The “Exceptional” Appliance My Dad Swears By for Quick, Easy Dinners
One of the most interesting parts about visiting my parents is checking out what they’re using in their kitchen. The house they live in is where I grew up, and I used to know where everything was — especially when it came to the kitchen. As a teenager, I spent many days and nights there tinkering around with recipes from onion rings that turned translucent to a deeply burnt batch of homemade Chex mix. (To be fair, I had my wins occasionally, too). But now that I no longer live there, I am always intrigued to see what cookware, appliances, utensils, and gadgets they’ve acquired (and sometimes cook with them myself).
One such appliance that my dad has been using pretty much every day for the last year is the Cuisinart Griddler Five. My parents have actually had this appliance for years. It was a gift my dad bought for my mom that somehow got relegated to the basement. But when my dad’s eating habits dramatically changed last year and he moved to eating grilled chicken or fish every night for dinner, he went to the storage room in their basement to look for something that he could cook these dinners with. And that’s when he rediscovered the Griddler. Now, there’s no chance it’ll be going back to the basement anytime soon.
What Is the Cuisinart Griddler Five?
Cuisinart’s Griddler Five is a versatile countertop appliance that’s amazing for cooking a number of different dishes. While at first glance it might look like a panini press (and it can surely act as one), it can do a whole lot more than that. This is in part thanks to the appliance’s reversible plates that allows users to both griddle and grill foods. Not to mention, you can close the top part like a panini press to make sandwiches, grilled chicken, and more. Or, you can lay the top panel flat, so it’s effectively one big indoor grill/griddle.
Beyond its versatility, one aspect my dad really appreciates about this appliance is that the cooking plates can be thrown directly into the dishwasher. Since he uses the Griddler to make dinner every night, this makes clean up super easy. Plus, he says “the timer is very intuitive.” He explained to me that it’s really neat because after it has counted down the amount of time it’s set for, it then begins counting up. So, if you’ve stepped away from the appliance, you know how much longer your food has been cooking for.
Why My Dad Loves the Cuisinart Griddler Five
My parents are no stranger to products like the Cuisinart Griddler Five. For many years, they had a George Foreman electric grill in their kitchen. The Griddler was meant to be the replacement for that, but somehow it ended up being put away instead of integrated into their kitchen. But all that changed last year when my dad needed an easy and reliable way to cook chicken. “I needed something to grill with … and it was a grill. It was pretty much that simple,” he said. “It looked pretty solidly built, and that turned out to be true.”
He says he’s cooked somewhere around 300 dinners on it in the last year, and all it has to show for it is some minor wear-and-tear on the grill plates and on the outside. “Its performance is exceptional,” he said. There are a number of reasons he loves this appliance, including that it’s versatile, well-built, and reliable. “It’s efficient and easy to use, and does what I expect it to do,” he said. “I don’t have to think much.” Not to mention, he also points out that it preheats in a matter of minutes, so he can get to cooking his dinner quickly.
It’s amazing the hidden treasures you can find in your own home. And if my dad’s tale teaches us anything, it’s that it might be worth taking a peek through your storage to find some great products — and that if you’re looking for an awesome indoor grill/griddle, the Cuisinart Griddler Five isn’t one to sleep on.
Buy: Cuisinart Griddler Five, $119.95
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