Customer Reviews

Wolfgang Puck WPCGL050 Tri-Grill Panini Maker with Storage Drawer

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

If you have not tried one of these muti-purpose portable cookers (if you have you know the speed and ease of cooking any meal is unbelieveable) look no further than this fine unit. Right out of the box you see the quality and thought that went into this product. This is a replacement for my first (different brand panini grill). Differences are unbeliveable; unlike my previous grill this unit grills to perfection, the grease from cooking goes thru the open bottom grill plates, into a removeable tray. All grids are removeable, which is a huge difference (my old unit did not have removeable grids had to clean by hand). It cooks meat, chicken, panini etc perfectly and nearly grease free.P.S.Don't throw out the direction booklet! It has over 20 Wolfgang Puck recipes in it, to use with this grill!Can't say enough.

We searched until we found what looked like the prefect multi-function panini grill. It's a great concept and obviously someone thought of all the possibilities for cooking that it could do. And the storage for the extra plates is brilliant. However, when we took it out of the box, some screws and bolts fell out. Then we noticed that the anchors holding the heating element were loose and dangling. We couldn't put them in because the back, where the bolts went, was inaccessible. A little black rubber part fell out also, and we figured out that it was one of the rubber feet on the bottom, but the other one was missing.

We thought the metal which it was made of was rather thin and flimsy, and it was apparently carelessly assembled. Also, a lot of the parts rattled, making it sound not very sturdy. We are returning it without trying it and getting a refund. But after reading the 5-star review about how well it cooks, we are considering trying another one, just to see if this one was a lemon.

My food is always sizzling and I love using these 3 different cooking positions for varieties of food we are cooking. Great design. Great product!

I was searching for a replacement for my old unit from a different manufacturer that I had loved but is no longer made, and had several requirements:

1. Removable plates
2. An interior drip pan
3. A "floating" top that would allow for even cooking when food is thicker on one end.
4. An adjustable temperature (more than just high/low).
5. A decent sized cooking area.


It is somewhat surprising to me how difficult finding all these on the same unit can be, and this tri-grill does deliver and performs well on each of these items, so for that I'd give it five stars. The reason for me only rating it three is below:

After reading the other reviews here, I was a little nervous about ordering because of the possibility of poor quality. You can imagine my thoughts when I opened the box and out falls a screw! Fortunately, the screw was to hold the lid onto the handle and I was able to reassemble. The other side was very loose too, so I do believe that it can be assumed that these grills are not well built. I cannot help but wonder what is loose on the inside that I don't know about, even though it seems to be working fine. While not totally cheap, the materials do seem slightly on the flimsy side compared to some higher end models, but I think they are acceptable for a $99 price. The exception is the grill plates which I think are very nice and even sturdier than my much loved previous grill.

The grill is attractive, but it is a bit clunky/bulky in size because of the extra griddle plate storage. Its a great idea, but now that I own it, I personally would prefer to have a sleeker unit and have to store the extra plate elsewhere. I also wish the cord was just a little bit longer. The gauges are difficult to read when standing at the counter, I have to bend over and get closer to eye level with it to set. I also wish the gauges had more markings, but that is not a big deal.

Overall, I am happy with the tri-grill. With exception of quality concerns, my complaints with the grill are relatively minor. For me, it isn't going to become my favorite appliance because these complaints are annoyances, but its acceptable and does a very good job at its intended function - it does grill well (leaves nice grill marks on the food too).

I bought this grill as a gift for my husband and I am really disappointed in the purchase. We were excited at first because it seemed like such a great concept - and like step up from the Foreman Grill we had. But it smokes for some reason, even before we put food on it, and always sets off the smoke alarm whenever we do cook on it. Then the little pin that puts it in "float position" broke on it. In spite of spending nearly $100 for it, it's in the garbage now.

Like many others, the lower grill plate began to smoke. That happened on its second use. It appeared that the coating on the bottom of the plate deteriorated, and was subject to burning. The manufacturer had no answer for this, other than to return it to Amazon. Also, the unit lacks an on/off switch, using a rheostat type dial to eliminate power to the grill(s). However, the power light remains on, and should the dial be moved, it will heat the grill. Not very smart. I searched for the "UL" certification on the support documents, but never found same.

In any event, the unit did grill a thick steak, and it tasted very good. The grease catching feature on this grill is superior to competitors. However, given the two aforementioned defects, the machine is being returned.

We use these panini makers in our deli and they are off and on for more than 10 hours daily, 5 days a week. We are using 4 of them now and they all work fine, with no problems. At ths price, if we wear them out quickly it is still a bargain.

Very pleased with our choice. Works well, heats quickly, food come out just fine. Just two recommendations (1) Would prefer to have an on-off switch, pulling a plug from the wall is not always safe and for a quality unit just tacky, (2) wish they a flat griddle for the top as well. Other a fine choice

Prior to the Wolfgang Puck Grill we had the Cuisinart Panini Grill and actually we had two of them. This one outshines the Cuisinart totally. It is better quality and overall it is just a better grill. It does not spit grease all over and is very easy to clean. It does not shift all over the counter when you are using it. I have not made paninis yet but I have used it as a grill and it is very fast. Once preheated it will cook a boneless chicken breast in 5 minutes. I would suggest getting this grill in a heartbeat. The price is very good as well and well worth it. It is fairly new in our house but I have high hopes for long use due to the great quality of this product.

I just threw item this in the trash after a near tragedy. It is made so cheaply that while I was cooking the top plate slid out when the lid was raised. The hot plate fell to the tile floor just missing my feet because I jumped backwards; still holding on to the lid. Mentally picture this with the bare red hot heat coils exposed; the hinge lid unstable and ground beef patties on the bottom plate. Unplugged the unit and cleaned up the mess. The next day my husband looked at the unit and determined that the ONE clip on the front was not securing the top plate properly. There was no way to bend or weld a piece on the clip to make it safe to use. I had even bought the extra waffle plates which was also a waste of money. The Customer Service at the manufacturer was insolent and a letter to the the Wolfgang Puck cookware website was never answered. Please for your safety do NOT buy this appliance!