Hamilton Beach Professional Professional Cast Iron Electric Grill & Griddle

I normally do not write reviews for things but here is what I would say about this product. First I have a cast iron pan I use on an induction burner. Issue is it shut off and the heavy pot is really tough on the surface of a glass top, which is why I used induction cook top with cast iron. I did a search for cast iron skillet, of course I had tons of matches of items that are skillets made of aluminum or treated non stick cook ware, but this claimed to be cast iron. After delivered it is a true heavy duty cast iron tray.. I seared a steak, which yielded the best flavor yet of all the steaks I’ve made. I long been looking for a product like this but could never find one made of actual heavy duty cast iron. This think is big enough to cook bacon without having to cut slices.. more than one steak without it crowding the pan this was by far amazing, just the heating element holds up a long time, as I know the cast iron will ! First time clean us was cake. I was able to use a silicone spatula while it was on with some water and it drains straight into the drain cup, and just like that seasoned and ready for tomorrow. Great for those on a Carnivore diet. Great flavor.

By far my favorite griddle! The cast Iton plate holds up to metal utensils and a food scrapper. The top is removeable fir easy cleaning. Heat evenly. It is smaller than I thought I will say but other than thay its great!

The temperature uniformity is slightly off; the far corner away from the drip tray seems to run a little cooler than the rest of the grill. However, in general, it’s very easy to cook on. Doing a quick scrape and rubdown with salt is easy, as is emptying the drip tray. However, if you need to do more of a scrub clean, the iron is very heavy, and rather hard to maneuver around a sink.

Totally worth the tradeoff of avoiding Teflon, however. Teflon (or any current nonstick, AFAIK) wears out over time, simply by being exposed to heat. It slowly breaks down, and leaves residues in your food. A well-seasoned cast iron surface isn’t quite as nonstick, but the only thing it adds to your food is iron, which is often good for you.

It will be a little sticky at first. This is a preseasoned grill, but factory seasoning is minimal, probably the least amount they can do to keep it from rusting. You’ll need to cook with it for a month or two before getting a really slick surface.

Excellent griddle, easy to maintain and with minimal care (clean any sticky food while hot and once it cools to 200F, pour some water and it cleans real well and easy), the surface is as good as nonstick, without any artificial coating. Holds temperature well and cooking area is enough for a family. Chicken comes out delicious every time – been using it almost every weekend for a few months now. Very satisfied.