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Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler Review
The five in one functionality of the new Cuisinart GR-4N griddler allows it to act as a full griddle, full grill, contact grill, panini press and half grill/half griddle. Although this griddler looks similar to the older Cuisinart GR4 griddler, there are a few improvements that make the new design much better.
A clear advantage of the Cuisinart griddler GR 4N is the integrated drip tray that catches the grease without forcing you to constantly move the grease-catching drip cups of the previous Cuisinart GR4 griddler.
These the drip cup of the older model had to be placed under the griddle in each and every use. It was quite simple to spill the content of the cup by mistake or just place it in the wrong place. These problems can easily be avoided with the integrated grease catcher of the improved Cuisinart griddler GR-4N.
The removable cooking plates were also improved in the Cuisinart griddler GR-4N. In the older model there were two sets of plates: a set of griddle plates and a set of grill plates. In the new design – the Cuisinart GR-4N griddler - there is only one set of reversible cooking plates, one side of each plate is flat and acts as a griddle, and the other side can be used as a grill plate.
Moreover, removing and placing the plates is easier when compared to the Cuisinart Griddler GR 4. With the older Cuisinart GR 4 griddler it was often complicated to remove and attach the cooking plates, and the user had to be cautious not to place the plates in the wrong way. In the Cuisinart griddler GR-4N however, there is a release button that simplifies the process of handling the cooking plates. In addition, the plates are identical so each plate can fit in either side of the unit.
A cleaning scraper tool is also provided with the Cuisinart griddler GR 4N. Despite the fact that the plates are dishwasher safe, it’s recommended to wash the cooking plates by hand and keep them dry (the less time the plates are soaked in water, the better) – it will seriously prolong the life of the griddler. Furthermore, the scraping tool, the drip tray and the nonstick cooking plates are all dishwasher safe. The Cuisinart griddler GR-4N also comes with a gourmet recipe guide and a three year limited warranty.
The brushed stainless steel housing along with the overall design of the Cuisinart GR-4N griddler make the unit appear as a quality kitchen appliance. Another feature of the griddle is the adjustable temperature controls with indicator lights.
After turning on the unit, the controls would show a red light until the cooking plates reach the desired temperature. When the green light is on it means that the Cuisinart griddler GR 4N has reached its set temperature.
Although the actual size of the cooking plates is not specified, each plate measures around 9 by 11 inches. While not as big as the average Presto electric griddle, the overall cooking surface of the Cuisinart GR-4N griddler is adequate for three people and even more.
When using the unit as a contact grill, the floating cover can be adjusted to the right thickness of food. This feature allows the user to cook a wider range of foods, yet it’s recommended to be careful when cooking thick or high fat foods with the Cuisinart griddler GR-4N. In these cases, activating the griddler on high might result in heavy grease splattering all over the place. While you can try to cook such foods on medium in order to prevent the grease from overflowing, it’s definitely not ideal for a product that costs like the Cuisinart griddle/grill.
If you want a large and bulky countertop unit that might drain the unhealthy grease more efficiently than the Cuisinart GR-4N 5 in 1 griddler, it’s also possible to examine the Broil King PCG 10 electric griddle. However, it would be necessary to mention that the BroilKing professional griddle is not as versatile as the griddler by Cuisinart – it cannot be used as a contact grill, Panini maker or as a flat grill since the appliance only has a flat nonstick cooking surface.
The Cuisinart griddler GR 4N distributes the heat evenly across the surface so that the various foods get properly heated. On the other hand, it can be a bit of a problem to cook fat foods with the Cuisinart griddler with removable plates. It’s just that the drip tray doesn’t do a good job if too much grease is generated. However, low fat foods are cooked nicely and the removable cooking plates of the Cuisinart GR-4N griddler are easy to clean even if you have to wash them by hand.
