When cooking (whether that be in your kitchen or at a backyard barbecue) there may be no better appliance than a griddle. This is undoubtedly due to the number of cooking options that most griddles provide for you.
They make cooking any types of meals extremely convenient. However, much like everything else, you have your superb ones and disappointing ones. In no particular order, down below you will see five of the best griddles available for you to invest in.
Best Value: Cuisinart GR-4N Griddler
While these are in no particular order, the GR-4N Griddler from Cuisinart may just be the best one of its kind. This beast can handle almost anything you want (hamburgers, steaks, pancakes, sausages, Panini’s, etc.) with its five different cooking options. Overall, it’s a very simple appliance to use with a nonstick surface and removable, dishwasher safe plates. Each cooking option also has its own knob that can have proper temperature adjustment, as well. For convenience purposes, there are red and green indicator lights that will inform you of when the griddle is ready to go.
It may be the best, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to an issue or two. In specific, the thermostat is rather disappointing. What happens is when the unit reaches its desired temperature, it will turn off. It gets so cool inside that the food will stop cooking and although the thermostat will return to its previous temperature (which can take three-to-five minutes), it can be a hassle. Also, this can lead to food not being cooked properly. Speaking of temperature, there is also a noticeable difference between the two plates (when it is being used as a large griddle). When in this mode, your food may get finished at different times. These are not necessarily dealbreakers, but they are something to keep in mind.
Second Best: Cuisinart GR-300WS
Cuisinart makes their way back on this list (and immediately) with their GR-300WS. Basically, you can think of this as a more advanced version of their GR-4N Griddler and this starts with having six cooking options, as opposed to just five. Presently there is a full grill, full griddle, half grill/half griddle, contact grill, top melt, and Panini press. Much like the other, the griddle plates are removable and nonstick. The interface is very different, though. Although it also includes dual-temperature control knobs, this version has a sear function with an LCD display. For up to two minutes at a time, this griddle can sear at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The timer for this function can be seen on the LCD display.
Honestly, this may be more impressive than the GR-4N Griddler. However, there are a few setbacks that you should be aware of. First off, this appliance can be very difficult to clean. There are times (depending on what you cook) that you will have to soak it for an extended period of time. Secondly, the included drip tray does not work as it should. Due to the fact that it drips down the back of the griddle, the back requires cleaning every time you use the drip tray. Lastly, the top does not stay in the “open position” correctly. There is a built-in locking feature, but the problem is it only works some of the time.
Third Place: Secura GR-1503XL Griddler
Moving down the list, we now come to the GR-1503XL Griddler from Secura. When it comes to cooking, there is a lot to like about this griddle. There is a lot of room to cook multiple food items at once as the surface area is around 180 square inches. In between the griddle plate and grill plate, you will find a removable tri-ply cooking plate with a heating element.
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Indeed, this is a two-in-one grill and griddle. Adding to the overall convenience of the cooking process are the removable glass lid and grease channels. The glass lid, which does have a flaw that will be addressed later, will prevent splatter and also retain the heat inside. The grease channels will help drain the excess fat and oils from the food and the drip tray will collect it all.
When it comes to cooking, this griddle is among the best. The problem? As I previously alluded to, the glass lid has a major flaw to it that may change your initial feelings about it. It does a great job of protecting you from splatter as it covers the front of the grill. However, it fails to cover the backside of the grill. This leads to oil and grease splashing out the back, which in turns creates a huge mess for you to clean up every time you use it. After many uses, this will become a major annoyance.
Alternative: MegaChef Heavy Gauge Aluminum Griddle
The Secura GR-1503XL Griddler is temporarily unavailable, but this one is a great alternative. With MegaChef’s non-stick coating design, you can easily prepare delicious and appetizing meals with less oil than traditional cooking methods.
Fourth Place: Hamilton Beach MultiGrill
Much like all of the other griddles on this list, the MultiGrill from Hamilton Beach is terrific for cooking purposes. You can make anything from fish to chicken, to hamburgers to panini, to bacon to pancakes. With a little larger surface area of 200 square inches, you can cook more food at once on this than the GR-1503XL. The adjustable thermostat allows you to cook your meals at whatever temperature you desire, as well.
However, the built-in kickstand (which may be its best feature) makes this a perfect griddle for cooking bacon. This conveniently drains away the grease and results in crispier bacon. As a matter of fact, because the grill cooks from both the top and the bottom you don’t even have to flip the bacon.
As you probably have already figured out, the ideal meals to produce on this are breakfast-related. Cooking hamburgers, on the other hand, can be a pain at times. The grill does not close, as it would turn it upside down, so it can be difficult to cook it evenly. You can close it when using the griddle so that option is available for you. However, this also results in only one side receiving grill lines. For some people, the texture is as important as the flavor so this can be an issue.
Fifth Place: DeLonghi Livenza All Day Grill
Capping this list off is another griddle that has five cooking options: the Livenza All Day Grill from DeLonghi. This means that you can make juicy steaks, pancakes, hamburgers, sausages and any other food you can think of. The cooking surface is wonderfully designed as the heating elements are evenly dispersed to create zero hot and cold spots.
When cooking sandwiches with an extra amount of girth, you can use the floating hinge to adjust to the perfect height. One aspect that is noticeably better than the others is the LED display. On it, you can adjust both the temperature and cooking time. It’s not awe-inspiring, but it is extremely easy to see and use.
Now, it’s time for the cons. First off, although the plates are removable, removing them is anything from simple. It takes a little time to get them in as you have to wiggle them until their in place. The sear function, while nice to have, is very brief and can only be restarted after 30 minutes. Make sure your meat is completely ready to go before you use it. Lastly, the cord is actually obnoxiously short. You will have to have an outlet close by to operate it.
In Conclusion
The choice is yours! There are several terrific electric griddles for you to choose from, it just depends on which flaws bother you the most. All I can say is happy hunting and good luck.