Home LivingAppliancesCuisinart Griddler Elite review: restaurant-quality paninis at homeThis countertop appliance griddles, presses, grills and sears everything from cheese sandwiches to salmon filletsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Amazon)T3 VerdictThe Cuisinart Griddler Elite is a highly efficient and versatile countertop grill with reversible, dishwasher-safe non-stick cooking plates and an expansive cooking surface that’s great for a crowd or solo dining. Make beautifully seared steaks and sandwiches or cook pancakes and bacon on this well-designed appliance.Reasons to buy+Large cooking surface+Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces+Very even, efficient cookingReasons to avoid-Difficult to store-HeavyWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Home LivingAppliancesCuisinart Griddler Elite review: restaurant-quality paninis at homeThis countertop appliance griddles, presses, grills and sears everything from cheese sandwiches to salmon filletsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Amazon)T3 VerdictThe Cuisinart Griddler Elite is a highly efficient and versatile countertop grill with reversible, dishwasher-safe non-stick cooking plates and an expansive cooking surface that’s great for a crowd or solo dining. Make beautifully seared steaks and sandwiches or cook pancakes and bacon on this well-designed appliance.Reasons to buy+Large cooking surface+Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces+Very even, efficient cookingReasons to avoid-Difficult to store-HeavyWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
This countertop appliance griddles, presses, grills and sears everything from cheese sandwiches to salmon fillets
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Amazon)T3 VerdictThe Cuisinart Griddler Elite is a highly efficient and versatile countertop grill with reversible, dishwasher-safe non-stick cooking plates and an expansive cooking surface that’s great for a crowd or solo dining. Make beautifully seared steaks and sandwiches or cook pancakes and bacon on this well-designed appliance.Reasons to buy+Large cooking surface+Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces+Very even, efficient cookingReasons to avoid-Difficult to store-Heavy
(Image credit: Amazon)
(Image credit: Amazon)
T3 VerdictThe Cuisinart Griddler Elite is a highly efficient and versatile countertop grill with reversible, dishwasher-safe non-stick cooking plates and an expansive cooking surface that’s great for a crowd or solo dining. Make beautifully seared steaks and sandwiches or cook pancakes and bacon on this well-designed appliance.Reasons to buy+Large cooking surface+Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces+Very even, efficient cookingReasons to avoid-Difficult to store-Heavy
T3 VerdictThe Cuisinart Griddler Elite is a highly efficient and versatile countertop grill with reversible, dishwasher-safe non-stick cooking plates and an expansive cooking surface that’s great for a crowd or solo dining. Make beautifully seared steaks and sandwiches or cook pancakes and bacon on this well-designed appliance.
T3 Verdict
The Cuisinart Griddler Elite is a highly efficient and versatile countertop grill with reversible, dishwasher-safe non-stick cooking plates and an expansive cooking surface that’s great for a crowd or solo dining. Make beautifully seared steaks and sandwiches or cook pancakes and bacon on this well-designed appliance.
Reasons to buy+Large cooking surface+Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces+Very even, efficient cookingReasons to avoid-Difficult to store-Heavy
Reasons to buy+Large cooking surface+Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces+Very even, efficient cooking
Large cooking surface
Reversible smooth and ridged cooking surfaces
Very even, efficient cooking
Reasons to avoid-Difficult to store-Heavy
Difficult to store
Heavy
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
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A pressed grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with tomato slices and fresh basil is one of my all-time favourite lunches. But the difference between a grilled cheese cooked on an open-faced skillet or griddle and one pressed between two piping-hot cooking surfaces is not to be overlooked. Pressing your sandwich increases the surface area for browning and crispiness, which for me, is what a great panini is all about.
I recently started making my grilled sandwiches using the Cuisinart Griddler Elite, which does much more than make a mean grilled cheese, and I won’t be looking back. This well-designed countertop appliance is outfitted with smart bells and whistles that make it a highly versatile appliance for any kitchen. And yet, the Griddler is straightforward to use and clean.
If you’re wondering if the Cuisinart Griddler Elite is worth it, here’s what I learned while testing it, and what to consider before you buy.
Cuisnart Griddler Elite review: price and availability
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
Cuisnart Griddler Elite review: Design and build quality
Cuisinart is known for producing durable, high-quality kitchen appliances, and the manufacturer did not skimp on the Griddler Elite. Thiscountertop grillis heavy-duty (and plain heavy, it weighs 16.8 pounds) It’s made from durable brushed stainless steel, which gives it an elevated look and feel. My favourite feature is that the two cooking surfaces are reversible and nonstick, so you can mix and match between a smooth-top griddle and a ridged grill-style cooktop.
The cooking surfaces are embedded with heating elements that help them reach a searing-hot temperature quickly. They also maintain an even temperature for uniform cooking without any hot spots or cold zones to avoid. When you’re done, you can pop them directly into the dishwasher.
The machine has a clear, bright, and easy-to-operate LCD display where you dial in the temperature (from 200°F to 450°F) and set a timer (up to 1 hour). With dual-zone temperature control, you can dial each side of the griddle to a different temperature. This comes in handy if, for example, you’re searing burgers on one side and lightly toasting buns on the other, or crisping up bacon on one and flipping pancakes on the other.
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
The lid of the Griddler Elite can be set to hover just above the lower cooking surface if you want to get a crisp top crust or melt cheese without making direct contact with the hot surface. Or, you can lock the lid into position to apply pressure to a pressed sandwich. For the largest cooking surface, the lid hinges open to create a single flat 240-square-inch cooktop for searing or grilling indoors.
If your meat releases fat while cooking, don’t worry about making a mess. The rendered fat and juices run into a removable drip tray installed in the bottom of the machine, which is also dishwasher-safe.
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
Cuisnart Griddler Elite review: Performance
To put the Griddler to the test, I made grilled cheese sandwiches using the panini setting and cooked burgers and hot dogs on the open-faced grill-top surface. The heating elements took just a few minutes to reach temperature, and I never had issues with food sticking to the cooking plates, even without oil.
For my panini, I locked the griddle lid to press down on the sandwich, which gave it some nice darker brown indents from the grill surface ridges. My sandwich came out golden and crisp on the edges and gooey and melty in the center in about five minutes cooking at the maximum heat of 450°F.
For burgers, I cranked up the flat-top cooking surface to get a nice sear and let it preheat for about three minutes. The meat sizzled and browned up quickly, and the fat from the meat ran right off into the drip tray, which I popped into the dishwasher after dinner. To melt cheese on a few of my burgers, I moved them to the lower cooking surface and topped them with cheese. I folded the lid so it hovered just above my burgers and dialed up the heat to the maximum for searing, 500°F (the griddle will only stay at 500°F for two minutes). My cheese quickly bubbled up and melted, and dinner was served.
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
Cuisnart Griddler Elite review: Verdict
This is an impressively hard-working countertop cooker with versatility and power. The efficient heating, uniform cooking, and multiple configurations make it a handy appliance for indoor grilling, panini-making, big-batch breakfasts, and dozens of other culinary applications. The large surface area and dishwasher-safe cooktops also make this a great product for anyone who regularly cooks for a crowd.
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
(Image credit: Lizzy Briskin)
Cuisnart Griddler Elite review: Alternatives to consider
Cuisinart’s originalGriddleris about half the price of the Elite model and has many of the same functions, including reversible cooking surfaces and a lay-flat option. It’s also smaller and lighter.
For more of an outdoor grilling experience, we love the electricWeber Lumin Compactgrill. We also like theNinja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smokerif you have outdoor space.
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Cuisinart Griddler Elite: Price Comparison
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