When it comes to kitchen appliances, cookware, and gadgets, Cuisinart is one of the top brands. Offering a wide variety of cooking products, they make cooking easy and convenient. We’ll look at their electric griddles today, specifically the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe and the Cuisinart Griddler Elite. We will compare the two to see how they differ and determine which offers the best value. Here’s a comparison chart between the two to get you started.
Design
There are differences between the two control panels when you look at them. Apart from that, they are very similar. Both are similar in size, with the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe measuring 18.18 x 9.84 x 16.30 inches, and the Cuisinart Griddler Elite measuring 19.25 x 10.87 x 17.13 inches. With a weight of 17.68 lbs, the Cuisinart Griddler Elite is slightly heavier. As opposed to the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe, which weighs 16 pounds.
They both have brushed stainless steel finishes and are sturdy machines. In addition to being adjustable, the top covers lock when storing, as well as serving as a means of browning or melting. They both have removable drip trays at the back for easy cleaning. Each has a cooking surface of 240 square inches when fully opened. In terms of design, there is not much difference between the two, except for their control panels.
Control Panel
In the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe, you’ll find two knobs to control the temperature of each plate, and two buttons to control upper and lower searing. There are also red and green LED indicator lights that indicate which functions are active, but they are not pictured above.
You’ll notice that the Cuisinart Griddler Elite has a backlit LCD display, along with several buttons and knobs. It has three knobs for selecting the plates to be used and separate temperature controls for the lower and upper plates. Three buttons are located at the left side of the display: start/stop, upper sear, and lower sear. The timer can be adjusted with the two buttons on the right side of the display.
Griddler Deluxe and Elite come with the same set of accessories, including reversible lower and upper plates, a drip tray, and a scraper. Because they are both from Cuisinart, they each come with a 3-year limited warranty.
Cooking Functions
There are exactly the same cooking functions on both the Griddler Elite and Deluxe. Both griddles have six functions: contact grill, panini press, half grill, full grill, half griddle and full griddle.
Both can output up to 1800 watts and can reach a maximum temperature of 450 degrees. Both griddles can reach a maximum temperature of 500 degrees for two minutes when searing. While grilling, both models will produce smoke.
With these griddles, you can control the temperature on both the upper and lower plates independently. You essentially get two electric grills in one machine, which allows you to save precious time while cooking.
The Cuisinart Griddler Elite has a timer feature that can only be found on the Elite model. The timer can be set for up to 60 minutes. The cooking function is incredibly useful and allows food to be cooked properly and safely. Furthermore, it allows you to do something else while your food is cooking, since it will automatically shut off once the timer expires.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Both contact grills come with brushed stainless steel exteriors, so they are easy to clean. Once the temperature drops, you can clean both with a damp cloth. The non-stick plates are removable, so they are easy to clean. Since they are dishwasher safe, you can wash them manually or put them in the dishwasher.
It comes with a removable drip tray that can be washed in the dishwasher. Use the included scraper to remove stuck food from the plates. The included scraper will not damage the non-stick coating, so they can be used safely. Make sure not to scrub too hard.
Verdict
Choosing between the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe and Cuisinart Griddler Elite can be difficult. Nevertheless, we feel that the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe is a better value. It is cheaper and has the same functions as the Cuisinart Griddler Elite. If you choose a simpler model, you can save some money. However, if you want or need a timer function, the Cuisinart Griddler Elite is the clear winner.
If you would like more options of griddler by Cuisinart, you can find them in a guide we have compiled.

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