Features
Additional features and capabilities of the electric grill.
Features such as a
thermostat,
thermometer probe,
shutdown timer, and
auto-cooking can be found in all types of grills (see "Type");
removable plates are also quite popular, except in electric skillets; however,
adjustable doneness,
upper plate height adjustment,
180° opening, and
separate temperature control are mainly relevant for contact grills (with rare exceptions). Here is a more detailed description of each of these features:
— Thermostat. A regulator that allows you to automatically maintain the set temperature of the working surface. A special sensor monitors the grill's temperature, turning off the heat when the desired value is reached and turning it back on when it cools down by a few degrees. This allows you to maintain the necessary cooking mode effortlessly. Thermostats are very simple in design and inexpensive, which is why they are found in most modern electric grills.
— Shutdown timer. A timer that turns off the heat after a set time. This feature frees the user from having to monitor the time themselves: just set the desired value on the timer. Additionally, it significantly r
...educes the risk of overcooking or burning the dish: such an unpleasantness can only occur if too much time was set for cooking. Note that the timer's capabilities depend on the type of control (see "Control"): with mechanical control, the time is usually set quite approximately (sometimes with an accuracy of one or two minutes), while with electronic control — with an accuracy of a second.
— Auto-cooking. The presence of one or more auto-cooking programs in the grill. This feature differs from the shutdown timer described above by being more convenient and functional. The user does not need to manually set the grill's operating time or temperature — usually, it's enough to select the type of product and the desired degree of doneness/heating. The specific set of auto-cooking programs can vary and should be clarified separately; among the most popular options are "meat" (often with a choice of doneness), "poultry," "fish," "burgers," "sandwiches," "sausages," and a defrost mode.
— Adjustable doneness. Adjusting the degree of doneness is especially relevant for meat dishes — particularly beef steaks. It allows you to choose the desired level of readiness: Blue Rare (completely rare), Rare (with blood), Medium Rare (medium-rare), Medium (medium), Medium Well (almost well-done), Well Done (fully cooked). Intermediate options for medium doneness may not be provided, just as the Blue level — it all depends on the specific model of the electric grill.
— Sear. The Sear function in electric grills is designed for quickly searing foods at high temperatures, creating a caramelized crust without drying out the inside. This is usually achieved by briefly heating to 260–300 °C, which is especially useful for cooking steaks, meat, fish, and vegetables.
— Removable plates. The ability to remove the grill's working plate(s). The main purpose of this feature is to facilitate washing and cleaning the working surface after use. Removable plates can be easily washed in the kitchen sink and often even in the dishwasher, whereas such options are not available for non-removable designs. Additionally, some devices with this feature may come with interchangeable plates of different types (see "Plates included"); and if a removable plate is damaged, you only need to buy a similar replacement part — there's no need to replace the entire grill or take it for repair.
— Upper plate height adjustment. The ability to manually adjust the height of the upper plate. The user can choose a position below which the plate should not descend. This slightly complicates the setup but provides some advantages and additional possibilities. First and foremost, it allows for "contactless" cooking — when the upper plate does not touch the products, and heating from above occurs only through thermal radiation.
— 180° opening. A feature primarily found in contact grills and some pizza makers (see "Type"). When the lid is opened to 180°, such a device effectively turns into a barbecue grill with two separate working surfaces. Thus, this feature allows for grilling not only in a "closed" but also in an "open" manner. In some such models, separate temperature control is provided (see below), further expanding functionality.
— Separate temperature control. In grills with this feature, the working surface is divided into two parts, and the temperature of each can be adjusted independently of the other. Most of these models are contact grills with the ability to open to 180° (see above) — in them, you can separately adjust the temperature of the main surface and the lid. In the "open" work format, this allows for simultaneously cooking dishes that require different temperature modes; and with a closed grill, separate regulation can provide different processing intensities from above and below — for example, browning the bottom half of a burger and only slightly heating the top. There are also open grills where the working surface is divided into two independent temperature zones; however, this feature significantly complicates the design and increases its cost, so very few such models are produced.
— Thermometer probe. A device for measuring the temperature of a dish and determining its degree of readiness. The thermometer probe is a thin rod with a temperature sensor at the end. Measurements with it can be conducted both on the surface and inside the product, allowing you to determine the dish's readiness or roughly estimate the remaining time until it's cooked.Automatic programmes
Preset programs for automatic cooking of some well-known and popular dishes. For more information about the function in general, see the section "Autocooking". The most common options for automatic programs are also considered here:
red meat (steak),
pork,
bacon,
chicken,
fish,
seafood,
sausages,
burger,
sandwich,
vegetables,
defrosting.
— Red meat (steak). Program for cooking beef steaks. As a rule, additional settings may include adjustment of the degree of roasting (see the corresponding item in "Functions and capabilities").
— Pork. Suitable for cooking various pork dishes — chops, medallions, ribs, etc. The program prevents the meat from drying out, keeping it juicy, while at the same time ensuring sufficient roasting of the pork.
— Bacon. A program for frying thin slices of bacon or brisket until crispy and golden brown. It prevents the thin pieces of meat from drying out.
— Chicken. Program for cooking various dishes from chicken meat: whole breasts, thighs, wings, etc. The heating temperature of the plates and the cooking time are selected so that the chicken is cooked ins
...ide and covered with an appetizing crispy crust on the outside.
— Fish. Automatic mode for cooking fish steaks, fillets, whole fish carcasses and other similar fish dishes. The program prevents overdrying of tender meat, leaving it soft and juicy.
— Seafood. A delicate program with a relatively low heating temperature of the working surface for gentle cooking of seafood cocktail, shrimp, squid and other seafood. These are usually cooked very quickly.
— Sausages. A program for uniform frying of sausages, wieners and frankfurters. The emphasis in it is on avoiding overheating of sausage products — thus preventing damage to the integrity of the casing. The mode will come in handy for cooking hot dogs.
— Burger. This program is aimed at optimal frying of burger patties — so that they remain juicy inside and get an appetizing crust on the outside. At the same time, burger buns are supposed to be fried separately, for which the "Sandwich" program will serve (see below).
— Sandwich. A program for toasting buns, toasts and sandwiches until golden brown. When using it, bakery products become crispy and the filling inside melts evenly (for example, cheese slices).
— Vegetables. Vegetables are grilled at relatively moderate temperature settings. At a minimum, this prevents them from burning, while maintaining their texture and flavor.
— Defrost. A special mode for gentle defrosting of frozen products. It maintains low intensity of the electric grill so that the contents are effectively “defrosted” but not cooked.Display
The presence of its own
display in the design of the grill.
This function is found only in advanced models with electronic control (see "Control"). At the same time, both relatively simple and quite advanced displays can be installed in modern grills, in some models even colour ones. However, such equipment makes working with the grill more convenient and visual anyway: various useful data can be displayed on the screen (timer settings, selected temperature mode or programme, time until the end of cooking, etc.). Models with this function are expensive, but this is not due to the presence of a screen, but to the extensive functionality in general — there is no need to use displays in simpler devices.
