Hamilton Beach 25325 MealMaker Express Contact Grill
by Hamilton Beach
|
List Price: Our Price: $58.34 You Save: $51.65 (47%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $56.99 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Hamilton Beach 25325 MealMaker Express Contact Grill
Customer Review: Be Forewarned, I wasn't
Summary: 4 Stars
After using this grill (and loving it and depending on it) for two years (almost to the date), I made a mistake and I killed it. I started the pre-heat cycle, thinking the plates were in, they were not. This destroyed the spring clips, causing the top one not to hold the plate at all and the bottom one to be melted onto the cooker so I can't remove that plate at all. I loved this grill, but of course the price has increased, especially for a black one. I am now trying to decide whether or not to replace it for an exact match at the much higher price. But I absolutely will have to replace it. This replaced a Foreman and there was no comparison between the two, this was much superior. So, it's still has at least a 4 star, the mistake was mine. I wish the manufacturer had warned me.Customer Review: George who?
Summary: 5 Stars
This is better, cheaper and easier to clean than the Foreman grill that I used to have.Customer Review: Very convenient
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this grill tonight and made burgers using Jennie-O's frozen turkey burger patties. It worked great, the grease drained just fine, the patties held together (unlike on my outdoor grill where they tend to fall through the wide gaps between the grill bars), they cooked evenly, and they cooked at least twice as fast as they would have on my old electric tabletop grill. While some bits of the burgers stuck to this grill, cleanup was a breeze compared to my old tabletop grill because on this one at least I was able to soak the cooking surfaces. And the burgers lifted off much easier than they have on any other grill I've tried.
I like this better than the George Foreman grills because the grease catcher on this one slides into the side of the grill and stores there, instead of being a separate part you have to keep track of. The timer is also convenient because with it, I don't have to check the food every few minutes. I don't plan on making steaks on this grill (those will go on the gas grill outside), so the narrow gap between the grill plates doesn't bother me.
Customer Review: I prefer this one to George
Summary: 4 Stars
I agree with most everyone here. This unit has its disadvantages, but overall I prefer it to the George. It does take a while to preheat, and the timer function could be redone, but I love the removable plates and the fact that the grill plates sit more flat on the grill (The channels are slanted, to aid in fat drainage, but the plates themselves are level so your food doesn't slip off the grill. That was my number one complaint with the George. I had lots of trouble keeping my chicken breasts on the grill due to the angle. The HB doesn't cook quite as hot or fast as George, but my chicken breasts and pork chops are much more tender and juicy as a result of cooking a bit more slowly. Everything I made in the George was dry.
It is a pretty large appliance, so if you're looking for something compact this is not for you. I would probably give it 3.75 stars, but that's not an option.
Customer Review: Self damages over time - no customer support.
Summary: 3 Stars
I've had a 25325 for a couple of years and I really like the removeable grill plates. The problem is that, over time, the plastic strips that houses the grill latches become deformed and charred from the heat. I called customer service and they cannot/will not provide replacement latches. They claim it only happens when the unit is operated without the plates installed (that is NOT the case). Their answer is a new grill and it would be a warranty replacement if the grill was less than a year old. This is a pretty handy grill, just don't expect it to last. When I replace this one, I'll shop for similar features with better engineering.