Our electric indoor grilling appliance assessments continue with the Elite Cuisine Indoor Electric Grill by Maxi-Matic. The Elite Cuisine grill has a heating element that is embedded into the cooking grate, similar to some of the other grills we recently reviewed. During the unboxing phase we noticed this grill was lightweight, which raised an eyebrow as to the quality. Let’s see if its lightweight nature dictates quality and how it stacks up against our prior reviews.
The Elite Cuisine grill comes in 4 pieces and assembles in under 5 minutes once unpacked. It shares similar features to some of the other grills we have reviewed, including a non-stick cooking grate with embedded heating element, a plug with integrated temperature controller, a non-stick metal drip pan, and a plastic base. The manual and packaging both state that the cooking grate is fully submersible or dishwasher safe—unlike the Delonghi Perfecto Grill we reviewed which had conflicting statements throughout the documentation and packaging. We tested the “dishwasher safe” statement about the cooking grate and drip pan and found it to be accurate.
After the quick assembly, we proceeded by turning the grill to high for a 5 minute preheat, as recommended by the product manual. We observed the grate temperature rising quickly. At 1000 watts, this unit easily heated to the 445ºF+ as described in the features. It reached these temperatures as quickly or quicker than some of the higher wattage grills reviewed. Heat spread past the embedded heating element areas of the cooking grate in 5 minutes or less. The grate temperature was observed with an infrared digital thermometer reaching the hottest points on the left and right sides of the grill directly over the heating element. The center of the cooking grate remained as the “medium” temperature grilling area, much like other embedded heating element grills we have reviewed.
When proteins and vegetables were added to the cooking surface, we were surprised that this grill had a quite a bit more “sizzle” than the higher wattage Delonghi Perfecto grill. This grill reached average temperatures of up to 445ºF+ with no food. Adding proteins and vegetables dropped the temperature minimally—well within an acceptable range. Proteins and vegetables cooked evenly throughout and displayed a surprisingly decent sear for a grill at this wattage. Flavors and juices of the cooked foods were on par with some of the other budget indoor electric grill we have reviewed. We also observed that the temperature controller thermostat preformed with tighter power cycles than some grills we have reviewed, which seemed to keep the cooking surface at temperature more precisely. We attribute some of the even cooking and searing capabilities of this grill to the tighter temperature cycles.
Item Specs: Maxi-Matic Elite Cuisine Electric Indoor Grill (Model EGL-3450) *
- Grate Material: Unspecified
- Wattage: 120V – 1000W (as found on rating label)
- Heat Range: 195ºF-4445ºF
- Cooking Grate Surface Area 13” W x 9.5” D 125-sq. in
- Cord Length: 26” (as measured by reviewer)
*Specs from manufacturer web site.
What We Loved
The dishwasher safe drip pan and cooking grate with integrated heating element was a big plus with this grill. The heating element embedded into the cooking grate means there is no chance of drippings burning onto an exposed heating element. The smaller cooking grate and drip pan size allowed us to easily place it in the dishwasher. The non-stick surfaces of both components allowed food residue to slide off under running hot water, or to be easily whisked away with a plastic brush. The lip on the cooking grate was not as tall as some of the other grills we reviewed but worked flawlessly when moving foods with a spatula. While this grill is lower wattage, it performed on par with some of the other budget grills we have reviewed and better than a few at double the price point.
What Could Be Improved
The lightweight nature of this grill allowed it to slide around on the counter top surface when removing foods with a spatula. The addition of rubber feet to the plastic base would probably overcome this small issue. Extending the non-stick coating to the bottom of the cooking grate would be a nice feature to make this electric grill even easier to clean. A longer cord would be a welcome improvement, allowing cooking further away from a power outlet.
Who It’s For
This grill will find a good home in an apartment or condo setting where there is limited kitchen space or storage space. The compact size and lightweight nature of this grill make for easy storage. The dishwasher safe components add an extra level of convenience, while the non-stick surfaces were also easily cleaned in a sink with hot water. People looking for performance on par with or better than some of the other counter top grills at this price point will find this an attractive addition to their kitchen.
Final Thoughts: Elite Cuisine Electric Grill Review
We found out wattage isn’t everything. We were pleasantly surprised by this indoor electric grill when compared to some other electric grill reviews we conducted with higher wattage heating elements embedded in the cooking grate. We’ve been looking for a budget performer with these features and we were not disappointed. While this unit had a lower wattage than some other grills we reviewed, it performed well for a grill at this price point. If you are looking for good performance on a budget—along with easy cleanup and storage—this may be the grill for you.