Due to the fact that my apartment complex has gone to a prohibition on propane gas grills, I found myself in the market for an electric grill alternative. Like most of you, I electronically window shopped for quite a while comparing most of the major manufacturers of contact grills and Panini presses. It seemed that this has become a large market providing considerable choice to the consumer in this field.
All of these products seem to be a not too distant relative of the humble waffle iron. One of the oldest electrical appliances in manufacture, next to the slow cooker and electric counter top roaster oven, all which date back to the 1930s. I needed to stay below or at the $100 price point, so the very high-end units were out of reach. It was worthwhile looking at these higher priced grills in order to become familiar with the best features. Finally, I settled on this excellent indoor grill by Hamilton beach, with its unique temperature probe. The probe is no small innovation for a contact grill, because of the fast cooking time on most contact grills the difference between medium rare and well done is easily overshot and consequently missed by the most attentive of cooks. This feature makes cooking to perfection very easy.
So far, I've enjoyed great success with this not too big, not too small, indoor contact grill. I was able to prepare at one time a dozen mini-burgers known as sliders, on another night 4 large thick lamb chops and for another meal a tri-tip. This handy little grill performed beautifully, it also makes great bacon!
Cleanup is very easy, I've noted that many people with many grills have quite a bit of trouble cleaning their grills. I would like to offer some pointers on this problem. Although it is true most nonstick surfaces are regarded as dishwasher safe, however I would avoid this method as a generality. Nonstick surfaces can be deteriorated by excess use of detergent and harsh cleansers used in dishwashers. In order to preserve the longevity of the nonstick surface use little or no detergent whenever possible and rely on very hot water to do most of the work. A nylon brush is very convenient and safe to use on the surface. Also, rinse the plates very thoroughly because residual detergent can degrade the nonstick finish over time. I have had nonstick cookware that has lasted over 30 years, when treated with this kind of care. I also recommend using a paper towel and a small amount of vegetable oil to be massaged on the nonstick surface in order to maintain what chefs call good seasoning of the surface. This refreshes and protects the smooth surface and adds to its nonstick properties. It seems that some people are a bit over compulsive with their cleaning practices regarding nonstick surfaces. On this particular grill, I found that the narrow edge of an ordinary wooden spoon can easily push burnt on particles into the waiting drip tray. The rest can be handled with a damp paper towel or cloth. How easy is that!?
I have only one small issue with this otherwise marvelous contact grill. It's not a physical problem, but rather the name. Apparently the phrase "set it and forget it" is used in an entire product line by Hamilton beach. It's a very appropriate thing to say in regards to slow cookers and roasters. It is a very poor thing to suggest when dealing with very high temperature cooking with many issues that naturally require constant in-process cooking supervision. Most safety problems in the kitchen arise from inattentive cooking practices. I believe that this product could be renamed the Hamilton beach digital sensor grill and Panini press
In conclusion, I have some suggestions for Hamilton beach regarding future versions of this grill.
1. Consider producing alternative grill plates. In the form of a waffle maker, smooth griddle and a shallow pan that fits the griddle plate and allows the top griddle to become the lid for baking. I would package this separately as a completer kit for the original grill as well as offering it in an all in one boxed set perhaps complete with silicon tip tongs spatula and cleaning products and possibly an apron with Hamilton beach graphics proudly blazed across the apron. Include a well illustrated carefully researched and tested cookbook specifically conceived for this contact grill and Panini press. This would be significant added value to the unit at modest cost to the manufacturer. Perhaps developed by a friendly third party publisher.
2. Consider redesigning the Panini float handle in order to make it a three position grilling system. This is a common popular feature in many competing grills, allowing both cooking surfaces to lie flat or to float above the surface of the food broiler fashion and to control the pressure of the upper grill on the food being grills.
3. Most Panini presses and contact grills have a common technical flaw that has resulted in no small amount of frustration and consumer dissatisfaction in these appliances. This little flaw is in the use of a small safety feature used to control overheating. It is an inexpensive tiny little fuse typically mounted in the rear of the unit. These fuses are often overly sensitive to the predictable heat levels that commonly occur in these grills. When this fuse self sacrifices to protect the grill from overheating the customer is stuck with a significant dilemma. Generally this occurs after the warranty is expired and they have very little recourse. This is a two dollar part that can mean the early demise of an expensive and very useful counter appliance. The natural conclusion is to replace this fuse with a resettable circuit breaker that accomplishes the same purpose but does not require warranty issues or product replacement. For the added cost this would result in considerable savings to the manufacturer in terms of issues they would not have to deal with and not to mention result in much happier customers over time. This is a universal problem throughout this category of appliances and why no one has addressed this issue is a big mystery to me.
This is a very fine example of a modern contact grill and Panini press. It is an excellent build and seems very sturdy, I expect many years of good service from it. I hope this review has been worthwhile.
Happy indoor grilling!
(1 customers reviews)Customers Rating=5.0 / 5.0
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Hamilton Beach Grill with Probe- Manufactured to the Highest Quality Available.
- Design is stylish and innovative. Satisfaction Ensured.
- Great Gift Idea.
