Top Electric Griddle Reviews of 2017
An electric griddle is typically made with a top grilling surface on a metal base. The top surface which can be made from aluminum, iron, or carbon steel is heated using electricity. Some commercial griddles can be chrome-finished which is perfect for grilling as it doesn’t react with the foods and doesn’t retain flavors.
Electric griddles have a thinner cooking surface which makes them less expensive when compared to gas griddles. They also lack the complexity of gas griddles, but this is quickly turned into an advantage, as there are few mechanisms which can breakdown over time which makes them perfect for heavy use.
Surface
Maybe the most important aspect of a griddle is the surface. Manufacturers are starting to offer non-stick surfaces even for home-use griddles. Some surfaces can be detached from the metal base for easy cleaning. Modern griddles allow users to disconnect the heating mechanism and can be totally submerged for perfect cleaning. Mid-tier surfaces come with holes that allow the fats to be collected into trays making the foods less caloric.
Cleaning and storing
Some of the best electric griddles are easy to clean while some require more effort. Modern ones should offer the option of separating the cooking surface to the base surface. Some models also come with various handles which make for even easier maneuvering. Storage can also be a problem especially for models with large side-handles. Make sure the handles can be easily removed for easy storage around the kitchen.
Thermostats
Thermostats come in different shapes, but most electric griddles only offer one for each machine. Some models offer two or more thermostats which lead to you cooking different foods at the same time. You can also heat only one side of the griddle if you don’t need the whole cooking surface.
Drip trays
This is not an obvious feature but it should be your priority to look for a griddle with drip trays. The thing with drip trays it that you don’t know you need them until you have some cooking fat on your hands. Most griddles that have drip trays are made from plastic but even so, they are enough to collect all the excess fats. Some of these fats can be stored in the fridge and used instead of oil but the best part is just keeping your machine clean and grease free. We recommend you check out the different brands such as Presto.
Design
Another feature which is not discussed enough is the design of the griddle. This is what separates ordinary machines from outstanding machines. It’s fine if you don’t care about design but if you put some time and money into your kitchen you’ll want a griddle which fits it with the design, furniture or other appliances.
There is nothing worse than having appliances of different colors and materials when it comes to the way your kitchen looks. From a visual perspective, having appliances which work well together can be more appealing.
Power cords
This feature should be explained by any member of staff from the store. As a customer, you might not be aware of the best safety features and practices. You’ll look at one griddle cord and then another and you’ll think the longest one is the best. Years of perfecting kitchen appliances show that shorter power cords lead to fewer accidents.
If you have kids around the house you know the importance of removing cables from their reach as they can easily lead to accidents. A pro tip is to avoid using extension cords also. This will just give you more moving abilities and you’ll end up putting the griddle in a different spot every time you use it. Make sure you have a short power cord to keep the griddle close to a socket, on a flat surface, far from any fire or water hazards.
Other safety issues
As long as we’re considering the safety issue, it is best to detail some of the best common sense advice. First of all, make sure you only use a griddle on a hard flat surface. If you do not have a free-of-clutter surface, you don’t need to use it. This should be respected all the time, and it will teach you and your family how to use the machine safely. Don’t start cooking without putting all the movable elements on it either.
These movable elements can be anything from handles, lids or dripping trays. Make sure you have everything in place or at hand before you start cooking.
Dripping trays are the easiest to forget in the dishwasher so make sure you stay away from potential skin burns or floor staining by securing the dripping trays in place. When maneuvering the power cord, make sure you have dry hands. Many people wash their hands before cooking and forget to pat them dry, and when working with electricity, this should be mandatory. As a safety precaution, you can plug the cord into the electric griddle first before plugging it to the wall socket.
More information of handing the cord can be found in the user manual which comes in the box with the griddle. The manual will also refer to the best heating temperatures for certain foods. If you need to preheat the cooking surface make sure you don’t forget about it and best practices tell us not to leave the premise of the griddle at any time. One of the most important things to do after cooking is done is to stop the heating and remove the power cord from the wall. After it cools down, you can unplug the power cord from the machine without pulling it from the cable itself to avoid any long-term damage. When it comes to keeping the cooking surface as scratch-free as possible, you need to take into consideration buying some new silicon or wooden utensils.
They will keep the non-stick surface scratch free and will ensure your griddle will have a long life. The griddle is not a stove so make sure you only place food on the cooking surface. Putting pots, pans and other containers on it may lead to damages, and the regular warranties do not even cover most of them. And finally, you need to make sure the griddle is cooled down after using it before removing the dripping trays. Also, it’s important that you make sure the fat has cooled down before dumping it to avoid any damages.
Consider price realistically – Think before you buy
When it comes to pricing it is best to consider what your needs are. Will you be cooking multiple foods at once? Which features do you need? Do you really need extra features? Make a list and stand by it. Most times you will make the decision of buying an electric griddle much easier just by knowing what you want. Of course you can buy the most expensive griddle, but keep in mind there are some features which maybe you won’t ever use while other might come in handy from the first use, such as a large surface for bigger quantities of food.
Prepare a solid breakfast in minutes
How many times have you wanted to prepare the best English breakfast just to realize it is time consuming? With an electric griddle you can prepare a complex breakfast in just a few minutes. Family-size machine allow you to make a couple of eggs, toast some bread and make some pancakes at the same time. You`ll have a family breakfast ready in no time and the non-stick surface will ensure you can add meats such as bacon to your daily breakfast.
Healthy cooking
In a world where calories are growing with each food portion, keeping an eye on healthier options is always something worth doing. Electric griddles allow you to cook without the use of vegetable oil or butter making for healthier choices. Low-fat cooking is also possible with ridged surfaces or griddles which have dripping trays as they collect all the excess fat. Keeping your cholesterol levels in a normal range is hugely impacted by what you eat day in and day out. If you’re considering living a healthier life overall, than cooking with a griddle should help achieve that goal.
Easy to use
Most new electric griddles are very easy to use as they are designed to be user-friendly and simplify the cooking process. They can be switched on by the turn of a button and can be ready to go in just a couple of minutes. Some griddles can be entirely submerged when power systems are disconnected making them very easy to clean. The design is also perfect for countertops as all griddles are designed to stay perfectly flat. The non-stick cooking surfaces are also ideal for home use and even in some professional situations such as with restaurants or catering services.
Portable and cheap
There is no better portable cooking machine than an electric griddle. It will save you so much hassle on weekend trips when you need a cooking source at a cabin. You can even take a griddle when you go camping and have freshly-made food every day.
There is no need to eat canned food when you can take your griddle with you and have a complex meal ready in minutes. The price is also not bad. They start very cheaply and you can have a griddle for the price of a meal at a restaurant which is not bad at all, considering other cooking equipment in the kitchen costs way more and is not that versatile.
Save time
One of the biggest problems most people state when they are questioned about the healthiness of their diets is the lack of time to cook proper, healthy, foods. But this is only partially true as with a griddle you can have a healthy, tasty meal in minutes. How many times have you cooked egg with no oil? Or how many times have you cooked bacon with no butter?
You can do this every day with an electronic griddle, and the best part is you can prepare all these types of food at the same time. So you save time on cooking and cleaning as the cooking surfaces can be detached. There is no faster way of cooking which allows you the space and openness of a griddle. Some of the best chefs in the world together with some of the best restaurants in the world cook food in open spaces because this piece of kitchen equipment is everything they need.
Most studies show that people want to learn healthier ways of cooking and most time people just look for new recipes and hope to reach the goal. Sometimes the best way to live a healthier life is to improve or change what you already know, and if you love some foods, you can start thinking about how you can cook them in a healthier way.
Using an electric griddle will open up new cooking opportunities, and you could cook healthier meals which you and your family already love without having to persuade them into liking something new. And when it comes to kids they will love the taste of griddled food and it the end, that is all you want for them also, healthy food they can enjoy.