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Electric Grills: Ratings of Sources
Total of 14 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
July 2007
Tabletop Grills
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment This review includes both electric grills and grill pans, but doesn't include panini makers or griddles. Editors test six open grills, but find that grill pans don't heat up enough. This article also helpfully discusses three grills that did not make the cut.
2. Prevention Magazine
Feb. 2006
Indoor Grilling: Healthy and Tasty Summer Cooking All Year Long
by Amanda Pressner
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Prevention's Amanda Pressner tests four electric grills, citing advantages and disadvantages, as well as providing tips for purchasing and cooking. The Cuisinart Griddler is praised for its versatility,… compact size and cooking ability. Disadvantages include its high price and slightly smaller cooking surface. The Krups Panini Press gets the designation of "best looking," and Pressner says it can handle chops, steaks and burgers as well as grilled sandwiches. Pressner gives the Hamilton Beach Meal Maker Express passing grades as a budget model, praising its compact size and removable grilling surfaces for easier cleanup, though it lacks a floating hinge.

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3. TasteOfHome.com
Not Dated
Indoor Grilling
by Editors of TasteOfHome.com
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

The editors of TasteOfHome.com provide indoor grilling tips and recipes and recommend three indoor grills. According to the article, several models were tested, but only the top three are listed, which… include the Cuisinart Griddler Junior, Hamilton Beach Indoor Grill and DeLonghi Indoor Grill and Panini Press. The advantages of each pick are listed, and while they are mostly positive, it is noted that the Hamilton Beach Indoor Grill doesn't offer temperature control.

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4. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Oct./Nov. 2005
Equipment Corner: Indoor Grills
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Cook's Illustrated magazine reviews seven electric grills priced under $80. Editors grill burgers, fish, vegetables and sandwiches. They examine cooking surface size, browning, crispness and ease of use. Only one grill is highly recommended.
5. The Wall Street Journal
Jan. 13, 2006
Grilling in the Great Indoors
by Charles Passy
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Reviewer Charles Passy critiques five indoor grills and praises two models: the DeLonghi Perfecto Indoor Electric Grill with Cover and the Sanyo Smokeless Indoor Electric Grill. Both cooked well -- their… open cooking surfaces seared foods properly and allowed for excellent fat drainage. Passy gives the George Foreman Next Grilleration poor grades for producing meat that seems baked rather than seared, although it cooks quickly, drains fat easily and has dishwasher-safe removable grill plates. However, none of the tested grills produced the desired smoky flavor achieved from outdoor grilling.

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6. Good Housekeeping
Not Dated
Indoor Grill Recommendations: Indoor Grill Champs
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Good Housekeeping tests 11 indoor grills, although all 11 models aren't listed and the editors don't describe how they conducted their testing. They recommend five grills in various categories.… Unfortunately, only the Cuisinart Griddler GR-4 and the George Foreman GRP99 are current models. The T-Fal Fit 'N Clean GC 4000-002 is also recommended, but it no longer available. The now-discontinued Oster Indoor Grill 4774 is listed as the "best family size" model, and the discontinued BonJour Power 1800 Reversible Grill and Griddle 10600 is named the "most versatile." We would rate this review more highly if it included more current models.

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7. About.com
Not Dated
Top 10 Indoor Grills
by Derrick Riches
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

About.com guide to barbecues and grilling Derrick Riches names 10 grills that he considers to be the best of the crop, though he doesn't say how he arrives at his results. Two of the listed grills get a… longer, more in-depth critique, but others don't. The DeLonghi BG24 Grill is on the list, as is the Sanyo Smokeless Indoor Grill. Riches is mostly positive about every grill he lists, making it difficult to see what, if anything, separates the top-10 contenders. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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8. ConsumerReports.org
Jan. 2008
Indoor Grills: Sizzling Choices
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment This article gives good general information -- describing the two types of electric grills, important features and buying advice -- but does not recommend any specific grills. Some of the advice conflicts with other professional reviews. Consumer Reports' editors do not think temperature controls are an important feature, for example.
9. Amazon.com
As of Nov. 2009
Contact Grills
by Contributors to Amazon.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Amazon.com is a good website for reading user reviews. Since the majority of electric grills get similar overall ratings, it's difficult to tell which models might be favorites. However, a few grills differ… from the average. Though a few users give the George Foreman Next Grilleration lower ratings, saying it doesn't compare durability-wise to older George Foreman grills, most are enthusiastic about this grill. Other grills by George Foreman, Sanyo and DeLonghi get high ratings as well. Both the George Foreman Next Grilleration and Sanyo HGS-SG3, also known as the Sanyo Smokeless, have an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five, based on over 500 and 285 reviews, respectively.

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10. Cooking.com
As of Nov. 2008
Griddles and Grills
by Contributors to Cooking.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Several dozen electric grills are rated by owners at this website, which conveniently shows the rating and number of reviews right on the main page. The site also displays the top-rated and best-selling… electric grills at the top of the page. At the time of our visit, the Breville Panini Grill was the top-rated model and the Sanyo Smokeless was the best-selling. Most grills get very high overall ratings, however. The Sanyo Smokeless and Cuisinart Griddler both have hundreds of positive reviews. The Breville Panini Grill gets a perfect five-star rating from 35 reviewers. The sheer volume of reviews on this site makes it a helpful place to check.

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11. Slate.com
June 5, 2007
Fired Up: Which Portable Grill Cranks Up The Heat?
by Jude Stewart
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Jude Stewart puts several types of small portable grills to the test. Only one is an electric grill, the George Foreman GBroil for Two to Four, but we include this review because it pits the Foreman grill against other types directly. Stewart concludes that the grill works just fine, but says, "This sleek machine squeezes out all need for grilling finesse."
12. Epinions.com
As of Nov. 2009
Indoor Grills and Sandwich Makers
by Contributors to Epinions.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Epinions.com is also a good source for reviews of electric grills. However, many models on the list are no longer available, and many newer ones don't yet have any owner-written reviews. The two… most-reviewed and highly rated products, the George Foreman GR10AB and George Foreman GR20CB, have been discontinued. As with Amazon.com, this is a good place to visit once you have your choice narrowed down to a couple of models.

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13. Target.com
As of Nov. 2009
Indoor Grills
by Contributors to Target.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment About 50 electric grills are available on Target.com, most of which have received only one or two reviews. There are several models that have been reviewed 10 or more times, including the West Bend Electric Indoor Grill, which maintains a perfect five-star rating out of over 25 owner reviews.
14. Viewpoints.com
As of Nov. 2009
Electric Grills
by Contributors to Viewpoints.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Electric grills aren't as heavily reviewed on this newer review site than on retail sites such as Amazon.com or Target.com. There are several dozen electric grills reviewed on Viewpoints.com. Most have only… a handful of user reviews at the time of our visit, but a few models have received over 25 reviews. The George Foreman GRP4P is a currently available model with an average rating of 4.22 based on 45 owner reviews, while the George Foreman G5 has an average rating of 4.7 stars out of five, based on about 30 reviews.

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