Anybody have an electric grill or a skillet? How well do they work? Something similar to these:


Electric grill



Electric skillet



In the skillet you can make stews and stir fries, aside from cuts of chicken and fish, but not really decent steaks, at least I think not. On the grill you can make steaks and all other cuts of flesh and grill vegetables, but obviously not stews and stir fries.

I need to buy one but don't know which one I should get. Anybody tried making a steak in an electric skillet? See if a steak turns out semi decent in the skillet, then I would rather get the skillet due to the added advantage of being able to make stews and stir fries. But if a steak is all but impossible in the skillet then I will go with the grill.

Any experience with either of the appliances would be highly appreciated, or suggestions of any other electric-powered alternatives. A grill that closes over?

P.S. I am guessing chickn breasts turn out decent in the skillet.

[Edited on January 24, 2014 at 11:24 AM. Reason : ]

1/24/2014 11:24:10 AM

As long as there's a decent heat range on the skillet, the only big differences would be the lack of grill marks and to some degree runoff of fat.

1/24/2014 11:33:22 AM

I used to have a Big George in the days that I couldn't have a real grill and it worked great, part if me wishes I kept it because it was so easy to use but it was just kind of annoying to clean. Worked way better that a normal George Foreman grill, I wouldn't even consider them similar other than the electronic part.

1/24/2014 11:35:10 AM

So the big George is just a big contact grill, right, like this?




Btw, the one I just posted looks amazing. It opens flat, and the surfaces can be changes to grills or flat griddles on each half separately. It is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-GR-4N-5-in-1-Griddler/dp/B002YD99Y4


Any other experiences with contact grills?

1/24/2014 11:54:57 AM

I have the Weber q240 electric grill and it works very well. I don't know if you're looking for a counter top grill or not but the apartment I lived in wouldn't allow gas and the landlord was snoopy as shit so I had the Weber on my balcony. You get pretty solid sear marks on steaks and you can cook enough for 4-6 people at once. It also seasons well and gets a good amount of smoke so it tastes like food that's been grilled (unlike a foreman grill or panini press type thing)

1/25/2014 1:22:16 PM

^^I have that Cuisinart and I use it all the damn time. It's particularly good for meat imo, since it sears from both sides it cooks quickly without drying the meat out. It's a good sandwich press too.

1/26/2014 12:08:36 PM

I have an electric skillet, I pretty much only use it if I'm making an enormous breakfast.

1/26/2014 1:28:51 PM

George foreman type grills are a PITA to clean.

Either get a skillet or get a grill where the whole cook surface comes off so you can wash it easier.

1/26/2014 1:45:04 PM

Quote :

"electric grill"

do what now?

1/26/2014 7:25:41 PM