Five great contact grills for home cooking

Inexpensive Zelmer ZPR2000 contact grill toaster from a Polish manufacturer of household appliances will diversify your everyday and festive menu with delicious meat and vegetable dishes.

The model is equipped with basic functions and does not have complex electronics, for which you need to overpay. The case of the device is made of high-quality heat-resistant plastic and stainless steel. Due to the fact that the base has rubber feet, the device does not slip on the table. The grill handle does not get hot even in extreme heat, and the hinged lid opens to an angle of 180°. In the open position, it is best to cook vegetables, and the working surface area is used to the maximum. The device is equipped with a powerful heating element of 2200 W and a reliable mechanical thermostat.

The two classically fluted metal plates received a stone composite non-stick coating similar to similar marble or granite pan coatings. Removable work plates measure 29x23 cm and are equipped with an outlet chute for draining excess fat, which falls into a drip tray installed under the body. On the front panel of the case there is a rotary heating power regulator (5 levels) and two indicators (power and device readiness). When the grill is turned on, the red light of the power indicator lights up, and after the plates have warmed up to the operating temperature, which takes about 3-5 minutes. time, the stone slab will be ready for work.

The Bosch TFB3323V multifunctional contact grill is a rather non-standard device in its class.

The model is distinguished by wide side supports, which allow not only frying and baking food in 3 positions, but also storing the grill vertically. The device has a strict black design, which is complemented by a plate heating indicator lamp and a bright red thermostat adjustment wheel built into the lower handle. Sandwich-like design with 2 handles, which make it easy to carry the grill from one place to another, is also a distinctive feature of the model. The 1.4 m network cable can be wound onto a special reel located in the base.

The appliance is equipped with a 1800 W heater and two removable aluminium plates with a corrugated surface and a non-stick layer, which are easy to clean in the dishwasher. Plates with a working surface size of 31x22 cm have a corrugated relief with an inclination and drainage holes for draining fat into trays (2 independent trays). Thanks to the convenient adjustment of the top plate with thickness adjustment, dishes can be fried with full two-way contact, open method with bottom heating, as well as the method of roasting with an air gap between the product and the top plate. In the latter option, you get a result similar to cooking in an oven. The German manufacturer deserves special thanks for the graphic "cheat sheet" on the top of the case, which suggests the approximate time of readiness for different types of products.

De'Longhi produces an extensive range of household and kitchen appliances. The CGH920, a practical contact grill with separate temperature control for each of the two plates, excels at preparing delicious grilled dishes.

Two rotary knobs in the front of the case, supported by red indicator lights, are responsible for setting the level of heating of the plates of the device. One of the grill plates has a smooth surface, the second is corrugated. The non-stick coating prevents food particles from sticking to the surface of the plates and makes it easy to clean them after use. Note that washing the working surfaces of the grill is allowed in the dishwasher.

The device operates under the leadership of a heating element with a power of 2 kW. It provides fast heating and optimal maintenance of the selected temperature. In total, the model has three cooking modes: frying on one or two plates, as well as cooking with a closed top plate, which automatically adjusts in height.

The grill body swings open 180°, thus forming two working surfaces for the simultaneous preparation of different dishes. So, on a smooth plate you can cook grilled vegetables, and on a embossed plate you can cook meat dishes. There are no significant disadvantages in relation to the model at all. De'Longhi CGH920 will please both home inhabitants and professional chefs.

Smart contact grill Tefal OptiGrill + GC 7128 stands out with its elegant black design and electronic filling, which provides ample opportunities for manual and automatic cooking.

The model is equipped with a 2 kW heating element and 2 corrugated removable metal plates 30x20 cm in size, with a surface inclined by 7° for better dripping of fat into a wide tray installed in the front. Dimensions of the working surface allow you to cook up to 3 - 4 servings of dishes, which is optimal for a small family. The top plate is equipped with a hinge for easy adjustment to the height of the portioned product. The manufacturer also offers a more versatile modification of the grill made of unpainted stainless steel.

The instrument control panel is located on the handle of the top cover. Here are the buttons for turning on the power, activating the defrost mode, selecting auto-cooking programs (6 pcs.), Setting the manual roasting temperatures, confirming the selection ("OK") and a color indicator of the cooking level. Among the automatic programs that have the option of setting 3 levels of readiness (weak rare, medium medium and full degree of roasting well done), cooking sandwiches and closed sandwiches, as well as frying steaks, burgers and fish. Two additional autocook programs allow you to roast poultry and sausages only in the full-roast mode. The built-in sensor "on the fly" determines the thickness of the product with an accuracy of 1 mm and automatically corrects the operating time and temperature.

As the food cooks, the color of the indicator will change sequentially (yellow, orange, red) in accordance with the level of cooking of the products. When the set roast level is reached, an audible signal will sound and the appliance will automatically switch to the keep warm mode (approximately 30 minutes). If you do not want to get overdried meat, then at this moment it is better to get it right away and serve it to the table. The device allows you to cook dishes from frozen preparations, which are delicately thawed directly in the grill before frying when the defrost function is activated. In manual mode, the user can adjust 4 thermostat temperature levels ranging from 85 to 255 °C. Self-adjusting the cooking conditions is best suited for roasting vegetables and fruits that should be cut into pieces of the same size and thickness.

For organizing home grill parties for large companies, the advanced contact grill Tefal OptiGrill Elite XL GC 760D will fit perfectly.

The device is released in XL size, dishes cooked on it can feed 6-8 people. A powerful 2.2 kW heater is installed at the heart of the appliance, supported by 16 automatic cooking programs. Automatic cycles are designed for cooking sandwiches, grilled vegetables, burgers, seafood, sausages, fish, etc. The working surface of the model has dimensions of 40x20 cm.

The most chic in the model is the adjustment of the degree of roasting of meat steaks. The Tefal OptiGrill Elite XL GC 760D delivers rare to well-done levels while automatically adjusting the cooking time according to the thickness and amount of meat. The grill uses an electronic heating control circuit, and an informative color screen with touch controls is responsible for visualizing the settings.

The working plates of the grill have a ribbed surface and are set at a slight slope so that fat and juices flow freely into a special tray. The panels in the design of the model are removable, if necessary, they can be washed in the dishwasher. The device prepares restaurant-quality meals at home. The only “but” is that you will need to pay a tidy sum for it.