Plate area, and where the fat goes
The family that turns a table into a cooker, and the one where the useful figure is plate area in square centimeters rather than wattage — four people eating at once need surface, and a machine that runs out of it cooks in shifts. The second question is what the fat does: a contact grill with a sloped plate and a tray drains it away, a flat griddle keeps it in the pan, and the two produce genuinely different results from the same meat. We compare plate area and whether the surface is ribbed, flat or both, the temperature control (a dial with figures, or a thermostat with no numbers), whether plates come out for washing, and what the maker states about indoor smoke.
2,000 W · opens 180° · stepless dial
A 2,000 W three-in-one: contact grill, sandwich maker, and a table grill when the top opens flat through 180°. ADE publishes automatic height adjustment so food is cooked without being pressed, a stepless temperature dial, non-stick plates, a fat tray and non-slip feet.
Best for: Sandwiches and paninis on weekdays, and a flat grill when there are guests.
60–220 °C (140 to 428 °F) · food probe · 8 presets
The only contact grill of the four with a food probe and a published temperature range. Philips states the probe monitors the core temperature of the food, digital control sets anything between 60 and 220 °C (428 °F), eight presets cover the usual jobs, the top opens 180° into a table grill, and the plates are removable.
Best for: Anyone who has ever cut a steak open to see whether it was done.
2,000 W · 93 in² (600 cm²) closed · 186 in² (1,200 cm²) open
The three-in-one that publishes its surface: about 93 in² (600 cm²) as a contact grill, 186 in² (1,200 cm²) opened flat as a table grill or BBQ. 2,000 W, a three-step adjustable thermostat with an indicator light, a dedicated gratin position, and non-stick plates and drip tray that come out for the dishwasher.
Best for: A household of three or four that wants to know, before buying, how much fits.
265 °C (509 °F) sear · 2 zones · waffle plates
MultiGrill 9: three cooking positions, two independent temperature zones, a food probe, a sear function Braun states reaches 265 °C (509 °F) in minutes, and heating elements built into the plates. All plates are non-stick, removable and dishwasher-safe — and the set includes grill, flat and waffle plates.
Best for: A household that grills often, cooks two things at once, and would rather not own a waffle iron too.
The number of opening positions decides the uses: closed grill, flat open griddle, gratin. That is what distinguishes a versatile appliance from a plain grill.
A single-position grill does very well what it was designed for, and puts away more easily.
A plate that drains fat into a cool tray smokes far less than one that lets it drop on the element. That is what makes a table grill bearable in a flat.
Always, until the signal. Meat placed on a lukewarm plate releases its water and boils instead of searing.
Blot sugary marinades, oil the food rather than the plate, and empty the fat tray during cooking.
With the appliance warm: kitchen paper then a soft sponge. Removable plates are often dishwasher-safe.
Yes, by oiling it and not moving it until it releases by itself. Fish turned too soon tears.
It approaches the result without the smoky taste of charcoal. In a flat it is often the only workable option.
Very well, cut evenly for even cooking. It is a use as good as meat.
Like any non-stick, it wears. Never a metal utensil or an abrasive: those are the two causes of its premature end.
Models around two thousand watts do mark; the modest ones cook without coloring. The stated heat-up counts more than the plate area.
Preheat until the signal, oil the food and not the plate, empty the fat tray during cooking: the smoke almost always comes from one of the three. The closed grill is twice as fast, the open plate treats the cut better.
The column is kept only if four appliances in five give the figure. Otherwise it would turn absence into a difference.
| Model | Price | Fat management | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADE KA2303 | — | Drip tray supplied | Contact grill · sandwich maker · table grill at 180° |
| Braun CG9167 | — | Drip tray | 3 — contact, open (two surfaces), oven |
| Philips HD6307/70 | — | Removable fat tray | Contact grill · table grill at 180° |
| Tefal GC3060 3-in-1 Contact and Table Grill | — | Removable drip tray, dishwasher-safe | Contact grill · gratin · flat table grill |
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for kitchen appliances and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: October 17, 2026.
