Cuisinart Griddler: Countertop Grill & Griddle Review

I love kitchen gadgets. Especially when they are easy to use and don't take up valuable space in my kitchen. When I received the Cuisinart Griddler, I was so happy to find that this ONE appliance would replace several that are already taking up too much room. So long griddle, goodbye panini press, syonara grill! Hellllooooo amazing contraption from Cuisinart! 

The Cuisinart Griddler has 5 functions in this one handy-dandy unit. With two reversible plates and two thermostat controls, you can quickly and easily turn this appliance into a contact grill, panini press, flat grill, flat griddle, or a half grill/half griddle.

Here are the specs of the Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler:

• Nonstick grill and griddle plates are removable and are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning
• Cooking plates drain grease for healthier meals
• Hinged floating cover adjusts to thickness of food, so you can cook everything from paper-thin crepes to thick steaks
• Selector knob with power indicator light lets you choose between grill or griddle
• 2 adjustable temperature controls with indicator lights ensure your food is cooked to your taste
• Cool-touch brushed stainless-steel housing won't burn your hands and adds a stylish look to your kitchen
• Includes drip tray, cleaning/scraping tool and instruction/recipe book

One of the first things we made were paninis with the two plates facing grill side up. We turned the Griddler to the Grill-Panini setting on high (it was so simple and warmed up within a few minutes!). I used sourdough bread, leftover turkey, Havarti cheese, mustard, bruschetta from Trader Joes, spinach, and "Fox Point" seasoning from Penzey's Spices. I used olive oil on the outside of the bread (one of the included booklet recipes used olive oil) and it didn't quite get the defined panini lines, but it was still crispy. I think we'd have more luck with butter next time. However, it was delicious! The one minor issue I have is that when I close the grill on top of my paninis, the top piece of bread slides forward about an inch. Purely a cosmetic issue for a panini I suppose and it's not a huge deal.

The 2 plates remove so easily for cleaning and are pretty light too. Just press the side button for each plate and they pop out! I prefer to hand wash them once cooled to avoid any scratches on the non-stick coating, but they are dishwasher safe too. On the back of the Griddler the power cord wraps around two knobs to keep it out of the way which is very convenient. The drip tray is perfectly integrated into the design of the Griddler to store away with the whole device. I tend to loose things like that so the design is really smart. Because this product is so versatile, you can cook a large range of foods on just this one piece of equipment. I love the various options available that make it easy to bring a well-balanced meal to the table. There are also waffle plates you can purchase separately. 

We've used the Griddler many times in the short 2 weeks we've had it. It's really spiced up the variety of meals we've made and increased our adventurous side when it comes to food. The recipe booklet included has a lot of great recipes too that are absolutely delicious. The ease of use of the Griddler is fantastic and fast cleanup makes it even better. This is an AMAZING kitchen gadget with so much versatility in a compact size! Definitely a must-have!

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Price: $99.99

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Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product from Best Buy for free, to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.