If you love making snacks for your family and guests, then you’ll need the Cuisinart GR-5B (or Griddler Five), a cooking appliance with interchangeable plates that allow you to grill or griddle, or do something else. It’s electric and it’s a 5-in-1 product.

But here’s the big question. Should you get one for yourself?

To help you with an answer, we went through the comments and feedback section of a popular online retailer, and here’s a summary of what we found out about the product, based on what previous buyers have said.

Key Features of the Cuisinart GR-5B

Here are the key features of the Griddler Five.

5-in-1 Cooking Options

According to Cuisinart, they’ve redesigned the Griddler for a sleek and contemporary style but maintaining its widely-praised performance. The result is the Cuisinart Griddler Five.

Expect a multi-functional appliance that offers 5 cooking options, which include the following: contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle and half grill/half griddle.

To be able to grill or griddle, the Griddler Five comes with a removable and reversible nonstick cooking plates.

Controls

As evidence of its sleekness, the Cuisinart GR-5B comes with an LCD display, an on/off button, and a confirm dial. The dial is used to set the temperature and to increase the temperature and time.

Here’s a list of the functions that you can adjust, and the information displayed on the screen.

• Cooking Function: Appears when either grill or griddle function is chosen.
• Temperature: Choose within the 175-450 degree Fahrenheit range, 25 degree increment
• Timer: Count up or count down
• Preheat: Appears when the unit is in pre-heat mode
• Preheat Bars: Shows the heat-up progress.
• Sear: Appears when the unit is in Sear mode (450 degree Fahrenheit)

Other Features and Specs

• Weight: 12 pounds
• Dimensions: 8.8 x 16 x 13.8 inches
• Stainless steel top cover, handle bar and control panel
• Instruction manual with gourmet recipes

Also read: Blackstone 28 Griddle Review, 28 vs 36 Comparison

VIDEO: Demo of the Cuisinart GR-5B

Here’s a video that shows the parts of the Cuisinart GR-5B. Also, watch until the end for a product demonstration.

Consumer Feedback: Pros and Cons of the Griddler Five

In this section of our Cuisinart GR-5B review, we give you the pros and cons of this product based on what previous buyers have said.

Pros

• Performance. The general consensus is that this Griddler Five delivers its promised results as far as cooking options are concerned. You can indeed grill or prepare a variety of food items such as steaks, pork chops, bacon, and sandwiches. However, there are a few oops mentioned by a few consumers. For instance, one person said that the plates are not 100% flat. They’re actually quite deeper in the middle, so when frying scrambled eggs, it can be an issue.
• Cleanup. Because the plates are coated with a nonstick material, they’re easy to clean. As one person has observed, it “cleans beautifully with soap and a dishcloth.”
• Size. Although it’s not the smallest grill-griddler out there, the Cuisinart GR-5B doesn’t need that much space on yout kitchen countertop. It’s compact, quick to set up, and as one person said, it’s “perfectly sized.”

Limitations

• Unfortunately, you can’t control the temperature for each side separately.
• Also, there is no auto shut-off function. You’ll have to turn the unit manually. That said, this appliance is not a set-and-forget cooking tool
• Waffle plates or attachments are not included in the package. They can be bought separately here.
• According to one buyer, the cable can become really hot after 30 minutes of usage. Also, be watchful of oil leaks when cooking oil-rich or fatty food items such as bacon.

Also read: Cuisinart Griddler GR-150 Deluxe Review: Worth it?

Our Recommendation: Cuisinart GR-5B Review

Should you get the Griddler Five? Here’s our recommendation.

The Cuisinart GR-5B is perfect for a household of 1-2 people. It’s convenient, quick, and easy to clean. However, one big disadvantage is its lack of auto shut-off function, which is ironic considering that it has a timer feature. That said, purchase the Cuisinart GR-5B with reservations.