Cuisinart Waffle & Pancake Maker, Electric grill, even cooking, Non-stick Removable, interchangeable plates, Dishwasher safe, 210°C, Frosted Pearl

So, I have had a previous model Cuisinart sandwich maker for something over a dozen years (Model GRSM1U).It had its flaws - the clip to lock the plates was plastic and had to be "modified" to work after a few years and the temperature control was eventually unpredictable - but it kept working, was easy to clean and made excellent toasties.So, I finally accepted it was time to replace it and found this one.So, initial impressions (3 weeks of use so far) are as follows:It is big and heavy!I do not view this as a bad thing, but it does weigh a fair bit. Apparently it is 5.4kg (or 12lbs to those of a certain age).This weight is reflected in the apparent build quality. It looks solid and the design appears well thought out.It does an excellent job of sealing sandwiches, if you use the right type of bread.I have found bloomer slices to be outstanding at adding lots of filling and keeping it as filling!The locking mechanism when doing a toastie is different.No click to tell you it is sealed, you just apply steady pressure on the handle (use both hands, one each side) and then try and lift the lid.Once you have applied enough it won't move.I read somewhere that someone complained it broke very soon after purchase...I can only guess they tried the (unwise) approach of slam down and push hard!Honestly, just apply steady pressure and it locks. It does not need anything violent.Unlocking is done by a simply press mechanism in the middle of the handle. Hopefully it will last.Temperature control is a dial on the front, as with my old one.To be honest I just use it on maximum (for toasties) so I can't comment on the variations in temperature.It comes with the plates for standard toasties and grill plates for...grilling!I have tried the grill plates to do Paninis and they were excellent. I will try it for grilling other things in due course.The plates are easily removable for cleaning (just let it cool down after use!) with push releases on the sides.There are a few reviews giving one star claiming it arrived broken (so maybe contact Amazon & get a replacement rather than giving a one star review??) or broke after a few weeks use.Not sure what they are doing with them, but I suspect a lack of thought when using.Overall, I am very impressed, but I will add updates as time passes to measure the longevity. However, based on my experience with the old one, I suspect it will last (I know how to look after things).Thanks for reading and I hope you found the review useful.

I originally wanted a toastie maker with removable plates to make washing easier. I can't stand the ones with cracks where the cheese melts into the machine. The ones with removable plates do seem to be more expensive. I decided to spend a lot more and buy this on offer due to it also serving as a grill for grilling healthy meals and also bring able to make panini's and various other food. It is of good build quality. It is quite heavy. I wouldn't say it's compact like the description says but obviously serves as two machines, saving space. The handle sticks out a lot and needs clearance at the back the way the mechanism works. I've made a few toasties so far and they seal perfectly. It's easy to wash and keep clean due to the plates removing and being non stick. Used the grill twice for grilled veggies, to do them all at once they will need to be cut to same thickness otherwise a quick turn of the thinner ones is needed. I have also done two paninis, which came out perfect. I love this machine!

Poor quality. Stopped working after a couple of uses. Cuisinart sent a replacement but this one didn’t cook evenly with half the waffle cooked and the other half underdone. Sent the second one back to Cuisinart, which they claimed to have tested and found no faults. Clearly their testing doesn’t involve cooking waffles.

Makes excellent toasties, perfect every time, in just 5 minutes.On my particular unit however, the catches at either side are a bit rickety and sit right at the edge which means that when first fastening, due to the compression of the ingredients, the catch at one side will pop off. It takes a bit of fiddling and persuasion to get the catch to stay in place. Once in place, its fine.I haven't tried to fix/tighten it, or contact support, as its only a minor annoyance.

This is the best panini maker and grill in my opinion - I have bought 2 of them. Easy to clean and reliable

I was hesitant to spend so much on a waffle maker but, having tried a cheap one, I was keen to get one that would not suffer from the same flaws. This one is great, it makes perfect waffles - crisp and golden and fluffy inside. Both my boys have used it and it's foolproof! The non stick coating is so good it doesn't need any oil or butter and stays spotlessly clean, particularly as all the batter stays on the plates due to the design. The cheap one I had before would get very messy but this one is fab. Another advantage is that it can be turned off without unplugging it so it can sit on the counter ready to use - perfect for my teenage son who will now make himself some if I leave batter in the fridge for him.The design is great, the handle and latch are very well thought out so you don't burn yourself and the finish is much easier to keep clean than regular stainless steel.I haven't tried the pancake plates yet but I plan to, I am even gonna have a go at making fried eggs on them as both of my frying pans are hard to cook eggs in. I'm sure you could make mini omelettes on the pancake plates too.If you regularly eat waffles then this is an excellent choice and worth paying a bit more for, my whole family loves it.