Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler Product Review
The Cuisinart GR 4N Griddler features all brushed stainless steel housing with black dials, black and stainless steel handle and black integrated drip tray that slides easily out from its spot underneath the electric griddler for ease of cleaning.
- The non-stick, dishwasher-safe cooking plates are held in place with metal clips that are triggered by a button on the side of the unit allowing for ease of removal.
- The plates are reversible to allow use as either a grill on the corrugated side or a griddle on the smooth side.
- When the Cuisinart GR-4N Griddler is in the folded position there is a floating hinge mechanism that allows the top portion to adjust itself to different food thicknesses.
- The folded position also allows the user to choose between the grill side of the cooking plates for a contact grill or the griddle side of the cooking plates for a contact griddle.
- There is also the option to lay the housing flat using the panini handle as a leg to form a full flat grill, a full flat griddle, or a flat top that is half grill and half griddle.
Product Description
The Cuisinart GR-4N Griddler has three dials located on the front panel of the housing unit. The selector is the middle dial and it lets the user choose between the "Off" setting and the "Griddle" or "Grill-Panini" settings, depending on which side of the non-stick reversible cooking plates is being used.
The temperature dial on the left of the selector is the "Griddle" dial. The "Griddle" dial allows the user to choose specific temperatures between 200 and 425 degrees.
The temperature dial on the right side of the selector is the "Grill-Panini" dial. The "Grill-Panini" dial allows the user to choose between "Warm", "Low", "Medium", "High" and "Sear" settings.
Each of the three dials has an indicator light so the user can tell at a glance which dial is engaged or if the griddler GR-4N is switched off.
What Buyers Liked
- The versatility of the Griddler is one thing most users love about it.
- The fact that it can be utilized as a grill for meats or vegetables, a griddle for eggs or pancakes or a panini press for sandwiches is an important feature.
- The ability to control the temperature with specific temperature settings for different cooking tasks is a step above a lot of countertop grills.
- Many users report that the Cuisinart Griddler cooks evenly and quickly while other users appreciate its compact size.
- Most every user likes the versatile, non-stick, dishwasher-safe cooking plates and the ease with which they are cleaned.
- The Griddler GR-4N is a hit with those who use a countertop grill often for steaks, pork chops, chicken or simply sandwiches and quesadillas.
- They like having the ability to cook both sides of a food item at once which reduces the cooking time.
What Buyers Didn't Like
- Some of the complaints center on the top portion of the unit. There are reports that the top heating element does not get as hot as the bottom element which results in uneven cooking.
- Additionally, the top portion of the unit has disjointed hinges which allow for adjustment in the thickness of the food cooked.
- When the unit is in panini position, care should be used when lowering the top portion as it could wobble and cause the top of the sandwich to slide away from the bottom of the sandwich.
- Users advise keeping an oven mitt handy for steadying the top portion of the Griddler as it is lowered onto the sandwich to keep it level and the sandwich together.
- Some complaints have to do with the Griddler in full flat position. Users report that the unit isn't as level as it could be which can cause problems with pancake batter or eggs running to the low side.
Conclusion
The users who had small problems found workarounds, such as blocking the legs up if the unit were unlevel, or using a rubber spatula to help the drippings find the outlet to the drip tray.
The versatility of the unit, the ease of use and of cleaning are the things most users mention concerning the product. The Cuisinart GR-4N Griddler is a purchase most users don't regret.
