I've had many indoor grills, this one outshines all of them! It is a large grill, with space enough for four burgers, sandwiches, chicken thighs or breasts, etc. It heats up fast with minimal, if any smoke. I love the timer option and control of the temperature. It is super easy to clean and the removable plates fit nicely in the dishwasher. The drip tray is huge and located where it should be, in the back, so when you open up your grill while cooking, the grease goes in it and not on your counter or under the grill. This is a bonus safety measure which I describe in detail later on in this review.
The cooking quality is excellent. One of the reviewers complained about how poorly his chicken and steak turned out. I do not understand that, he must have cooked at the wrong temperatures (too hot), because we've had perfect results every time. It doesn't taste like steamed anything, but like grilled food. And yes, it makes a mean panini sandwich!
This grill is well made with quality parts. The only part that is questionable is the adjustable height knob, which is plastic, and I could see this breaking down the road, since we use this grill daily. I called customer service about it, and they said should it break, they would send out a new part, no problem. Good to know.
This grill looks so good on the counter, that I leave it there. It does not look tacky like the other models out there, where I found myself wanting to hide them right after use.
There was a huge fire hazard defect on a no-name cusinart model that I bought from Walmart for $50, which occurred well after the warranty ended. That grill ended up in the trash can. What happened with it is the grease leaked underneath whenever I opened it while cooking, melting the plastic that housed the wires, leaving the wires exposed. Thankfully I caught this before anything bad happened. So, when I looked for my next grill, I specifically looked for one that addressed this issue (the grease leaking underneath whenever you open the grill while cooking). The Calphalon addresses this issue with the drip tray in the back. Other grill makers need to follow suit!
The price tag seemed high to me, but it does come with a much better warranty than other models, it is made from higher quality parts, and it looks like something one would see in a professional kitchen. My husband is a chef, and is extremely happy with this grill as well. I'm not one known to buy high-end appliances, but in this case I did and can honestly say that I have no regrets. I highly recommend this grill!
JULY 18th 2010: UPDATE
I just wanted to update and let everyone know that after daily use for well over a year, I can happily report my Calphalon indoor grill is still going strong!
Cleanup is still a breeze and the coating is still perfect. After you cook on it and the plates have cooled down, place the plates in the sink and spray a little water on them, let them soak for a few minutes. Then rinse. I have never had anything clean as easily as these plates!
I read that some people have problems with the front panel coming off or knobs breaking. I haven't had that happen. I'm wondering if there was a bad batch of these, and somehow I lucked out. I bought my grill from Amazon, if that helps. Everything still works like a charm and we put this grill through its paces!
Someone mentioned the top plate coming off while they were cooking. They must not have put it on correctly. If it doesn't snap in, it isn't on there right. Be careful with that.
My grill heats up in about 5 minutes. No problems there. I love the timer. 350 degrees seems to be a magic temperature for me. I cook almost everything at that setting. This is a wonderful grill. I'm very happy we splurged last year and bought it.
I recently purchased this item from Amazon.com. I have wanted one for months (I have tried many others that were junk). When it finally arrived it had scratches on the top and a small dent in the front chrome. The handle was ill fitting and it was obvious that it was ground down to fit the right side. The plastic underpart had small chunks broken out of it. All of this was done BEFORE ever being packed. Typical Chinese quality! That said: The temperature and timer markings are small and hard to read. The knobs are kludgy and hard to grasp. HOWSOMEVER! It cooks just near perfectly. I am truly amazed at the non-stick coating; all you need is a little warm water and a few swipes with a sponge and the grills are perfectly clean. I have never seen a product like it before. I think they said the coating is made by GE. Would I recommend it: A qualified -- YES but the price should be somewhat lower. At least it isn't obscene like that Cusinart junk is. That is another story. This grill replaces a Cusinart!!
I received one of these for my birthday, approximately nine months ago. I specifically wanted this one because I have had positive experiences with their cookware.
This is one of the best you can buy in this price range. It has a generous size, and gets hot enough for many things. The plates are removable, a big plus. One reviewer correctly pointed out that this grill does not get hot enough to grill a steak satisfactorily -- which is quite true. I cooked chicken breasts, boneless pork chops, bratwurst and sandwiches and it worked great. It has a cheesy plastic slider locking mechanism to hold the top and bottom together that looks like it will break at some point. Otherwise, it has a very nice look and can be stored vertically.
Okay - here it is - the "but" as hinted in my title. After less than 16 uses the nonstick finish simply started coming off. I hand wash the plates with a sponge and was surprised to see this happening; it was simply sloughing off with little force.
I shipped back the defective plates (at my expense) to the manufacturer (I believe they have a 5 year warranty), and didn't hear anything from them for two months. I called and a very nice person told me that they were back ordered, but I would get mine in a week or so. That was 4 weeks ago. This will mean that I have waited for 3 months, and before that I had use of it for 5 months. Of course, I have to wonder if and when replacement plates arrive whether they will hold up any better, and will I have to wait 3 months or more again for replacement plates.
So....I am looking at other grills now.
But first, time for another call.'
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