Grilling is almost as much of an American pastime as baseball. Hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, kabobs, grilled cheese sandwiches, seasoned vegetables… the list of grill-friendly staples is extensive. Most of these foods taste best when fired over a hot barbeque. But when weather conditions or prep time aren’t conducive to firing up the grill, indoor appliances can perform just as well, if not better.
Contact grills go by many names and come in dozens of varieties: griddle, sandwich press, indoor barbeque, and electric skillet to name a few. Most have smooth, flat surfaces for distributing heat evenly, while some have ribbing on the cooking surface to create “grill marks” that also help release extra fat content.
Stovetop Griddles
A basic, bare-bones griddle is this square Scanpan Classic Griddle Pan. It’s made from cast aluminum and is coated with non-stick ceramic titanium. The grill marks aren’t removable, so for something larger and more versatile, take a look at the cast iron Staub Indoor Reversible Grill. It’s elongated for double-burner stovetop use with reversible smooth/ribbed cooking surfaces.
Electric Skillets
Choosing an electric contact grill saves stovetop space and may be easier to store depending on the model, like the Rival Fold-n-Store Griddle. It has hinges in the middle so that it can fold up for easier pantry storage.
Another model we like is the Cuisinart Griddler Combo, an electric skillet with a split personality. One side is smooth and the other sports grill marks — great for bacon burgers or a breakfast of sausage and eggs. Each side has its own separate temperature control with high rims and a drip tray to keep countertops clean.
George Foreman Grills
Thanks to several years of infomercial marketing headlined by a two-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, George Foreman grills are one of the most recognizable contact grills on the market today. They’re known for their non-stick, removable grill plates that drain off excess fat, and they are very easy to clean.
Try the ribbed Next Grilleration or the smooth 360 Round for something basic. But for that extra step up, take a look at the George Foreman G5. It has five interchangeable, non-stick attachments: a grill plate, a steak plate, two waffle plates, and a shallow pan that are all dishwasher safe. This model also has an adjustable tilt angle so that cooked items don’t have to slide off the surface along with the drained fat.
George Foreman also makes a portable indoor barbeque grill complete with stand and cover. It’s also great to take along for camping or tailgating where there’ll be an electric supply close by.
Specialty Contact Grill Appliances
Several companies also make specialty appliances for specific food items such as paninis, quesadillas, and stuffed sandwiches. They come in stovetop models like the Panini Press Pan from the Calphalon Contemporary line, or electric like the Cuisinart Overstuffed Sandwich Maker.
Here are two additional specialty grills that we feel are worth mentioning:
The Mario Batali Piastra Italian Grill is a griddle plate made from solid granite stone. It’s an homage to classic cooking techniques that relied on baking stones to conduct heat and create foods with crisp textures. The Piastra stone is safe for the oven, microwave, and grill. It’s reversible, too — one side has a flat surface and the other is ribbed with grill marks.
The Swissmar Raclette Grill is formulated around raclette, a Swiss cheese that inspired a European cooking tradition of the same name. The system is essentially an eight-person griddle with a melting tray for cheese underneath the surface. Each person grills their proteins and vegetables, then tops their portion with melted cheese to their heart’s content. It’s ideal for a creative dining experience.
Read all of our contact grill reviews below:
For grilling without an actual grill, most chefs resort to stovetop griddles of heavy cast iron. The Scanpan Classic 11-inch Square Griddle gives nonstick results without the weight of cast iron. Hand-cast aluminum poured under 200 tons of pressure distributes heat evenly over the entire surface of the griddle. ...
Usable with any four burner or four element stovetop, this enameled cast iron Reversible Grill from Staub gives the home chef a generous working space and a choice of smooth or ribbed surfaces. The cast iron distributes heat evenly, but will be a chore to clean. That gets better ...
If you could design your own perfect kitchen, what would you include? Before you say stove, you need to know that the possibilities for cooking have moved far beyond what you may be used to. Would you like your own built-in barbecue for year-round grilling, perhaps?
This modular grill is one of several ...
Four 12K BTU burners and 480 square inches of cooking surface give this mid-range grill plenty of cooking capacity, but some corners have been cut in the build of the chassis. The cabinet and other exterior parts are a mix of stainless steel and painted steel, so a little more ...
It helps when considering a griddle of this type to have some experience cooking with a commercial griddle. That way you come to
understand that variations in heating are common and are actually a benefit. The left side of the griddle is made to be slightly hotter than the right (partly due to ...
The most exciting feature of the 360 Grill is the plate system. Five removable plates are included: two ribbed grill plates, two quesadilla plates, and a deep dish pizza pan that doubles as a griddle or bake plate. That's right -- you can bake right in the machine. The grill ...
In our house, we've always had smaller version Foreman grills, which perform exceptionally well, no complaints. However, only one of us tended to use the machine and he couldn't always fit what he wanted to cook inside. We usually overcame this by cooking several batches, but that is one of those ...
The highlight of this Foreman grill is the plate system with five interchangeable, removable grill plates: a grill plate, a steak plate, two
waffle plates, and a shallow pan. The combination of these plates make it possible to prepare a variety of new foods that would have been impossible with older model ...
For the price of one appliance, you can have this eight-in-one oven, capable of baking, broiling, roasting, grilling, toasting and designed for use as a griddle, bun warmer and rotisserie oven. It is like a smaller version of your regular oven, plus it can do many things your oven can't. As ...
The flat surfaces used for piastra cooking have come from many sources, especially as the centuries of use passed and people from varied walks of life adapted their cooking using what they could lay their hands on. Mario Batali is trying to bring back this very basic form of griddle ...
With the temperature control settings included on the Griddler Express, you needn't worry about unplugging the unit between uses, as is necessary with the DeLonghi Retro Panini Grill. The unit is well sized and the indicator light lets you know when it is ready to cook.
Even though the plates are not removable, ...
I like that instead of one large surface which has the potential to suffer hot spots, the combo is split in two and has separate heat controls. Not only should this help with consistent heating, but it will be far easier to cook two types of food at one time ...
For the price of one appliance, you can have this eight in one oven, capable of baking, broiling, roasting, grilling, toasting and designed for use as a griddle, bun warmer and rotisserie oven. It is like a smaller version of your regular oven, plus it can do many things your ...
George Foreman understands the needs of a large, hungry family. The Family Size Next Grilleration is his seventy-two inch grilling surface solution with room for up to four burgers at a time.
Temperature ready lights tell you when the grill is hot. Triple layers of nonstick coating make it possible to cook without ...
This fresh idea by Cuisinart accommodates thicker sandwiches which may defeat lesser machines. Armed with extra large plates formed to hold extra deep pockets, the device can completely enclose the sandwich for better heat transfer, unlike some panini press style units. The cross cut indentations help to brown the ingredients at ...
We've all heard the term girl talk. Well, now it's time for grill talk.
How does this sound to you? Calphalon offers a 1500-watt countertop grill with heavy-gauge cast-aluminum grill plates. There's enough grilling space (96 square inches to be exact) to cook 6 burgers, or 6 4-ounce chicken breasts, ...
West Bend may not have the grilling history of George Foreman, but there's something to the West Bend Heart Smart Indoor Grill, something that Foreman's "Lean Mean Grilling Machine" does not offer. And that's versatility.
Not only does the West Bend Indoor Grill offer a ribbed grilling surface to drain ...
The Rival Fold n Store Griddle offers two separate cooking plates and comes with convenient carrying handles. Its portability makes this item great for gatherings, functions or to take camping. There's no reason you shouldn't have a decent meal right at your campsite. Just plug it in and enjoy. At home, you ...
The large surface area is the reason to prefer this griddle over all others. Made to sit over two burners and still spread the heat efficiently throughout the pan, you can prepare the components of an entire large meal for several people all in one batch. Because of the thermal properties of the ...
George Foreman is The Godfather of Grilling. He's a household name. Even in vegetarian households like my own.
The George Foreman Family Size Plus Grill offers 9 square inches of nonstick cooking surface, which means you can fit four or five burgers (whether beef, turkey, salmon, portabello, or Boca) ...
This Calphalon pan features a hard anodized exterior and a nonstick cooking surface with raised ridges for creating grill marks. The accompanying stainless steel sandwich press fits into the pan to press foods from above, trapping heat and helping the sear. The handles stay cool during stovetop use and the press handle ...
The Zojirushi Indoor Electric Grill offers an expansive 12.50 by 9.25 inch nonstick coated cooking surface. Grill with less fat and find cleaning far easier. It provides 1300 watts of power and temperatures from 176 to 410 degrees. A variable heat control adjusts the temperature and won't power the grill unless ...
The Breville Ikon Grill offers reversible, interchangeable flat and ribbed plates which allow you to grill or cook on the griddle and do so up to fifty percent faster than other grills. A floating hinge accommodates thicker, taller items so you can grill panini-style sandwiches. It can be adjusted to six ...
Every dairy producing culture loves and promotes their cheeses. It took the Swiss however, and their fanatical devotion to all things melty to create an entire industry around not just one, but TWO social dining events involving hot cheese products.
This exotic grilling gadget owes its heritage to those intrepid rural shepherds ...
Ah, the taste of Europe. Though panini is an Italian word, you'll find these hot, grilled sandwiches far beyond Italy's border. As a student in London, they were one of my favorite things for lunch on the run.
Just imagine oozing fresh mozzarella, basil's distinct bite, and tomatoes that actually had flavor ...
Versatility in the kitchen is key, especially if you have limited cabinet and/or counter space. When you can get one appliance to do several things, it's usually a big plus. The George Foreman 360 Electric Grill is no exception.
The round-shaped electric grill boasts a 106-square-inch cooking surface. ...
George Foreman has another grill creation for us and this time it can go indoors or outdoors to prepare food with less fat- which means less calories. This selection offers two hundred square inches of cooking surface, all nonstick coated for easy removal of food and speedy cleanup. A large grease tray collects ...
Cuisinart's GG-2 is a combination grill and griddle with an eighteen inch (by eleven) reversible plate system. The plate has a flat and a ribbed side nonstick cooking surface. An embedded heating element is operated by an adjustable temperature control knob. Settings vary from warm to sear. Cook with less oil and ...
Black & Decker has designed a three in one grill, griddle and waffle maker in the G48TD. The housing in chrome and stay cool handles in black make a nice visual statement. The top folds back to create two eight inch square griddles; you can use the grids to ...
Sanyo brings us an indoor grill with a 1300 watt heating element and 200 square inches of cooking surface, all nonstick. Practically smoke free cooking is possible with the drip pan, which drains the fat from your foods as you cook. The ridges keep your food from soaking in oils and ...
This nice little grill allows you to make pressed Italian panini sandwiches easily in your own kitchen, or cook meat or vegetables. The hinged top allows you to cook food of any thickness and the nonstick bottom plate is angled to drain off oils and grease as your food cooks.
The interior ...
Le Creuset's Giant Reversible Grill/Griddle, black enameled on both the flat and ridged sides, gives home kitchens a grill big enough to cook for the whole family at once. There are a few limitations to this versatile device that you should consider beforehand.
Although it's dual function, you'll have to ...
This product works just fine. That sounds underwhelming but it is what it is. It's a small version of the extremely-popular Griddler. In functionality, it's similar to the George Foreman grill. But you can use it a few different ways. It's great for burgers and can cook them on both ...
A quesadilla maker? Really? Is it that hard to make a quesadilla? Is it that time-consuming?
One-purpose items are generally prohibited in my kitchen. (My salad-spinner is the one exception that leaps to mind.) And if a product is going to do only one thing, it needs to do it well.
I like ...
The Next Grilleration boasts eighty four square inches of cooking surface and endless cooking options. With five removable grill plates, this machine can prepare anything from paninis (due to a one inch floating hinge) to waffles; grill meat or vegetables; be used as a griddle; or can be used to bake.
Fight ...
This George Foreman Grill has all the features its fans loved in the traditional model. The grill design keeps your food away from the fat. It grills your food on both sides at the same time. The hinge is floating, meaning that it can open up really wide, so you could wedge ...
I don't really get the cult following this product has. Maybe it's the non-stop television advertising that lulls the masses into buying millions of these appliances. But it can't be that simple. A lot of people really and truly adore them. (I swear I received like three of these from fanatical ...
The Cuisinart GR-4 can be used as a panini press, contact grill, large open grill, or griddle. Equipped with a floating hinge, the Griddler allows for cooking food of various thicknesses, larger sandwiches. Four separate cooking options and adjustable temperature controls are designed to offer a wide range ...
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