Breville 800GRXL 800 Class Professional Grill

Wonderful... while it worked

By Andrew  Jan 21, 2007 | 3 out of 3 found this Breville 800GRXL 800 Class Professional Grill review helpful

Pros: Huge grilling area, easy controls, tilt control

Cons: 1 year warranty leaves you in the dust

I wish I could recommend the Breville Grill because while it worked, this was a great machine. In the world of indoor grills, those that open flat give you twice the grilling area. The GRXL 800 does open flat giving you both flat and ridged surfaces... at the same time. The non-stick grilling surface is huge, (the biggest in it's class). The top and bottom plates are designed to drain grease away from your meal into a single slide-out tray tray (though I can't say that it always worked when opened flat). This unit made fantastic steaks and chicken and veggies and makes a pancake breakfast a cinch, and of course, perfect paninis. It cooks evenly from corner to corner and stays true to the temperature it's set at. The power source has a unique design that makes it incredibly easy to unplug; the cord is very sturdy and extra long, giving you a good deal of flexibility in where you lay this 22 pound powerhouse. There is also a handy lock built into the handle that doubles as a brace to hold up the lid if you don't want it touching your meal when the lid is closed. The controls are basic; an on/off button with a single red LED, a temperature control, a timer (just a timer, it doesn't turn the unit off when the cycle is compelted), and a tilt control. The knobs are all large, making it easy to dial if you have wet fingers. The tilt control allows the bottom plate to lay flat (for sandwiches, pancakes) or tilt forward (so that grease and juices can drain into the tray). Unfortunately, Breville only provides a 1-year manufacturer's warranty. I never dreamed that I'd need it, as the grill felt sturdy and well built. After just 15 months though, it completely failed to turn on. For about $180, I expected more. Luckily, I had buyer's protection on my credit card that doubled the warranty, so I was able to replace it with the Cuisinart Griddler... which also opens flat but has interchangable plates and a much more generous 3-year warranty. Read more Less