Lightweight, Vision-Friendly, Minimal Controls, Built-in Drip Cup and Built-in Timer, Easy-to-Remove Grill Plate
As we get older, we often need to find ways to simplify cooking and improve our diet. Moving from the frying pan to an electric grill is an easy place to start. Easy to use electric grills are great for seniors who love grilling up a healthy meal, but don’t have the time or the energy to fire up the backyard barbecue. In addition to providing healthy meals, most electric grills are simple to use and easy to clean – a perfect combination.
What to Look For in an Electric Grill:
I. Lightweight
Unless the electric grill is going to remain out in the open at all times, it should be lightweight so that it’s easily transportable from the cabinet to the counter. However, consumers should also note that some grills that are lightweight are unstable when the lid is open, causing them to tip backwards. One must be careful with heavy lids as well because they can easily slam shut, trapping fingers or splashing liquids or fats.
II. Vision-Friendly
If declining vision is a problem, then you should pay extra attention to a few of the features on an electric grill. The print on the controls should be easy to read and near the top of the grill, where lighting is usually the most abundant. Indicator lights should be easy to see and clearly placed.
III. Minimal Controls
One great characteristic of most electric grills is that they have minimal controls to master. Usually a single control that regulates temperature and one on/off switch is all that is needed. Some even have controls similar to a kitchen stove, giving them a sense of familiarity right off the bat. Familiarity aside, these dials, buttons or switches only need be big and easy to turn or push.
IV. Built-in Drip Cup and Built-in Timer
Some added features should also be considered when it comes to the electric grill: a built-in drip cup and a built-in timer. It’s easy to forget to use an additional part like a drip cup, but doing so can be dangerous. Forgetting to place the drip cup near the grease runoff spout could result in a large mess, burns and even ruined kitchen space. Even if your electric grill doesn’t come with a drip cup you should place a container wherever you see runoff occurring. Luckily, some grills come with a built-in drip cup it can’t be forgotten. Additionally, a built-in timer can be a big help to people who leave their food unattended. Since most grills don’t turn off automatically, forgetting to use a timer could result in a ruined meal – not to mention a fire.
V. Easy-to-Remove Grill Plate
These features are ideal for when the grill was in use. However, there are a few others that you should consider that can help with clean up. The grill plate should have handles for easy removal so that the user doesn’t have to touch a potentially hot grill. Its metal plates should also be dishwasher safe.
Note: The number-one problem with electric grills is the durability of the non-stick surface. The non-stick coating tends to wear off over time, so make sure the person cleaning the grill plates follows the directions that come with the grill. These instructions usually state that the plates can’t remain in water for extended periods of time.
With all of these features in mind, we bring you our top electric grills for the elderly.
The Top 5
George Foreman 360 Electric Nonstick Grill with 5 Interchangeable Grill Plates
Elder-friendly features: Minimal controls, big indicator lights, handles for grill removal, dishwasher-safe grill plates, stable
Cons: Small print, separate drip cup, no timer
Conclusion: Nearly all the George Foreman Grills that we looked at had nice handles for easy removal of the grill plates. The George Foreman 360 is simple to operate, but could use a timer. The black plastic on the lid is really flimsy and seems like it could break easily.
Cuisinart GR-1 Griddler Panini and Sandwich Press
Elder-friendly features: No controls to learn, lightweight, indicator lights
Cons: Unstable, grill plates not removable, separate drip cup, no timer
Conclusion: This grill is great for sandwiches, but its simplistic design and small size doesn’t make it versatile. The grill plates aren’t removable, but it’s easy to clean as it’s so small. It’s ideal if you cook only one or two servings.
George Foreman Removable-Plate Grill – 72 sq. in. (GRP4B)
Elder-friendly features: No controls to learn, grill plates have easy-off handles, stable, lightweight, plates are dishwasher-safe
Cons: Separate drip cup, no timer
Conclusion: If simplicity is what you’re looking for, it doesn’t get much simpler than the George Foreman Removable-Plate Grill. If only it had a timer…
George Foreman GRP90WGR Next Grilleration Removable-Plate Grill with 5 Plates, Red
Elder-friendly features: Minimal controls, large dial temperature control, handles for grill plate removal, dishwasher-safe grill plates, stable, lightweight
Cons: Separate drip cup, no timer, stiff tilt lever in back
Conclusion: We are noticing a theme with the George Foreman Grills: they are very user-friendly, but it would be nice if a timer was included and if the drip cup was built in.
George Foreman 3-Plates Stainless Steel Grill – GRP100
Elder-friendly features: Big indicator lights, handles for grill plate removal, timer, stable, grill plates are removable
Cons: Unfriendly dial location (on the side near the bottom), small print, separate drip cup, heavy
Conclusion: We really liked that this model had a timer, but the positions of the controls are inconvenient. If the controls were near the front it would have been great.
The Others
Calphalon HE600CG Removable-Plate Nonstick Countertop Grill
Elder-friendly features: Stove-like controls, stable, easy to grip dials, timer, built-in drip cup
Cons: Very heavy body and lid, grill plates not removable, difficult to clean, small print
Conclusion: The Calphalon HE600CG has a lot of the features we were looking for, but its downsides are significant. The lid on this model seemed heavier and more likely to slam shut than most others, so be warned.
Krups FDE312-75 Universal Grill and Panini Maker
Elder-friendly features: No controls to learn, lightweight, removable grill plates, indicator lights
Cons: Unstable, separate drip cup, no timer
Conclusion: The Krups FDE312-75 is similar to the Cuisinart GR-1, but it has removable grill plates.
Breville 800GRXL Die-Cast Indoor Barbeque and Grill
Elder-friendly features: Stable, easy to grip dials, timer, built-in drip cup
Cons: Very heavy, grill plates are not removable
Conclusion: The Breville 800GRXL is very heavy and was obviously not designed to be moved around.
Elder-friendly features: Removable grill plates, dishwasher safe, easy to grip dials, big print
Cons: Heavy, removable grill plates don’t have handles, unstable, separate drip cup, no timer
Conclusion: The GR-4 is a nice grill, but it’s large and heavy, making it difficult to move or clean.
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