The green button indicates that the temperature is ready for use. It’s very user-friendly, but at the same time, it eliminates any customizations and it greatly limits the cooking options for this griddler. The plates are easily removable and are coated with a non-stick material which makes cuisinart soup maker it much easier to clean. These plates are also reversible so you have the option of using the grill or griddle side. The top has different locking settings as well which allows for more customization. Read our Cuisinart Griddler buyer’s guide to see why this appliance is perfect for you.
It does contain some plastic parts that will most certainly break if abused, but in general, the build quality is very high. It takes only a few minutes to get to operating temperature, while the non-stick coating is impressively durable. This is fine as far as it goes, but this grill, in addition to having to distribute heat both upwards and downwards, is really not the most powerful beast on the block. It takes its time getting hot, and will struggle with items such as grilled cheese sandwiches and whole chicken breasts even after lengthy pre-heating. This allows you to add a little theater and interactivity to a meal, which is rarely a waste of effort.
I tried two different units a few months apart and had the same results with each. If there was no temperature issue I would have kept it, even though you do need a lot of space to store the unit because it cannot be stood up on end. It is user-friendly and budget-friendly which make it rank first on the list.
Actually, “beeps” is being generous; the sound it makes is not far short of a shriek, which is something to consider when preparing breakfast while others are still asleep. Along with the built-in cuisinart pots and pans set timer, this level of control makes anything from frozen burger patties to pancakes come out the same way each time. The manual includes a handful of recipes to help you get started.
I was actually surprised how easily the food remnants come off during a hand wash. I’ve used many a so-called nonstick product before but after six weeks of almost daily use, I can attest that this one really is. It naturally collects charred remnants in between the raised elements on the grill side of the plates, but it takes little more than running your dishwashing tool over it to get it off. Then it takes just a second to pop the plates back onto the unit, waiting for the next task. I normally cook on stainless steel, and I purchased the Cuisinart pan because of its enamel interior. My first experience with it was not a particularly good one.