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The most helpful favorable review
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303 of 306 people found the following review helpful:
best indoor grill so far
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...
Published on November 21, 2005 by S. Schachter
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108 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
Great idea, poor implementation
We have had this product for over 1 year. This product has a few of great features:
1. The interchangeable nonstick plates that are dishwasher safe.
2. The unit opens up to a large griddle.
3. The cooking plates are dishwasher safe.
However, the nonstick surface has started peeling off of the plates even though the plates have...
Published on April 22, 2006 by M. Katzovitz
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303 of 306 people found the following review helpful:
best indoor grill so far, November 21, 2005
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
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 (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 griddler.
Shelly
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103 of 103 people found the following review helpful:
Grease spatters? A little common sense solves the problem., December 3, 2005
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
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.
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Update: September 2008. I am still constantly using this grill - it's a winner.
Update: February 2010: I had to stop using the panini plates because the non-stick coating was bubbling up and peeling off. Very disappointing, but we all know that this type of coating has a limited life-span. Given how much it's been used, I can't get too upset about it. Time to get a new one.
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108 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
Great idea, poor implementation, April 22, 2006
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
We have had this product for over 1 year. This product has a few of great features:
1. The interchangeable nonstick plates that are dishwasher safe.
2. The unit opens up to a large griddle.
3. The cooking plates are dishwasher safe.
However, the nonstick surface has started peeling off of the plates even though the plates have never been abused, and we have never used metal utensils on them.
Our biggest complaint is the thermostat. The unit will reach the desired temperature, and then turn off. The cooking plates will actually cool off so much that the food will stop cooking. The thermostat will then kick back on and take about 3-5 minutes to get back up to temperature. It is very annoying, and doesn't always produce good results with food.
There also is a large temperature difference between the two plates when the unit is opened as a large griddle. This causes items being cooked to finish at different times.
This could have been a great product, but Cuisinart seems to have gone "cheap" in areas that are integral to the function of the griddle. I would not purchase this item again.
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223 of 241 people found the following review helpful:
The best yet., November 28, 2004
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
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.
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188 of 203 people found the following review helpful:
Great at first, does not last..., April 29, 2006
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
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
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42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
This really works!!, December 5, 2005
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
After reading all the reviews, I bought this over any other brand and I've not been disappointed! It cooks FAST! Nearly overcooked my first batch of boneless skinless chicken breasts the very first time I used it.
After using only two times, I have some tips for the people who had a huge spatter mess, plus other tips:
1. Buy leaner hamburger--I used 16% fat (not my favorite one to use) & the mess was very minimal. If you use regular grind hamburger you're going to get a lot more grease mess.
2. Turn the heat down a little so it doesn't pop & sizzle so much.
3. Make sure your work surface is level!! Most countertops and/or stovetops are not as level as the day they were first installed (maybe they never were). If need be, put something under the leg(s) to make it level. Grease running out the back is not the fault of the appliance, it's a level surface issue.
4. If doing more than one cooking round, as I did, you need to scrape the "drippings" off & since you can't do that with the supplied plastic scraper tool (I tried once & got some melted plastic on grill, but came right off with washing), buy a "SwitchIt" by Chef'n. It's silicone & won't melt on your grill. Use the narrow end. This takes a few minutes to do, but it won't smoke so bad on multiple cooking rounds. I have yet to come up with anything better to clean off the hot grill slots.
5. Clean plates up in hot, soapy water with a Scotch Brite No Scratch Scrub Pad (the wavy blue one). It was what was recommended for my glass cooktop, so I know it doesn't scratch.
6. Make sure meats/veggies, etc. are all same thickness. If they're not, the upper grill plate will contact the thickest one, but not the thinest. Depending on meat, you can use a meat mallet & make cuts of meat more uniform. If cooking more than one round, you can "pair up" like thicknesses.
In short, with a few simple precautions listed above, I am most impressed with this appliance. How long the non-stick surface will last is anybody's guess--only time will tell. I wish they had joined up with Swiss Diamond & put their fused, diamond non-stick on (check it out people--best nonstick on the market! Safe for dishwasher & metal utensils & lifetime warranty & they mean every word).
Only one thing I would change about the design of this appliance: a higher lip at the back. I have found that when trying to remove food off the grill it will slide to the rear & fall off when trying to use a silicone turner. My solution: buy a pair of silicone coated tongs to remove food instead of a nylon or silicone turner. It should work better.
All the products mentioned above can be found right here on this website.
Happy (& healthier) grilling all!
1/10/2008 Update: Still going great and I do use it regularly, especially in late fall, winter & early spring. I have read some other reviews where the non-stick bubbled or peeled off, but this hasn't happened to mine...not even a scratch mark on the plates. And I have used it many, many times on the highest grill setting: sear.
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47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
Good looks and design, weak heat, December 7, 2005
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
Plus
- Attractive appearance, looks and feels high-quality
- The lid height can vary by several inches, and the plates stay parallel
- Adjustable temperature
- An indicator to show when it has reached the set temperature
- Includes both ribbed and flat plates
- The plates can be removed for cleaning, and clean up easily.
Minus
- The grill plates are not tilted, so fat and juice won't run off the plates unless you tilt the whole grill.
- No timer
- The drip cup is not attached; if it moves, the liquid falls on the counter
- It doesn't maintain temperature well under some conditions (more below)
Works great for sandwiches, and a small amount of meat. If you put more than 1 piece of meat on it, it has trouble staying hot. I preheated it for 10 minutes (the indicator light came on at 5 minutes) at the highest setting. It reached 450F.
Then I put 4 chicken breasts on it (cold from the refrigerator), and put the lid down. It sizzled nicely for about 30 seconds, then slowed down. I continued to monitor the temperature, which dropped to about 250F. In the next 7 minutes the temperature rose slowly but never reached 300F. The chicken cooked alright, but I'd prefer that it maintained a higher temperature and browned the surface more. If I set it to 425F, I don't want to cook at 275F.
I think the reason for the temperature drop is that the grill plates are thin and light weight. There is not enough mass there to absorb a lot of heat, and if you put a bunch of cold meat on it, it cools the plate down, and the heater element doesn't have enough oomph to heat it back up quickly.
I tried this again with a single chicken breast, and the temp didn't drop as far, and recovered faster, but still didn't get back to the set point before the chicken was cooked.
I've got another grill with much heavier plates which does a much better job holding the temperature, and I prefer the cooking results from that grill. It browns the surface of the meat much better.
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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
grill, panini press, giddle all in one, November 14, 2004
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
i am lovin this item. 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.
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119 of 130 people found the following review helpful:
If I could give it 0 stars, I would, March 27, 2007
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
I purchased the griddler as a Christmas (2006) present for my husband. Initially, he was thrilled. It worked better than we had anticipated. Our love affair with the griddler, however, was EXTREMELY short lived. By late January, it had begun to "act up." It would occasionally and unpredictably turn itself off. Not long after that, the griddler began shutting itself off every time the temperature was turned above "warm." Though I was shocked at how quickly the item broke, I was still optimistic. After all, "lemons" happen from time to time. I emailed Cuisinart asking what I needed to do to make a claim on the warranty. TWO WEEKS LATER, I received a response telling me to call or email with the model and serial number of the bottom of the unit. Given that their initial email response took so long, I called and was left on hold for over 30 minutes. When I finally reached a surly customer service representative, she informed me that they would send me a new unit for $10. I asked why I had to pay $10 when their unit was defective and was informed that it was a limited warranty. She told me that I should have read the warranty before purchasing the unit. I was further instructed to package the unit up with my contact info and a claim number the representative provided me. After they receive the unit and payment, they will send a replacement. Apparently, there was no way to tell me how long this might take. This experience has ensured that I will never purchase a Cuisinart product again and I thought I'd let others know about my experience in case they too do not like defective products and terrible customer service.
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51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
Avoid At All Costs, January 4, 2007
This review is from: Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press (Kitchen)
I bought my "Griddler" about four months ago .. big mistake. Okay, it does grill .. but at what cost? Grease splatters everywhere. The top lid hinges in such a way as to drip grease off the back of the unit and try to wipe off that grease to prevent drips at your own risk of being burnt. The top lid swivels and cannot be locked in a position that allows a quick pre grease drip wipe -off. The unit is quite heavy and, for some reason, the grill plates seem far more awkward to clean than on my previously owned George Foreman Grill .. which I will soon own again.
Interestingly, the "drip cups" that seemed to be the only subject for complaint on reviews that I read are not a problem for me.. I have only had grease run-off into a cup once or twice .. it is too busy splattering around elsewhere to be a problem. Note: the grease marks that get on the sides and top are there to stay .. ditto for those around the cooking coil .. but, the splatter on the control knobs can usually be removed if wiped promptly.
A call to a disinterested Cuisinart rep led to an offer to "take a look at it" if I paid to ship it back to them. Sorry, I'll use the avoided freight cost to buy a new George Foreman Grill.
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This product
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$235.00 $88.50
In stock. Processing takes an additional 2 to 3 days.
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