Cuisinart GR-11P1 Griddler 3-in-1 Grill and Panini Press, Silver

Great value for $$. Cook time is minimal as it heats up fast. Easy to clean and small enough to store in a cabinet.

We originally had a Sunbeam grill that we used for chicken and sandwiches which worked well but was a pita to clean as you weren't supposed to get anything wet. I would hold it sideways under the water so the plates would get wet but nothing else. It eventually stopped working; probably got wet but no big deal as i got it on freecycle. This was the replacement, i only wanted one that i could remove the plates. I was a bit disappointed at the size at first, thinking it would hardly hold anything, but I've been pleasingly surprised. We use it for EVERYTHING! Three boneless chicken breasts fit nicely, two huge burgers, three sandwiches on bakery Italian bread, one very thick porterhouse, tons of stuff and it all cooks perfectly. Everything sears well and the inside is juicy. The only thing i killed on it were 2 NY strips, but they were really thin, which i usually don't get, and i didn't think about how long i was leaving them on for as opposed to my normal 2inch thick steaks. I've never used it in the open position. Not having an on/off switch hasn't bothered me, nor has not having a temperature gauge. The preset temperature seems perfect for everything. The hinge works well for positioning thicker items. I agree with other reviewers that the lid isn't heavy, but that isn't an issue. Everything cooks evenly. For sandwiches i want to press, i put an old cast-iron iron on the lid and over the handle and that works perfectly to add the needed weight. A foil covered brick would work well too, the local Cuban place uses that for their press. The removable plates are so wonderful for cleaning; they easily pop off and nothing sticks. I uses got soapy water and a papertowel to clean threm so my sponge doesn't get messy. I've never put them in the dishwasher as i don't have one. Thet do sometimes take a jiggle to get them back on as the end slips into little clips then you lay them in place and push and they click in, if you don't hear three click they aren't seated correctly and you try again. The people who wrote that the plates fall off either aren't seating them properly or they have a defective product and should return it. The drip container works really well for collecting all the fat that runs off. I just recently realized there are little feet to put the surface on an angle so the fat runs off better, silly me, I'll have to try using them :) I use a damp paper towel for the body of the unit, but it doesn't really get messy, just dusty if i leave it on the counter. Out takes up little space so i usually put it in a cupboard. The cord is about a foot long. I've had it since April 2015and use it asset least twice a week, sometimes 3 or 4 times a week and it works just as well now as when i first got it. The grill can't be beat, i highly recommend it and would get another if it broke tomorrow.

Replaced a Cuisinart Griddler that was a decade old. Much better with removable grills and fat tray. A much better appliance that kept all of the good tings about the original.

I have used this sandwich press several times now and like it, but there are some things to know before you buy and use: if your sandwich is very thick it will slide rather than staying stacked as it presses and heats. I am limiting mine to about 1 1/2 - 2 inches before pressing and heating. If you press 2 sandwiches at once-you will be very crowded on the plate-although it can be done. Watch where you place your sandwich press to make your sandwich(es)-all of the oil or butter will not necessarily run into the dryer intended to catch the overflow. Even with these caveats, it is a good device. I love a panini and make them frequently even if just a variation on a grilled cheese. This makes a great grilled cheese. It comes apart easily to wash and the device aside from the grilling plates is easy to clean after cooling. The plates are ultra easy to clean by hand or dishwasher. It,xs worth the money, tho I wish I had paid more and gotten one with heat settings and a larger surface.

The Cuisinart GR-11 Griddler 3-in-1 Grill and Panini Press is a fantastic kitchen tool! It heats up quickly, and the non-stick plates make grilling and cleanup a breeze. I use it for everything from making paninis to grilling chicken, and it works perfectly every time. The floating hinge is great for thicker sandwiches, and the adjustable temperature control makes it easy to get the right level of doneness. Its compact design also makes it easy to store, which is a big plus if you’re low on counter space. This is a great, versatile appliance for quick, tasty meals. Pros: Heats up quickly and cooks evenly Non-stick plates for easy cleanup Adjustable temperature control Floating hinge for thicker sandwiches Compact and easy to store Cons: Plates are not removable, which can make cleaning a bit tricky Limited cooking surface for larger quantities

A no-frills panini press that works as expected, just another quality Cuisinart product. Just plug it in and your on your way to making a perfect panini, as there are no knobs to adjust or switches to flip. Look for the green light on the front and you know when youre all ready to place your bread between these grill plates. What sets this grill apart from the rest are the removable and dishwashable grill plates. Many other presses do not have this feature and must be wiped down, which is a huge pain. All in all, for the casual panini maker, look no further. If you plan on utilizing this to grill other items such as hamburger patties, id find another that has more of a variable temperature setting.

If I can put it between some bread, I will make a sandwich! I absolutely love sandwiches and wanted something quick and easy to use to help me make them. This Grill and Panini Press has fulfilled my sandwich desire. I received it today and made an apple, turkey and swiss cheese sandwich for lunch and a BLT with cream cheese for dinner. The sandwich combinations are endless and quick when you use this gadget. After I am done experimenting with sandwich fixings I will likely branch off into more exotic fare, like steak and hamburgers. But for now I am happy, happy, happy! I don't read directions unless I am stuck. So directionless, I pre-heated the grill and waited for the green light to come on before putting my sandwich in. This sequence very nearly ALWAYS resulted in burned bread. So, I decided NOT to pre-heat the grill. I put the sandwich on the grill plate, plugged it in, and unplugged it when the green light came on. The result was a perfect sandwich, inside and out. So, whether the directions state to do this or not I will never know because I have no idea what I did with them. The plates snap off easily although I just wipe them off instead of putting them in the dishwasher. There is NO on-off switch, you just plug and unplug. Furthermore, it heats quickly so if you put your sandwich in after the green light comes on, pay close attention because it might burn. So whether you read the directions to discover the correct sequence of use, you will enjoy using this grill...I certainly do!

We just rented a flat in Italy for a month. The flat had a really great panini press. So, in a month I may have used the thing 30 or 40 times! I loved it! So, that's what I'm comparing this product to, which may not be fair. The one in Italy heated more evenly than this one. It seems that it was hotter...and got up to temp quicker. It got the bread "toasty" quicker. It had more space between the plates so we could cut the fresh bread nice and thick, load up a hearty sandwich, and still fit it between the heating plates evenly. The Cuisinart GR-11 doesn't allow for a very thick sandwich (don't expect to be able to heat/grill your sub from Subway.) A thick sandwich CAN be compressed if you don't mind it being somewhat flattened out..."smooshed." In this regard, understand that the top plate is not actually free floating to any large degree. This means that when you DO try to grill a thicker sandwich, the rear of the top plate makes contact first and then sort of folds forward. This in turn pushes the top piece of bread/bun off the sandwich a bit and can cause some ingredients to push off the sandwich and on to the grill surface. The GR-11, by comparison to the Italian one, seems to really take it's own sweet time. It takes longer to get up to heat and longer to grill your bread. I haven't timed it with a stop watch or anything but but I've been pretty surprised when I've left it and come back several times only to find it's still not looking all that "toasted". (I have found that this is partially because the top plate doesn't seem to get as hot as the bottom...for example you can see nice grill marks on the bottom when they haven't appeared much on the top yet.) Other than what's described above, everything else was just fine. No problem with the removable plates as other reviewers have stated and for your basic grilled cheese sandwich on sliced white bread I think it would perform satisfactorily. I have made at least a half dozen sandwiches and English muffins with this unit and, although it does an okay job, it doesn't do an excellent job. If you're content with "okay", buy it and it will be "okay." If you've used really good ones, this will probably disappoint you a little.