T-Fal Optigrill

[maytagmike]

Every year i treat myself to a birthday present. It will be here in a couple of weeks. I love my toys of the kitchen, small appliances. This year I have my sights on the Optigrill from T-Fal. Wanted to see if anybody owns one and how they like it. It gets very good reviews. Will be looking forward to your reviews if you have one.

Thanks, Mike

 

[chachp]

My coworker has one....

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">And he LOVES it.  He can't say enough about it.  He was concerned when he first bought it because I guess it was a pricier than other grills like this but that seems to have passed.  Ironically, just the other day he was going on about some Pork Chops he cooked on it.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">He's a picky person so an endorsement like this from him is something I would consider.</span>

 

[maytagmike]

Optigrill has arrived

I went to Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday and picked up my Optigrill. It is one awesome appliance. It regularly retailed for $179.95, it was on sale for $149.95 plus I had a 20% off coupon which was another $30.00 off, so i got it for $119.95 even though my birthday isn't until next Friday, it is a nice early birthday present. I grilled steaks medium rare and they turned out perfectly. I highly recommend it if someone is looking for a counter top grill. Love it much better than the George Forman grill which I will keep for backup if need be.

 

[frigilux]

An infrequently used gas grill was one many items divested in The Great Downsizing Of 2014. The Optigrill looks like a fine alternative for the occasional steak. It certainly gets many positive user reviews. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[countryguy]

Are the grill plates removable for cleaning?

 

[chachp]

Yes

My friend who has this says the plates go into the dishwasher and come out great.

 

[maytagmike]

update on Optigrill

Not only steak, but i have done pork country style ribs, chicken thighs, tonight I'm going to do fish, over the weekend chicken wings, burgers, and steak, I put the grates right into the dishwasher and they turn out flawless. it is best by far the best appliance i have bought in a long time I highly recommend it. Thanks to Chachp for your comment about your co-worker, you were one of the deciding factors in the purchase. Thanks again.

Mike

 

[jp10558]

So I was interested in one of those basically because it claimed it could cook from frozen. Then I got a NuWave Oven because it was cheaper and seemed like it could do more things. And it does a really good job so I don't really use my old Foreman Grill anymore. I do steaks, hamburgers, hotdogs, hot sausages and it's all better in the NuWave vs the Foreman... I don't suppose you have both and could compare? I'm thinking I can just ditch the countertop grills entirely when my Foreman dies. It's left in the cupboard most of the time now.

 

[maytagmike]

Nu wave vs Optigrill

I had a Nu wave oven and got rid of it. I didn;t think it was that great. Did another steak on my Optigrill and what a beautiful steak for my birthday. Optigrill wins hands down. Tomorrow night Chicken Wings.

 

[frigilux]

Happy Birthday, Mike! Hope you have a great year.

 

[chachp]

Recommendation..

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">Mike, glad the recommendation helped and you like the grill.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I haven't tried the NuWave or the OptiGrill.  I have one of those Phillips AirFryers and I really like that.  I do my chicken wings in there if it's a smaller batch.  They come out beautiful probably like they would have out of the NuWave.  For largest batches I use the regular oven which is convection and I just crank it up a little hotter.  We haven't fried wings in years mostly because of the health issues with frying and really they come out of the AirFryer pretty nice.  I bet the NuWave would do just as well on the wings.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I'll be eager to hear about the wings on the OptiGrill.  I don't think my friend Zac has tried those or at least he hasn't mentioned.  He raves about how the steaks and chops come out.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">BTW, Happy Birthday.</span>

 

[maytagmike]

chicken wings

I did chicken wings last night. They turned out ok, the only thing is that if you have party wings you have to cook the drumetts and the wings sepertly, because trying to cook them together it throws off the sensors. And you do have to turn the drumetts a couple of times to cook on all sides. Tonight burgers, yum.

 

[frigilux]

Ordered an Optigrill via Amazon. Paid $118.00. Should have it Thursday or Friday and am looking forward to a nice steak. You can use frozen steaks/chops/burgers?!

 

[maytagmike]

tonight frozen pork ribs

haven't used the frozen cycle yet so we'll see how they turn out. You'll love the grill. Best small appliance I have ever bought.

 

[frigilux]

Update: Mine arrived little over a week ago and I love it! Have only made steaks and burgers so far, but they turn out great. Cleanup is a breeze. Will try chicken breasts and other things soon. The enclosed cookbook provides a lot of great ideas for using the grill.

Mike, did you wind up trying the Optigrill with frozen food, and if so, how did it turn out?

This is one small appliance purchase that will get a lot of use!

 

[maytagmike]

frozen food selection

Steaks, pork chops, and chicken all turn out well. it automatically goes from blue which is the frozen food cycle right into the cooking cycle. It does preheat as usual. If you have any questions let me know.Also fish turns out wonderful.

 

[countryguy]

I turned on the Home Shopping Channel this morning and there was the T-fal Optigrill. It was on sale for $169 CAD with an extra 15% off today only along with free shipping so after remembering all the great reviews you guys gave it, I decided to order it.

Gary

 

[frigilux]

I use mine at least a couple of times a week---burgers, steaks, boneless chicken breasts, and chops have all turned very well. Grilled cheese sandwiches, too. Super-easy cleanup, as well. The grill plates and drip tray go straight into the dishwasher.

 

[mixguy]

Opti grill vs. Griddler or some similar appliance?

How does the the Optigrill Compare to the Griddler? I have never used either and trying to get rid of all my "singleton" appliances which one has more multi purpose uses? Currently have a middle sized George Foreman grill to do an occasional rib eye, hamburger, chicken breast or porkchop. I have concerns about the durability of the grilling surfaces. The early George Foreman grills (made by Salton) were more durable than the new ones made in the last 10 yrs. The finish on mine started blistering off. I was alway prompt about cleaning it and never used any thing abrasive or harsh to clean the surfaces Found an older one at a resale shop and it works just fine for now, know it will not last forever so I am thinking ahead in planning its replacement. From what I have read the Optigrill is great at grilling and the indicator light is accurate at determining doneness. can it be used to do other cooking? does it come with only grooved grill plates? can it be used to do to make grilled sandwiches? Hope I get input from Griddler and Optigrill owners about the good, the bad and the ugly. I care not to get another George Foreman because their quality is not as good as it used to be, I know they make a grill now with up to 5 different plate that are said to be dishwasher safe, that environment is harsh on non-stick and I don't think the plates are thick enough to distribute heat evenly. What ever I get I expect it to perform well. Please feel free to chime in, read what was already posted about the Optigrill, I want a durable product first, multi-use and easy clean up (dishwasher safety is an option, not a requirement)