If you have a griddle you love and you wonder why you’d ever trade it in, you have to take a look at the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe. This griddle doesn’t just make pancakes; it makes pancakes and bacon at the same time, sears steak, fries up a great burger, and makes the perfect panini. I tested out the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe for two weeks, using it almost every day, and there’s nothing this griddle can’t handle. It also has a few convenient features that make it a go-to small appliance you will use every day.
Appearance and features of Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe
The Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe is a foldable grill. It has a 240-inch non-stick cooking surface and it weighs 7.48 kg.
- Gives you six ways to cook including contact grill, full griddle, full grill, half grill/half griddle, Panini press, and top melt
- Dual-zone temperature control so you can set the temperature for each side of the grill
- SearBlast button will sear your steak or crisp your bacon
- Family-sized grill makes pancakes and bacon or bacon and eggs at the same time
- Panini-press can be set by height so you can press down on your sandwich or just melt the top
- Grease trap catches all grease and is easy to clean
- Removable and reversible grill/griddle plates are dishwasher safe
Testing Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe
I’ve had the same griddle for at least 10 years, but I never thought much about upgrading it until I tried the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe. I had no idea a griddle could have so many different functions, and I made use of them every day I was testing it.
Reversible grill plates
If you have a standard griddle the way I do, with a long flat surface, you wipe it clean before you put it away. If it becomes really dirty you will have to scrub at it to get it clean, and over the years it’s become more difficult to get it really clean as food accumulates in the gaps between the grill and the casing.
With the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe, the grill plates are removable. You just press on the sides to pop them off. Even better? They are dishwasher safe so you don’t have to scrub at them.
Removing the plates means you can switch up how you cook. Instead of cooking bacon and eggs or pancakes on your griddle and having the bacon grease drip into your eggs, everything can be kept separate. You can have pancakes on one side, bacon and eggs on the other.
Different temperatures for both sides of the grill
You can adjust the heat on both sides of the grill, and this is a fantastic option if you’re cooking a family-sized brunch. Normally we cook pancakes on our griddle and bacon in a pan or in the oven. I could easily fit six medium-pancakes on one side of the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe and 5 pieces of bacon on the other, and having them all cook together at the same time on the same grill meant that a full breakfast was served all at once instead of in stages. I love the adjustable temperature for both sides, because I tend to cook bacon at a higher heat than pancakes.
We cooked bacon at 375 to 400 and it came out perfect. We did try the sear function on the bacon because my son loves crispy bacon. He liked how it turned out, but you really have to watch over it while searing. SearBlast will turn up the temp to 500 for about 2 minutes, so if you’re not hovering you’ll end up with really crispy bacon.
I also loved how the surface of the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe was very flat and level when it was extended into a full griddle. That meant the eggs I cooked didn’t leave a long trail of egg white the way my grill does when I cracked them right on the surface.
The Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe is not just for breakfast
If you only used the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe for breakfast, you’d be missing out on some amazing lunches and dinners. It can sear steak to perfection, leaving those great grill lines on the meat, and it works just as well with chicken breast. I experimented with the flat grill surface and the griddle, turning SearBlast off and on depending on how far into the cooking process I was. I found I liked how the griddle would cook chicken, but the steak was pretty great on the flat surface too.
I think comes down to a matter of preference, but after using the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe I feel like I’m a flat surface girl for burgers and a griddle for steak and chicken.
A better grease trap for easy cleanup
The grease trap on the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe sits between the grills. While my own griddle has a grease trap, it’s attached to the appliance and sits at the front end. That makes clean up more difficult because you have to wipe an attached basket out. With the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe, the grease trap fills up and you just slide it out and wipe it down. It’s a small convenience, but I love it.
Panini anyone?
The Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe makes Paninis so well my entire family is asking me to upgrade to this grill. I could make four small Panini or two large and one small Panini at the same time, so there was no waiting for grilled cheese. We got creative with our sandwiches too, so it was a fun family dinner.
You can adjust the top grill so it closes right down on your sandwich or micro-adjust it so you only get a light press. We propped it at up at the top spot for a top-melt sandwich and it was so good, with the bottom bread lightly toasted and top cheese melted.
Once you start making Panini with the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe, you won’t want to stop. There are so many combinations, and because the grill is so large you can make a weeknight dinner in no time at all.
The sky’s the limit with the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe
After so long with my long, flat griddle, the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe has made me realize it’s way past time for an upgrade. I love the dual temperature options, the removable and reversible grill plates, and the adjustable Panini press options. I can’t believe I can say I love a grease trap, but it’s so nice to be able to pull off the trap and clean the grease out.
This griddle folds up for easy storage, heats up in a hurry, and is so versatile. My husband loved making weekend pancakes, eggs, and bacon on it, and the entire family has really enjoyed the Panini press.
If you’re looking for a grill/griddle upgrade, I can’t recommend the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe enough. This great double-duty small appliance is available right now on Best Buy
Grilled veggie panini.
A fresh caught walleye fish with small potatoes
I will make a very cool Panini made with Apple, Cheddar & Turkey! Yummmmmiiii!!!! : )
Stuffed grilled avocados with a yummy mango salsa and grilled halloumi cheese on the side!
I would try different kinds of grilled cheese, egg grilled cheese, spicy grilled cheese or a sun dried tomato with turkey, cheese and spinach panini
Thai Basil Shrimp Skewers
a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich
Meat, I would make so much meat. Along with vegetables, eggs, and many other yummy things!
I’d love to use this during colder months to grill some meat when I cannot BBQ outside.
Pancakes and bacon
Steak and potatoes
You had me at a grilled ruben
Any grilled sandwhich with those seared markings and melted cheese oh the possibilities.
Chocolate chip pancakes.
Grilled flank steak!
Je cuisinerais dessus des cuisses de poulet tout simplement. Merci pour votre jeu.
I want to grill up some plant based patties and english muffins
I would be making paninis for sure!
Chocolate chip pancakes, grilled cheese, grilled chicken.
We’ve not been able to get to a fast food joint for awhile because of physical distancing and Covid-19. So we might be sort of missing the act of going out and grabbing a meal. With that grease trap – so much in there! – it’ll be useful to easily collect and dispose of grease from burgers that we can cook with the Griddler.
…as an aside, the Griddler sounds like a Batman villain with a penchant for cooking.
Merci beau Concours.
Pancakes first thing i want to try maybe waffles on other side
I would make bacon and eggs EVERY day.
I would try my hand at a vegan panini!
Done,probably the breakfast
I would do pork chops with stuffing and veggies
I would make steak with grilled veggies.
I would make chocolate chip pancakes for my family as they enjoy that dish
I would definitely love to cook bacon and pancakes on this!
I would be using it to cook breakfast for my family when everyone is home. I have two grown sons and both have girlfriends. One son has three teenage step children that can put away a lot of food. I could make a lot of pancakes or French toast and sausage at a time. And we do make a lot of grilled cheese sanwiches when they are home too. I think the possibilities would be endless
A California sandwich, Turkish bread, cream cheese, roasted red pepper, turkey and avocado. Super delish!
Grilled meats and veggies for our Korean BBQ night! 🙂
skinless, bonless chicken breasts with vegetables braised with olive oil
Oh my goodness this griddle seems amazing. Tyvm for the wonderful opportunity
I would definitely make a Club house sandwich with lots of bacon and for sure try the many ways of making your own paninis, grilling steak, mushrooms and onions all the same time, the breakfast omg I could cook so much delicious food. Sure hope I win..
Good Luck to Everyone…
Especially now on the days it’s too hot to use the BBQ, I’d grill steaks, chicken, ribs…. and the paninis look awesome. I’ve never had one so I’d love to try making it. This small appliance is something I can really see myself using. If I had the money, I’d buy one, but I don’t, so I’m entering this contest with the hope of winning. 🙂
I would make a Apple-Manchego Panini with an added slice of Spanish chorizo
oooo the possibilities ! I would absolutely love to make a delicious panini so many different ones to try. first one on the list would be a Chicken Pepperoni Parmesan Panini
I would make paninis!
I would make chocolate griddle cake
I would make grilled salmon on this grill
bacon and eggs
I would make “Paninis”. I have never made these before and they look so good in Shelly’s review and picture above.
Bacon & Eggs! Does it make Toast as well?
I think I would try to make a grilled cheese & ham sandwich in the new grill.
I would make tons of meals. Panini would be so easy to make
I would make teriyaki glazed salmon
Where have you been all my life griddle deluxe! Three things you should not be forced to cook in a round pan with a two inch wall. Eggs, bacon, pancakes. You have eliminated the handycap of making them perfect! Because right now my pancakes usually look like North America with a couple extra Floridas on it. The eggs look like Italy. No more spatula anxiety on Sunday morning!!! (yes. It’s a thing. I swear) My frying pan is gonna be so jealous! My bacon will fall in line and look like the picture on the package instead of curling up into the fetal position. Ok I’ve said too much…So for the love of bacon, Stop judging me and just give the griddle! Pretty please with bacon on top? #iloveyoucuisinart
Grilled cheese and bacon sandwich
Steak and fried potatoes mmmmmmmmmm
Eggs benny with veggie hash! Love this
Veggie Burgers
Comments are closed.