What is the difference between a grill pan or an electric grill and which one is better?

Dishes prepared for grill have a special taste and aroma.

At home, you can cook such food using two devices: Grill pan and electric grill.

Below are the technical specifications, features and differences of these kitchen gadgets, and which one is better?

What is a grill pan?

With the help of such thickenings, the dish is prepared without contact with fat and without burning.

The special configuration of the bottom allows the fat from the products to flow down the grooves, evaporate the moisture and saturate the food with additional flavor.

In this way, grilling is a healthy alternative to pan frying.

In shape, the pan can be either rectangular or round. The height of the sides, the depth of the relief and the base material may also differ.

The grill pan must not be washed in the dishwasher.

Technical features and capabilities

Among grill pan features can be distinguished:

• the possibility of cooking with using a minimum amount of fat or oil;
• availability of several materials of manufacture to choose from:
  • cast iron.
    Very practical and durable material. The service life of cast iron cookware is measured in decades.
    This metal retains heat well, cools slowly, however, it also heats up slowly.
    It has high non-stick qualities without an additional layer of Teflon or ceramic.
    Cast iron is easy to care for - it only needs regular washing and thorough wiping of remaining moisture.
    The only disadvantage of cast iron is a lot of weight.
    It is difficult to hold a pan from it with one hand; problems may arise with washing such dishes;
  • aluminum.
    It is lightweight and durable material.
    It is always covered with an additional layer of non-stick coating so that food does not stick to the pan and burn.
    Aluminum kitchen utensils heat up and cool down very quickly.
    Such a frying pan does not require special care measures.
• a wide range of shapes.
  A grill pan can be either square or rectangular, round or oval.
  In terms of capacity, a square or rectangular shape is preferred;
• availability of double-sided models.
  Their package includes a lid, which at the same time serves as a weight for pressing the meat and, at the same time, when turned over, it will serve as the basis for frying.
  This model completely imitates an electric grill;
• several options for non-stick coating.
  It is applied, for the most part, to aluminum dishes, but sometimes also to cast iron.
  The coating can be Teflon or ceramic. Both of them are very fragile and do not tolerate the impact of metal objects.
  Ceramic, unlike Teflon, tolerates high temperatures well;
• compactness.
  This point can be attributed to both positive and negative features.
  The pan does not require much storage space, but it will not be possible to cook more than 4 servings at a time;
• the presence of a spout to remove excess fat.
  With its help, all the melted fat and liquid are drained from the pan, the food does not burn and it turns out to be more useful;
• removable handle.
  This function is convenient when cooking a dish on the stove, followed by languishing in the oven.

What is an electric grill?

electric grill - kitchen electrical appliance, designed for thermal processing of food.

Many models are equipped with a top cover so that the dish is cooked under pressure and fried better.

For ease of use, it is equipped with a handle, and in some models, is removable.

The size of the electric grill can be any.

It can be a compact, desktop model for home use, or a professional device that can hold many servings at the same time and is placed on the floor.

The shape of the electric grill is predominantly rectangular.

Technical capabilities of the electric grill

The device is functional and, depending on the model, has the following set of characteristics:

• variety of use cases.
  A variety of temperature and functional modes allow you to cook a dish in various ways.
  In some models of electric grills, there is a mode for heating food, which allows you to keep it warm for a while;
• Availability multiple frying surfaces.
  Such areas allow you to cook several dishes at the same time, choosing your own mode for each.
  Surfaces can be embossed and smooth, sometimes there is a compartment for herbs and spices;
• set of standard programs.
  Such modes allow you to cook the perfect steak even for a beginner: the temperature and cooking time are pre-programmed;
• possibility of transportation for compact models.
  They have special latches that prevent the doors from opening;
• no smoke while cooking.
  When using closed models of electric grills, the appearance of smoke is possible only when the lid is opened.
  For grilling on the open surface of the grill, an exhaust fan may be required, however, some models are equipped with a smoke protection mechanism;
• the possibility of frying without oil.
  It is enough to grease the panels with oil with a brush before cooking.
  Food does not burn, is not saturated with fat and is not stewed in its own juice.
  All excess liquid and fat drain into a separate container and do not come into contact with the dish;
• ease of maintenance.
  After frying, the panels remain practically clean, so they do not come into contact with fat, nothing burns on them.
  The best option is removable panels. They can be easily detached from the case, washed, dried and put back.

Comparison table of device advantages

Below are the main positive characteristics of both devices.

Reviews

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Useful video

This video compares cooking a steak on an electric grill and a grill pan:

Conclusion and Conclusions

For the right choice between two kitchen gadgets, worth taking into account the following criteria:

• number of servings to cook at once.
  A larger volume accommodates an electric grill;
• availability of storage space.
  The frying pan is more compact, while the electric grill requires a separate place on the kitchen worktop;
• ease of use for a beginner.
  The presence of ready-made modes and cooking programs make the electric grill an assistant to young chefs;
• price.
  The most budget model of an electric grill is more expensive than an inexpensive frying pan.