Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill, Brushed Stainless Steel

This is my first electric grill... so I don't have much in the way of comparison. But I have to say my experience with this product in the past three months I've owned it has been outstanding. Here's what I think: Pros: - Beefy construction. Everything is high quality, like the hinges and arm locking mechanism look like they are the suspension from from a high end sports car. A beautiful stainless steel work of art. Nice-feeling grippy knobs and bright display. - Great clean up. I didn't expect it really to "clean up with a paper towel" but yes it does. Even after some greasy burgers that I forgot to clean (and the grease hardened on the surface). No problem, still just cleaned up with a paper towel. - Removeable plate. Not that I've ever had to actually clean them in the sink, but yes, they pop on and off no problem, and solidly lock into place. - Heats fast, cooks well. Again, I have no mode of comparison since this is my first grill but it works great for panini and burgers. Beautiful grill lines and exact temp control! This thing is a masterpiece. Cons: - Expensive (but worth it). This is definitely a case of you get what you pay for. I considered cheaper ones... now I couldn't imagine anything less. I love mine and use it at least 3-4 times per week. - It does not include the 2nd grill plate. This would have been nice-- it only comes with one flat and one grill plate. So you gotta buy the 2nd grill plate if you want over/ under grill lines. But overall-- if you can afford it-- BUY IT.

Newest Update: Grill still working fine! I am using it now several times per week. It is my favorite and most useful small appliance. The removable plates and the ability to get really hot to sear meat are probably the two best features. When putting the two plates back onto the appliance, just seat the two corner tabs for each plate into the nesting place for them and tap each plate into place. I was trying to seat the connectors on the back of each plate, and it was giving me some trouble, but don't do it that way. The connectors seat themselves when you slide the corner tabs into their little holders. It really is duck soup to reseat the plates if you pay attention to the little corner tabs, only. They go right in, and so does each plate. Then tap each plate to complete seating it. Earlier Update: Try cooking bacon on this grill. It cooks bacon much faster than bacon cooks in a pan, and the clam shell top keeps the bacon flat. There is obviously a lot of grease from a whole tray lined with bacon strips, but it all runs out the back and into the grease tray. Suggestions: When you buy steaks, get boneless ones because the bone can hold the top grill plate above the steak, and the top won't cook. Also, when you buy steaks, be sure to ask for all of them to be the same height, that is, of equal thickness. That way, you can stick a thermometer into one of the steaks (stick it in from the side) and the other(s) will be the same doneness as the first. Always ask for this at the meat counter. Sometimes I forget to, and I am always annoyed when I get home with two pieces of meat that are different thicknesses. As you may be able to tell from the review below, I really love this grill. Great product! I have had two of the previous Breville clam shell grills. The first one died, but I liked it quite a bit so I bought another. They were both good. My husband refuses to eat charcoal or gas-grilled food (especially charcoal) so it isn't worth it for me to try to grill out for myself and then try to fix something for him in the house. So an indoor grill is nice for us. Also the clam shell feature is wonderful because it speeds up cooking a lot. You get so spoiled by it that you don't want to grill things in a pan on the stove at all. Three things that I wished the earlier two Breville grills had were adjustable temperature (never got hot enough to really sear meat), removable grill plates, and a tilted design with grease tray underneath. This new one has all three! I am glad that I didn't wait for the second grill to die before I bought this one. It is a huge improvement in design over the ones I had before, and they were good. Even my husband is happy with it, and he never wants to replace anything that isn't actually broken. The two plates come off easily and go back on fairly easily (you do have to get the hang of getting them back into place). The grill gets as hot as you want and fairly fast. It sears meat just fine. The grease tray is as convenient as one could possibly be. It catches the grease at the back of the grill, but it extends all the way underneath the grill from front to back so that you remove it easily from the front, like pulling out a little drawer. It goes back in very easily. Everything washes up just fine. I love this grill! It was absolutely worth the price for me. I wish I had bought it sooner. I grill loads of things on it. As others have mentioned, I leave it out on the counter. It would be a little hard to store.

This is an expensive item. But I have been very pleased with it. I do think it's a bit strange to have one (flat) griddle plate and one grill plate. I went ahead and bought an extra set of plates so now I have two of each. This thing is so versatile. First it's fantastic as a panini press. Burgers ready in half the time (cooked from both sides at once), amazing tuna melts, and more. Or you can open it up flat and have a surprisingly large cooking surface for making pancakes, French toast or whatever. Last night I used it to grill meat and veggies for some fajitas. You can also see the top plate to "hover" above your food so that it acts like a broiler. When making burgers I lift the top plate in broiler mode for melting the cheese on top. It would also be great for open-faced sandwiches, though I haven't done that yet. I really am glad I bought this, it's getting a lot of use. I find it to have even heating, And it's SUPER easy to clean. Are there any downsides? Maybe. It takes up a lot of counter space, or you will need to store it somewhere. It also weighs like 20 lbs, which some people might not want to lug around. But to me those are minor inconveniences. The quality of this thing is exceptionally high. Definitely recommended

If you're in the market for an electric grill look no further then this Breville "Smart" grill. If you're new to Breville you're probably questioning how Breville can get $300 for this product when most other grills are under $100. The difference however is in Breville's quality and performance. This is my second Breville product (I also own the Breville Smart Oven which is equally amazing) and I really couldn't be happier. In the interest of keeping this review show and readable I will highlight what I really like about this product. First, the grill comes with 2 plates, one is a flat griddle style plate and the other is ribbed like a regular grill. The flat plate is great for pancakes, grilled cheese, paninis and anything else you can think of to cook on a flat surface. The grill plate is great for steaks and chops and anything else you'd like to have grill marks for that caramelized flavor. Some people complain that the product does not come with 2 of each style but they can be purchased separately for $50 each. A great feature of this product and these plates is that they are dishwasher safe so when you are done cooking you simply move a level which releases them from the grill, drop them in the dishwasher and forget about them. Another great feature is the grill's ability to maintain temperature. For years and years I struggled to make the perfect pancake. Using a stovetop grill surface heated by my stove my pancakes never came out perfect. If my stovetop grill stayed under the gas too long it got to hot and if the gas wasn't high enough the grill would not get hot enough to fully cook pancakes. I'm happy to say that I can now make the perfect pancake each and every time. I dial the temperature to 370 degrees, pour the batter on the flat grill surface, wait 3 minutes, flip, wait 2 minutes and they are done, perfectly, each and every time. Breville claims this is the "smart" portion of the grill sensing when something cold was placed on a plate and causing the grill to heat more to maintain a constant temperature. For steaks and chops I use the grill plates (yes I bought the extra flat and grill plates), preheat the grill to 450 degrees, place my steaks or chops down and in just a few minutes they too are cooked to perfection. Another great feature is the built in timer. To set the timer you twist the left knob to set the minutes then press the center button. The grill will count down the time and signal when done but most importantly does not turn off the heating function which I think is great because sometimes you just want to check what you are cooking them set the timer a second time. As an added bonus the timer can also be used start along without cooking. This is useful to me because I leave the Smart Grill on the counter and it's always useful to have an extra timer in the kitchen. The Smart Grill includes a drip tray to catch dripping while cooking. Besides being very easy to remove and clean, it actually does catch ALL the drippings. At the end of the cooking session there are no stray drops of grease or oil, everything drips right into the tray. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the Smart Grill can be adjusted by the flick of a level between a level or angled (toward the drip tray intake) cooking position. For pancakes and other sandwiches I use the flat/level position, for greasy food like steaks, chops, chicken, bacon (yes you can cook bacon on this grill) and anything else that gets wet while cooking I use the angled setting. Yet another great feature is the locking and height adjusting upper plate. When you close the lid on the Smart Grill you can choose to "lock" the top lid in place making it easily to lift, move and store the grill by lifting by the handle. Besides the locked position you can also choose from several height settings preventing the grill from crushing a fragile sandwich while cooking. The LCD display is very useful in telling you what is going on. Besides showing the timer function, it also displays the selected temperature and when the grill is heating (or not). All in all I can't think of a single bad thing to say about this product. It's easy to use, cooks wonderfully and is easy to clean. I know this Smart Grill costs a lot more than the competition but really there is no competition here, you get what you pay for and this product is worth every penny. Give it a try, you definitely won't be disappointed!

The Breville Grill will never equal the taste of an outside gas or even charcoal grill. For those days when you cannot grill outside, it is a good option for steaks, hamburgers, pork chops, etc. Where this grill really shines is for breakfast - - especially link sausages that cook to perfection with a 400 degree setting. You can use the grill (marks) side for the sausages (grill plate to the right, flat to the left with the top down) and then open it up and cook your eggs or pancakes on the "flat" (left side) plate. The temperature stays even and it is very convenient for breakfast. It also makes great Pannini sandwiches. So far, excellent Breville quality and will see how long it lasts. We have the Breville Oven and that is a fantastic buy, as well. ***One Month Update*** Breville Grill still going strong! We've learned how to cook steaks and meats on the grill to perfection. Filet's are charred on the outside and tender & juicy on the inside. Here's a tip on how to get the best out of your Breville Grill - - when cooking a steak, start out with the grill plate to the right and the flat plate to the left. Place your steak on the right side (grill plate.) Close the grill (which acts like a "press") and then after a couple of minutes, open and turn the meat over. Then, close the grill again. That way, both sides will have the grill marks and will cook to perfection with the flat side acting as a press to cook quicker and more even. As I mentioned before, breakfast is a real joy. Sausages taste incredible - - I'm going to buy some Bratwurst for dinner one night and see how that works out. I cut larger sausages in half and grill just like above for steaks. What really makes this grill fantastic is the consistent temperature the grill maintains. We grill at 400 degrees for virtually everything including Panini sandwiches. For smaller sausages, again, use the press and turn over in the grilled "slots." Then, cook your eggs or pancakes on the flat side - - open position. If you are "on the fence" about getting this grill - - do not hesitate. It really does work. I understand the issues about reliability. I think you have that with every product you buy these days. We've had the Breville Oven for over two years and it's still performing great. Quite frankly, if I can get at least three years out of a product like this, I'm happy. Four or more and I'm ecstatic. The Breville Grill has changed the way we cook - - especially in the wintertime. One side benefit is that your stovetop stays much cleaner when you're using the Breville Grill. Much easier cleanup, as well!

Purchased mine last year. Reluctant about the price at first, but trusted the reviews posted here, and I took the plunge!!!. Almost cost me a divorce!!!! So far, so good...Like the title says...It is not just an expense...it is an investment. If I add up all the money spent in other brands such as....well you know...we have already thrown away well over $1000 throughout the last 10 years. Quick breakfasts, lunches and dinner for three. Cleaning is a snap. Cooking time, just as reviewed. We live across the street from the office/Job, and the savings are adding up...! No More $8-10 lunches, $4 10:00am snacks. TV dinners come out nice and quick. Baking fish...excelent!!!! (make sure to contain it in aluminum foil to avoid contamination and cleaning hassles). Steaks and Chicken...just like in the restaurants. Panninis and toast are a snap, even french fries (really baked fries) or baked potatoes!!!!! Vegetables, onions, and believe it or not, home made mini pizzas and more. You can get creative with this thing. And on and on, and on....Just be carefull with the cheese...it can get messy. Just make sure the plates do not come in contact with it. Watch the melting and utilize aluminum foil when melting cheese... My electric bill? Have no idea, it is included with the Condo maintenance fees. We have not used the gas stove extensively as before in a long while, we do not use the frying pan anymore, and the stove is sparkling clean most of the time. The only complaint, the teflon cover on the plates is definitely delicate. Just make sure to utilize 'Pyrex' soft rubber spatulas when removing food from the plates, and soft sponges when cleaning them, definitely avoid anything abrassive when rubbing the plate(s) surfaces, including baking soda. And please, wait for the plates to cool off before cleaning; under any circumstances, do not leave them uncleaned overnight. I learned the lesson...Had to purchase a flat plate ($40.00) about three months after the grille purchase. If you follow these recommendations, I am confident there should be no problems. If your teflon goes, just adapt. Cover the plate with aluminim foil and utilize as a normal. If the teflon starts to go heavily use the plate by itself with no foil and spray with SPAM, the teflon is damaged anyway. Make sure to avoid scratches on their surface. I mean, regular plate grilles are bare steel? Aren' they....? The only situation is the cleaning, but is not something a little soap and gentle care can't take care of. We are still reusing the old damaged plate for certain foods items, specially the mini pizzas, and it works just as good (want to get a little creative? use quarry tiles over the plates when baking the pizzas - they come out just like brick oven baked -thin and crispy!!). Another complaint?...I am gaining weight fast....!!!! Have to workout more...! And I cannot blame it on anything but the grille!!!! No Joke... Are we sold with this product?...you bet...! We are having fun with it. So far...... If we change our mind...We will let you all know. Update......April-02-2014 After almost three years, Still going strong!!!!! We use it quite a bit... breakfast, lunch dinner, and occasional munchies....so this fellow has been getting a fairly good beating. The exterior still looks good, I can even get a shine on the stainless. The pans still have the teflon, but it is thinning. I personally use the extra bare steel plates I have often, with non-stick PAM or butter. Recently, I am getting a constant beeping sound about three or four minutes after it reaches 400 degrees. It is very high pitch, and annoying. My son thinks I am comunicating in Morse code with the neighbors...:-)....No way to make it stop, even if you turn the grille off. The only thing that controls the sound is disconnecting from the socket, and waiting for about a minute. After that, you can continue heat/cook for a few more minutes until the sound comes again... I thought that the plates were loose; removed, cleaned and repositioned them many times, and in different occasions to test.....same results So, I have adapted: Usually, the cooking takes no longer than 6 or 7 minutes per meal/item. By disconnecting the power when/and if the beeping sound starts the resilient heat buys me about a minute or two of good heat to continue. When I plug it again...it Works like a champ for about 3 four minutes, until the Morse Code starts again... I'll keep using it that way until the thing dies...and I will post it here ...In Memoriam Update February 2016 the thing has not died yet... :-) Still going !!!! Amazing...

My top plate stopped heating. I called support. We tested the plates on the bottom. Both plates, the Flat and the ribbed plate worked fine. Support told me to keep the plates and the drip tray, pack the smart grill and send it to them for diagnostics and for quotation. I bought the grill in 2022, so it is not under warranty. To my surprise, they quoted me for new plates and labor for over $218. the cost for new smart grill ranges from $300 to $349. I must mention here that I do have several products from Breville in my kitchen and they all work very good. However, this experience with support, is making me look for alternative brands. I called support and discussed the situation with them and will keep you updated on the resolution.

This was a impulse buy at 3AM one Sunday morning when I couldn't sleep. I started looking at the Cuisinart 5 in 1 Griddler to replace my aging George Foreman grill. My problem with the George Forman Grill is that it is old, falling apart and too small for my needs of feeding 2 adults and 2 kids. The Cuisinart I felt was a bit too small for my needs too. Also, we purchased a second home and my husband wanted to get a grill for this home. We have a gas grill at our main home but our deck is down the steps, through the finished basement and out the sliding doors that we secure like Ft Knox making grilling a huge chore that I dont want to take on after working all day. I wanted a solid well build product like the the $500 Vitamix blender I purchased last year. I purchased this Smart Grill and have enjoyed its ease of use, ease of cleanup and the ability to cook with no oils! The price was a bit steep compared to the other grills on the market, however, the size, amount of 5 star reviews and ability to travel with the grill sold me on it. The first panini I made was delicious. My husband said that I love when you get new kitchen gadgets because the meals that come out are spectacular. Meats cook super quick, the plate easily snap off and the timer is a nice feature. One warning. This morning, I cooked an egg on it but I forgot to fix the slope adjustment. The egg immediately slid down the back of the grill right into the grease and drippings tray. DOH! When making eggs check the slope adjustment. The slope is very slight but apparently very effective for draining liquids! Update 7/31/13 This is still one of my favorite appliances. Last night I made shrimp in one minute flat using it on sear. I probably use it 3 out of 7 days a week. I alternate using this and my Breville Smart Oven. The only issue I have is the power problem. Cant run this and another power hog at the same time as my circuits will blow.

La caja del fabricante viene totalmente desecha signo que fue muy golpeado, en el interior de la caja, en la parrilla e instructivos se ven con manchas de que estuvo con agua y algunas partes en la parrilla se ven con grasa o machas que fue utilizada (producto usado) Se levanto devolucion y regresare con mi update una vez que reciba una respuesta.

We used the grill for the first time last evening and were not dissapointed, we were in fact very pleased. So far we have only grilled vegetables and veggie burgers on it so I can't comment yet on how well it does with meat, however, based on how well it performed with veggies I have no doubt it will not dissapoint when we cook meat on it. Some details and tips It's heavy. Portable, yes, but heavy. I think this is a good thing because it reflects how well it's made and suggests it will be very long lasting. - It's easy to set up, pull out and replace the plates - The plates are very non-stick. The manuel says you don't need to add oils and I would agree NOTE: do NOT use cooking sprays on it. The manual specifically states that's a no no. Also in the manual is info that it has an automatic shut off after one hour if the dials are not engaged during that hour. If you adjust the temp for instance it resets the clock to start a one hour shut off count down again. This is an excellent safety feature but if you don't read manuals you may wonder why it suddenly shut off ie when cooking multiple batches. - the veggies were tossed in oil and salt/pepper so there was little grease and as such no splatter. I would expect splatter like in any grill if you cooked meats. - clean up was VERY easy. Just wipe with damp paper towel or cloth when it's warm. They're not kidding when they say non stick - we used it full open flat and used both plates cooking brussel sprouts ( cut in half) asparagus , portobello mushrooms and veggie burgers. All cooked beautifully. See pics to get an idea IT DOES HUM! We didn't notice it when cooking and the usual noises of socializing permeated the air but this afternoon when all was quiet and I was in the kitchen I heard the hum some people have commented on. It is low but it is annoying. Fortunately I have it plugged into an extension bar which has an off switch and when I turn off the power bar the hum stops. If you are sensitive to noise and are in an otherwise quiet kitchen this may bother you so just something to consider. Overall I am extremely pleased and highly recommend. I will update after I have tried other foods on it like meats.

This grill is worth every penny of its cost. You are limited only by your imagination as to what to cook, roasts and bone-in meats excluded. Smash down an 8-ounce chicken breast to cutlet thickness, and it cooks in less than 3 minutes at 430 degrees F. Your partner prefers steak well done, while you prefer rare? Cook to your rareness, let rest, slice for serving -- then put your partner's on for 20 seconds with the upper grill plate in place, and you have well done, but juicy. Panini sandwiches are ready in 5-6 minutes on the "panini" setting, about 360 degrees F. It heats quickly, has 6 locking positions if you don't want to press down on your food. [I reheated 6 large empenadas at a time this way, and after 5 minutes, they were hot all the way through, but with no extra burning of the dough.] Digital readout in 10 degree F increments. Timer must be set AND button pressed in order to work. I would prefer it to come on automatically, but I can see benefits the way it is. Have forgotten to set it twice without too much food damage. Food must be lightly oiled for best presentation look; steaks especially. An instant read thermometer is a good idea because foods such as kebabs [pork, chicken, beef] cook much quicker on this than on a regular outdoor BBQ. Easy to clean [removable grill plates make cleaning a snap]; easy to put away as long as you remember to set to LOCK position. Grill plate release levers are obvious, but the top plate lever can be bumped if you grab the handle in the wrong place. Be deliberate in opening and closing the lid. Wish I had two of these: one for home and one for the cottage at the lake. If I had an RV, the oven/stove top would rarely be used.

I bought this grill because I was craving for panini and ended up looking at panini presses. Then I thought why not buy a grill that makes panini as well as cooks other food as well. After a lot of research, I decided on this grill. I also bought a cuisinart 5 in 1 griddler for my sister as she's living on the opposite end in Canada, my rationale for paying 3 times more for this breville was that there's more people living at home, but honestly only I end up using it as my mom is technology averse. It makes excellent paninis, wraps and even steaks! The sandwiches come out crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with cheese melted and all it's gooey goodness. My steaks come with great grill marks. I end up buying another grill plate since I love the grill marks. It is an excellent indoor grill. The removable plates make it so easy to clean and wash. Have to wash it while it's still earn though otherwise it's much harder to clean.

Wow! Powerful grill. Super heavy! Pricey device but great when you live in a confined area with no opportunity to use a BBQ! Heats up real hot. Quite quickly too. I use it mostly for chicken but have used it with fish and beef. Cooks better when you use slimmer cuts of protein or vegetables because the heat from both contact plates has a chance to get through to the middle. It's quite heavy - which is fine, it's pretty big compared to other grills I've seen. The open BBQ mode is a great feature for cooking a lot at once (and one that brings more value when you spend this much). Next to no oils needed thanks for the non-stick treatment. Cleaning is pretty straightforward but a big sink would make it even easier for you. A bit difficult to clean the actual grill through, you an imagine hot sauces and other cooking ingredients (oil) getting burnt onto it blemish the beautiful stainless finish. Great grill though, does its job, always gets my friends envious when they see it (who else with an apartment/condo has this kind of grill??) if you can get it at a good price, go for it. I love grilling, personally, so for me it was a no brainer.