Electric Grill Information

Enjoy panini sandwiches? You may not need a sandwich maker or contact grill. Some experts say you can get the same effect by toasting a sandwich in a skillet, then pressing it from the top with a second skillet. You won't get grill lines and you'll have to flip the sandwich, but you do still get the same pressed effect. Additionally, editors at Cook's Illustrated magazine maintain that a heavy skillet is just as good as an electric grill for cooking burgers and fish. Need another kind of grill? Check out our reports on charcoal grills and gas grills for more traditional grilling.

Is indoor grilling healthier than pan-frying?

Recently, some health controversies have surrounded the use of grills. For instance, an article on MedicineNet.com cites studies that indicate outdoor grills may be a health risk -- researchers say the product may coat food in cancer-causing compounds called carcinogens -- while indoor grills may minimize or eliminate this risk. The article, "Indoor Grilling: Tips and Recipes," briefly discusses this topic -- as well as various indoor grill models and cooking recipes.

Some electric grill makers claim their cooking process naturally makes fatty foods healthier because their slanted reservoirs direct greasy drippings away from food. However, one professional reviewer tested this theory and found no significant difference in fat content. About.com's Derrick Riches also addresses this issue. Salton (which makes George Foreman grills) claims their electric grill can reduce fat by 4 percent over pan-frying. Riches puts that claim in context: "Say we pan-fried a hamburger patty that was 20 percent fat. If pan-frying reduced the fat by 50 percent then the Foreman Grill would reduce the fat by 52 percent or 4 percent more. Not a big change." An article in the newsletter Environmental Nutrition also discusses claims of fat savings. Although no testing is performed, the editors theorize that there's little difference from pan-frying. (You can read the article by signing up for a free trial.) The bottom line: Based on what we found, an electric grill doesn't drastically reduce a user's fat intake.

Other helpful sources:

"Raichlen's Indoor! Grilling" doesn't rate electric grills, but author Steven Raichlen does provide an excellent introduction to indoor grilling. Numerous recipes are also provided. It is available in bookstores and online.

The Countertop Grill Buying Guide at HowStuffWorks.com is an excellent primer when shopping for a grill. It covers construction, size, power and controls, besides comparing contact grills with open grills.

A useful primer on indoor grilling is Derrick Riches' article at About.com, "Indoor Grilling: When Outside Just Isn't an Option." (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Manufacturers' websites:

Cuisinart

DeLonghi

Hamilton Beach

Krups

Sanyo

George Foreman

Oster