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.
Control
Electric grill control panel design.
— Control knob. Mechanical control is carried out using
rotary knobs and switches. Most parameters in such devices are set and controlled manually. In this case, the control elements are connected to the working parts of the electric grill directly, without additional electronic circuits. This option is simple, reliable and low cost; however, it is only suitable for the most basic functions, but electric grills usually do not require more.
–
Push-button. Push-button control is based on electronic circuits. Such systems are more accurate than mechanical ones (for example, the timer in such electric grills can usually be set with an accuracy of up to a few seconds), and more options and modes are provided. On the other hand, such control is more complex and more expensive than mechanical control.
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Touch. A type of
electronic control with touch switches. Compared to push-button models, it provides a high level of comfort in operation, and looks more modern and aesthetically pleasing. Touch control is found mainly in top models of electric grills.
Number of skewers
The number of skewers supplied with the device.
This parameter is relevant primarily for barbecue grills (see "Type"), but separate models of barbecue grills and raclette grills can also be equipped with skewers. The number of such accessories is selected by the manufacturer depending on the design features of the grill; most often it is from 5 to 8. Note that the capacity of the device is not directly related to this parameter: for example, 5 large skewers of a classic vertical barbecue can hold more food than 8 small skewers of an outdoor grill.
Also note that some modern grills are equipped with a Chinese fondue set — a saucepan for broth and skewers, with which pieces of meat and other products are dipped into the heated broth. For such models, in this paragraph, the number of skewers can be specified (traditionally there are 6 of them).