (145 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,939 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #26 in Kitchen & Dining > Small Appliances > Contact Grills

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Steaks, burgers, hot dogs, fish, pork chops, French toast, sandwiches, hash browns, vegetables... The list goes on and on of foods and meals this compact countertop grill can cook on both sides simultaneously. A recipe booklet makes that clear, and even shows how a version of beef stroganoff can be prepared between the grill's top and bottom cooking grids in minutes. When the whole family sits down for a meal, or hungry friends turn up, the top opens flat, doubling the cooking surface to 216 square inches. (Each grid's effective cooking surface measures about 12-1/2 by 7 inches; closed, the grill--made of hard, bright, black plastic--measures 16-1/2 by 13 inches overall.) Other fine features: fats drain into dishwasher-safe drip tray for healthful cooking; timer shuts off grill automatically when cooking time elapses; dishwasher-safe, nonstick grids remove for easy cleanup; and cord wraps into bottom for storage. --Fred Brack

Product Description

Removable dishwasher safe grids and drip tray. High-speed grilling grid system drains grease away from food. There is also a cooking timer with auto shutoff. 108 sq. In. grilling surface opens flat to a 216 square inch double grill. Compact upright storage. Recipes included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

146 of 146 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Pleased, March 18, 2001

By 

Richard Keller (Ewing, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hamilton Beach 25325 MealMaker Express Contact Grill (Kitchen)

I am very pleased with this product. I have the smaller Foreman Grill but needed something larger and this was it. With removable grills, the clean up was much easier than the Foreman grill. Another advantage of this grill over the Foreman grills is the oil drainage trays are built inside and do not just sit on the counter waiting to be knocked over. Make sure to spray the trays with cooking oil prior to using.I have cooked 2-3 lb London Broils, semi boneless steaks, chicken breast and ground beef with this grill and love it. I used it twice just this weekend and am really pleased.It is not 100% the same as outdoor BBQ grilling but for indoors year round cooking, it is fine.

118 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Healthy Timesaver - Easy Cleanup, March 2, 2001

By 

Elizabeth (Philomath, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hamilton Beach 25325 MealMaker Express Contact Grill (Kitchen)

I am a countertop appliance freak, and I love this grill! Unlike most of the other grills I've used, the plates come off in a snap for easy cleaning. You can soak them in hot sudsy water, or you can put them in the dishwasher. They never need to be scrubbed, because they have a nonstick surface, which is much more durable than most of the nonstick surfaces I've encountered. However, you should never use abrasives, you don't need to because most stuff just rinses right off. When you use the grill, you preheat it with the timer, which is also the on/off control for five minutes, so it's nice and hot when you put the meat, veggies, or chicken on it. It's great for stir frying, just chop the veggies and spray them with cooking spray and put the lid down for a couple of minutes. If you're doing meat, fish or chicken with the veggies, put the meat, sprayed with cooking spray, on first, wait a couple minutes and then put the veggies in. The grill is large enough for a lot of food. It does great grilled veggies. And because it's covered when it cooks on both sides, there is no grease spatter! Nothing messy to clean up afterwards. And, if you pour a small amount of water over the hot grill after removing the food, and use the little grooved paddle supplied with the machine to sweep the drippings into the removable drip tray, (which is part of the appliance and not detached from it unless you want it to be), you have makings for a gravy if you so desire. Since we are calorie concious, we usually pour the drippings into our dog's dry food and does he ever love that! He's smart enough to know when we are cooking on the grill, and so he gets all excited! Once in a while we splurge and put it over our rice, and then the poor doggie has none! I can cook two large whole trouts, seasoned and stuffed with lemon slices in just a few minutes. The timer is a real safety feature, if you get distracted from cooking, instead of burning, your meal automatically turns off at the time you set and the residual heat keeps it warm until you are ready to eat it. The variety of foods you can cook on this machine is amazing! I have cooked hamburgers, eggplant, whole chicken pieces, fish, roasted/grilled vegetables, cut up meats, and seafood for fahitas and stir fry, and bacon and sausage with no spatter, liver and bacon and onions, the list goes on and on and no burning! This is one of those appliances I just couldn't live without after using it. If it died tomorrow I would have to replace it right away, but since it has a 2 year guarantee, no problem. I don't understand the reviewer who said she couldn't take it apart for cleaning. Maybe she didn't read the instructions. I have also cooked plenty of steaks, pork chops, etc with bones with no problems, so I don't understand her review at all.

70 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beats the George Foreman Grill, Hands Down!, July 8, 2003

By 

Michael Way "critic-at-large" (Shady Side, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hamilton Beach 25325 MealMaker Express Contact Grill (Kitchen)

I purchased my first of this grill three years ago by accident. Wanted to replace my sixth (6th) Foreman Grill because the Foreman kept burning out the elements. I saw this Hamilton Beach grill, studied it in the store, and decided to switch. This grill has outlasted all my Foremen Grills in spades. I use my contact grill at least four out of a seven day week. Often twice on the weekends. Let's examine the pros: First, the removable plates are worth the price of admission all by themselves. Second, the drip tray is so much more intelligently designed than the Foreman. Three, when the grill opens up, it has a tang that allows the gravity fed drippings to go into the channel also. Fourth, the timer is marvelous and gives adequate time for most contact grilling (I suggest a five minute pre-heat before actual cooking). Five, the design is sensible and youll never have to wash the heating plates in the grill, which was a huge hassle with George.

The negatives: one; After three years, the timer knob split at the spine. two; The teflon began to erode by the end of the second year making it somewhat difficult to clean. three; the spring loaded clip on the lower plate lost it's coil spring. The good news is that all the parts can be easily replaced by Hamilton Beach.

Finally, when I saw this on Amazon, I almost couldnt believe the price so I ordered one. It was delivered so fast that Im ordering a spare, which Ill store in my pantry just in case Hamilton Beach loses the grill war to George Foreman. Believe you me; this is one grill that you wont want to be without. It is absolutely the best grill for the money anywhere. Oh, and one last thing. If you want the drippings to flow faster, just prop the left side on a thin cutting board. Personally, I like it the way it is because the channels are deep enough where the juices do not touch the food but doesnt run away so fast as to inhibit the wonderful moistures that make your food tastier, juicer, and more tender. And no, I dont work for Hamilton Beach; I just know a great product when I use one.

Mike Way