Power consumption
Rated power of the device — that is, the maximum power consumed during normal operation. With a low intensity of heating, energy consumption may be lower, but it is worth focus on this indicator.
The larger the surface area of the electric grill, the more energy is required for its efficient operation. In addition, for different cooking tasks, the intensity of heating (and, accordingly, the required power) will also be different. Therefore, only devices of the same type (see above) with a similar size of the working surface (see below) can be compared by this indicator. And in such a comparison, it is worth proceeding from the fact that higher power provides faster heating and more stable temperatures, but significantly affects the cost of the device. In addition, appliances
more than 2 kW can create problems for old, “weak” wiring.
However, more than 2 kW is a high power for modern electric grills. Most of them have power consumption of
1,5 – 2 kW, quite a few models are in the range
of 1 – 1,5 kW, and in the most low-power devices, this figure does not exceed
1 kW at all. At the same time, it is worth emphasizing separately that low power in itself does not mean low efficiency — often it turns out to be quite sufficient, taking into account the type and capacity of the grill.
Max. heating temperature
The maximum heating temperature of the electric grill panels supported by the device in normal operation. It is desirable that its optimal indicator is about 230 — 240 ° C. Electric grills with such a heating temperature threshold will be able to fry any food with high quality.
A high temperature may only be needed for some specific types of cooking, and a lower temperature will not ensure proper grilling for home use.
Plate surface
The shape that the working surface of the grill has.
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Corrugated. Corrugated plates with a striped surface are designed in a way that only the protruding ribs come into contact with the product, allowing fat and juice to flow freely into the recesses. The heat of the grill causes the liquid in the recesses to boil, creating distinctive fried stripes on the dish. The surface between the stripes is not fried as much as it is sealed. This corrugated surface is considered ideal for cooking meat as it allows excess fat to drip off, resulting in a less greasy finished dish compared to using a smooth surface. However, vegetables are not as well-suited for a corrugated grill.
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Smooth. The smooth surface, without any prominent texture, is typically considered ideal for frying vegetables, but it is not as effective for cooking meat. On a smooth surface, meat tends to fry in its own juice, resulting in a dish that is higher in fat compared to using a ribbed surface.
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Smooth and corrugated. Some grills are designed or come with a set of surfaces that offer both types of textures mentioned earlier. This includes a combination of smooth and corrugated surfaces. This design is commonly found in barbecue grills and raclette grills, allowing users to cook different types of food simultaneously. Another option, commonly seen in contact g
...rills, involves interchangeable plates that come with the device. These plates can be adjusted to accommodate specific foods. Additionally, in models that offer a 180° opening function, different types of dishes can be cooked simultaneously, similar to an open combination grill.
— Grid. The working surface of the grill is typically in the form of a grid positioned above the heater. One of the main advantages of this design is its ability to impart a smoky flavor to dishes. The juice and fat from the food being cooked drip onto the heater, evaporating and infusing the dish with a distinct aroma. However, these grills require regular maintenance and cleaning, not only of the grid but also of the heater. The cleaning process can be challenging due to the presence of hard-to-reach areas. As a result, this type of grill has become quite rare in modern times.Plates included
The number of individual plates in the device delivery set.
For operating the contact grill (see "Type"), two plates are needed, for other types of grills, one is enough. So if the characteristics state more such parts (4 or more for contact models, 2 or more for the rest) — this means that the device has removable plates (see "Functions") and is equipped with several types of plates that can be changed to your discretion. Most often, such replacement parts differ in the shape of the surface (see "Surface of the plates"); in addition, the set may include specialized devices for waffles, for pancakes (see below), etc.
A separate case in this regard is represented by pizza makers (see "Type"): although they use two-sided heating, but only one complete plate can be indicated in the characteristics. In such cases, we are talking about a removable plate that is attached to the upper half of the device (lid): when this part is installed, the pizza maker actually turns into a contact grill, and without it there is free space under the lid, which is convenient for cooking pizza and other similar dishes.
Cable length
The length of the cable for connecting to the network provided in the design of the device.
It is worth considering the estimated distance to the outlet when choosing according to this indicator: a wire that is too short will not reach it, too long will get mixed up and create inconvenience. At the same time, also note that most electric grills are designed for use at home and other similar conditions, where there are no particular problems with access to sockets. Therefore, the cable length in such devices does not exceed 2 m, and in some models it is even about 80 cm.
