GE 4 in 1 grill?

[fan-of-fans]

At an estate sale last weekend, saw a GE electric grill. The type that is similar to George Foreman in that both top and bottom can grill. But the GE could also be used as a Panini press, or opened flat and be an open grill. With it open flat the grooved surfaces could also be flipped over to a smooth griddle surface similar to the older vintage Sunbeam waffle irons and GE grills.

It was only $10 and lady said 25% off day, so it was tempting. I only passed because 1) I don't need it and 2) It was made during the time GE was actually just Walmart having rights to the name and sticking it on relabeled items. It felt quite good quality though.

So has anyone used one of these and can say good or bad? They are quite similar to the Cuisinart Griddler which a friend of mine owns but I've never asked about.

The GE version I do not believe was continued under the current Walmart Farberware name, or at least I haven't seen any.

Link showing same model on eBay

GE 4-in-1 Panini Grill & Griddle - Model 169232 for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for GE 4-in-1 Panini Grill & Griddle - Model 169232 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[tomturbomatic]

On 120 volts, it cannot heat both grilling surfaces hot enough to really sear meat. It is adequate for fish. I really do not know why companies design and make these things that offer marginal performance at best and are just something else to clean ( which is not easy.)

 

[chachp]

I had the Cuisinart equivalent...

 

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">and gave it away.  It just didn't get hot enough as stated above.  I only used it a couple of times and a friend wanted one so I gave it to him.</span>

 

[tomturbomatic]

Have any of you every looked into a waffle iron when the grids were removed and noticed how the open coil heaters were strung from insulators at some distance from the cooking surfaces? I wonder if that was the way this thing was constructed; not an efficient or effective way for heating a high temperature cooking surface. I think a more efficient way to heat the grids would be to have sealed rod heating elements either held against the grids or cast into the grids to get the most heat into the cooking surfaces from each precious watt of electricity instead of heating the air above it and transferring the heat to the grid through radiation and conduction from the heated air into the grid.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I have a Cuisenart 5-1

I absolutely love it.  Great doing Panni sandwiches, and it opens up to the most even heating griddle I have ever used. 

 

I used it once as a grill, and as stated it cooks, but does not sear or brown tremendously well.  I find it, like the George Forman Grill; tends to dry the meat out. 

 

For what I purchased it for, Panni and Griddle, I'm very happy with it.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Not sure on the Cuisinart, but here's the GE on eBay and in the picture with the plates removed you can see it uses the rod-style elements.

Also probably a good thing I didn't buy the one at the sale because it likely was missing the flat plates. I thought they just reversed, but apparently they are two separate sets.

GE 4-in-1 Panini Grill & Griddle - Model 169232 for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for GE 4-in-1 Panini Grill & Griddle - Model 169232 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[maytagbear]

That---

"Buy It Now" price is absurd at 44.00 and change!

I have been given two Foreman grills at different times by different kindly folks, and I gave them, unused by me, to others who had expressed an interest.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[mrboilwash]

I think the problem of those contact grills in general is not only the anemic US voltage which could be at least somewhat compensated with a longer preheating time but the non stick coating cannot be heated high enough to give ideal grilling results.